“I’ve never really thought about having kids before. I’ve been busy trying to make sure Sol is taken care of.” A lump forms in my throat. Even with how much of a jerk Leo can be to me, seeing the way that he loves his sister is what drew me to him to begin with. I mean besides his good looks. I never experienced the type of love that Leo shares with Sol. Not even from my own parents. “Not sure what kind of father I’d even make.” He mutters the last part. I think more to himself than anything.
“Your fighting doesn't bother me. I’m really not trying to come off as a judgmental asshole, it's just I need this money my family left me. There is so much good I could do with it. In saying that, I get that you need to make a living too, and I’m guessing you’re not going to take a handout. Especially not from me.”
“I’m not taking your money,” he practically growls.
“Then help me.” I check my watch to see I’m running out of time and I need to be across town soon.
“What do you need help with?”
“I’m thinking about donating twenty million to the New Arch Organization for underprivileged children.”
“Twenty million?” He pulls on the collar of his shirt, letting me know that talking about this makes him uncomfortable.
“Yes, it’s for children that are falling in between the cracks because of their willful behavior.”
“Willful behavior. Is that your nice way of saying being little assholes?”
“Maybe.” I smile. “I know nothing about these things.” I wave my hand around my surroundings. “But a lovely man by the name of Howard Sterling reached out to me the other day about helping, and I want to do more than throw money at them. I want to make sure the money isn’t just—"
“Shit away?”
I laugh at the way he puts it. “Yes, shit away.”
A smile pulls at his lips. Even with his lip still being cracked and a bruise coming on stronger today, he’s still as handsome as ever. He’s full of crap that no one wants his sperm. I bet women would beg for it. They’d be lined up to get it, I’m sure. I shake that thought from my head, my stomach souring, and a sense of betrayal filling me.
I slip into the closet to change but keep talking. I tell him some of the details Edwards had given me already. I come out after I’ve changed into a dress and strappy sandals. “I have some information he had sent over too.” I open my desk top drawer and pull out the folder, handing it over to Leo.
“You look pretty.”
“Thank you.” My cheeks warm as his eyes rake over me. It confuses me when I see hunger in them. I thought I saw it last night too, but I guess men get turned on when the wind blows, so I don't read too much into it.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I have a dinner meeting.”
“With who?” he snaps.
“I don’t recall asking you questions about you coming and going.” I challenge. Is he jealous? He takes a step into me.
“I recall you telling me last night to be discreet with my affairs.” I flinch.
“I’m not having an affair, Leo.” I swallow. “But yes, if someone saw you out and took a picture, it would end up in some gossip blog. I’m surprised the marriage hasn’t already but then again, we’ve never been seen together, so—” I shrug.
“I’m not having any kind of affairs.” He leans in, and I think he’s about to kiss me. His mouth almost touches mine. “How could I be with anyone when you’re all I've ever thought about since you entered my damn life?”
His words are like a bomb being dropped on me. I stand frozen in place, having no clue what to say to that. To be honest, I’m not sure I’m even understanding him correctly.
Then he kisses me. It’s only a brush of a kiss. Almost sweet, but it has me longing for more. “I’ll read the papers,” he says, taking a step back. “Have a good night, wife.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him to go with me to see Edwards, but I don’t, not wanting to be more of a bother. But even more than that, I don’t want to hear him tell me no.
CHAPTER 13
LEO
Is it really stalking if you’re following your wife? That’s the question I ponder as I climb out of the cab that I had tail Tinsley’s car. The neighborhood seems like a regular residential one, so at first I wonder if she’s visiting a man even though she said she wasn’t having an affair. A one-night stand is not an affair if we’re going to be technical. An affair is long-term, so she could be meeting someone for a one and done, and not have lied to me. Dinner meeting, my ass. Who dresses in a fancy silky outfit and sexy shoes for business? No one.