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Iawake to the smell of crispy bacon, fried eggs, and freshly brewed coffee. It takes me a moment to realize I’m not in my own bed, but once my brain finally connects the dots, all the memories from last night come rushing forward. I give the pregnancy nausea a couple of minutes to do its thing, but once I’m able, I allow myself to fall back into the sweetness of this moment. Everything else is messed up… I might as well enjoy this while it lasts.
Last night was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best night I’ve ever had. The second best was our first night together.
I’ve had sex before meeting Leo, but it wasn’t very impressive. Sloppy, careless, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t even get off. But what I’ve had with Leo is something else. Practically an out-of-body, otherworldly experience. I’m sore in places I didn’t know it was possible to be, but in a good way. My muscles burn like I’ve just finished a good, rewarding workout. There’s a hum in my veins, an echo of adrenaline coursing through me.
Stretching my arms over my head, I throw my legs over the edge of the bed and take a quick glimpse at myself and the reflection of the bedroom mirror in the corner of the room. I’m covered in marks. Love bites pepper my skin like an arrangement of constellations.
My first instinct is to be mildly perturbed. How am I supposed to cover these before I head into practice? Upon closer inspection, however, I see that Leo was careful to leave them in places normally concealed by my clothing. On my inner thighs, my belly, my breasts. There is one on the crook of my neck, but I’m sure that’s nothing a bit of makeup can’t help fix.
Amusement rises within me. That sly dog.
I tiptoe around the bedroom and gather my clothes from the floor, dressing in a hurry before venturing out into the hall. The penthouse is far more impressive in the daylight. I almost didn’t believe Leo when he said this place was his. He mentioned something about owning the whole building. At first, I thought it was some sort of joke. Maybe a pride thing? But now that I can truly take in my surroundings, I realize he was telling the truth.
I grow more and more fascinated and curious about Leo the more I learn about him. How many businesses is he involved in? Real estate, transportation… It seems he has his hand in a great many pots. Could he be one of those billionaire entrepreneurs I’ve heard about in the news? The ones who operate with a certain level of discretion. Stealth wealth, or some such. There’s no need to brag when you have it all, and I don’t get the sense Leo is the type to do such a thing.
Bratva.
That damn word again. No, he can’t be. I push it out of my head.
I find him in the kitchen. It’s massive, almost the size of my family’s entire shared apartment. He’s dressed in a suit, prepared and ready for the day as he fixes us breakfast. He must have heard me coming because he speaks without turning.
“Take a seat.”
“You know how to cook, too?” I tease him. “You’re a man of many hidden talents.”
“All men should know how to cook,” he says, sounding mildly perturbed. “It’s important to be self-sufficient.”
I can’t help but giggle. “Are you always so serious first thing in the morning?”
“Usually.” He tosses his chin toward the coffee maker on the counter. It’s a fancy thing with so many knobs and buttons I’m worried I could accidentally set off a self-destruct setting. “Would you like some?”
No sooner do I nod does Leo walk over and pour me a fresh cup. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more spoiled, more taken care of.
“How do you feel?” he asks me, his tone tender and sweet. I like getting to see the side of him. It’s a part I fear he hides most of the time. Getting to see him like this makes me feel special.
“I’m good,” I reply softly. “Last night was amazing.”
His smile grows, the widest I’ve ever seen. I knew Leo was handsome, but getting to see him truly smile feels like a treat. His whole face lights up, taking away all the heavy stress he always seems to carry with him. It’s enough to make the butterflies in my stomach flutter, and it makes my heart skip a beat. I wish I could see him do it more often. I almost want to make it my life’s mission to figure out all the little things that can make them happen.
“Last nightwasamazing,” he murmurs. “I can’t help but appreciate how resilient you are. I wasn’t too hard on you, was I?”
“A little bit,” I confess. “But I liked it. It wasn’t exactly my first tour de force, either, was it?”
He chuckles. “Good.”
“I wish I could stay and eat all this food, but I’m running late for rehearsal.”
“That’s okay. I can pack it up for you to take it for the road. Would you like me to drop you off?”
I shake my head, grinning gleefully. “I can just walk. It’s not that far.”
He frowns at this. “Out of the question. I’ll give you a ride.”
“When do you think I’ll get to see you next?” I nibble on my bottom lip, recognizing that I might be atadtoo eager. “Tonight?”
The corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles even wider. “Not tonight, I’m afraid. I have some business to take care of.”
As disappointed as I am to hear it, I also totally understand. “Let me give you my number. Text me when you’re free next?”
