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It was a long speech, a confession of all her deepest, darkest secrets. So, it wasn’t until she stopped speaking that she realized Leo was trembling. His arms had tightened around her, and when she opened her eyes, his jaw was stone hard.
Pushing off his chest, she tilted her head to look up at his face. A muscle jumped in Leo’s cheek as his nostrils flared. Finally, he lowered his gaze and met Amelia’s. “I’m having homicidal fantasies,” he admitted quietly at her worried glance.
Warmth and light flooded through Amelia’s chest, and she couldn’t help the smile that bloomed over her lips.
Leo scowled at her mouth, then met her gaze. “It’s not funny.”
“No,” she agreed. “It just makes me feel good to hear you say that. Does that make me a bad person?”
He shook his head. “No.” His hand moved to stroke her cheek, the backs of his fingers sliding down her face. “What made you finally break up with him?”
“I found out he was cheating on me, and he tried to make me feel like it was my fault. He said if I hadn’t studied so hard and made time for him, he wouldn’t have done it. I guess after everything, that was just one thing too far. I realized I needed to leave him.”
“Strong woman,” he said, brushing his lips over Amelia’s forehead.
That made a bitter laugh fall from her lips. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
The couch groaned as Leo shifted slightly, then he brought his hand back to her cheek. He cupped her jaw and tilted her face so they stared at each other. His green eyes glittered, the rigid planes of his face carved in light and shadow. But his touch was tender, and his voice was soft.
“You are strong, Amelia. You survived what he did to you, and you had the courage to ask for help. You know what you want and you’re not afraid to go for it. That’s strength. It’s resilience. It’s courage.”
“You’re just saying that,” she whispered, even as butterflies took off in her chest.
Green eyes stared into hers, and something shifted within them. His hand slipped down to her neck, curling around to her nape. Leo’s head lowered so his breath coasted over her lips, sending tiny shivers darting through her veins. “I want to make you feel good,” he told her, his gaze sliding down the length of her body before returning to her face.
A breath gusted out of her mouth. “Oh,” she managed to say.
“Can I do that? Can I make you feel good?” He shifted so her head was supported on his bicep, and his other hand slid from her nape around to her shoulder, then her chest, barely brushing her breast on its journey down to her waist.
Amelia shivered. “I don’t…”
His hand paused.
She gulped. It would be so easy to push him away, but need clawed inside her. Shewantedto feel good. She wanted to revel in the safety of Leo’s arms. She wanted to feel sexy, damn it.
But—
She reached up to touch Leo’s jaw. “If I don’t come, please don’t take it personally. It’s…hard for me. To get all the way there.”
The expression on his face grew harsh as her words sank in. His hand tightened on her waist as he leaned down and brushed his lips over her forehead, down to the tip of her nose, and finally brushed her lips oh-so-softly. “We’ll just see what happens, okay?”
She nodded once, jerkily. “Okay,” she whispered.
Then he kissed her. It was as mind-bending and life-altering as before, except this time, Leo’s hand slid under her top and came to rest on her bare stomach. For a moment, Amelia worried that her belly was too soft, that he’d feel her imperfections, that he’d pull away—
“Your skin is so soft,” he said reverently against her lips, fingers spreading to span from hip to ribs. He squeezed and stroked her body until she settled, then slid his hand up to peel the shirt off her body. She lifted her arms as he took the garment off, then settled back down, biting her lip as she looked at Leo to gauge his reaction.
What greeted her gaze was a look of pure, barely leashed hunger. His hand slid from her collarbone to her breast, touching the lacy fabric of her bralette as his eyes devoured her. “Pretty,” he said, almost to himself, his fingers tracing the scalloped edge of her undergarments.
His fingers trailed down to her navel, then over the waistline of her skirt. He skimmed his hand down the outside of her thigh, down to her knee while his head dipped down to kiss her once more. Despite herself, Amelia felt her body relax. She wrapped her arms around Leo’s neck and tugged him closer, wanting to explore his body as he was exploring hers.
A rough grunt tore through Leo’s throat, and he pulled away. Then, with jagged movements, he lifted Amelia up and spun her around so she sat directly on his lap, her back to his chest. Her legs dangled over his knees. When he spread his legs, he pulled her knees wide. Her skirt dipped down in the gap made by their spread legs, and Leo’s hands came around Amelia’s waist.
“Look at yourself,” he commanded, his lips near her ear. He nudged her so she looked at the mirror above the mantel. It was angled in such a way that she could see herself atop him. “See how beautiful you are.” His hands slid up from her waist to cup her breasts. He shaped her, groaning at the feel of her flesh in his palms.
She watched the reflection and felt cool air on her spread inner thighs.
This wasnotin her spreadsheet.
