Page 171 of Her Wicked Plan

Sex has never been this... euphoric. It’s never sent me to a state of blindness.

I’m dying. That’s the only logical reason, but if I’m dying, why am I seeing the stars that shine in Heaven?

“Vee?” An angelic voice calls out for me. Hands lightly touch my cheek. “Vee, you’re okay. Just breathe.”

Breathe.

The word brings my attention to the lungs in my chest. I heave in a deep breath, the oxygen I’ve been chasing finally finding its home. When the air fills my chest, my eyes clear again. Slowly, Leo comes into focus, and his expression is full of worry as I calm my labored breathing.

“What the hell just happened?” I ask once he becomes clear again.

“I think you went into a subspace?” It comes out more than a question than a statement. “I’ve only had one other girl go there while having sex. With me cutting off your air supply, holding it until you were about to pass out, then allowing you air again, I think that and the pleasure was too much.”

I laugh at the idiotic belief that I thought I croaked. “And here I thought I died.”

He laughs with me and kisses my sweaty forehead. “I can assure you, you’re not dead.”

“That's good to know.” He helps me sit up and then grabs a couple of tissues to clean me up. “I was worried there for a second.”

“Because you thought you died?”

“No, because I saw stars.” My eyes widen in horror. “I was scared I somehow made it into Heaven.”

Leo dissolves into a fit of laughter as he tosses the tissues in the trash. Gathering my discarded clothes, he dresses me. “If you end up in Heaven, there is something wrong with the universe.”

I smile down at him as he places my foot into my sweats. “I’m glad someone would agree.”

Shaking his head, he tells me to stand so he can pull my pants up all the way. His jeans have already been put back on, but they are unbuttoned. I eye him carefully as he readjusts the band of my pants.

The gentleness in his touch after being rough with me is calming.

“How is your mom?” I ask cautiously. He only ever told me she was dying. Cancer, I presumed, but he never went into detail about her or how he was feeling about all of it. He would sulk and be professional during our sessions and nonprofessional during our other times.

“She uh...” He clears his throat with a cough. “She’s not doing well. She’s lost a lot of weight and is always tired.”

“I’m so sorry, Leo.” I hold his face in my hands, my thumb slowly brushing along his skin.

“Chloe thinks we will lose her sooner than we thought.”

“Your sister?” He’s mentioned his sister before but never by name.

“Yeah.” He leans into my touch, eyes closed at the comfort and warmth. “She has been at the house since we found out and... you know what?” Leo leaves the comfort of my hands. “We don’t have to talk about this.”

“We can if you need to.” I sooth. His eyes find mine with a panicked expression. “Let me guess. You’re not used to talking about your feelings, only listening to others?”

He shrugs. “I never have time to discuss what’s going on with me. Not when I have patients to worry about and a family, even before my mom’s diagnosis.”

“I want to hear about your problems.”

“Are you sure?” he asks uncertainly. “We don’t have to waste time talking about me.”

“Leo,” I offer a warm smile, “I have all the time in the world to waste.”

We spent the rest of the time talking about his family in his office. We were sitting on the floor, his back resting against the window bench while mine was against him.

His sister Chloe is three years younger than him. She works in an office building and hates her job. She has a six-year-old son named Carter, currently in a dinosaur phase?

He even told me that Carter drew him a dinosaur to get tattooed, but it looked like a mix of a dinosaur and a dog. That made me laugh.