‘Wow,’ he breathed, looking at me tenderly.
‘But as of now, I stand sorry and hopeful we might be able to sort this out,’ I said, giving him a friendly nudge. ‘I feel embarrassed about the whole situation and… I’ve missed you.’ I paused. ‘What about you? Where do you stand? Or where would you like to?’
He pretended to think for a second.
‘I’m not sure I want to stand anywhere at the moment; I’m pretty happy sitting right here.’ He leant forward and kissed me, sending tingles down my spine. Leo came up for air and pulled himself together. ‘But if you insist on an answer, then I’d like to stand next to you in the American Bar in The Savoy and drink dirty martinis,’ he said, stroking my hand. ‘I’d like to stand in the crowd at Wembley with you and watch Liverpool win the FA Cup.’
‘Haha, we wish!’
‘I’d like to prop up the bar with you in my local pub, where they have a lock-in on a Thursday and then queue up with you for my favourite curry house on Brick Lane where the poppadoms are bigger than the plates.’
‘Bagsy the mint yoghurt dip.’
‘See? We’re yin and yang. I’m mango chutney all the way.’
‘Keep going,’ I said, drinking my wine and enjoying this glimpse into his mind.
‘I’d like us to carry on learning salsa together and I want to whisk you away to New York to seeHamiltonon Broadway… and a million other things. Being on the cruise together was such a laugh. It’s been like living in black and white ever since we got back. I’ve been lost without you.’
‘Have you?’ I asked softly.
He nodded. ‘It’s the first time I’ve ever felt lonely on my own, if that makes sense. The cruise was so full-on, wasn’t it?’
‘We were kind of… thrown together and left to get on with it,’ I said, putting my hand on his leg and snuggling in. ‘It was like a social experiment at times.’
Leo laughed.
‘Come, come, follow me!’ Margot cooed from behind us. ‘I ’ave a table for you now. The best in the ’ouse.’
‘You say that to everyone,’ I said, giving her a hug. ‘Thank you, Margot.’
‘Your man is very cute!’ she whispered into my hair. ‘Tres bien.’
I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face.
There was a small charcuterie with fresh bread and butter already on the table and Margot topped up our wine and left us with the menus.
‘I do mean it,’ Leo said, staring into my eyes. ‘I want to wine and dine you.’
I laughed. ‘And the rest.’
He smirked. ‘Yes, that too. All of it. I knew from the very first time I saw you, all those years ago, that there was something special about you, Kat Brennan. You took my breath away and still do. I don’t get nervous around people very often; it just isn’t in my nature. But with you, I start second-guessing myself.’
‘I feel the same,’ I said. ‘I was gutted when I thought you’d spent the night with Brooke. I didn’t want to believe it, but I’d seen you with my own eyes – what else could I think?’
‘I’ll say it again – you should have talked to me,’ he replied earnestly. ‘We work in communications for God’s sake – we should be good at this stuff. But for the record,I’d never do something like that. Cheating on you, cheating the process… It’s not who I am. Not to mention it would overstep every professional boundary there is.’
I nodded. ‘You’re right; I should have known there’d be an explanation. I’m sorry.’
‘As long as we’re cool now, that’s all I care about. My feelings for you are real and I just hope you feel the same way about me.’
‘I do.’
‘Can we seal it with another kiss? Just to make sure?’ His eyes searched mine, a cheeky smile on his lips.
‘Leo and Kat the kitten together at last?’
‘I’ve always seen you as more of a lioness.’
