The less involved Celeste is, the better. She already knows too much. “No, it was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I shake my head, taking a chunk of focaccia bread and forcing it down my throat. See? I can be unaffected.
“Zellie…” Her eyes gleam with worry.
“I’m okay, Cel.” I tilt my chin towards Lenny and Aria, who twirl around the dance floor. “Still dancing, I see?”
“They’re cute, right? Our little Lenny finally worked up the courage to ask her.” I smile, watching them laugh and talk. That is how their life should be—full of innocent, happy moments—not wrapped up in this mess.
“Have you seen Leo?” My eyes sweep once more, attempting to locate him. Portia has retaken her seat on the dais. Celeste shakes her head no. Where is he?
Reassuring me, she adds, “I’m sure he’s fine.”
Yeah, as fine as I was after my talk with Pluto.
Forty-five
Two days before the third challenge, I forced Leo out of his apartment after training. He’s been broody and distant, not telling me what is bothering him. I’m determined to fix his mood and have hatched a perfect plan for us to enjoy ourselves.
The night is quiet as I lead us to the riverbank. “You’ve been avoiding me,” I state, slipping off my runners.
“I have not.”
“Don’t lie, not to me.” I watch the river quietly ripple, waiting for a response that I don’t receive. I take off my outer layer, revealing my swimsuit, keeping my back to Leo. “What did she say to you?”
“Who?”
“I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.” I turn as he removes his shirt, my mouth going dry at the sight of him. Tanned skin and defined muscles have my eyes roaming. It’s as if the stars themselves designed him.
Flarelets twinkle in the air between us, small mites born from the stars themselves.
“See something you like?”
“Come float with me.” I walk backwards until the water laps at my heels.
“Float?”
“Mhm, float. Very relaxing, something you could use.” I hoist myself back into the water, letting the water guide me as I stare at the galaxies above me. Silently, I plead for Leo to join me, to come back to me.
The water sloshes as Leo enters and wades to me—shoulder to shoulder, we drift, two weightless souls. My hand glides through the luminescentwater, the gentle pull of the river pushing me closer to him. Flarelets gently hum, and the galaxies spiral above. The moment feels infinite. I change position, wrapping my legs around him. He instantly sits up, holding me around my waist. I want to commit Leo and this moment to memory. I don’t want to forget the freckle on his cheek, his fierce golden eyes, or the way a stray black strand of hair never stays in place. The way the glow of the water reflects on his skin, the vibrant water lilies twirling around his toned body. “You are everything,” I say in a hushed tone, fearful of the words being out in the open.
“Zell,” Leo hesitates.What aren’t you telling me?Whatever warring internal conflict he was having passes, the tension melting from his frame as he grips the back of my neck and kisses me relentlessly. Lips locked, his tongue eases my mouth open to him. He controls the kiss, consuming my very being. I grip his length through his trunks, driving us both crazy. “Fuck, Zellie. The way you make me feel… You aremine.”
Without warning, Leo spins me, ripping my swimsuit down my body. Shoving a finger inside me, he hums his approval. “So wet for me already, baby?” Plunging his fingers in and out, he growls, “Thisis mine.” I grind my backside against him, reveling in the feel ofhim. His hands wrap around me, wandering my body. He pinches my nipple tightly, rolling it between his fingers. I moan, tilting my head back to rest against him. Leo continues working me, his movements quickening, gripping me, bruising me until I’m writhing, trembling, desperate for him.
For a painful moment, his hands are gone as he frees his cock. With one hard thrust, Leo slides in to the hilt. A noise involuntarily escapes me as he thrusts slowly, pulling almost out before slamming back in. He squeezes my breasts once. “That’s it, sweetheart,” before moving one hand to my clit. The other firmly wraps around my throat, pressing lightly. His thrusts increase as he circles my clit without pause. The sensations from this angle are so intense that my orgasm spirals through my body violently. Leo bites down on my shoulder hard, shouting when he finds his release.
After he holds me with my back against his chest, he tells me, “In every universe, my soul orbits yours.”
Forty-six
“Welcome all to the third trial in the Gemini Games!” Applause erupts as a Kosmos named Elio greets the crowd and beckons to the competitors. The arena is suspiciously empty; what in all the worlds could they be planning for us today?
“Before we start, a reminder of the standings:
Leo Vance: two
Solene Lox: two
Zellie Toro: one
