Page 105 of Worth the Risk

“It did.” I nod. “Thank you for allowing me this time with her. I realize being under the same roof is probably a little stressful for you, being as you thought I didn’t want Riley and paid you off.”

Sighing, she responds, “Honestly, I’ve spent many years being angry at you, assuming you turned your back on her. Now I find out that what I thought was true never was, and it’s a lot to take in. I’m not sure how to feel now that I recognize my anger was misplaced.”

Maybe mine was misplaced as well? What do I do with the anger I’ve held onto for years if they didn’t betray me?

“We need to find a way to adjust to this. I don’t want to fight with you, Kylie. I want us to work together and raise Riley. I’m not sure how we do that right now, but I guess we just take this day by day.”

She nods, and as I finish my drink, I recall there was a time when we couldn’t be in the same vicinity without touching each other, and I get the urge to feel her warmth again.

Placing my beer on the coffee table, I hold out my hand in front of her to take.I only need one touch.She hesitates at first but soon places her small hand in mine. And there it is. That spark. The current zaps its way throughout my body.

Not being able to help myself, I pull her up and wrap my arms around her.

“I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You could’ve told Riley I didn’t want her or that I would never be there for her. Instead, you kept me in her life in the only way you could. You didn’t have to do that, but you did, and I’m thankful.”

When our eyes connect, I know I could get lost in her pretty eyes again, and the thought panics me. She is still the girl I loved with everything I had until it turned to shit. At one time, she was my everything.

“I am unable to explain it, but something inside me had me keeping you alive to her. I don’t know why, but I’m glad I did. Fully aware now that you would have wanted her, I made the right choice.”

Thank God she did because, otherwise, this reunion would not have gone as well.

We’re still in our embrace, and I realize I should probably let her go, so, with reluctance, I pull away from her.

“I guess I’ll be… um… heading to bed now. I should be there if Riley wakes up and doesn’t remember where she is.”

“Of course. Goodnight, Kylie.”

“Goodnight, Leo.” With that, she quickly heads to the guest room. She may not know it, and I may not want to admit it, but she has always had a piece of my heart.

I rub my left pectoral right over my heart. She was never forgotten and never will be. With Riley, we’ll always be connected, but this thing between us was there before her.

The question is, where do we go from here?

ChapterThirty-Three

Kylie

The week passes quickly, and Leo keeps to his word by staying out of my room, but I’m not sure how I feel about that. A part of me wishes he’d make a move, but I’m not sure we should head down that road again. All those old feelings are returning, but then again, they never truly went away. Now that we have figured out there was more at play five years ago, we’ve both let our guards down.

There have been glances and small grazes throughout the week, but outside of the hug we shared on my first night here, where it felt so right being in his arms again, we’ve managed to keep our distance. It’s getting harder by the day, though. Leo still does things to my body. A simple glance has me reminiscing about all the times we were together. We couldn’t be in the same room without needing to touch each other, and one caress led to much more pleasurable times.

I find myself staring at him sometimes, remembering, and I don’t think it has escaped his notice. It’s not all sexual. I crave his slight touches, his voice, and his mere presence. Sometimes I find myself in bed at night wanting to crawl into his bed and have him hold me like he used to.

Riley is completely besotted with Leo. He’s doted on her all week, and his interactions with her further melt my heart. Every day, we find ourselves at the carousel in the park—Riley’s doing. Leo even surprised us last night with a horse and carriage ride and had Riley dressed in a princess dress that was delivered earlier in the day. Whatever his little princess asks for, he gives her.

I’ve let some things slide for now, but he will have to learn how to tell her no.

There’s one important outing we had, and yes, it was at my insistence. We had our cheeks swabbed for a DNA test. I insisted because I didn’t want anyone to question who Riley’s father is.

Of course, we received the positive result that she is his daughter this morning.

We haven’t unearthed any other information on what I suspect happened that night with Nash, but I hope Leo is starting to believe in the possibility of how far Amber would go to have him, even if I can’t prove it. He’s asked me questions here and there and seems to be putting it together that things don’t add up to what he was manipulated to believe. I just need to find a way to prove Amber was behind it, but that will be hard to do without her outright confessing.

How do you get someone to believe a possibility this outrageous? Leo told me that finding us together that morning is something he can’t forget.

It’s Friday evening, and we’re in an elevator headed up to Leo’s father’s penthouse. I’m nervous as hell. Our first meeting, I found him a bit rude and felt like he didn’t like that Leo and I were together. Riley, of course, is excited to meet him. She’s enjoying every adventure she goes on with Leo.

The doors open, and Leo motions for us to head in. When we enter the living space of the penthouse, Leo’s father greets us. He’s still a handsome older man.Like father, like son. They apparently age like fine wine.

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