by Joya Ryan
He sat up a little. While I kept the sheet at my breasts, it pooled on his side of the bed at his waist, all his muscles and ink visible and lickable and—
“You keep looking at me like that and we’re going to have another round in retaliation,” he said and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. The gesture was so tender. So couple-ish. At least that’s what I assumed couples did.
I got up from the bed, grabbed my T-shirt and yanked it on. “So?” I pressed. “You didn’t sleep?”
“Kind of hard to when you snore,” he said.
My cheeks rushed with heat.
“I’m just kidding,” he laughed. I frowned. Not a cool joke. “But no, I didn’t. Every time I tried, I looked down and saw all these red curls splayed over my lap. Made it hard, and difficult to sleep.” He winked.
I smiled a little that time. He was so damn charming. And when he bent his knees and rested his elbows on them to clasp his hands in front, he looked so casual. So comfortable in my bed.
His bed.
Everything around here was his.
“Well, it was nice spending time together,” I said. “You must be anxious to get back to your place and get some rest.”
He frowned. “You kicking me out, Red?”
“No, I just figured you’d like to leave now.”
His eyes got serious. “Would you like me to leave?”
“It’s technically your place. You can do what you’d like.”
He reached out his hand and I looked at it, confused. But then took it. He sat me back on the bed. “This is your place. Understand?”
He was so stern. Serious. I nodded once. He got up and tugged his pants on.
“Do you want to maybe . . .” I swallowed hard. “Stay for a little bit?”
He smiled and put his shirt on. “I’ll let you rest,” he said. “But thank you for the offer.”
Something in my chest felt lighter. He sat on the bed to put his shoes on.
“Leo?”
He looked over his shoulder at me.
I adjusted my posture, feeling instantly silly for what I was about to say, but for some reason, I had to know.
“You had a condom in your pocket.”
“Yeah.”
“For your date with Bepa?” I meant for it to be a statement, but it came out a question.
He turned to face me. “No. I’ve never slept with Bepa. And I wasn’t planning on it last night either.”
“Then why did you have one?”
A small grin split his face. “Ever since I met you, I never leave home without one. Because I’m not sure what to expect with you.”
I frowned at the same time my heart jumped with joy. “Was this all a game? To get to me?”
“You have me on the hook, Red,” he said and stood. “Does that bother you?”
I shrugged. “I just don’t know what to do exactly.”
He nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll see you on Monday then.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
My job was intact, but more importantly, Leo was the only person who seemed to want to be around me. Who didn’t know about the scandal or my past. His calm attitude was somehow seeping over me and made me want to relax.
He smiled and walked out. I stared for a moment. I could still feel him. The place on the bed where he’d just been was warm. I grabbed the pillow he’d lain on and hugged it. I could smell him. Smell us. Something in my heart ached as much as it stung.
Why did he have to be so warm?
Pumping my arms, I sprinted faster. Harder. Weaving in and out of the small tree line and staying on the path that ran along the back end of Leo’s property. After last night, then waking up to a Greek god in my bed early this morning, I needed to get some perspective. Or run from my thoughts. It was still early. I could smell the spring grass wet with morning dew and hear the trees bristle with the low breeze.
I thought about Leo. How I tried to keep it physical last night. How I ended up falling asleep with him there. Something I still couldn’t figure out. I just remember him surrounding me, from the inside out, and hugging me close.
I ran faster. My lungs hurt but I liked it. Maybe I could purge this feeling.
Because whatever was going through my system, it terrified me. I didn’t know how to handle it. All I knew was, I was in deep with Leo.
“Holy shit!” I screamed. I came through a cropping of trees and my heart nearly exploded from my chest.
I stumbled to a stop inches before plowing into another runner who was pushing as hard as I was.
I gasped for air and so did Kyros. “Sorry about that,” he said, breathing heavily.
I clutched my knees for a minute, taking deep breaths.
“I didn’t know you ran out here,” he said.
“Just clearing my head.”
“It’s a good place to do that.” He stretched his arms for a moment. “Did you have a nice women’s evening last night?”
I smiled. Yesterday in passing, Kyros and I had made small talk and I had mentioned girls’ night out. The way he said it, laced with his accent, was kind of adorable. And he was sweet to ask.
“It was okay,” I said semihonestly.
It was nice to see Hazel, but it was also tough to hear about Jane and realize what was going on with Roman and Amy, aka, not wanting to be around me. Then there was Leo’s visit, which had many adjectives to describe it and okay wasn’t amongst them.
“How was your evening?” I said.
“Okay as well. It is nice getting to see several of my cousins while I’m here. I was at Regan’s last night for a while. I was expecting to hear from Leandro about his first date. We were supposed to meet up at the Main House and discuss.”
I frowned. “Discuss?”
The distaste in my voice was obvious, because was this what Leo did? Was this what men did? Go out with a woman then discuss her like a conquest. Something sick rose in my throat. Would he discuss me?
Kyros didn’t seem to understand the disdain in my voice. “Well, yes, we must discuss if she is a woman he wishes to pursue, or whether he should continue down the list.”
Here I thought Kyros was a pretty decent guy, but he was talking about women the way you’d order something on a menu. And he looked truly innocent about it. Like it was normal.
“When Leo gave me that list, I thought it was a joke at first, but this?” I waved my hand in Kyros’s direction. “This little boys’ club you have where you discuss women and plow through them like a grocery list is disgusting.”
Kyros’s eyes shot wide. “Oh, no, Paige you misunderstand. Leo is okay with this. So are the women. This was all prearranged by our families.”
“What?”
Kyros nodded. “These women want to marry Leandro and our families are setting this up. It’s common in Greece.”
“Family? Like you and Regan?” Leo had once told me his family liked to involve themselves in his personal affairs. I hadn’t realized exactly what involved meant.
“Regan is the lead, if you will, on this endeavor of finding Leandro someone. She is the oldest and cares about him, we all do, and we just want to help him move on from the past and focus on the future.”
I took a breath to say something, then all my thoughts left. Information overload. I had a lot to sift through quickly. Like families having a say and setting up arranged marriages so to speak. I knew it still happened but I wasn’t expecting this. One little tidbit stuck out, though.
“So, Leo is looking for a wife?”
Kyros nodded, but his brow furrowed. “Yes and no. He wants to settle down and have a family. He almost did a few years ago but it didn’t work out.” Kyros glanced away and moved quickly past that admission before I could ask more. “So our family has stepped in and Leandro is onboard.”
And by family, he meant mostly Regan. I thought of her nice smile and mama-bear demeanor. The Savas family, from what I had been able to tell, was close. I knew having a family was important to Leo. I didn’t rea
lize just how important, and apparently time sensitive it was.
Suddenly the cool breeze pricked my skin more painfully than it had a moment ago. Mostly because it was the same skin Leo had kissed and touched, only now it was chillier than before.
“I apologize,” I said around a dry throat. “I wasn’t aware of this process or goals for the list.”
Jesus. Just saying it made my stomach hurt. There was literally a list of women who wanted to marry Leo. A list that started with supermodels and ended with God knew what. A list of women Regan approved of. A list I had no shot in hell of ever being on, even if that was a personal goal of mine.
The same feeling I got when I thought about impressing Leo’s family and coming up short gathered in the base of my neck and pricked hard. Once again, I was blindsided with how out of my league he was.
“Forgive me, too, Paige. No explanation was given. I can see how this process would sound off-putting.”
Now that it had sunk in, I felt even worse about my behavior last night. I had pulled a stunt that cost Leo a possible wife? Not just a date? Yes, I felt horrible about that. But for some reason, a sudden ease raced through me. As if Leo not pursing Bepa made me happy. Because there was something about Leo I craved. Wanted for my own. But after this conversation with Kyros, it was clear that our lives were going in very different directions. He wanted a family. I didn’t.
“This marriage is important to Leo?” I asked.
For some reason I needed to hear Kyros admit the truth, because this was the thing I needed to cling to. To get over Leo. I wasn’t on that list and it was just another black-and-white reminder of what different worlds we came from. But if this arrangement was important to him, something he wanted, then I wouldn’t stand in the way. Actually, based on my job description, I was technically obliged to assist in this endeavor.
“His union is very important to him and to our entire family.”
“Of course,” I whispered. Savas Shipping was a global empire. An empire that the Savas family wanted to continue. Leo had mentioned this a few times. I just didn’t know specific measures had been taken to make it a reality. Either way, continuing such a lucrative dynasty made sense. “You said he almost married before?”
Kyros’s face went blank, like it had when I pressed the topic at the gala. “Yes, but that was a long time ago and not my place to share. We all just want to see him happy.”
“I understand.”
And I did. Kyros was obviously loyal, and he loved his cousin. I didn’t want to push, but the lack of details was simmering to a point of obsession. What happened with Leo?
“Well, it was a pleasure running into you, Paige.” Kyros smiled.
“You too.”
We took off in different directions. He ran toward Leo’s house, and I ran away.
Chapter Thirteen
I walked into Leo’s office, which was bustling with people. There was a busy, almost frantic, air in the room. It was Monday morning and here I thought I’d have to come up with ways to avoid talking about the other night. Thankfully, Leo looked busy. People were chattering and asking multiple questions at once, and Leo was going over papers on his desk and looking at his computer simultaneously. From the bits and pieces of multiple conversations flying around, it sounded like an important investor came through.
“Paige,” he said, not looking up at me.
Kyros stood with his arms crossed looking at the same thing Leo was while the accountant typed away on a laptop.
“Good morning.” I went to set his coffee down when I realized he already had some. My stomach instantly dropped. Getting him coffee was my job. If someone else already did my job then . . .
“Forgive me, sir, I didn’t realize you started early today.”
It was seven in the morning here, but in Greece, it was the middle of the day. He was talking back and forth with Kyros, half in Greek, half in English so I only caught bits about something going on with the sale of the slip in London.
Everyone looked to have been in full swing for at least an hour or more and yet, Leo didn’t call. Didn’t text. Like he normally would have if he needed me or was starting early.
“What’s with the sir shit?” he said, sparing me a glance that time. I hadn’t realized I’d called him that, but Leo obviously caught it. No one seemed to pause at the way he spoke. Though he did have a point. I didn’t call him sir. Sure he was my boss, but sir just took that notion to a whole new level.
When Leo had left the other night, I thought my job was secure. But was I wrong? Things felt like they had shifted. And that had me nervous. Taking a deep breath, I powered up my tablet and ran through the docket for today while everyone else effectively ignored me.
My mouth ran over details of his schedule but my mind churned with reasons why today felt different. I hadn’t spoken to Leo since Friday night when he left my bed.
Oh God . . . had Kyros spoken to him? After he realized what I’d done in driving off potential spouse number one? Was Leo super pissed? I didn’t relish the fact that I was thinking like a girl, and I definitely didn’t want to discuss my feelings, but something was off. And if I just fucked myself with this job because I fucked the boss—again—then I was going to have a breakdown.
“Sir?” I said a bit more sternly than I’d meant, and all eyes, including Leo’s, snapped to me.
“Yes, Miss Levine?” His blue gaze zeroed in on me. Like it did the other night. Watching. Waiting to see what I’d do. How I’d follow up my stupid notion of asserting power.
“May I have a word with you when you have a moment?”
He looked from my toes to my lips, making everything in between tingle.
“Gentlemen, will you excuse us for a moment?” Leo said.
Kyros and the accountant nodded and headed out with everyone else, shutting the door behind them.
“What can I do for you, Red?” he said.
I couldn’t tell if he was irritated with me or amused. But I was too worried I was on the ass end of losing my job. He already wasn’t calling when something happened. I felt these upcoming weeks, and that letter of recommendation, slipping from my fingertips.
“You have coffee,” I said.
He looked at the cup, then at the one I’d brought him. “Yes?”
“That’s my job.”
He stood to his full height and crossed his arms. “I’ve decided to change your job description.”
“Because of the other night?”
“Yes.”
Fear and unease ran fast through my veins. It was tough to control. To steady. My first instinct was to fight. To reach out and hold on to what I could. To keep this glimmer of hope for a fresh start. And that glimmer was centered around the man before me.
“Just because we slept together doesn’t mean I can’t handle my job. I thought we left things just fine the other night. If you’re upset because of the way I . . . I took control, we can discuss that but you seemed to like it, and frankly I don’t see why you are demoting me or keeping me out of the loop unless it is your intention to drive me insane or fire me. In which case, I would regret what happened between us.”
He frowned, but I kept babbling, because all I could see was everything slipping from my hands and I had to stop the gaping wound that punctured my chest. What was even more disturbing was that this job and letter of recommendation weren’t the first thoughts in my mind. Leo was. Yes, losing my job now would be awful and it terrified me. But losing Leo? Having our time cut off, not getting to see him every day, it weighed down like a heavy boulder of sadness.
But he just stared. Not saying a word.
“And if you’re upset because of the flower stunt, I apologize again. You were right, I was jealous, and it won’t happen again. I didn’t realize you were looking for a wife and I assure you that I won’t—”
“Okay, let me stop you there,” he said. “While I’d love to watch you run your mouth and dig yourself a pretty little hole, I’m going to once agai
n clarify a few things to you.”
He walked around his desk and faced me. “The other night, you did take control and I did like it.” He picked up his coffee, the one I’d brought him. “But that wasn’t the night I was referring to. I’m changing your job description based on what I saw the night at the gala.”
I frowned in confusion and my stomach hummed. No man, no boss, had ever made me feel so on edge. Maybe it was because while I had felt what it was like to have something to lose, it was never on this scale. Somehow, this job and Leo had morphed into something I wanted to hang on to. Not that I would admit that out loud.
He took a sip of the coffee and winced. “You make a terrible cup of coffee, Miss Levine. You know what that tells me?”
Fear lit my face. I opened my mouth to reply, attempt to save my ass and fire off reasons I was good at my job, but he beat me to it.
“It tells me you’re not meant to be a coffee runner. You have more to offer.”
“What?”
“Harris called and set up a meeting for later this month. He wants to discuss more investing opportunities with Savas Shipping. That is because of you and what you said to Harris at the gala.”
Leo smiled and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of hope. It was a dangerous thing to have. I was never one to possess much of it. I left the sunshine and good will to Amy. But Leo had a way of making me feel seen. Powerful. In more ways than one.
“In a short time, you showed me that this job and my shipping company means something to you. I’m going to be trusting you with more responsibility.”
The urge to hug him was overwhelming. I wanted to throw my arms around him and kiss him. Thank him. Devour him. He trusted me. It was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with, but it felt . . . good. Too good. So good I wanted to latch on to it. Wanted more. But that good feeling wasn’t logical.
I took a step toward him, then paused. I was on the brink of getting caught up again. While I was happy about his confidence in me, it didn’t change who I was deep down: temporary.
“Now that that’s out of the way,” he said, his tone a little gruffer. “What do you know about my looking for a wife?”