marring his handsome face. “I need to go.”
“Don’t leave, Josie.”
“I have to.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I can’t carry on the way you want. If I feel like this now after such a short amount of time, my heart will shatter at the time of saying goodbye.”
“As will mine. But I would never forgive myself if I didn’t make most Josie Marks while I had the chance.”
“Don’t say that.” I didn’t know if he heard me, the words were choked, his face blurring with the tears in my eyes.
“Josie, I need you in my life. That much I know. If it means I have to wait to have you by my side again, then I will. We will figure it out.”
“How do you know I am the one you want? We hardly know each other.”
Leo chuckled at my assessment despite the sadness still in his eyes. “You’re asking me something I couldn’t be more certain about. In all honesty, when it’s time to say goodbye it won’t be because I don’t want to be with you.”
“Leo,” his name quaked from my mouth. The truth was, I did feel the same as he. Closing the space between us, Leo cupped my cheeks in his large hands. Shutting me up, his mouth crashed into mine with such force I groaned in both pleasure and pain. It was raw. Honest. Beautiful. The momentum carried us until my back connected with the balcony sliding door. Leo’s strong body pressed against mine.
“Josie, it will work out. But we do it together.” His lips moved to my cheekbones where they tenderly kissed away the tears. “I’m not letting you go. Not until I have to.”
***
The private lesson ended earlier than anticipated. As soon as I revealed the mountain that would soon stand between us, Leo became all too consumed in showing just how much he desired me.
It was sensual.
It was consuming.
And we didn’t even have sex.
I knew why he didn’t want to. The last thing he wanted me to think was that I was being used before we parted. What he didn’t know was that I would never feel like that. Not with him. Instead, with the music filtering through onto the balcony, Leo held me close, our bodies connecting at almost every point. His hand traveled the length of my spine before snaking around my neck holding me in place while his mouth claimed mine. We moved in time, letting the silver glow of the moon caress us.
Leo Santiago was intoxicating. A mix of all things that held me captive. He was strong and gentle. Possessive and free. But most of all, Leo Santiago was never letting me go. And that’s what scared me the most.
CHAPTER 16
The sun warming my skin woke me the next morning. It was shining brightly through Leo’s ocean facing room, a gentle breeze causing my skin to goose bump. I was wearing one of his T-shirts that while clean, still carried his delicious scent.
Sitting up, my nose was brought to life by the smell of breakfast being made downstairs. A smile crept over my face and my heart warmed as I recalled the night before. Leo had taken me to his room, undressed me and led me to the bath. There we both sat, my back against his chest, his lips kissing my head every so often. With our fingers interlaced, and soap suds crackling around us, he held me tight. There was an emotion that passed between us and while I wanted nothing more than to feel him totally, I respected his position. Falling asleep on his shoulder, he woke me up just enough to dry and carry me to bed. Closing my eyes once again, I relished in the feeling of his warm body pressed against mine, the waves crashing against the shore mere meters away.
Tying my hair in a ponytail, I watched as the gorgeous shirtless man himself strolled into the room. Sighing at the stunning sight, my eyes lingered on his caramel skin and taut muscles.
“Breakfast?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, transfixed.
“Of the edible kind?”
My guilty eyes met his humored expression. “Both?”
“Naughty and greedy,” he responded and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Climbing
“Don’t leave, Josie.”
“I have to.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I can’t carry on the way you want. If I feel like this now after such a short amount of time, my heart will shatter at the time of saying goodbye.”
“As will mine. But I would never forgive myself if I didn’t make most Josie Marks while I had the chance.”
“Don’t say that.” I didn’t know if he heard me, the words were choked, his face blurring with the tears in my eyes.
“Josie, I need you in my life. That much I know. If it means I have to wait to have you by my side again, then I will. We will figure it out.”
“How do you know I am the one you want? We hardly know each other.”
Leo chuckled at my assessment despite the sadness still in his eyes. “You’re asking me something I couldn’t be more certain about. In all honesty, when it’s time to say goodbye it won’t be because I don’t want to be with you.”
“Leo,” his name quaked from my mouth. The truth was, I did feel the same as he. Closing the space between us, Leo cupped my cheeks in his large hands. Shutting me up, his mouth crashed into mine with such force I groaned in both pleasure and pain. It was raw. Honest. Beautiful. The momentum carried us until my back connected with the balcony sliding door. Leo’s strong body pressed against mine.
“Josie, it will work out. But we do it together.” His lips moved to my cheekbones where they tenderly kissed away the tears. “I’m not letting you go. Not until I have to.”
***
The private lesson ended earlier than anticipated. As soon as I revealed the mountain that would soon stand between us, Leo became all too consumed in showing just how much he desired me.
It was sensual.
It was consuming.
And we didn’t even have sex.
I knew why he didn’t want to. The last thing he wanted me to think was that I was being used before we parted. What he didn’t know was that I would never feel like that. Not with him. Instead, with the music filtering through onto the balcony, Leo held me close, our bodies connecting at almost every point. His hand traveled the length of my spine before snaking around my neck holding me in place while his mouth claimed mine. We moved in time, letting the silver glow of the moon caress us.
Leo Santiago was intoxicating. A mix of all things that held me captive. He was strong and gentle. Possessive and free. But most of all, Leo Santiago was never letting me go. And that’s what scared me the most.
CHAPTER 16
The sun warming my skin woke me the next morning. It was shining brightly through Leo’s ocean facing room, a gentle breeze causing my skin to goose bump. I was wearing one of his T-shirts that while clean, still carried his delicious scent.
Sitting up, my nose was brought to life by the smell of breakfast being made downstairs. A smile crept over my face and my heart warmed as I recalled the night before. Leo had taken me to his room, undressed me and led me to the bath. There we both sat, my back against his chest, his lips kissing my head every so often. With our fingers interlaced, and soap suds crackling around us, he held me tight. There was an emotion that passed between us and while I wanted nothing more than to feel him totally, I respected his position. Falling asleep on his shoulder, he woke me up just enough to dry and carry me to bed. Closing my eyes once again, I relished in the feeling of his warm body pressed against mine, the waves crashing against the shore mere meters away.
Tying my hair in a ponytail, I watched as the gorgeous shirtless man himself strolled into the room. Sighing at the stunning sight, my eyes lingered on his caramel skin and taut muscles.
“Breakfast?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, transfixed.
“Of the edible kind?”
My guilty eyes met his humored expression. “Both?”
“Naughty and greedy,” he responded and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Climbing
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