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On Friday,exactly one week after the rave, I asked Leo to come over.

He didn’t have time to knock before I flung my front door open, startling him before his handsome smile stretched across his face.

“Are you that excited to see me?” Leo asked, as he wrapped his hands around my waist and pushed us back inside. He kicked my front door closed and immediately dropped his lips to my neck.

“Yes, but guess what,” I closed my eyes and savored the feel of him wrapped around me like this. He kicked his shoes off without letting me go or removing his lips from my skin, “I’m getting a promotion.”

“Yeah?” Leo leaned back to look at me, “To what?”

“Chief Human Resources Officer,” I grinned up at him, running my hands up and down his chest, “CHRO.” I still felt the residual anxiety in my body, but it was fading little by little. I made a trip to the sensory room right before my meeting with Brandon, and even though it ended up being nothing but good news, I visited the sensory room right after, too.

“No way,” Leo’s eyes lit up and he bent down to wrap me tighter, standing and twirling me in the entryway, “That’s amazing, Jacqueline!”

“Churro, for short,” I mumbled into his shoulder with a laugh, “The pay raise is insane.”

“From what I know about Brandon, I’m not surprised,” Leo chuckled, stepping into my kitchen and plopping me onto my small island, “You more than deserve it, love.” He brought a hand up to cup my cheek, and I beamed up at him. He looked genuinely happy for me. I realized earlier that day that I wasexcitedto tell him my news. I wasn’t nervous about telling him, because he had given me no reason to be. Leo wasn’t threatened by my job or what my goals were. He was supportive, as simple as that.

I rubbed a hand on my chest at the realization that I hadn’t experienced a sexual relationship with someone whoalsosupported me and encouraged me as Leo did.

Was that what a real grown-up relationship was supposed to be like?

But I didn’t have that with Leo.

As far as either of us had spoken, we were just hooking up.

But the way Leo kissed me, stepping between my legs as I sat on my countertop, it felt like more. It wasn’t a filthy kiss. It wasn’t a kiss that would lead to more. This was an…appreciative kiss. A gentle one, and I responded to it the best I could.

I wanted to thank him for being so…perfect.

Because apparently, a man congratulating me on my promotion instead of feeling immediately threatened by it was the bar for me.

The bar for men is in hell, I recalled Signe’s words from a brunch a while ago.

“I have something for you,” Leo murmured against my lips before pulling away. He removed his bag from his shoulder and started unzipping it, “Do you like surprises?”

I winced, “Not particularly.”

“Then keep your eyes open,” he smirked as he dug around his bag, pulling out a small white box with clear plastic wrap over it, “These are for you,” he announced, placing the box in my hands. His fingers wrapped around my thighs briefly as he stepped between my parted legs again. I felt relief with his return, missing his warmth for a couple of seconds when he stepped away to reach into his bag.

I felt the pinch in my brow form, before attempting to smooth it. I didn’t want him to think I was upset about receiving a gift from him, but I was confused. Why was he giving me one? It wasn’t my birthday, and he and I didn’t have an anniversary to share.

I glanced up at Leo, already prepared to apologize for my frown, before he flipped the box over.

“You said your earbuds were old.” Leo was smiling, excited. He wasn’t turned off by my facial expression at all, “These are the highest-rated earbuds on the market today. They can also be noise canceling, either with or without music playing in them.”

I sat there on my kitchen counter, frozen.

Holding the little white box with the small image of white earbuds on top.

My heart was racing in my chest.

I suddenly found it difficult to take an even breath.

Heat filled my cheeks.

“Also,” Leo dug around in his backpack again, this time pulling out a larger white box. Same brand, same packaging, “These are the highest-rated headphones, in case you would prefer the feel of these instead of earbuds. I was thinking you could have a pair that stays stationary at your desk, and the earbuds could stay in your bag throughout the day. We could also get you a pair of headphones to have at home, if you’d like—”