Page 74 of Cheater and the Saint
Out of all the things I’d expected when I walked through the door… that hadn’t been one of them.
“You have no right to ask me that,” I snapped, squaring my jaw as I looked at him. “Not after what you fucking did last night.”
“I’ve been calling and texting you,” Leo said, becoming as angry as me. “Why didn’t you answer?”
“Because I didn’t have my damn phone!” I pushed past him and stormed down the hall. The bastard followed. I went into my room and tried to slam the door on him, but he slapped a hand on it and stopped me. “Go away, Leo. I can’t look at you right now without wanting to punch you.”
“Will you at least listen to me?” he asked with pleading eyes.
God. I was so pitiful. One look into his warm brown eyes, and all of the anger inside of me left in one sharp intake of breath, and on the exhale, I shuddered with a soft cry.
“Leo. Just leave.”
He stepped forward and grabbed my face with both his hands. “Goddammit, Saint. Listen to me. I—”
“Nothing you have to say is anything I want to hear,” I snarled, shoving him away. “I thought I could handle you being with other people, but I can’t. Our arrangement is over. From now on, don’t fucking touch me.” A pain lashed through my chest, and my chin trembled. “See, Leo? This is exactly why I didn’t want to fall for you. Iknewyou’d hurt me.”
“Frosty…” Leo’s eyes searched my face, and slowly, he took a step toward me. Damn it all, I let him. He glided his hand across my cheek before he came even closer. “I’m sorry for hurting you. I regretted it as soon as I did it.”
“It’s in the past,” I said, not as bitter but still upset. “But we can’t continue this.”
“You don’t understand.” He gripped my nape and pressed his forehead to mine. He smelled so good, and I couldn’t stop myself from breathing him in. I might’ve been angry at him, but my heart still wanted him. “I regretted sending you the text. I… I didn’t do it.”
I stilled. “What?” Pulling back from him, I narrowed my eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I met a girl,” he explained, and right as the words left his mouth, I shook my head and started to close the door. “Stop!” He grabbed it and pinned me with a stare. “It’s why I acted weird before I left. You said you didn’t want anyone but me, and I felt guilty because I knew she’d be at the party last night and I planned to fuck her.”
“I’m not going to listen to this.”
“Yes, you will,” he snapped, slapping the door again. “Because I didn’t do it, okay? I wanted to. She’s sexy as fuck, and I intended to let her fuck me senseless right after I sent you that text. But when she started touching me, I couldn’t do it, Saint.” Watery brown eyes filled my vision. “I couldn’t do it.”
Relief tried to chip away at the pain, but I didn’t let it.
“Why should I believe you?”
“Why the hell would I lie, Saint?” he asked with an edge to his tone. “When I was kissing her, all I could think about was you. About how her lips felt wrong. How her body felt wrong. I’d already texted you by then, and as she touched me, I lost it. I fucking cried and told her to stop.”
A lump lodged itself in my throat and heaviness pressed down on my chest. My doubt of whether he was telling the truth vanished as soon as I saw the desperation in his eyes.
“Why?” I managed to ask, and it came out more like a croak.
“Because you’re all that I want, too,” Leo whispered, reaching for my hand. “I don’t understand it, and it fucking scares me, but it’s true. I’ve never found someone I cared enough about to even consider monogamy… but I want that with you. I want something real.”
And with those words, I was no longer angry or hurt, but rather hopeful and maybe even a little scared. As much as I’d wanted a relationship, I’d never been in one before. It’d be new for both of us.
“I want something real, too,” I answered, wrapping my arms around him and pressing my face against his neck. His pulse was going crazy. As was mine.
“Can’t guarantee I’ll be a perfect boyfriend,” Leo admitted, resting his chin on the top of my head.
Hearing him sayboyfriendmade me smile, and I peered up at him. “So… we’re really going to try this? You and me?”
Leo smirked before kissing the tip of my nose. “No, I was just bullshitting you, Frosty.” He laughed, though, and tightened his hold around me. “Yeah. We’re doing this.”
“I guess it took you almost screwing some girl to realize you wanted me?”
Sadness flashed in his brown eyes. “I’m really sorry for putting you through that. I was trying to figure shit out.” He lifted a hand and brushed aside my bangs. “But my eyes are open now.”
Leo grabbed my face and kissed me, walking me backward to the bed. After laying me down, he kissed my neck and down to my collarbone as he started lifting my shirt. I removed his next and tossed it to the floor. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other—just kissing, grabbing, licking, and stroking.
