My eyes widened dramatically.
His large rough hand lifted to my face, his thumb brushing away at my cheeks like a gentle giant. He looked me right in the eye. I could feel the static around us. I wanted to run, save all of them by risking myself. But when I looked in his eyes, I had to wonder if I was ready to give it all up so easily.
What if I never saw him again? Or touched him?
Felt the heat of his body burning through my clothing like it was right now.
“I’m scared too, Hadley. These feelings, they’re things I haven’t felt for anyone other than my wife. But what I do know, is that they’re very real, and I want the chance to explore them. If I let you walk out the door now, I lose that chance, not knowing if you’ll ever come back. And I’m not ready to give you up.” He spoke slowly, letting it move through my body, allowing me to take in every single word, phrase, and sound. “I’m not ready to throw this away before it’s even begun.”
He wanted to protect me, so that when all this was done, we could spend the time getting to know each other and figuring out if what we were feeling was real.
I wanted it to be real.
I wanted Leo more than my next breath and every time I saw Macy’s face or heard her giggle, I knew in my heart I would do whatever it took to make sure she was safe and happy. They were a package deal, but one without the other didn’t feel like it made sense anyway.
“And if we don’t work out?” I asked quietly, lowering my head and pressing my forehead to his chest. His breathing was deep.
In.
Out.
I tried to mimic it, in an attempt to calm my racing heart.
I’d prepared myself all morning for this, knowing that I would have to say goodbye. Possibly forever. My plan had been simple.
Run.
All I needed to do was outrun the timer.
“If things change later on, we will deal with it then. But until I know you’re safe, I’m not giving up,” he told me, his strength and position unwavering. “We’ll figure this out, and we’ll do it together.”
I inhaled his scent, it was masculine. A mix of leather and the spice of his cologne. It made me feel safe, a comfort I hadn’t had for a long time.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Okay?”
I nodded, my head brushing against his leather cut with a subtle squeak. A thick finger hooked under my jaw and tilted my face upward. When his eyes met mine, I could tell they were searching, needing solid confirmation that I was willing to give this a try.
“You gonna be mine?” he asked, his body tense.
Forcing a smile, I reached out, wrapping my arms around his waist and anchoring myself to him. “I’ll be yours.”
He gave me a moment to inhale a shaky breath before he dipped his head and pressed his lips to mine, swallowing all my nerves and reluctance, and replacing them with the excitement of having him to myself.
There would be no more screwing the men in the club in order to have protection, Leo was offering me so much more. He was giving me a promise that he would do whatever it took to keep me safe, and at the same time, he would give me himself. I would be his. For now.
My reservations about what might happen between us when all this was said and done, still lingered in the back of my mind.
Would he resent me for putting his family in danger?
Was he only doing this because there was no other option?
Leo was broken.
He’d lost the love of his life, and as much as I wanted to fix him, give him everything I had and hope he felt the same, I had to wonder if there was enough space in his heart for me. I understood that he would always love Kim. I knew I could never take her place. But I didn’t want to either.
I cared for Leo and Macy. And Kim was a part of them.