Page 30 of Worth the Risk

“I left my number, Sierra. He could have called me. He didn’t. The ball is now in his court.”

“Let’s just wait and see what he does with it,” she replies.

Turning my attention back to the laptop, I hit the news tab. Many articles load, and we scan through them and learn a few things, mostly about the company. Leo’s grandfather founded it, and he passed it on to Leo’s father, who expanded it to the billion-dollar enterprise it is today. Leo’s father’s name is Connor Knight. His mother’s name is Emma, and Sophie is his only sibling.

A text comes through my phone as Sierra’s beeps at the same time.

Becca:Hey girls. Party at the lake tonight. Bonfire, drinks. Are you in?

We read the text at the same time, then gape at each other.This is what I need, a distraction and a good time with my girlfriends.

Sierra answers her text in our group chat, thinking the same.

Sierra:Hell yeah, we’re in. What time?

Becca:Come after nine. The fire should be going and the drinks flowing by then.

Me:Great. See you then : )

This will be the perfect distraction from Leo. I plan to have fun with my girls and try to forget the dark-haired Adonis.

ChapterTwelve

Leo

Standing by the fire with Nash, I take a drink from my beer as the flames of yellow, orange, red, and blue dance. There’s a decent turnout at the lake. Everyone is drinking and having fun. Some more than others as I’ve seen a couple of people sneak off into the woods together.

On a run this morning, I saw Luke outside his family’s home. When I stopped to talk with him, he invited Nash and me out tonight to a lake party. Nash told me earlier that he’d visit his mom and sister again tomorrow. He isn’t sure how long he’ll be gone but said he would be back.

“Where does a guy take a piss around here?” Nash asks.

I nudge my head to the water.

“Yeah, not happening. It’s too dark to see if there’s anything in the water. I don’t need something biting off my dick. I think I’ll take my chances in the woods.” Laughing, he walks in that direction.

“Watch out for the bears,” I joke.

He stops for a moment as if deliberating going into the woods now, and before heading for the trees, he flips me the bird, trudging a little slower.

Shaking my head, I laugh at him.

Shortly after he disappears into the tree line, someone rubs my forearm. Spotting blonde hair first, my heartbeat picks up until I get a good look at her. She isn’t who I was hoping she would be. She’s not the one I’ve been thinking about all week.

No amount of running or working out in the casino’s gym could stop my thoughts of her. Instead, it’s the girl I hooked up with before I met Kylie.What was her name again? Liz. It was Liz.

“Hey, baby. I’ve been hoping to run into you again.” She slides her hand up my bicep. Her smell and voice are all wrong. It’s grating on my nerves, and I need an escape plan.

Think, Leo. Think.

“Hello,Liz?” I question and state at the same time, hoping I got it right.

When she smiles, I know I did.

“What do you say we head back to your house and spend some time together? I had a fun time a couple of weeks ago.” She presses her tits up against my arm and slides her hand to my ass.

I know the answer instantly.

No. I’m not going there again.

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