Page 14 of Loving Leo (Behind the Camera #4)

FOURTEEN

Heath

“Why did you leave?” I ask, feeling slightly frantic. As soon as I discovered Leo had left me that morning, I immediately called him. My first thought was something had happened with his mom. And then maybe something had happened with him. But when I hear his adorable sigh over the phone, I find myself relaxing. “I thought you were dead.”

“No, not dead. Just persevering. Wanted to take some time away from you to think.”

“About what?” I ask, feeling suddenly hot all over.

“Just me. Us. What ever the hell I’m doing.”

“What are you doing?”

“Falling. Big time. Just need to evaluate my life choices.”

“And I’m one of those?” I ask, feeling suddenly so nervous. I don’t want this to end. Whatever he thinks this is between us it’s not. This is not some kind of experiment. I like him a lot. More than a lot.

I wanted to wake up with him today.

I miss him now that he’s gone .

What’s that say about me? How fast I’ve fallen?

“Yeah. But don’t worry. I won’t ghost you. I’ll probably see you tonight. If you stick around and wait for me to show up. And if you don’t, then I’ll leave you a naughty note and some candy.”

I huff a laugh and lean back against the headboard, feeling slightly off kilter since I noted his absence. I wish he was here.

But I can respect his need for some time away.

“I’ll be there.”

“Good,” he whispers and then offers me a sweet goodbye.

And for some reason, I can’t help but feel that even though he’s never indicated it, that this is the beginning of the end.

“You bought me flowers?” Leo asks over the phone and I feel my cheeks heat. “And had them delivered?”

“I—”

“The man even sung. He had a very nice voice. Quite a soprano.”

“He sang?” I ask and Leo laughs. I love that sound I’m starting to realize. The sound of his laugh. It does something to me. I’ve never felt this happy with someone else. Not even my ex-fiance.

Leo makes me happy.

I want to keep this, this slice of happiness, of contentment.

Maybe that’s not fair, but its the truth.

“Yeah, at one point he went a little off key and Jack came out of the apartment and grumbled about it being off key, but it was really nice, Heath. Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I did. I wanted to show you that I?—”

My voice trails off and I let out a long exhale. “That you what?” His face on the screen looks so hopeful, his eyes wide and his lips parted, his pupils blown out.

“That I care for you. That this isn’t just an experiment.” It’s true, but I’m not good with feelings. I never have been and I don’t know how to express this to him .

“And you thought singing flowers would convince me?”

I wince at that because clearly, I’m messing this up.

“Maybe?” I run a hand down my face. “I guess maybe I’ve always been this way and never really had the chance to explore it. Until I met you.”

Leo sighs happily and okay, maybe I’m not messing it up too badly then. He sneezes. “Sorry. Inhaled a little too much pollen.”

I can’t help but laugh slightly at that. Leo is just so unexpected. In such a good way.

“Well, stop inhaling the pollen. And maybe we can do dinner tonight before your shift?”

He hesitates a moment and then sighs. “Okay, fine. But only if you let me suck your dick again on camera.”

“Are you bribing me?” Not that he needs to because my cock is perking up at the thought already.

He laughs softly. “No, I just already miss you.”

That admission is almost too much and my chest squeezes. “I miss you too. I’ll see you tonight then.”

“Yeah, just text me an address and a time and I’ll be there.”

I do as he says, researching some options and then settling on something not too fancy but with an array of food for him to choose from. When I’m done, I head down to HR to meet with Charlotte who is filling out paperwork today. She’s officially starting tomorrow and I can tell Leo is nervous about it.

She quit her other jobs for this one.

She’s counting on this lasting.

It will. I can tell she’s a hard worker. She deserves this chance and I know she isn’t going to blow it. I’m pretty damn good at reading people and her determination will get her through this.

“Ah, look who it is. The boss himself,” Donna says as she peers up at me through her glasses. She’s unimpressed by me and very unafraid. “You here to see our newest employee?”

“Yes,” I reply, turning to look at Charlotte. She grins up at me, her arm still in a cast, but her shoulders set as if she’s ready for a hard day of work. “How are you?”

“I’m great. Thank you.” I shift on my feet and her smile softens. “I’m assuming Leo talked to you. He means well, but don’t worry. I’m fine.”

“I’m glad and I wasn’t worried.”

“But you’re here, checking up on me.”

“Leo asked me to.”

That’s a lie. He didn’t ask so much as heavily hint. So here I am because I care. Deeply. And if I care about Leo, then I care about his mother.

“Would you like to grab lunch when you’re done?” I ask and Charlotte’s face lights up.

“Of course. I’d love to.”

I find myself blushing and nervously awaiting Donna to call me to tell me they’re through. I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea, but this will show Leo that I’m serious about him. No. Us. I think.

I shake my head. No. I am. I really am. I like him. Spending time with him, talking to him, kissing him.

I like doing all the things with him. He makes everything so much more fun, so much more alive. I could see us in a few years, traveling abroad, watching his take on new cultures, new foods.

Fuck, he’d be the best traveling companion.

My phone rings and I jump slightly. Picking it up, I hear Donna tell me that Charlotte is done with everything, so I hustle down to meet her. She’s waiting outside and I see her shiver slightly from the cool breeze.

“Here,” I say, shrugging off my jacket and putting it around her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she says and then eyes me. “You’re not cold?”

“No. I run hotter than most. I’m fine.”

She grins up at me, patting my arm with her good hand. “You’re a good egg. Leo did well this time. ”

“This time?” I ask as we move forward.

“Oh yes, you know. He’s never had anyone serious, but the guys he hung around were never that nice to him.”

I don’t like that, not at all. He deserves the world. Only the best of everything.

“But you know how it is. The dating world is criminal.”

“It is.” I say grimly, still stuck on the fact that anyone could be anything but nice to Leo. I guess I wasn’t all that nice in the beginning, but we weren’t dating.

“And at my age, forget it. I’m happy to die alone.”

A laugh leaves me and Charlotte grins up at me. “So anyway, where to? Please pick somewhere cheap, as I refuse to let you pay for me.”

“But it’s my treat.”

She eyes me once more and then sighs. “Fine. Just this once, but don’t tell Leo. I don’t want him to think I’m using you.”

“He’d never think that. He adores you.”

Her cheeks flush and she tugs the jacket closed a little tighter. “I wasn’t the best mom, but I’m glad he knows he’s loved.”

“You were a great mom. Trust me I can tell.” I don’t mention the fact that I can tell because my own mother was cold and unfeeling. That I had never once felt the love that I can see Charlotte has for her son from my own mother. She may have been busy trying to keep food on the table and a roof over their head, but she cares. She loves him. She did all of that for him.

“Thank you for that.” She says softly, eyeing me as I lead her into a restaurant, letting the hostess take us to a table. I’m hoping she lets that conversation drop but instead she leans her elbows on the table and cocks her head.

“Tell me more about you, Heath.”

“About what?” I ask as I take a swig of ice cold water, giving myself brain freeze.

“Your parents. Do you not get along with them?”

I sigh and run a hand down my face. “No. And that’s why I can say with confidence you’re a good parent. Because mine are not. They gave me anything money could buy, but it always came with conditions. And the older I get, the more I realize that they don’t love me. I’m just an object they can brag about at parties.”

She looks distraught by that. “Oh, Heath, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“So you might have been busy with work and not around all the time, but trust me when I say that Leo feels loved and that’s more than I can say for me.”

Her eyes are slightly damp as I say that and she brushes aside the tears as she glances away. “I could have given him something different.” She sighs softly and I’m intrigued. My face must show it because she continues, “There was a man when Leo was one year old. Rich as hell. Handsome. Sexy.” She blushes slightly, “He wanted me, but…”

“But what?” I ask curiously.

“But he didn’t love Leo. He tolerated him, but he didn’t love my son and I just couldn’t do it. I always wondered if I made the right choice. He wouldn’t have been a good, present father, but I wouldn’t have had to work. He would have provided for us. Leo would have gone to the best schools and not wanted for anything.”

I want to hug her, but I remain seated, “You made the right choice.” Her eyes look at me hopefully and I nod firmly, “You did. Money, it’s nice. I know it is. It’s not fair that you had to work so much just to barely survive, but that would have been worse. That would have been selling your soul.”

Her eyes are watery as she nods slightly, seeming to accept what I’m saying. “Thank you for saying that.”

“You’re welcome. Now take a look at the menu and order whatever you like. My treat.”

She sighs, reluctant to give in, but she eventually does. After placing our order, she leans back in her chair and eyes me. “Well in exchange for this lovely lunch, ask me anything you want to know about Leo and I’ll dish. ”

My eyes widen and I let out a chuckle. “He’ll be so mad if you do.”

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t divulge the serious stuff, but I do have some funny stories.”

I place my napkin in my lap and adjust the silverware on the table.

“Fine. Lay it on me.”

Leo is late, but then again he’s so adorable when he scurries into the restaurant, flushed and flustered that I can’t even be mad.

“I’m so sorry. I was helping Asher with some homework and then our sink broke and I had to deal with the scummy landlord. Honestly at this point, we’re going to need to find a new place to live.” He sinks down next to me and then leans over and pulls me into a quick hug. “Hi, by the way. You look so handsome.”

“You do too,” I say and Leo blushes prettily. I want to tell him that I have opened a case with a local tenant’s rights group and hope that they can help with this landlord situation.

We’ll see. If not, I may have to hire a lawyer to get this sorted.

“Thank you. I didn’t try to look this nice. I just woke up this way.”

I let out a low laugh and he grins at me. “My mom also said you had a nice lunch today. Thank you for doing that with her.”

“It was my pleasure. And she told me a lot of things.”

Leo freezes, his eyes wide. “Oh my god. What did she say?”

But before I can divulge, the waiter comes up and takes our drink orders and I ask for a few appetizers as well. When he meanders away, Leo frowns at me.

“Heath. You tell me this instant. What did she tell you?”

“Just things.”

I can’t help the wobble of my lips.

“What kind of things? Oh god, embarrassing things, right? ”

“Maybe.”

He curls his leg around mine and leans forward slightly, pouting adorably.

“Does it make you think any differently about me?”

“I mean, possibly. You did think you were a rhino for an entire year.”

His cheeks flush and he slaps a hand over his eyes. “It was when I was three! I liked their horns.”

“Or the time you thought your bellybutton was going to explode because you swallowed gum.”

“I was a worry wart. It’s not my fault.”

I let out a laugh and he grins at me.

“I wish I could meet your parents and get some embarrassing stories.”

“Trust me, they wouldn’t have any. We were raised by nannies.”

He pauses and then nods. “Of course. Well, then I’ll ask your sister. I’m sure she has some.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Oh, I will. You crossed a line Heath, and I will get you back. It’s not fair of you to have all the dirt on me while I have nothing on you.”

My hand can’t help but touch his that is resting on the table.

“I loved it. Getting to know little Leo.”

He blushes and peers up at me through long lashes.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” My thumb smooths across the back of his hand and he sighs happily.

“I missed you today.”

“Missed you too.”

He bites his bottom lip and then shifts a little closer to me.

“Can’t wait for tonight.”

And the way his eyes gleam tells me he has wicked things planned. I don’t know what it is, but it excites me. Everything is so new for me and yet it’s something I look forward to. There’s just something about him that draws me in. And it keeps me there. The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was different.

I wish I met him years ago.

Things would be so different.

“I can tell you a few embarrassing stories though, if you want to know,” I say and he grins at me. “But only if you promise it won’t turn you off of me.”

“I promise. Nothing could make me turned off by you. Unless you like publicly denounced me or pretended you didn’t know me. I think that would maybe break my heart.”

I clasp his hand a little tighter. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“I hope you never do. Now tell me all the embarrassing things. I’m ready.”

And so I do. I conjure up as many stories I can think of, listening to his laugh grow with each story, my heart warming when his eyes twinkle with each new revelation. By the time dinner is over, Leo is leaning into me, nuzzling his face into my neck. We draw the stares of a few patrons, but I don’t even care. For some reason, strangers seeing me like this doesn’t bother me.

I’m proud that someone as fun and exciting as him is into someone like me, stodgy and slightly boring. He makes me come alive. He makes me smile.

I’m fucking happy around him. I hope he can see that, can sense it.

“I’ll see you later?” he asks as we walk out onto the street.

I nod, cupping his cheek gently. “Want me to wait at the office or would you rather meet me at my place?”

He bites his bottom lip and blinks up at me. “I’ll meet you at yours. I have some fun things planned.”

The way he saunters off makes me truly believe he does have something fun prepared for the two of us. I can’t wait to find out what it is.