AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘She saw me.’ The deep masculine voice came from behind her and Millie suppressed a groan. She didn’t need to look to know who it was. So much for not drawing attention to herself.
Great. Now her humiliation was complete. Not only was she looking a complete mess but she’d been behaving like a criminal.
‘You know this lady?’ The security guard squared his shoulders. ‘She walked out without paying, sir.’
‘And I’m afraid I take the blame for that.’ Leandro’s tone was a mixture of apology and smooth charm. ‘She was up in the night with the baby. I’d given her strict instructions to rest today and not leave the house. Do you have children…’ his gaze flickered to the man’s identity badge ‘…Peter?’
‘Two,’ the man said stiffly. ‘Boys.’
Leandro smiled his most charismatic smile. ‘And I’m sure they’ve given you a few sleepless nights in their time.’
‘You could say that.’ Under Leandro’s warm, encouraging gaze, the man relaxed slightly. ‘There were days when the wife walked around in a coma. I remember she left the bath running one morning and flooded the entire house.’
‘It’s unbelievable that something as apparently small and innocent as a baby can cause so much disruption,’ Leandro purred sympathetically. ‘And unbelievable what sleep deprivation can do, Peter.’ Having personalised the conversation, he put a hand on Millie’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. ‘This is all my fault. Tonight, agape mou, I will take my turn with the baby and you will catch up on some sleep.’
There was a collective sigh among the crowd and the security guard looked undecided.
‘I still have to take her back inside and call the police. That’s my job.’
Millie opened her mouth to defend herself again but Leandro brought his mouth down on hers in a gentle but determined kiss that effectively silenced her. It only lasted seconds but when he lifted his head she was too flustered to do anything except gape at him.
He gave her a smile and pulled her into the protective circle of his arm, taking control of the situation. ‘I understand that it isn’t part of your job description to make individual judgements so I’m more than happy to be the one to present the details to the manager of the store and the police. I’m sure they’ll understand. And perhaps we could talk to the local paper.’ Leandro’s voice was smooth as polished marble. ‘It’s ridiculous that you aren’t allowed to exercise judgement on individual cases like this one. You should be allowed to take responsibility for your decisions.’
The man straightened his shoulders. ‘In some circumstances I can make my own decisions, of course, it’s just that—’
‘You can?’ Leandro looked impressed. ‘Then it’s lucky for us that you were the one on duty today. Someone as experienced as yourself will be able to tell the difference between a genuine mistake committed in a state of exhaustion and an attempt to steal.’
The security man flushed under the attention and then gave a nod. ‘If you’ll just take your purchases to the till, sir, I’ll report to my superiors that this was all a genuine misunderstanding.’
‘You’re more than generous,’ Leandro murmured, lifting the items from the top of the pram and glancing at Millie. ‘This is all that you wanted, agape mou?’
Swamped with humiliation, still stunned that the brief kiss had affected her so much, Millie nodded mutely and stood there, clutching the pram for support while Leandro strode back inside the store with the security guard.
‘Don’t worry, love,’ one of the women said to her, ‘I was the same when my Kevin was born. Didn’t get a wink of sleep for two years. I was so tired that I once found my car keys in the washing machine. At least you’ve got a gorgeous man willing to chip in. Mine didn’t lift a finger for the first seven years of their lives. Now, if I’m lucky, he’ll kick a football with them.’
Millie moved her lips to reply but she could still feel Leandro’s mouth on hers, the latent sensuality in that brief kiss enough to have reawakened something she’d tried desperately hard to bury.
Nothing had changed, she thought helplessly. He still had the ability to turn her to a quivering wreck. Only this time things were a thousand times worse, her insecurities a thousand times deeper.
Leandro appeared by her side. He shot her a questioning look and then gave a knowing smile that indicated that he knew exactly why she was looking so dazed. Without comment, he handed her a bag and then guided her down the paved street towards the main road.
Desperate to escape from what felt like a hundred pairs of eyes, Millie stared straight ahead and then saw a burly man standing next to a sleek black Mercedes.
He sprang to attention as Leandro strode tow
ards him and opened the rear door with military efficiency. ‘If you take the baby, sir, I’ll deal with the pram.’
Reluctant to be trapped with Leandro in a confined space, Millie stopped dead on the pavement but the firm pressure of Leandro’s hand urged her towards the car. ‘Inside, now,’ he ordered, ‘before you draw any more attention to yourself.’
‘Does everyone always do exactly as you tell them?’ Arching her back to free herself of his lingering touch, she stumbled into the warm cocoon of leather and luxury, shockingly aware of him. He slid in after her, holding the baby safely in the crook of his arm.
Only then did Millie notice the baby car seat.
With surprising gentleness, Leandro laid the baby in the car seat and strapped him in carefully. Then he sat down next to her, the length of his hard thigh brushing against hers.
The driver slid into the car, locked the doors and then pulled into the stream of traffic.
Millie shifted sideways in her seat. ‘I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.’
