“Is that what you thought? That he would actually cause his own car accident?”
Leo shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past him. If a dude can have crazy eyes, he’s got them.”
I couldn’t help but snicker at that. Bodie did have a wildness about him that made me wonder what was going on inside his rather large head. A tiny part of me understood his need to get revenge for what happened to his sister. But removing his own lug nuts seemed a little extreme, even for him.
Our food arrived, and even though it was too early for dinner, I dug into my fish and chips with gusto. I wasn’t sure that I loved the smell of the parmesan truffle fries on my plate, but they tasted damn good. And the beer battered fish was to die for.
Leo gave me a smug look as he got to work on his much healthier entrée of salmon and vegetables. Yes, he was right. I wasn’t regretting my decision to follow his advice. But there was no reason to admit that aloud. He was getting enough validation by the way I was attacking my food.
“Do you want to talk about what happened between you and Tristin?”
I froze with a fry halfway to my mouth. Had I heard him correctly? He wanted to talk about my relationship—or lack of one—with his brother?
Maybe I should take this as confirmation that his “I guess you chose Tristin” comment didn’t mean he wanted me like I’d originally assumed. Or, at least, it meant that he didn’t want me anymore.
Could I handle any more rejection today? I wasn’t sure I could.
I dropped my fry on my plate. “There’s not much to say.”
“Somehow, I doubt that’s true.”
“Even if you’re right, why would you want to talk about it?”
He pushed his half-empty plate aside and planted his elbows on the table to lean into me. “Because I need to know if I still have a chance with you.”
Oh.
A flutter started in my belly that had nothing to do with the meal I’d been devouring. “You want a chance with me?”
After the day I’d had, I needed to hear him say it. Just one more time.
His lips quirked and eyes brightened. “Yeah, Thea. I want a chance with you. I thought I’d made that obvious.”
I forced myself to think back. We’d had one non-date at the boxing gym. We’d made out in Jude’s bathroom and kissed in front of Violet’s house. Other than his somewhat obnoxious flirting, that was it.
Where was the obvious part? I was certainly missing it.
Instead of saying that, I shook my head.
“Okay, then, let me make this as clear as possible. I want you, Thea. I want to see you sitting on the front row at every one of my football games, wearing my jersey. I want to walk through campus holding your hand. I want to accompany you to parties and teach you how to have fun.” He lowered his voice. “I want to take you up against my bedroom door and make you fall apart in my bed all night long.”
My breath caught in my throat. Oh, god. I’d had no idea Leo could affect me so much with nothing but words.
“What I don’t want is to steal my brother’s girl. I’ve taken enough from him already.”
“I’m not Tristin’s girl,” I croaked. Whether the break in my voice was because of what I’d said, or what he had, I didn’t know.
“Are you sure? Did you two ever have the talk?”
“What talk?”
He chuckled softly. “I haven’t had a girlfriend since eighth grade, and even I know about the talk.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing I don’t want to know how many one-night stands and fuck buddies you’ve had, if you spent all these years single?”
If I wasn’t mistaken, his cheeks flushed pink. “Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about you and Tristin.”
Knowing there was nothing to be done about Leo’s past conquests now, I decided to let it go. “We never defined our relationship, if that’s what you’re asking. We just...”
“Had sex?”
Watching his luscious lips form the word “sex” was nothing less than erotic, and I squeezed my legs together, even as guilt rushed through me. I’d slept with Tristin without taking the time to think through the consequences, and now I was paying for it.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “We had sex.”
“Are you hung up on him?”
I shook my head at him. “Fuck, Leo. Get right to the point, why don’t you?”
“Sorry if that was too blunt. It’s not like I’ve ever done this before.”
“Done what? Asked a girl your brother was screwing about her relationship with said brother?” Not waiting for him to respond, I said, “He’s hurting me by blowing me off. If that means I’m hung up on him...” I shrugged, though there was nothing nonchalant about the movement.
Leo’s striking eyes slid over every centimeter of my face before eventually settling on my eyes. “Okay.”
Okay? That was it?
I attempted to follow his lead and return to my food, but I couldn’t do it. Things with Tristin were already too disorienting. I couldn’t handle adding uncertainty with Leo to the mix.
So, I sucked it up and asked exactly what I was thinking. “What now?”
He smiled, finally transforming into the Leo I’d come to know so well. “I’ve never had to work for a girl in my life. It’s about time that changed, don’t you think?”
Chapter Seven
Thea
Leo did an admirable job of changing the subject to his upcoming game, giving me a much-needed break from his unexpected declaration. Unless I’d misinterpreted his meaning, he was planning to take this slow. To woo me, even.
Wanting me to wear his jersey, hold his hand, accompany him to parties—that all sounded like boyfriend stuff. Was that what he wanted? To be my boyfriend?
I’d never had one of those, and I’d definitely never imagined Leo as my first. But, sitting across from him now, the idea didn’t feel so farfetched. I was comfortable with him, and not in the it’s-okay-to-wear-holey-socks-in-front-of-him way. It was more of the I-feel-like-I-can-relax-and-be-myself-around-him way.
Because Leo never gave me the impression that he would change a thing about me.
We finished our meal, and he paid, before leading me back to the Range Rover and opening my door for me. I hid my smile. He was taking this whole wooing me endeavor seriously. It was kind of cute.
“What now?” Leo muttered when he pulled up next to a nondescript sedan in the driveway a few minutes later.
“Whose car is that?” One thing I’d learned since moving into the mansion was that the Sharpes didn’t get many visitors. Since Hayle’s breakup with Kelsey, I couldn’t remember seeing a single unexpected vehicle in the drive.
“I don’t know, but I have a guess.” He threw open his door. “Come on.”
Instead of entering the house through the garage, Leo strode in the front door. As soon as I stepped inside behind him, I understood his meaning. Detective Dyck sat in a chair in the living room with a glass of water in his hand while Susan hovered nervously nearby.
The detective stood when he caught sight of us, but Leo didn’t give him a chance to speak. “What the hell do you want this time?”