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“Lenny?”
“No,” he said with a groan. “That’s worse than Leonard.” He turned her to her back. “The answer is in the stars.” He pointed with his finger. “Think. You’ll figure it out.”
Biting her lower lip, Cassandra’s mind went to work. Her eyes flitted back and forth across the starlit sky like she was working out an intricate puzzle. He could watch her for hours and never get bored by her curiosity.
Cassandra turned to him with a triumphant smile. “Your name is Leo.” Her voice was husky, and she said his name with reverence. “Like the constellation.”
“Yes.” He returned her smile. “Next subject. The night we met, you said you were a doctor. What’s your specialty?”
“I’m not a physician. I have a PhD in classics from Princeton. My focus is ancient Greece.”
He’d never suspected she was a scholar. He was even more intrigued by her.
“So that’s why you had the mythology paperback. Do you teach?”
“No.” Sadness clouded her eyes. “I’m not sure what I’m doing right now. I lost out on an important fellowship I was sure I would get.”
“Is that what made you cry last night?”
“That’s part of it, but yeah.” Her voice was heavy with resignation.
“What happened?”
Her eyes shifted away. “You don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do.” Her cries last night had been filled with deep pain. He would only be with her tonight, but he cared about her. “Something or someone hurt you. Maybe I can help.”
With a big sigh, Cassandra burrowed in close, and he wrapped her in his arms. “Owen Bell. Ex-boyfriend and accomplished scholar. While we were grad students, he challenged my ideas about a feminist perspective on Psyche.”
“Psyche? Really?”
“Yeah, that Psyche. Lover of Eros.” She sat up a bit. “Weird, huh?”
It was weird, but it had to be more than just a coincidence. There were too many times they’d been brought together. It had to be something stronger like fate or following a destiny.
“I think it’s fate.” He tucked her in close, starting to believe this was where he was supposed to be and wanting to learn more about her. “Keep going.”
“I believed in the topic, but Owen shot it down every chance he got. In time, I became insecure about my ideas and research, I altered my topic and received my degree.”
“He doesn’t sound like a nice guy.”
“I thought he was, but he’s not,” she said in a quiet voice. She paused before continuing, “He broke up with me a few months ago. He won the fellowship I wanted, and last night I found out he’s engaged to my used-to-be best friend.”
Owen must be a new level of stupid not to appreciate Cassandra and then make a move on her best friend.
Leo kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry he hurt you.” Cassandra was a beautiful, intelligent woman. She should be with someone who cared for her and who wanted to fulfill her every desire. Like him, but it wasn’t possible, he thought with a pang of disappointment.
“Thanks, Leo,” she said, searching his eyes.
Leo had planned on fucking her again, but now he wanted to care for her. He carried Cassandra to the bedroom and placed her in the bed, covering her with a soft blanket. “Sleep now.” He held her in his arms.
“But I thought…” she said sleepily.
Leo kissed her forehead. “We still have time.” But they didn’t. The new day was approaching fast. They’d exchanged first names, but soon he would have to tell her his full identity. Fate might have brought them together, but reality couldn’t maintain what they’d found together beyond one night.
