“We can do this presentation.” He dipped his knees to look me in the eyes, capturing my chin and lifting my head. “And once we do, we’ll convince Kathleen that this partnership will be best for Winthorpe, and there’ll be enough business for both companies.” He slid his hand down my arm, lacing his fingers through mine.
That the bonus would keep me treading water for the next year flooded me with hope. The idea of working with Leo for the foreseeable future made my stomach flip. And being here with him now. I pressed my hand against his chest.
His heart thudded against my palm. The soft fabric of his t-shirt was the only barrier between us.
“You make it sound easy.”
“You’re always making things so much harder.”
I laughed, looping my arms around his neck. “Was that a dick joke?”
“No, but it can be, if you want it to.” His hand slipped around my waist, tugging me closer.
“I’d be okay with that change of plans. Take me to my brand new bed, Mr. Wilder.”
He scooped me up in his arms.
I yelped, clinging to him.
“With pleasure.”
36
Leo
I got off the elevator with the box tucked under my arm.
Sticking the key Zara had given me into the lock, I paused and waited for the arrival ritual. After what I’d been through on the football field, you’d think I’d have learned that life can change quickly. In a blink, where you thought you were going was gone, and the tide was surging in a different direction.
We’d worked non-stop on our final showcase. We’d spent every night at my place or hers, never apart for longer than absolutely necessary. A week ago, I’d believed I was in love with her—now I knew.
I smiled as the door across from Zara’s opened. “Hey, Leo.” I hadn’t believed Zara about Stella’s uncanny ability to know the second she was in the hallway, but it seemed her superpower extended to me as well.
“Hey, Stella.”
“Are you coming to see, Zara?”
I turned, resting my hand on the knob. “No, I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d go for a walk.”
“Oh.” She slumped back, her smile falling off her face.
“Yes, I’m here to see her. I have some good news, so I thought I’d do something special for her tonight.”
Her smile was twice as bright now. “That’s so sweet. You two are adorable together. I’ve never seen her like this with anyone else before. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen her with anyone before. Every so often there were a few guys.” Her eyes widened and she waved her arms in front of her face. “Not all at once. I didn’t mean she had a quarterly gang bang or something. I meant a date or two—with one guy. One guy at a time.” She continued sputtering and I kept quiet, letting her flail for a bit before finally putting her out of her misery.
“I get you, Stella. Thanks for looking out for her.”
“She needs it, you know. She’s always so good at pretending she never needs any help, but everyone needs some help sometimes.”
“You’re right. I’m glad she has you as a friend.”
“Once you get past the prickly exterior, biting sarcasm, face melting staredowns, and general grumpiness, she’s so sweet.”
“You can say that again.” Mouthwateringly sweet and I couldn’t wait for my next chance to indulge. “I’ll see you later. Have a great night.” I ducked inside Zara’s apartment and closed the door.
I gathered up the half-filled cups of water, and stuck them in the dishwasher. Some things didn’t change. But everything else had. Lamps were on. Her work was spread out on the table. It felt like a home where someone lived and enjoyed relaxing. Not just anyone. Zara. Giving that to her was something I couldn’t put a price on.
The drumbeat of the shower meant it was the perfect time to enact my plan. I shrugged off my jacket, put the box down on one of the kitchen chairs and laid my jacket on top of it.
Even with the interior designer making most of the decisions, Zara had put her own spin on the apartment, as well as putting the gift card to good use on things Tyler needed for his dorm room until he’d finally told her he literally didn’t have room for anything else.
Sitting, I grabbed the pink cardboard bakery box from the center of the table and slid it closer to me.
The shower shut off and the sounds of Zara moving around in the bathroom sent my pulse pounding. She was in there completely naked. Wet, glistening, gorgeous. I bit back a groan. Patience.
“Leo, are you here?”
“I’m here.” I opened the box in front of me and pulled my find out.
“These are phenomenal.” I peeled the paper off the cupcake. The rich, buttery, vanilla scent made my mouth water, but not as much as Zara stepping out of the bathroom dripping wet.
“Is that the last cupcake?” She came down the hall, drying her hair with a towel while another one wrapped around her body. A gap had formed at the bottom, so her thigh peeked out from behind the green terry cloth that matched her eyes.
I looked between her and the sugary sweet, icing-topped, fluffy cake in my hand and took a bite. “Maybe.”
Her jaw dropped and she threw the towel in her hand on the floor, rushing toward me. “It is! You’re eating my last cupcake?”
Turning my back to her, I lifted the cupcake overhead. “I’ve had a long day. I deserve it.” My long-suffering sigh was cut short by another bite of the cupcake.
“I’ve been saving that since yesterday.” She jumped, grabbing at my arm, trying to snatch away the vanilla-bean goodness.
“Saving it for me? How sweet.” I craned my neck, bringing it closer to my mouth.
“Don’t you dare take another bite.” She held onto my arm like she was trying to do pull-ups.
“I’m sorry, did you want a bite? Why didn’t you say so?”
She fell off my arm the same time I dropped it, accelerating the speed of its descent and sending my cupcake filled hand straight into her face. The cake and icing smeared across—and up—her nose, cheek, and halfway in her mouth.
Her stunned, wide-open mouth was partially filled with cupcake and icing. The rest was plastered all over her face. Pretty sure that didn’t count as me sharing the last cupcake with her.
The towel hit the floor with a small thud, and her shocked gaze shot from my icing-covered hand and back up to my face.
“Oh shit.” I searched the counters for a paper towel, completely aware that Zara was glistening and naked. My dick hadn’t gotten the memo that a naked Zara wasn’t above a knee to the groin now that I’d bathed her in buttercream and sugar. The paper towel holder was empty.
Wiping the cupcake off the side of her face, she stared at it and back at me in disbelief. “Did you just shove a cupcake into my face?” She closed her mouth, swallowing the mush that had made its way inside before sticking her tongue out and licking at the icing from the corner of her mouth.
I cringed. “Not on purpose. Where the hell are the paper towels?” I opened and closed the cabinets and found a new roll. “It’s good though, right?” Ripping a sheet off, I held it out to her as a peace offering to save me from impending doom.