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  “Yeah, you’re probably right. It’s a bad idea.” She pulled on her shirt and looked so dejected, I kicked myself for not explaining quicker.

  “Jo.” I reached for her again, lightly holding the back of her neck. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I really, really do, but I just had to stop before I couldn’t.”

  Her eyes dipped to the floor and she nodded.

  “I don’t—” I sighed. “I don’t have any protection.” I was embarrassed to admit it. What guy with a neighbor as hot as Jody (who I’d already kissed!) wouldn’t have protection! I winced. “I haven’t been with a woman since Gerry, and every time we kiss you keep pulling away, and I just figured there was no hurry, because you didn’t want to.”

  “I want to.” She clutched my forearm, looking up at me with those big beautiful eyes. “Oh, man, I want you so bad, but I just feel like I don’t...deserve you.” I was forced to let her go as she shuffled away from me. “I don’t want to hold you back. You’re a good guy who would give up his dreams because you wouldn’t want to let anyone down. I don’t want to be the thing that stops you from getting everything you want.”

  I closed my eyes, remembering her drunken confession. “Jo,” I sighed. “You—” I clicked my tongue, shaking my head with a grin. “Now who’s being thick as bloody pig shit?” I threw her an exasperated look.

  “Excuse me!” Her mock horror was a picture.

  I laughed at her, refusing to take it back. As if she didn’t deserve me. Crikey, she had no idea! My laughter was cut short by a pair of socks in the face. I flinched, but recovered quickly from the attack, snaffling a pair of her panties off the pile and biffing them at her. They landed straight in her laughing mouth. Her shock of surprise got me chuckling again, and then it was all on. Grabbing up handfuls of ammo, we started an all-out laundry war, our raucous antics soon waking Angel.

  We hissed, both whispering at each other to shut up while we tried to hamper our giggles. Angel’s cries increased.

  “Just go.” Jody giggled, pointing at the door.

  I nodded and crept from the room, my stomach still quivering with laughter and my body ignited by the idea that the foxy girl next door wanted every inch of me. Oh, man, I couldn’t wait to share it with her.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Jody

  I looked at the recipe again, my forehead crinkling as I tried to remember how many quarter cups of flour I’d already put into the mixing bowl. Dubiously glancing at the white mound of flour resting on top of the wet ingredients, I bit my lip and figured one more would probably be right. I really needed to buy more measuring cups, of different sizes, so I didn’t have to count all the time.

  I was annoyed with myself for losing track, but I couldn’t help it. My mind had been a mess all week...a giddy, excited mess. I’d spent most of it hanging out with Leo, learning the melody and lyrics for “I Want The World.”

  “I want the world, I want it all, ready to jump even if I fall, ‘cause I’m a dream chaser...which one will come true?” I held the note, letting my voice fade as the music swelled around me.

  I looked over at Leo, my nose wrinkling. “Was that okay?”

  “Bloody perfect, Jo. You’re bringing this song to life!”

  I grinned, leaning against the piano, my favorite spot in his apartment. Glancing over Leo’s shoulder, I checked on Angel. She was playing on the big carpet square behind him, munching on a new set of blocks Morgan had bought her. Dribble painted half of them, while the rest were in a stack that was seconds away from toppling over.

  My insides swelled as reality dawned on me suddenly.

  I was in a perfect moment.

  Angel was happy. Leo was playing. I was singing. It couldn’t get better.

  Picking up the music, I skimmed the words again while Leo played through the accompaniment.

  “So, what’s this musical about?”

  He glanced up, a slow smile cresting over his lips. “Well...” He cleared his throat, adjusting his jeans and wriggling along the piano bench so I could sit down beside him.

  I slid into place as Leo started softly playing and speaking at the same time. “It’s about a girl who’s dying. She’s on her deathbed with a raging fever and she starts to have all these dreams. At first it’s kind of scary, but then she realizes that she’s dreaming about what her different futures could look like. She meets this old wise lady, kind of like a fairy godmother, who tells her she needs to find the dream worth living for and so she sets out on this journey.”

  I lifted the music in my hand. “That’s this song, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded, his fingers tinkling over the keys. “She accepts the lady’s advice and becomes a dream chaser, and the musical takes her to all these different places, and she gets a taste of the life she could have, depending on which dream she chooses to pursue.”

  “And which dream does she choose?” I nudged him with my shoulder.

  He stopped playing, turning to me with a twinkle in his eye. “The music, of course. A stage, a spotlight, a chorus of back-up singers.”

  “Ahh, so your dream then.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t want the stage, Jo.” His hand rested lightly on my face, his lips moving toward mine and teasing me by stopping a quarter-inch from contact. “I want to see you on a stage, singing my songs,” he whispered, his lips pressing against mine.

  My insides buzzed as I relived the moment. It’d only gotten better from there. We’d spent the next day at a recording studio downtown where I’d blissfully acquainted myself with a microphone. Yes, I’d gotten to spend all day in a recording studio singing. It had been the best day ever. The song was beautiful, powerful, and so much fun to sing. It was the perfect key for me, making my voice sound vivid and alive.

  I’d been in heaven.

  Angel had come with us, playing on the floor and being carried around by different assistants and sound guys. She’d had a blast and won everyone over with her cute little smile. Although by the time we’d gotten home, she was so grouchy it took me two hours to get her to sleep. I had to concede that a full day in a recording studio was probably not the best thing for my baby.

  Leo had sent the song off yesterday, and we were both trying to distract ourselves with other things and not obsess over what the guy in New York might say. Leo was practically glued to his piano stool every second he could spare, working on arrangements. He was hoping to record two more pieces in case the guy wanted more. He wanted to be as prepared as possible.

  I was secretly hoping he’d ask me to record more for him, although I’d have to think of something to do with Angel.

  Morgan had taken her for me today. Popped over in the morning and said she wanted to spend a little quality time with her niece while Mommy got the place ready for her birthday party the next day. I’d decided to go for a very low-key affair, just inviting family and Leo. Angel would be the only kid, but I was still going to make her a pink and purple butterfly cake.

  “Right,” I muttered, pausing to point the remote at my stereo and fast-forward the song. Shuffle play was such a farce. I knew I hadn’t listened to every song in my playlist, yet it continued to repeat ones I’d been listening to all morning. I tried not to let it bug me as I read the next step of the recipe.

  Dumping in the rest of the ingredients, I picked up the spatula and gave the batter a stir. I frowned, hoping it was actually supposed to be as runny as it was. I’d never baked a cake before. Cookies were my specialty, and even they weren’t that great. I winced, hoping I wasn’t going to poison anyone at the party by accident.

  I ran my finger over the next instruction and turned to snatch the baking tins out of the dish rack. Following each step to the letter, I prepared the tins and once the batter was in, I placed them in the oven. I checked the temperature and set the timer for forty-five minutes.

  I was just turning back to clean up the countertop when the front door clicked open.

  “Hey.” Leo’s head came into vi
ew and my insides sizzled the way they always did.

  “Hey.” I grinned, licking the spatula and smearing chocolate batter on my face. I blushed, rushing to wipe it off.

  Leo chuckled, closing the door with his butt and walking across to me. “Where’s Angel?”

  “With Aunt Morgan. They’ve gone out for a girly lunch.”

  “Nice.” Leo nodded, his eyes sparkling as he drank me in. I was wearing an old cotton sundress and bare feet. His gaze made me feel like I was dressed for the prom.

  “So, what are you doing here?”

  He shrugged. “I just thought I’d come over and see if you needed a hand with birthday prep.”

  “I’ve just put Angel’s cake in the oven, which has been my main nightmare. Now I’m gonna clean up and start praying it doesn’t taste like doggy do-do.”

  He laughed at my joke, crossing the room toward me.

  I picked up the bowl and popped it in the sink, stealing one last lick of chocolate batter before spinning back to clear off the island.

  Leo’s laughter grew louder when I turned.

  “What?” I smiled at his expression.

  He came around the island. I swiveled to watch him lazily walk toward me, his adorable half-smile not shifting until he’d boxed me in. My palms pressed against the edge of the counter, my nerves leap-frogging over each other. He’d become so damn sexy these past couple of months, I could barely think straight around him. His strong arms rested on either side of me, his white teeth flashing as he leaned forward and sucked my chin.

  Leaning back, he licked his lips. “Definitely not doggy do-do.”

  I giggled, wiping my chin and trying to regulate my heartbeat. Leo standing this close always did things to me. His warm breath tickled my nose as his lips hovered above mine. He was going to kiss me again, and this time, I wasn’t going to pull back.

  My skin prickled, goosebumps rippling over my belly. Heat pooled between my legs at the thought of what he’d felt like the night of the laundry fight. I’d been fantasizing about it ever since, but we hadn’t had a chance to do anything. Between rehearsals, Angel, and running a building...but was it now? Was this our chance?

  My breath quickened as I gazed up at him. Our smiles grew in unison and our mouths reached for each other. His lips were soft in contrast to his short stubble. The whiskers tickled my tongue before I dove into the hot oasis of his mouth. Our tongues swirled around each other, a hot-heady concoction. He moaned and tipped his head, deepening the kiss. His hands went straight for my hair, digging into my thick locks before shimmying down my body, gliding over my hips until they reached the bare thigh below my dress. His fingertips danced across my skin, teasing me as he slowly worked his way up to my butt.

  I grinned against his lips, tugging at his shirt and forcing him to stop and lift his arms. I threw the fabric behind me, knocking the broken eggshells onto the floor.

  “Whoops.” I snickered, turning away from the mess and running my hands over his naked torso.

  I shook my head, biting my lip in awe of his rippled torso. I loved the ridges of his muscles, the way they dipped and curved beneath my fingers. They were hard and beautifully shaped, his nipples erect as I skimmed my thumbs over them. With a cheeky grin, I leaned forward and licked each one, sucking lightly before trailing kisses over his chest. His groans of pleasure fueled my tongue as I painted his body, working my way up to his neck.

  Leo gripped my hips and lifted me onto the counter. With quick hands, he pulled my dress north. I raised my arms, making his job easier. His eyes roamed my body as he flicked the light fabric to the side, knocking the open flour packet over. White dust billowed in the air, coating the counter, the floor, and the edge of my right leg.

  “Oops.” Leo didn’t even look sorry as he ran his fingers through the white dust on my skin, painting a pattern with his finger, then brushing the dust off on my quivering belly.

  I reciprocated his cocky grin, brushing my teeth over my lower lip and pulling him toward me. Our bodies slapped together, his hard stomach kissing the insides of my thighs. The heat in my core ignited as our tongues collided once more. Leo’s wide hands skimmed up my back, unhooking my bra and pulling it off. He threw it over his shoulder, and I heard it plop into the mixing bowl.

  He cupped my breasts, rolling my hard nipples between his fingers and making me shudder. A delighted whimper skipped off my tongue and straight into his mouth. He chuckled, his hot tongue sliding over my lips before moving down my neck and exploring my body. My fingers wove through his hair as he teased my nipples, waves of pleasure firing down to my toes. I moaned, a loud, shameless cry that filled the kitchen. There was no sleeping baby to worry about waking. We weren’t locked away in a singing studio trying to be quiet so no one could hear us. Nothing had to be hidden about this encounter and it was liberating.

  Leo’s lips turned my insides to putty, his fingers creeping around the edges of my panties and tugging lightly at them. I raised my butt, letting him slide them off me. He kissed my knee as I slid it out of the fabric. Running his hands up my leg, his thumb gently pressed the soft flesh of my inner thigh. My underwear went flying behind him, landing on the handle of the pantry door. I giggled, finding the strewn clothing hilarious, but the sound was cut short by Leo’s fingers. They caught me by surprise, sliding inside of me. I leaned my head back, gasping at the sweet intrusion. I hadn’t been touched in a really long time, and I’d never been touched this gently before. With Stefan it had been always a quick rush, his fingers digging into me as a speedy precursor to get to what he really wanted. Leo, on the other hand, was taking his sweet time about this and I can tell ya, it was an easy win for the Aussie bloke. Holy sweet spot!

  His thumb caressed me softly— a teasing tickle that had me seeing stars. Heady vibrations thrummed through my body as my breathing grew to rapid pants of pleasure. My fingers scrambled for his belt buckle, an urgent desire overtaking me. I wanted to feel him, run my fingers over his tight, smooth skin. Leo pulled back, letting me rid him of his jeans.

  I gazed down at his naked form, my lips parting.

  Holy...there was no word. He was just...wow.

  It occurred to me that this was the first time I’d ever had sex fully naked. Stefan was always paranoid about being caught, so our clothing was only ever pulled apart, making the essentials accessible. But this…this was—I stopped, soaking in Leo’s body, drinking in the uninhibited beauty of this moment.

  With a wicked smile, I wrapped my fingers around his length, enjoying the groan rumbling in his throat as I stroked him. He closed his eyes, his fingers picking up speed and driving into me, his thumb working fast circles that had me gasping for air. Stars continued to burst in front of my vision until my body became a limbless wreck. I couldn’t breathe as an orgasm rocketed through me. My hands slapped against the countertop and I threw my head back, letting out a feral cry.

  My limbs shook as I found the outer edge of the counter and clung to it. Leo kept going—sucking, kissing, stroking until I couldn’t take it anymore. My knees came up, digging into his ribcage, my words coated with a pleading tone. “I don’t suppose you have...?”

  “You better believe it.” He let me go, a bittersweet reprieve, and scrambled for his jeans, yanking a condom out of the back pocket. “I bought them the day after our laundry fight.” He grinned, ripping it open with his teeth. “I’ve been carrying them on me ever since.”

  I giggled, sitting up and taking it off him. “Always be prepared, right?” I slid it on.

  “And optimistic.” His breathy chuckle in my ear charged the nerves already zinging through my body.

  “I really like that about you,” I whispered against his mouth, our kiss cutting off the final word.

  His fingers grazed down my spine, tickling my skin with a soft caress that grew firm. His hands cupped my butt, lifting me against him. His length pressed against my inner thigh, and then slid inside me, a smooth motion that sucked the breath out of my lungs.

&nb
sp; His arms wrapped tightly around me, my eyes closing as I tried to wrap my brain around the fact I was making love to Leo Sinclair. My fingers scraped across his back, my teeth skimming the flesh of his shoulder. He felt divine, better than anything I’d ever had.

  There was a soft devotedness to this moment, and it made me realize that as high as Stefan could get me, this was a whole new plane. Although Leo hadn’t said it, I could feel his sole focus in this encounter was to give me pleasure.

  It always felt the other way around with Stefan. He’d rush through the foreplay in order to get me on my back, but Leo was taking his sweet time about it. Even now, inside me, I could feel his restraint, wanting it to last as long as possible.

  Leo’s breathing grew heavy in my ear, his hands on my back shifting to my butt. I raised my knees, leaning back against the countertop. The move shifted angles, heightening the already overpowering sensations coursing through me. My hands shot across the bench, the measuring cup and spoon firing off the smooth surface and dropping to the kitchen floor with a clatter.

  Neither of us laughed this time. Our eyes were locked together, saying a thousand things as he gripped my hips and filled me, our bodies moving in a rhythmic dance that only we knew the moves to. His fingers dug into my flesh as the tempo increased, the muscles in his neck straining tight. I arched my back, the pressure inside me swelling like a bubbling volcano. We cried out together, the burst of fire and energy that tore through our bodies, leaving us spent and satisfied.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Leo

  Jody lay on the floor, naked and glorious beside me. Her skin was coated in flour, our second romp on the floor getting messy. I hadn’t intended to jump her again quite so quickly, but when she’d gotten the cakes out of the oven wearing nothing but a mitt, I caught one look at her perfect behind, and I had to have her again. As soon as she’d laid those cakes down, I’d pulled her against me and we’d dropped to the floor.