Page 90 of Cheater and the Saint
“Love you, too. Goodnight.”
Leo was fixated on the TV, but he wasn’t really paying attention. His eyes had that glazed look in them. I shifted closer to him, and his arm came around my shoulders. He continued looking ahead, and his nostrils flared a bit.
“What if it’s just another chance for him to yell at me?” he whispered. “My last memory of him is already fucking awful. If he’s as sick as Mom says, he might not have the energy to do much, but I guarantee he’ll still come at me.”
“If it turns into that, leave,” I said. “You don’t have to stay and put up with it.”
“This movie’s good, but I prefer the original,” Leo said, nodding to the TV. His vacant expression told me he was struggling, but he was the type who didn’t talk much when they were upset.
No more was said about his dad after that.
We went to bed around midnight, and for once, Leo didn’t try to have sex. He just wanted to hold me. An hour after we lay down, we were both still awake. Neither of us said anything, though. I didn’t know what to say to ease his mind. All I could do was be there for him.
His arm tightened around my torso and the other went under my head, and eventually, I fell asleep.
In the morning, I awoke alone. I sat up in bed, squinting my eyes against the light coming into the room. Just as I thought he’d left without saying goodbye, I heard a noise down the hall and slid out of bed.
Nearing the bathroom, I heard a whine followed by sniffling. He was in there crying. I stood by the door, wanting to go in and comfort him, but knowing how awful of an idea that was. As quietly as I could, I backed up and went into the kitchen.
When he walked into the living room minutes later, I smiled and played dumb.
“Happy Thanksgiving, stud,” I said.
“I feel like a turkey,” he responded, strutting over to the counter. “Because I totally want to be stuffed.”
I was glad he was able to crack jokes, but the redness around his eyes was very telling.
“You’re bad,” I said.
Leo pushed me up against the refrigerator, trailing his lips up my neck and kissing my Adam’s apple. “But I’m your bad.”
He was already dressed and had his shoes on. I pulled back to study him, admiring the way his broad shoulders stretched the material of his thin sweater and how his torso angled down into a sexy V-shape. His jeans hugged his ass and thighs perfectly, not too tight and with a little room to spare.
“Wow. I feel violated,” Leo scoffed. “You’re molesting me with your eyes.”
“Would you rather me use my hands?” I asked, grabbing hold of his waist and gliding my finger along the skin of his lower abdomen.
His dark eyes darkened even more. “Please.”
“If we do that, neither one of us will make it to our families on time,” I pointed out with a small laugh. “I still need to shower and get dressed.”
“Ugh. Fine.” He spun me back toward him when I tried walking away, though, and kissed me. I melted against his mouth. “Okay, now you can go.”
Before I could change my mind, I left the kitchen. I took a quick shower and walked out of the bathroom wearing just a towel. I’d laid out my clothes the night before, and they were on my desk chair.
“You’re a fucking demon,” Leo said, meeting me in the hall. “How am I supposed to keep my hands off you now?”
“Hmm. I’m sure you’ll find the willpower in there somewhere, babe.” I lightly smacked his chest before going into my room.
After putting on a long-sleeved shirt and a vest, I shrugged on my maroon skinny jeans and slipped on my nice pair of shoes. I styled my hair with a little mousse, making it stick up in the front and smoothing the stray hairs that never wanted to listen.
Jacob came over around seven, and I answered the door. His brown hair was out of his face for once, still in an emo style but a nicer version of it. He was wearing a vest, too, and I laughed. Although, his was more of a pinstripe, goth look, and mine was more preppy.
“Good to see you, man,” Leo said to Jacob, and they clapped each other on the back. He then pulled me against him and kissed my forehead. “I wish I was going with you today.”
“Who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised,” I said, hoping I was right.
He kissed me before grabbing his keys. After one last glance at me, he opened the door and left.
