Lexi nodded. ‘It’s thanks to Leo Aleksandrov that we have the loan approved.’
She flicked through a couple more emails knowing that Aimee was watching her sympathetically. When she had returned from Greece a week ago she had been red-eyed and hadn’t been able to hide her misery. Of course she’d told her friend everything. Including the full extent of the hurt Brandon had once caused her, which had been easy because it no longer had any effect on her at all. What hadn’t been easy was waking up each morning with the memory of how it had felt to have Leo spooning her, of draping herself over his hard male body, and knowing she’d never experience that again.
‘Don’t look now,’ Aimee whispered, ‘but the man in question has just walked in.’
‘Mr Hammond?’ Lexi looked around despite her friend’s warning.
‘Not Darth Vader. Leo Aleksandrov.’
‘Wha—’ Lexi closed her mouth, her eyes fixed on Leo’s blond head as he walked through the main childcare room holding Ty’s hand.
‘I wondered whether Ty would be back,’ Aimee mused. ‘Do you want to go out and greet them?’
Did she …?
‘No!’ Not on your life. ‘In fact—’ Lexi stood up and looked around for a place to hide ‘—you go, and lock my door after you. If he asks, and I doubt he will, tell him I’m sick.’
Which she was.
Heartsick.
‘Too la— Good morning,’ Aimee trilled.
Lexi felt Leo’s presence and deliberately kept her eyes on the cooling cup of tea on her desk.
‘You must be Aimee.’ His deep voice resonated inside every one of Lexi’s cells. ‘It’s nice to meet you properly. I am Leo Aleksandrov.’
‘I know.’ Aimee sounded breathless and when Lexi looked up it wasn’t hard to discern why. Leo filled the doorway of her office, wearing black low-riding jeans and a peacock blue T-shirt that matched his eyes and hugged every one of the hard muscles lining his chest. Wasn’t today a work day?
She drew in a slow, discreet breath and tried to put on a brave face. If she had thought about Ty returning to the centre at all she hadn’t considered that Leo would be the one to bring him. Amanda maybe, but not Leo.
She looked at him, her brain empty of everything but getting through the next few minutes.
She cleared her throat discreetly before speaking. ‘If you want the sign-in sheet, then—’
‘I don’t want the sign-in sheet.’ His dazzling eyes, which seemed impossibly blue, held hers. ‘I want you.’
Lexi felt light-headed. Oh, boy, how easy would it be to misconstrue that statement?
Aimee made a squeaking noise. ‘I think I have some wool to wind.’ She made a dash for the door and Leo stepped into the room to let her past.
Lexi’s knees went weak and she dropped back down in her chair, not caring that it made him that much taller.
‘So how can I help you?’ she asked carefully, pleased with her moderated tone.
‘You’re wearing more make-up than usual,’ he rasped. ‘Why?’
Lexi felt herself redden. She was wearing more make-up because she was trying to hide the bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and too many hours pining over him.
‘This is what I normally wear,’ she lied.
‘You don’t need it.’
Lexi cleared her throat again. This was excruciating. ‘I can’t believe you stopped in here to discuss my make-up requirements,’ she said, wishing he’d just say what he had to say and leave.
‘No.’ He rubbed the back of his neck and she noticed for the first time that his own eyes didn’t look that rested either. Was Ty keeping him up? He wouldn’t have been happy to see her leave the yacht, but he had seemed fine with Carolina …
‘I came to tell you that I’m buying a new house.’