Page 25 of Love Me Carefully
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, did you say something?” Her hand on her chest, she tried to hide the hammering that had begun during the memory.Dammit!
“I asked if you were okay. You look a little distracted.” He stared at her intently.
“Um, nothing. I mean, I was just thinking about my mother and all the stuff she’s going through.” She lied. She’d told him about her mother and her seemingly endless problems a few weeks after meeting him, so he was familiar with her situation.
“Is everything okay? Is there something I can do?” Concern evident in his voice, Leon moved closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Leaning into the offer of comfort, Leah let her head rest on his shoulder. “No, I talked to Darryl last night and he said that he was going to take care of it. I hope she listens to him and tries the counseling.” Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the memory of the phone call she’d received just before leaving the office.
“I’m sorry, baby. I wish there was something I could do.” Leon’s strong hand rubbed up and down her arm, his fingertips lightly brushing her breasts.
Wait? She felt something. A flush or shimmer of something. Concentrating, she zeroed in on the feeling and tried to exploit it. The spot where he’d just touched was warm. He moved his hand up and down again—yup, it was warm alright. Maybe it was just going to take a while for things to heat up between them.
“Let’s not talk about my mother and her problems right now.” Turning her head so that she looked into his face, she searched herself again for some stirrings of emotion.
“Okay, what do you want to talk about?” His voice had lowered considerably, his eyes darkening as he watched her.
She knew what he wanted, read it clearly in his eyes. Her heart quickened a bit. Yes! It’s starting, she told herself. Compared to Terrell, Leon was perfect for her. She desperately wanted to prove that point.
“You know, Leah, I’ve been thinking about us a lot lately.” With his free hand he caressed her knee.
Earlier she’d still been wondering about taking the next steps with Leon, but now she was simply eager to get the emotional ball rolling—to prove to herself that Leon was her type and not…
She moved a hand to his shoulder. “You have?”
“I really think we have something special going.” He spoke almost in a whisper but she heard him loud and clear. His hands stilled both on her arm and on her knee as he watched her with barely contained desire. His voice was husky, his breathing just a little labored.
Okay, this was where she should be lost in his gaze, anticipating his next move, longing for his touch…as she had the other night in Ms. Rosie’s kitchen…in Terrell’s arms. Terrell’s voice had been heavy with desire, deep and arousing. His touch, soft, inviting. Terrell’s lips had hovered dangerously close to hers and she thought death would surely be less painful then waiting for him to kiss her.
Terrell.His name was a whisper in her mind and she blinked abruptly, focusing again on Leon.
“I’m beginning to develop some feelings that I think are worth exploring. I think about you constantly. I miss you when I’m away.” His hand had left her knee to cup her cheek. “What do you think?”
He didn’t want to know what she was thinking. She didn’t even want to be thinking it. But there it was. She was sitting on the couch in the arms of this handsome man who obviously adored her, and yet her mind had been on someone else. Someone who annoyed the hell out of her. No, she wasn’t feeling Terrell Pierce like that, she was sure of it.
But neither was she feeling Leon and it was time she stopped stalling and accepted that. “Leon, I think we have a really good time together.” She paused.
“But?” he asked expectantly.
She pulled her hand away, let it rest in her lap. “But that’s it. I don’t think there’s anything else between us.” His features stilled, his hands on her going cold. “I mean, I’d like us to remain friends. I just don’t see any romantic involvement in our future. I’m sorry if that isn’t what you were expecting.”
Leon took both her hands in his. “If you need more time, Leah, I’m willing to wait. I know we would be so good together.”
I’m glad you know it, because right now I just don’t feel it.“I don’t know, Leon. And the last thing I want to do is lead you on. Why don’t we take a little break, give each other some space to see if this is really something we want to pursue.” She was grasping now, trying to let him down gently. She knew that time wasn’t going to change how she felt about Leon, no matter how much she wanted it to. He just wasn’t for her.
“I’m a patient man,” he told her, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss her palm. “And I usually get what I want.”
Okay, well, whatever.She was getting tired of the men around her not taking no for an answer. He’d spoken slowly, methodically, his jaw clenching with each word, his eyes intent on her. Slightly irritated, she slipped her hands out of his and stood. “I’m kind of tired so—”
Leon stood with her, cupping her face possessively before dropping a soft kiss on her cheek. “My motto is, ‘good things come to those who wait.’And Leah, I’m positive you’ll be good.”
His lips were a whisper from hers.What the hell, let him give it one more try.She closed her eyes and leaned in for his kiss. What started out as a sweet gesture quickly changed to a passionate assault by Leon. He pulled her closer, thrusting his tongue into her mouth with a ferocity that she wasn’t accustomed to, or aroused by. She pulled back instantly, staring at him in surprise. “Goodnight, Leon.”
For a moment he didn’t move, and she thought he was going to argue with her, but then he gave her a slow smile and backed away. He walked to the door with her slowly on his heels. After pulling on his coat, he stepped through the door she held open and then turned to face her. “I’ll be waiting, Leah. I’m not going anywhere.”
His words annoyed her, but she managed a small smile anyway. “I’ll see you later.” But she prayed she wouldn’t.
With his nod she closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief.
