“What?” he asked, elbowing me lightly in the side.
“I was just thinking—with your female fan club, you probably don’t notice anyone who doesn’t have boobs.”
Leo gasped. “Are you calling me a manwhore, Angel?”
“If the paw fits,” I grinned. “You’ve probably broken more hearts than Kyra’s got brain cells.”
He laughed, eyes lighting up. Then his gaze softened, settling on me for a beat too long.
“What?” I asked, squinting at him.
“I just like your smile,” he said simply.
I rolled my eyes, hard. “Yeah, right.”
“I’m being serious,” he protested, then perked up like he’d just remembered something. “And to show you how serious I am, I volunteered to be your cuddle buddy tonight.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know. But I want to. I want Elle-time too. Why should Slade get all the snuggles?”
“Elle-time?” I repeated with a snort.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” he said, grinning as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tugged me into his warmth. His chest was solid and comforting, and I let my head fall against it, breathing him in.
Thorne stepped away from Kyra and crossed the room toward us, Maddie trailing just behind him.
“I have to go, but take care of yourself, okay?” Maddie said, her hand brushing my arm. Her lips twitched as her eyes flicked to Leo and me.
I caught her look and shook my head, pretending not to understand it.
“I’ll see you later?” I asked, more hopeful than I meant to sound.
“You’re damn right you will,” Maddie said with a grin. “You and I are besties now. That’s just the way of it.”
“Catch you later, then, bestie,” I said, smiling for real.
She winked and disappeared through the door.
Thorne stared at Leo with enough disapproval to make me step out of the basking warmth of his arms. I sighed and reached toward him—not with words, just a look and an outstretched hand.
Thorne nodded and squeezed my fingers once before letting go.
Relief hit me like a wave, and with it came exhaustion. My shoulders sagged.
“You should rest,” Thorne said, his voice gentler than usual. “It’s been a hell of a day.”
“What time is it?”
“Close to dinner,” Leo chimed in. “You missed lunch.”
I groaned. “Let’s go eat, then. If we don’t, Slade will kill me.”
Leo chuckled. “Tell you what—I’ll grab some food and bring it to your room.”
I blinked. “You’d do that for me?”
He grinned. “Of course I would.”
