Throwing his hands up in the air in defeat, he scolds, “As soon as a pretty girl’s in the room, you always choose her and not me.”
So, he thinks I’m pretty? That’s cute.
“Why lie when I could tell the truth?” He flashes his brother a shit-eating grin before focusing on me. “Can I speak to you outside?”
No? Yes? Maybe?
He wants to speak to me alone? About what? Calm down, Trinity. He’s just a really hot, rich, and mysterious guy who wants to talk to you alone. Nothing to panic about.
Nodding my head slightly, I scoot off the bed and give a questioning look toward Amelia. She shrugs and bats me away while snuggling Simba.
As I get closer to where he stands at the door, he motions with his hand for me to go ahead of him. My heart rate quickens when I stop in place in the dimly light hallway. Being in Amelia’s room for most of the day with the blinds closed must have taken up more of the day than I originally thought. I didn’t even realize the sun had gone down for the night. Mom must be worried.
Leo leads me down the hallway and pushes a door open. We walk inside, and he closes the door behind me. A clean bedroom greets me.
Huh, this must be his bedroom.
Although what I find weird is that he hasn’t unpacked a single box since he’s been here. Boxes lie all over the floor and on a desk that’s placed in the middle of his room. Maybe he hasn’t had the time? He and his siblings leave every day to go somewhere. I would ask Amelia, but I don’t want to pry.
“Hey, look, Trinity, I’m really sorry about earlier.”
I wave him off and finally meet his intense gaze. His eyes plead with mine. It takes me aback.
When he almost ran me over, he was rude and snarky, and now, he seems desperate.
“What’s something you love?” he asks out of the blue, catching me off guard.
I have to think for a few seconds. I don’t enjoy many things anymore. That was all stolen from me four years ago.
“I love reading,” I answer, repeating what I told his siblings.
“Done,” he says and extends his hand in the air.
I raise my hand slowly in confusion and slap his. Gosh, his skin is so warm and smooth.
“Done what?”
His body leans against the wall beside him. “Tomorrow, I’m picking you up, and I’ll take you to the bookstore. I’ll buy you as many books as you want as my apology.”
Say what now?
He wants to take me to the bookstore. I totally didn’t just fall a little in love.
I want to wave him off and say it’s fine, that he doesn’t need to buy me anything, that hearing him say sorry is enough, except I can tell he doesn’t take no for an answer.
“What if I’m busy tomorrow?”
His brow rises. “Are you busy tomorrow?”
I scrunch my nose. “Well, no—”
“Great!” He claps his hands before straightening up to his full height. “Be ready in the morning,” he calls over his shoulder before leaving the room.
Like I said before, what in the world just happened?
* * *
“I never thought I would be happy to see my child sneak in at night,” Mom calls out as I sneak in through the back door.
