Chapter 15
Leo’s hand gently wrapped around my thigh. We sat side by side in the back seat of the truck, with Nate driving and Dad in the passenger’s seat. I did my best not to show any emotion as Leo’s warm touch made my stomach fill with excited nerves.
We were heading across town to meet a potential new commercial client. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the one who set the meeting up this time. Dad had taken the initiative to find a new property for Anderson Lawn to maintain.
Not long after getting on the highway, Leo used his thumb to trace lines across my skin. Since claiming the spot beside me, his eyes stayed focused outside of the window, and his voice was neutral as he carried a conversation with my brother.
The two were talking about a prank that happened at the beginning of their freshman year at Amber U. Something involving chickens, flooding, and the fire department. I wasn’t too sure. The only thing I was sure of was Leo’s fingers were dangerously close to the hem of my bicycle shorts. Even with my window down, it didn’t feel like there was enough air in the world to satisfy my deep breathing.
My gaze flickered to his hand once his thumb moved to my inner thigh. He laughed at Nate’s joke like he wasn’t sending me in a spiral. His hand moved further up my leg, stopping near the edge of my shorts. A few fingers tucked under the stretchy fabric. He traced the edge, following the stitches across.
I leaned my elbow against the car door and covered my smile with the back of my hand. Leo’s fingers pressed against the sensitive skin at the curve of my leg. He was in dangerous waters. One over-the-shoulder glance from Nate or my dad and they’d realize his innocent voice was a scam.
When he began massaging small circles across my inner thigh, I looked over for a second to let him know I admired his courage - even if said courage was dangerous.
Leo only spared me a glance. I bit on my lip to keep from laughing at the quick wink he gave me before looking away.
“This it?” Nate asked Dad while turning on the blinker. Dad held up his phone, squinting at the directions on the GPS. I wanted to reach up and grab the phone from him. Resisting the urge to insert myself was helped by Leo’s touch. If I moved, he’d have to move too.
“Yup,” Dad decided. “Says it there on the sign.”
We passed a fading wooden display that read, Walker Retirement Home. The place was overgrown with weeds and untrimmed trees at the front entrance. We parked in the dirt lot in the back of the main building, per Dad’s instructions. The main building was a small wooden structure that looked like it’d been constructed centuries ago. There was a wraparound porch with dark wood rocking chairs lining the space. Only a few were occupied with elderly people playing a game of cards.
“The owner said to knock on the back door and wait for an answer.” Dad unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.
Nate turned off the engine and followed Dad’s lead. “That doesn’t sound shady at all.”
Leo gave me one last squeeze before climbing out of the back seat. His hand found mine for a moment once I hopped down from the truck.
“I got reservations for tomorrow night.” He spoke in a low voice. Dad and Nate were already near the home’s back entrance. Neither of them glanced back at us yet, so we had a few seconds of complete privacy.
“I’ll pick you up after work,” he said.
I nodded, shifting my gaze over to Dad and Nate to make sure they didn’t look over. “Park down the street, okay?”
“Whatever you want,” Leo agreed.
I started to walk away, but he touched a hand to my stomach to stop me. When I looked up to see what was wrong, he kissed me on the lips. It was a blink and you miss it kiss. More than enough to make me lightheaded.
He stepped away before I could respond and called out a joke to my brother. I shook out my hands as I stayed by the truck for a minute to gather my wits. A part of me felt like I was stuck in some kind of fantasy. Like I’d been asleep for far too long and now, my mind was going wild from the lack of movement.
If I was somewhere in blissful ignorance, I prayed it stayed that way a little while longer. At least, until tomorrow, where Leo and I didn’t have to sneak kisses behind my brother’s back.
* * *
The next day, I caved and invited Claire over to tell her my growing secret. I needed a confidant that not only would understand my struggle but help me amid a hair crisis.
“Leo?” she hissed as soon as she slipped into my room. “Leo Reyes-Salgado kissed you?”
“I know, I know.” I hurried out of my closet with a dress half falling off my shoulder and jeans clinging tightly to my legs. “And I can’t get out of these freaking pants.”
“What the…?” Claire’s eyes widened at my disarrayed look. I’m not sure she’s seen me without my hair done and expression calm. I’d spent the past hour trying on outfits until I was hit with a familiar dose of insecurity and had to cover all my mirrors in response. And I couldn’t very well get ready without seeing myself, so that’s where Claire came in.
“He said I should wear something comfortable, something I can move in.” I flopped on my bed, trying to wiggle out of the jeans. “So you know what that probably means.”
Claire nodded and hurried over to pull at the ankles of the pants. “Dancing.”
We were a ridiculous sight. Her tugging and me pushing. She bent down, doing her best to use all her strength. I groaned in panic. She chanted encouragement, like words of affirmation would help slip my thick thighs through my high school pair of jeans.
