She closed her eyes briefly. “You want to know why this is a hard topic?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
Kat let out a sigh and he shifted his stance to her side. Taking her hand in his again, he led her toward the edge of the pond where a path had been constructed to exit. She wobbled somewhat but he kept her steady.
By the time they made it to one of the many benches that surrounded the pond, Leo worried that Kat wouldn’t open up to him. He was getting prepared to convince her by any means necessary when she sighed again.
“Because of your mom.”
His brows shot up. “What?”
Kat covered her face with a hand and let out an embarrassed laugh. “Notbecauseof your mom… but in a way, yes. I’ve been here for weeks and even I can tell that you had a very different childhood than me. She made sure you experienced everything you could think of.”
Leo watched her warily. He didn’t like seeing her hurting and that emotion was shining through more than he wanted to admit. One of her hands was still within his own and he squeezed it with reassurance.
“But you want to know what my childhood consisted of? Nights where I ate alone or with my nanny. Days filled with coloring in his office. Going to private schools because he was going to be too busy to be home for months at a time.” Her eyes shone with emotion. “Don’t get me wrong. I love him. He was a good father—always wanting the best for me. I know that. Deep down, I do. But where your childhood had multiple opportunities to spend time with your family, I was raised to run our family empire. So no, going ice skating wasn’t something at the top of our priorities. I didn’t have fun for fun’s sake.”
Finally, one tear slipped down her cheek and before he could reach it to swipe it away, she brushed it with the back of her hand. Then she let out a sad laugh.
“You must think I’m?—”
“Hey,” he reached out and grasped her chin to force her to look him in the eye, “I’m not thinking anything but the fact that you’re a strong woman who has done amazing things with her life. You’ve accomplished so much, you have no idea how much I respect you.”
She sniffed and brushed at another tear. A hint of a smile graced her lips. “Yeah?”
“Of course,” he murmured. “Just because you didn’t get the chance to try out things like ice skating doesn’t mean you missed out on anything. You have your whole life ahead of you. And maybe you’ll start believing me when I tell you to ease up and enjoy life for once.”
Kat actually laughed at that. “And you know me better than that. When I go back home, things will return to normal. My hours won’t allow for ice skating or taking breaks.”
Her words cut at him like a sharpened dagger straight to his heart. Her response had been so quick, so sure, that he could tell she didn’t have a single inkling to stay.
She can’t leave.
The words were screamed in his head as he continued to study her. They were on the tip of his tongue, but he bit them back. Kat was only preparing to leave because she didn’t have a good enough reason to stay.
He had time.
They had time.
All he had to do was make her love it here more and she’d change her mind.
Leo traced his thumb across her cheek and smiled. “And maybe you’ll realize that even the great Kat Jerris needs balance in her life.”
She brought up her hand and covered his with it. “You’re… so good for me. Thank you, Leo.”
And just like that, she’d reached into his chest, wrapped her long fingers around his heart, and pulled it out. She had his heart in the palm of her hand. That should terrify him.
But it didn’t.
She turned her lips toward his palm and pressed a kiss to its center. Leo stifled a shiver and his ears started ringing. Right here, right now, there was no denying just how attached he’d become. Kat was so special and she didn’t even know it—well, not in the way that mattered.
Leo slipped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close. He brought her lips to his and kissed her deeply, hoping that she could feel just how much he cared for her.
If she didn’t know now, she would.
Their kiss was one not only filled with passion but promise. Her arms came around his neck and she clung to him. Their bodies were pressed together by a need that each of them was desperately trying to satiate.
Kat was the first one to pull away, but only just. Her face remained so close to his own as she searched his face. He wantedso much to believe that in those beautiful eyes she felt even an inkling of what he was feeling right now. It would be so easy to tell her that he was falling for her.
