“I wouldn’t mean to do it, but sometimes things are out of our control. Having someone fall in love with me and then they lose me? I never want to hold that power over someone. I’ve seen what love and loss does to a person. I’ve seen and felt a heart physically break, and to know that I was the cause of such grief and pain? I just can’t do it.”
“Leo,” she sighs, slipping out of my hold and turning to face me. Cupping my face with both her hands, she stares deep into my eyes, so deep I know she’s trying to get to the depth of my soul. “Love is a gift, a treasure, and it breaks my heart knowing you hold back because of this fear. I know you see a broken man when you look at your dad, but that’s not what I see.” She brushes her thumbs across my cheeks and her eyes are glassy. “I see a man who has known and felt a deep love with his soulmate, the one person who owned every part of him. And I bet if you asked him, he would do it again and again. Life with your mom was his dream, no matter how short.”
“But he’s broken,” I whisper.
“Is he?”
“He has never moved on.”
“Why should he? He found what he was looking for. So don’t let this fear hold you back from finding love. She is out there.Your life is out there waiting for you to take her hand and lead her through it.”
“You’re quite poetic, aren’t you, Ri Ri?” I give her a half smile and she rolls her eyes. removing her hands from my face, and I hate that she has taken her warmth with her. But this has gotten too deep for me. The words she’s saying hit too close to home as I know she’s out there. The one I could make a life with. She is right here next to me.
“Never change, Leo.” Settling back into the crook of my arm, she sighs in contentment.
“I don’t plan on it.”
Chapter 24
Ria
Yawning, I make my way into my kitchen to turn on the coffee machine. Today I will most definitely be fueled by coffee. Eventually, after some deep breathing exercises, I managed to switch off my brain and get some sleep. Last night, after how open and vulnerable Leo was, my mind was racing. I couldn’t ignore how drawn to him I was. I resisted the urge to climb into his lap and hold him. The lost look in his eyes broke me, and I don’t know what to do with these new developing feelings. Add that to what Jade told me and my head is a complete mess. Leo is Hunter’s best friend, and if I’m truly honest with myself, one of my closest friends too. Working with him in London has only strengthened that easy friendship. But I never imagined he saw me in any other way. He’s always beenthere, and I’ve thought I was just a big sister to him the same way Hunter and Noah are like his brothers. As an only child, he clung on to us like family, but have I really been that blind? Have I missed the little glances, the way he’s always looking out for me, or the lingering touches?
Am I overthinking everything and overanalyzing all his movements?
Today is going to be rough.
“Morning, Ri Ri.”
“Sweet baby Jesus.” Clutching my chest, I practically jump out of my skin at Leo’s voice.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you jump.”
“It’s okay. I’m just not used to anyone being here and I was in my head.”
“Understandable.” He stands from his place at my kitchen island, and I’m rooted to the spot as I realize the man isn’t wearing a shirt. He’s in nothing but gray sweatpants. I’m rolling with all the clichés right now because I look. My eyes follow his well-defined abs straight down to where his pants hang loose on his hips, and I shamelessly check out his bulge before he turns and walks over to the counter. “I made you a coffee. I know you don’t function until you’ve had that first sip.” He chuckles, and I slowly move to the island to take a seat, watching his back muscles flex as he busies himself with making my drink.Jesus, Ria, get your head out of the gutter.
“Yeah, I’m utterly useless. Thank you.”
“You could never be useless, Ri Ri,” he says softly, placing my coffee down in front of me, and I swallow the lump forming as he gives me a genuine smile before sitting next to me. His woodsy scent wraps around me, and I force myself not to curl into him.
You’re a billionaire CEO, Ria. You do not curl into any man.
“Always the charmer.”
“Of course. Now, without this sounding like a pickup line because it most definitely will, how do you like your eggs?”
“Please tell me you haven’t used that line on a woman before.”
“A gentleman never tells.”
“Gentleman?”
“I’ll have you know I’m a gentleman.” I raise my brow at him and his lips twitch into a smile. “Okay, I may have used it before, and it worked. Now, eggs? Poached? I spotted some sourdough while I was searching for the coffee.”
“Perfect. I’ll make it though.”
“Nope, you sit and drink your coffee. I’ve got this.” He effortlessly stands and moves through my space like he belongs, like this is normal, and it shocks me how it doesn't feel wrong.
