Hours later, Leo and I sat outside in our private patio area eating the most delicious cheeseburger I’d ever had. I was starved. Maybe it was because it was late in the afternoon and I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, or maybe it was because I had exerted so much energy today. Either way, when that burger and fries had been set in front of me, I wolfed it down almost immediately.
Leo sat across from me the whole time with my ankle propped up on his thigh with a rag filled with ice sitting atop it. To some, our earlier activity may have seemed rough, but to me, it was nothing but loving. Especially after we were done and all he had done since was dote on me.
He refused to let me walk at all on my injured ankle as he carried me back to the bathroom to clean us both up. He was gentle as he knelt in front of me to wipe away the evidence of what we had done.
When he was satisfied with his work, he had shed me of my robe and gathered me back into his arms. He then walked us both into the pool where we’d floated together, never taking our hands off each other. The cold water immediately took most of the pressure off my ankle as well as helped with the swelling. We stayed there well past the point of being pruned. It was only inevitable that we both found multiple releases once again. After a day like today, I think we both needed to find extra comfort with one another.
We only separated once the knock came at the door signaling room service had arrived. I propped my head on my hands against the edge of the pool as I watched him gracefully exit the pool. I loved seeing the water slide off his naked body, leaving his smooth skin slick and shiny. His cock hung heavily between his legs as he grabbed for the towel hanging nearby. I didn’t think I would ever get tired of watching his naked ass as he walked away from me. The sight alone was enough to make me want to take a bite out of it.
He wrapped the towel around his waist, taking away my view as he strode through the open door of our suite to retrieve room service. I giggled behind my hand as I watched from my place in the pool as he answered the door. The little Colombian woman’s eyes doubled in size as she gave Leo a once-over. I didn’t know a hell of a lot of Spanish but I could recognize when someone stumbled over their words. I couldn’t even blame her at this point, Leo was one fine piece of man.
I smiled broadly as I watched Leo rub the back of his neck almost bashfully at the woman’s reaction to him. I felt like sometimes he was completely oblivious to the fact that he was hot. He’d quickly moved out of the way for her to enter the room and I swear I saw her cheeks brighten with blush as she walked past his still-dripping form. Everything important was covered on him but those stunning tattoos were still on full display. His chest and abs gleamed with wetness.
I giggled again as I watched him try to help her take things off the cart. The woman was having a hard time keeping her focus on her task and he was far too oblivious to the fact that he was the cause of her frustration.
I decided to take pity on the girl and called for Leo to come help me from the water. My ankle was feeling a lot better at this point and I didn’t feel like I needed the help, but it was obvious she needed him to leave the room.
He immediately dropped the tray cover he was holding and rushed back to me. I snorted as I watched the woman take a steadying breath before calmly resuming her task. Leo pulled me from the pool and wrapped me into my robe before helping me walk back into the suite. By the time I entered through the door, the woman was done unloading her tray.
She waited to be dismissed but not before I handed her a hefty tip as I searched my brain for the right words to say.
“El es guapo, no?” I asked and the woman blushed before nodding. He’s handsome, isn’t he? I smiled broadly at her as I tapped my temple. “No te estás perdiendo mucho, la belleza y el cerebro no existen.” I lied through my teeth, beauty and brains did in fact exist. Leo was probably the smartest person I knew.
The woman giggled before she nodded her thanks. I hid my smile behind my hand as she exited the room. Once the door was closed, I heard Leo chuckle as he approached me from behind. “Ah, de verdad?” His deep voice sounded against my neck as he kissed me there, sending shivers down my spine. “Oh, really,” he repeated in English that time as his strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back to him.
I smiled again. “The poor girl needed to have something wrong with you. You’re too perfect otherwise,” I said as I turned in his arms to face him.
“Hmm,” he hummed before his smile broadened. He kissed me swiftly before scooping me up into his arms. I giggled unabashedly as he carried me to the patio and sat me down at the little table.
And that’s where we were as I licked the remaining sauce off my fingers after shoveling the last bite of burger into my mouth. I was less than ladylike as I chewed the overly large bite.
I closed my eyes and moaned as the flavors exploded on my tongue multiple times as we ate in silence. I’d caught Leo more than once as he glanced at me while I ate, a small grin playing along his lips. Once again, I had caught him staring as I sucked the last of the juices from my thumb. I swallowed my last bite before I snorted a laugh. “What are you staring at?”
He sat the rest of his burger down before answering me with a playful grin. “I just didn’t know I would ever be so jealous of a burger.” He chuckled before he picked his food back up.
I squinted at him as I smothered the urge to laugh. I was probably doing a terrible job of hiding my smile as he grinned around his bite of food before he winked at me. I lunged at him.
I crawled onto his lap as he held the burger to his lips. Before he could move, I bit down on the other side of his burger, taking a huge bite from it. His eyes widened before he pulled it away from me. His shocked expression had me fighting a laugh of my own as I tried not to choke on his food.
I chewed and swallowed as he threw his burger back onto his plate before gripping me around the ribs. “You little shit,” he growled playfully as he tickled me. I screeched as I pushed away from him. Giggling, I shoved at his chest as he brought me closer to him. He stopped tickling me long enough to wrap his arms around my ass and pulled me to him. My robe separated at the movement, exposing me to him.
I watched as his eyes went from playful to full of lust within seconds. I felt myself getting wet and ready for him. Would I ever tire of this man?
His hands moved up my back before gripping the back of my head. He pulled me down for a brief kiss before letting his hands travel down the front of me. My breath caught in my throat as he lowered the robe off my shoulders, exposing my breasts inch by inch.
His eyes stayed locked on mine as his hands moved lower. He grinned up at me as his thumbs brushed over my tightening nipples. “I love you, Emy. And this may be a fucked-up situation that brought us back together, but I thank the universe every day for bringing you into my life,” he murmured.
I leaned forward to kiss him again, letting that be my response. I felt him harden under me as his tongue swept inside my mouth. I shuddered as his hands kept their downhill advance. He gripped my naked hips and ground me onto him.
I moved my hands down his chest and further still before I reached the plush towel around his waist. He hissed against my lips as I raked my fingernails against the skin below the towel.
Just as he started to move me so I could release him from his constraint, a shrill tone broke through our bubble. I jerked away from him as I realized it was his phone. He sighed heavily as he tore his gaze away from me before grabbing the device.
“Cruz.” His chipped tone sounded annoyed as he answered the call. I was feeling playful as I leaned forward to kiss his neck.
His free hand squeezed my bare thigh as I ran my tongue up his pulse point. My grin was apparent as I nipped his earlobe. I snorted as he cleared his throat in obvious frustration.
“I’ll be there in thirty.” His harsh words registered in my lust-addled brain and I sat up. He sighed as he put the phone back on the table beside us. “I gotta go,” he said as he stood from the chair, taking me with him.
He walked us into the suite and deposited me on the large bed before turning his back to me. I tightened my robe around myself. “Where are you going?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
I watched his shoulders bunch as stress crept into them. He didn’t want to tell me. “That was Isabelle, she’s been staking out that apartment building since we left the market. She said Tanner and Peter just walked in. Now’s the chance to get him,” he explained without turning around.
My gut rolled as the food I just ate turned leaden. We were finally going to get Tanner. And if I was right, it was going to be dangerous. I stared down at my hands in my lap as I worried. Leo told me I would be able to go with him when they found Tanner but I could tell from his body language that he didn’t want me to.
The internal struggle I felt at that moment was enough to make me nauseous. I wanted nothing more than to go get Tanner with Leo so we could all go home. But I also wanted to prove to Leo I did trust him completely to handle this.
We both knew it could be a dangerous situation he would walk into. I had to learn to shove down my wants and let logic take over. I knew without a doubt that Leo would do everything in his power to bring Tanner back to me safely. I just needed to let him do it.
I studied Leo as he released his towel before gripping a pair of light denim jeans. I said nothing as he shoved his legs through them and pulled them up into place. He then pocketed his phone. His shoulders were still tight as he grabbed a clean white shirt and tugged it on over his head.
I shook my head and took a deep breath before pushing myself further up the bed. There was no way I was going to make this situation harder than it had to be. For Leo or myself.
I tore my gaze away from his back as he checked his pistol and shoved it into its holster under his shirt. I glanced at the side table and grabbed the distraction I was searching for. I pointed the remote to the TV and switched it on. Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Leo’s head snap in the same direction. If he was trying to hide his obvious relief, he was doing a terrible job at it. His heavy sigh released all the tension that had built around us.
He turned toward me and I met his gaze with my own. He said nothing as a slight grin formed on his sensual lips.
“Before you go, can you grab the ice for my ankle? I would like to be able to walk normally tomorrow.” My voice sounded much calmer than I felt.
Leo nodded as he approached me. “I won’t be gone more than a couple of hours,” he said as he knelt over me. I nodded as I watched his eyes search mine. His still-damp waves dangled over his forehead before I pushed them back. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine as I sighed. “I know this is hard for you, Emy. Thank you for trusting me enough to bring your brother back to you in one piece.”
I snorted despite myself as I rolled my eyes. “It would be easier if I knew exactly where you were going,” I said as I grazed my fingers through his short beard at his cheek.
“Ah,” he said before pulling his phone out of his pocket. He unlocked the screen and tapped until he found what he was looking for. Before I could ask what he was doing, my phone dinged from its spot on the bedside table.
I reached for the device and my eyes burned slightly as I read the screen. It was a silly thing to get emotional about but that didn’t stop it from being so.
“Now you’ll be able to see where I am,” Leo murmured from above me before I glanced back up at him. He had shared his location with me.
I put my phone down and shoved my hands into his hair. I tugged him down to me so I could taste his lips. His hands slid between my back and the mattress to hold me to him as I explored. I was breathless when I pulled away.
“A couple of hours?” I whispered.
“A couple of hours,” he repeated.
I nodded and swallowed thickly before speaking again. “Go get my brother.”