Page 36 of Saved from Obsession

“Oh, Leo.” Blue eyes turn to me, darkening with worry, “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I know you didn’t, sweetheart.” Spinning her around, I slant my mouth over hers, tasting the sweetness of her lips. We’re on a boat surrounded by dozens of other people, so I don’t kiss her as long as I’d like, but long enough that when I pull away Georgia’s breathing hard and her cheeks are flushed a delicate pink.

Her gaze meets mine, the heat and desire in her eyes matching what I’m feeling. The connection between us has been like an electrical circuit charging up—each touch, each lingering glance building up our anticipation. After dreaming about Georgia for so long, my body is desperate for her.

But I’m not going to rush things, no matter how badly my libido wants me to. This is only the first day of our trip—we haven’t even gotten to the hotel we’re staying at yet—so there’s plenty of time to let things happen gradually. After everything Georgia’s been through, the last thing I want to do is put any pressure on her, so I won’t make a move until she tells me she’s ready.

Although if she tells me she’s ready today, I’m certainly not going to say no to her. Not when I’ve been staring at her long legs in those worn jeans that are faded in all the right places and the little hint of cleavage peeking out from her V-neck shirt.

The captain makes an announcement as we pass by another island, interrupting the charged connection between us. Georgia gives me a little smile, one corner of her mouth tipping up wickedly. “I haven’t forgotten about your promise, by the way,” she says, her voice soft and teasing.

My pants tighten immediately, and I shove my hand in my pocket to do some careful rearranging. “Me neither.”

She glances down at my waist and her smile turns into a full-on smirk. And now I’m thinking about her mouth and all the things she could do with it.Damn. We’re on a crowded boat in the middle of the day, not exactly the best place to be getting excited.

Georgia takes pity on me and changes the topic. “I’m so glad you could take the time off for this trip. Are you sure no one minded?”

A short laugh bursts out, and I say, “I’m sure they didn’t. When I told Cole I was taking a week off to spend it with you, he was thrilled. And I haven’t taken any time off in over a year, so I have plenty saved up.”

When I told Cole and Rylan about my plan the morning after we caught Georgia’s stalker, after some light ribbing, they were both genuinely happy for me.

Rylan slapped me on the back and said, “Georgia’s amazing. Make sure you treat her right.” He winked like he might try to steal her away from me, but I wasn’t worried—after weeks of teaching her self-defense and helping her build her confidence, he sees her like a sister.

Cole grinned at me and said, “I knew you had it bad from the first time you saw her.” Smile broadening, he added, “Maya said she can’t wait to meet her. So once you’re back from your trip, you’ll have to bring Georgia for a visit.”

I’m hoping to have lots of visits with Georgia in the future. Though it’s still early days, and we have some obstacles to overcome—namely, me living in Sleepy Hollow and her over two hours away in Ballston Spa—something in my gut tells me all the effort will be worth it. And if things go well, maybe this trip to Lake George will become a yearly tradition.

“Oh, Leo, look!” Georgia points across the water to a large white building overlooking the lake. It takes up the entire point of the island, surrounded by trees and multiple docks and a pool right at the edge of the water. “It’s theSagamore. I’ve seen pictures of it online, but never in person. It’s so pretty.”

Sliding my hand up to her nape, I twine my fingers through her hair, each strand like silk on my skin. My chest goes tight as I ask, “How would you like to stay there?”

When I thought of making reservations at the exclusive four-star hotel in Lake George, it seemed like a great idea. A special place to bring Georgia that would show her how important she is to me. A place where she canfeelspecial.

But now I’m a little worried. What if it’stoomuch? I want so badly for everything to be perfect for her, and now I’m starting to second guess my decisions.

“Leo.“ Her eyes go wide, brows arching upward. “I would love it, it’s so gorgeous, but…” Perfect white teeth worry her bottom lip, and she pauses, sorting through her thoughts before continuing. “I don’t want you to spend all that onme.”

That’s one thing we haven’t talked about in all our conversations. Money. Not that I wouldn’t have told her if she asked, but it never came up and I really don’t think about it that often, anyway. But I know Georgia’s been worried—being out of work, all her medical bills, helping her mom—so I can understand where her concern might come from.

But I spent over fifteen years in the Army, overseas, getting combat pay, and I lived simply. A basic apartment for when I was home between missions, a mid-level SUV, and whatever computer components I needed. Not nearly enough to put a dent in my savings.

And now, working at Blade and Arrow, I get paid well, and my housing is free. So I can easily pay for a week at the Sagamore and treat Georgia to whatever she wants.

I cup her cheek—it’s her injured one, but she doesn’t seem to notice when I touch it anymore—and brush a light kiss across her lips. “Georgia, I can afford it. I’m not crazy rich or anything, but I did well enough for myself in the Army. And Iwantto do this.”

Stroking my thumb along the line of her jaw, I hold her gaze, determined to wipe away the hesitancy. “This is our first trip together, and I want it to be special. Staying there isn’t a hardship for me. So the main question is—doyouwant to stay there? If you don’t, it’s okay. We can find another hotel. Whatever you want is okay with me.”

“I think,” she starts, glancing at the hotel before looking back at me. “I wouldloveto stay there with you.“ Lifting onto her toes, she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. “Thank you, Leo,” she whispers, pulling back slightly. “No one has ever done something this nice for me before.Thank you.”

I don’t say the next thought running through my head, but it’s a promise, nonetheless.

I’ll do anything for you, if you’ll let me.

* * *

As the bedroom door opens,I jump to my feet, not at all surprised that Georgia is ready exactly on time.

One of the things I learned about her early on is that she hates to be late, and she gets ready faster than any other woman I’ve met. When I remarked on it one time, she explained, “When I was modeling, time was money. And I wasn’t famous enough to do whatever I wanted and expect to get re-hired. So I learned to get ready very quickly.”

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