He gripped her tighter as he let out a long groan, his own orgasm taking over. His eyes never left hers, even as the last of his pleasure rippled through him. They stayed just like that for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes, breathing deeply.
Leona felt a single tear escape from her eye before she’d ever felt the tickle of it starting to form. It was an involuntary reaction, but she’d never experienced anything so beautiful and powerful before. As if understanding exactly what the tear meant, Cullen leaned in and kissed it away.
She had thought she wasn’t ready for words, but now, after this, was starting to think she was wrong. Maybe words were exactly what she needed. Or more so, what she wanted. She started to open her mouth to say something but was cut off.
By the sound of Cullen’s phone.
“Shit,” Cullen cursed, recognizing the ringtone. “It’s Oliver.”
Leave it to Oliver to ruin the afterglow of what was, hands down, the best sexual experience of Cullen’s life. Maybe even the best experience period. The look in Leona’s eyes as they were coming together was like nothing he’d ever seen—and was something he could only hope to see many, many more times.
“How do you know?” she asked, arms still wrapped around his neck.
“Ringtone,” he answered. “He and my mother each have their own.”
“Can’t you just let him go to voicemail?”
She was right. He didn’t need to take the call. He was on vacation, and it was who knows what time at night. Oliver would just have to deal with a return call in the morning. At a reasonable hour.
Cullen kissed her again, ignoring the tone. When it finally stopped, the flood of relief that washed over him was more than he’d expected. He hadn’t realized just how much of a comfort the simple sounds of their breathing had been.
“Hi,” he said to her, smiling. The smile she returned was one of pure joy and it made his heart swell.
“Hi,” she whispered back.
His phone erupted once again with Oliver’s ringtone. It must have been something serious for him to call back right away. Or at least it damn well better be.
Giving her an apologetic look, he pulled out of her, grunting at the loss of her. He fished around for his phone in his shorts and when he finally caught it, tried to hide the annoyance in his tone.
“Oliver, it’s the middle of the night.”
“Then why do you sound like you just finished a run?”
“Maybe because I had to run to answer my mobile,” Cullen said sarcastically.
“Keep it closer and this won’t be an issue. Besides, by my maths, it’s just gone ten there.”
“I am sure you did not call me on my holiday to discuss the time difference between the Virgin Islands and London. What’s going on?”
“Atlanta is asking for an answer,” his agent said without beating around the bush. “They want it ASAP. They want to be able to announce it next week at some press conference they are having.”
“I thought I had a couple of weeks to think about it.”
“Well, yes, and it’s been two full weeks. So, what’s your answer? Are we accepting?”
Cullen turned around to face Leona. She’d slid off the table and was shimmying into her skirt. Her back was to him and he was pretty sure it was because she was trying to avoid making eye contact.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, bending down to step into his shorts. He pulled them up and buttoned them, hoping that Oliver wasn’t able to somehow tell he was getting dressed.
“Not sure? What is there to be not sure about?”
“I’m just not convinced it’s the right career move.”
“Cullen, it’s your only career move. That is unless you want to straight up retire. I have been honest with you since we started working together when you were a teenager and I’m not going to start sugarcoating things now. All the other leagues have no interest. At thirty-eight you’re more of a liability than an asset.”
“Thanks for that confidence booster,” Cullen grumbled, still watching Leona. She was fully dressed now and had put the cold stones back in the cabinet. He tried to get her to look at him as she stripped the now-rumpled sheets off the massage table, but still nothing. His heart sank a little. He should have just ignored the second call. What the fuck had he been thinking?
“We’ve always been straight shooters with each other—it’s what you pay me for. If you would prefer to just flat-out retire and live like a king off the millions you’ve made over the years, then that’s a viable option too. It’s not like you need a salary. Plus, you’ll still have some endorsements and a few odd appearances that’ll bring in money. It’s your call here.”
“But you think I should take it.”
He started to pace a little around the small room. There wasn’t very far for him to go, but if Leona wasn’t going to even acknowledge he was there, he needed to channel the newfound anxiety this call was giving him somehow. At least he hoped the anxiety was from the call.
“I do. I think it’s a good opportunity to leverage yourself into something new. You’re staying within football, just a different league. So the American league isn’t the Premiership, it’s also not the joke league it used to be either. And listening to this bloke who owns the team, he wants to use this opportunity to continue to try and push the league further.”
“How exactly?”
“Fresh young talent, big name coach—that’d be you, mate—and modeling his team after how the bigger leagues do it. Get rid of the idea that America is somewhere Europe goes to retire. If you’re the coach that can help him do this, then that’s your ticket to anywhere, Cullen. Are you hearing me? Anywhere…”
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s what you said two weeks ago. Now it’s answer time.”
“Can I have until tomorrow?”
He heard Oliver exhale loudly. “Fine, until tomorrow. But I doubt I can hold Atlanta off much longer than that.”
“Understood. You'll have an answer tomorrow.”
“Good. Now go back to whomever you were doing.”
“You mean what I was doing,” Cullen corrected his agent.
“Pretty sure I had it correct the first time,” Oliver said just before hanging up.
Cullen stopped his pacing and turned to face Leona. The sheets were bundled in a pile sitting on the massage table, with her leaning against the wall. She smiled at him as he pulled his shirt over his head and walked toward the table, stopping when he was standing right up next to it.
“That was about the coaching job?” she asked, finally breaking the silence.
“Yeah, they want an answer by tomorrow.”
“Sounds like they wanted an answer now,” she said, stepping away from the wall. It didn’t take but three of her little steps until she was standing right up against the table. The three-foot width of the table was the only thing that stood between them, but it might as well have been miles for the way it felt now.
“Yeah, but I need until tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m still not sure about it,” he said, shaking his head.
“Even though Oliver thinks you should take it?”
“Yeah,” he nodded.
“Has he ever steered you wrong?”
“Not in all the years we’ve been together,” he said, drinking her in. The concerned expression on her face made him wonder what she was thinking about. Despite the interruption of a work call, the only thing running through his mind was the look in her eyes while she came. How he’d been so close to uttering words that he hadn’t even realized he felt until that moment. How he couldn't help but wonder if those were the same emotions running through her right now.
“Then why doubt him?”
“Because every other time, I at least had a feeling of what I wanted to do in a situation. Now, I have no idea,” he admitted.
“I think you should take it.”
“Why?” he asked, surprised.
“Because I’ve seen how good you are with the kids. I saw what you were able to accomplish with my brother in just two weeks. Imagine what you could do with a whole team, full time.”
“And if I hate it?”
“Quit,” she shrugged. “But at least then you know you hate it.”
“And you?” He wasn’t sure why the question slipped out, but now that it had, he wasn’t sorry it had.
“I don’t know what part I play, but I’ll still be here, changing sheets and wiping down sinks,” she said with a little laugh. “I’m not sure that is something that will ever change.”
“You really think I should take it?” he asked again.
“I do,” she said softly. “I heard what Oliver said. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but the room is little, and you have your volume up kinda loud, so I could hear him. It seems like this could be a really good next move for you. So, yes, it sounds like something you should do.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Actually, yes, he could. Because that’s who Leona was. She believed in supporting those who she cared for, even if it meant she got hurt in the process. This wasn’t her pushing him away, this was her showing him just how much she cared. He just wished that it didn’t mean having to leave her.
“I’m still going to wait until tomorrow to give them an answer,” he said. It was the only thing he could think to say.
“I think that’s fair. Now, wanna help me sneak these dirty sheets to the laundry? I’m gonna need a lookout, someone to watch my back,” she said with a wink.
“Lee, I will watch your backside any day!”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The “get here now and bring lunch” text that Leona got from Drea had her scurrying down the long hall as fast as her little legs could manage, without dropping the to-go boxes she grabbed from Miller in the kitchen. Cherish was coming together nicely, and with only a couple more weeks until the soft opening, Drea was starting to feel the panic. At this point, it was all Leona could do to help keep her calm when the frantic texts came through, and to make sure that she had chocolate ready to go. She couldn’t imagine what Kyle was dealing with after hours in their cottage, though Leona figured that he probably had his own magic way of keeping her calm.
Drea was standing in the same place Leona had found her pretty much every other time she’d arrived in the spa the last couple of weeks—standing behind the reception counter with stuff spread out everywhere. Placing the to-go containers on the desk, she peeked into the top one before handing it to Drea.
“Food, thank God,” she said, taking the box from her best friend. “I’m starving.”
“Uncle Miller says to make sure you take a break and don’t work through lunch. I assume the third box is for Maeve?”
“Yes,” she said, as the frosted glass door to the treatment rooms opened and Maeve appeared. “And that’s part of why you’re here, to distract me so I take a break.”
“Glad to be a distraction!” she answered, handing Maeve the third box lunch.
Truth was, she needed a distraction of her own. She’d spent the morning running last night through her head. From Carlos’s outburst, to the most amazing sex she’d ever had and all the emotions it brought up, to the fucking phone call. She’d been struggling with her feelings all morning and she didn’t like it. This whole having feelings thing was not something she wanted to get used to. But she had let Cullen Cruz get to her and steal her heart. Every second she could spare, and probably more that she really couldn't, had been spent thinking about him. It had killed her inside to encourage him to take that job last night, but she knew it was what was best for him. And there was no way she was going to stand in his way.
“Oh, a grilled cheese! I can’t remember the last time I had one of these,” Maeve said, knocking her out of her thoughts.
“I didn’t know how you took yours, so it’s just plain. If you let Miller know what you like in yours—tomato, bacon, whatever—he’ll keep it on file so whenever you order one it’s made to your liking,” Leona said, taking a big bite of her own sandwich.
“My uncle makes the best grilled cheeses. It’s become our go-to comfort food,” Drea added in.
“I can see why. This is pretty amazing!”
“Oh,” Drea said around a bite of grilled cheese. “This sounds crazy and neurotic, but you’re my BFF and you know how much this spa means to me, so you’re just gonna let me have this…”
“Okay,” Leona said, furrowing her brow in confusion. “Just let you have what?”
“I just want everything to be perfect, like, perfect perfect, so if your gals move the tables or whatever when they clean, can you please make sure they put them back in the exact spot? I want everything perfect,” she said, starting to ramble.
“You have mentioned the desire for everything to be perfect a couple of times now. I got it.”
“Well, the table in room three was a little off-kilter this morning,” Drea said, holding up her thumb and forefinger with just a small gap between them.
“Oh…I um…I don’t think that was whoever cleaned in here this morning,” she said a bit sheepishly. “Pretty sure that was me…”
Drea came to a complete halt, including her chewing, with Leona’s confession. They’d always told each other everything, so Drea shouldn't be quite as surprised as she seemed to be, standing there with her mouth slack-jawed, half-chewed grilled cheese taking up residence.
“You had sex in my spa?!” she spat out, after managing to chew the rest of her bite.
“What? Haven't you had sex in your spa?” Leona shot back.
“Of course I’ve had sex in my spa, but it’s MY spa!”
“Well, we christened room three for you,” she said, shrugging it off.
“You and Cullen Cruz? Damn, girl!” Maeve interjected.
Leona and Drea both froze and stared at each other as Maeve spoke. Leona had forgotten that the quiet little brunette was even standing there, listening to her admitting to sleeping with Cullen Cruz. Breaking resort policy.
“Ummm, would you mind forgetting that you heard that?” Leona asked her.
Maeve looked at her, confused.
“Maeve, you’re one of us now. So, we’ll admit you into the sisterhood, right here, right now,” Drea said, pointing between her and Leona. “But there are rules. Like what is shared here, stays here. Because fraternizing with guests is a big no-no. Especially in my spa!” Drea threw a pointed look at her best friend. Leona just shrugged again.
“Has someone informed Dalton of said rule, because he seems to do nothing but fraternize with guests,” Maeve asked.
“He’s a flirt, that’s for sure,” Drea said. “But I have a theory he's more talk than anything.”
“You’ll soon figure out there is a lot more to Dalton than you initially think. He’s just not going to share any of it with you. Or anyone actually,” Leona added on.
“Interesting,” Maeve said, biting into her grilled cheese as she opened a box. Leona and Drea shared another look, wondering if Maeve’s comment was in an attempt to find out more about the mysterious resident hottie or not. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been close with anyone, but I promise your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you,” Leona said.
"So, then, is everything settled with the whole Carlos outburst then?” Drea asked.
“I would assume so if they were getting jiggy in treatment room three,” Maeve said, not looking up from the cardboard box she opened.
“I like this one,” Leona said, nodding in the direction of Maeve. “She’s funny.”
“Ugh,” Drea groaned. “You changed the sheets, right? Please tell me you changed the sheets!”
“No, Dre, as the Head of Housekeeping I didn’t think about changing the sheets on a universally used piece of equipment."
“I’m going to assume you’re being sarcastic about the sheets,” she responded. Leona nodded, looking at her best friend with a “you think?” look.
“You two didn’t sneak off and have sex on the Brown Eyed Girl last week, did you?”
“Ew, no. Sex on a boat is your thing. Especially that boat.”
“You’ve had sex on the Brown Eyed Girl?” Maeve asked.
“Yes,” Drea admitted, as if it should have been obvious. “And the Runnin’ Down a Dream, and Don’t Stop Believin’…”
“Makes you think twice about going on another boat ride, huh?” Leona said to Maeve. Drea balled up a piece of paper from the desk and threw it at her.
“Every other hookup has been inside La Isla Bonita. Except when we made out in the back of his town car…and the hot tub, which actually is on the deck of La Isla Bonita, so I guess that fits in my original statement.”
“Out of the rub tub and into the hot tub,” Drea commented, laughing at her own joke.
“Rub tub?” Maeve asked.
“Female equivalent to spank bank,” Leona explained.
“I didn’t realize spank bank was a gender-specific term.”
“It is,” both girls answered together.
“Back to Carlos for a sec,” Drea said. “What happened?”
“I dunno,” Leona shrugged. “He was all pissy thinking that Cullen was two-timing me because he’d heard Cullen on the phone saying ‘I love you’ to his mom, so he came to like, defend my honor or something. But then Cullen explained and then they had a moment alone where they grunted at each other or something, and then that was that. Carlos came over, told me he’d always be there for me and that he wanted me to be happy.”
“And you have no idea what they talked about?”
“Nope. Cullen said it wasn’t his place to tell me—that if Carlos ever wants me to know that he’ll tell me, and I can respect that. I was just happy there was no more boxing involved.”
“So, then, you and Cullen… is it more than just sex now?” Drea asked.
Leona started to answer and then stopped herself. She couldn’t lie to Drea. She might not fully understand exactly what she was feeling, but she was feeling something. If anyone understood just how complicated feelings could be, it was Drea.
Caught Up In You (Indigo Royal Resort Book 2) Page 23