Page 116 of Modern Romance December 2025 5-8

Amy’s lips parted on a gasp as his mouth replaced his thumb. The kiss was feather-soft.

Her world seemed to otherwise stop as their eyes met and he kissed her for real, hard and hungry, driving her head back against the support of his hand.

The heat was instantaneous, as was her loss of control, and Amy was on a high as liquid warmth spilled between her legs.

It was that familiar, often dreamt of growling sound that vibrated in her throat that made him pull back. It was either that or obey every raw instinct that was urging him to sink into her, take her right here on the damned kitchen floor.

She deserved better than that.

For a man out for revenge, Leo, you’re showing way too much consideration, mocked the voice in his head.

‘That felt like revenge.’

He looked stunned by her response.

‘It was a kiss.’ His shrug dismissed it as nothing.

It was calculated, it was Leo exploiting her weakness, her desire for him, and when she compared it to the kisses they had once shared, kisses filled with lust, love, laughter and tenderness, she wanted to weep for what she had lost.

She brushed the back of her hand across her trembling lips as though to wipe away the touch and saw his eyes flare hot with some sort of emotion she didn’t have the energy or inclination to translate.

Blinking, she stalked over to the row of sinks and picked up a cloth.

‘What are you doing now?’

‘I’m cleaning up the mess you’ve made.’ The realmess,the tangle of conflicting emotions in her head, was not so easily dealt with, not with a wet cloth anyhow.

Maybe a bit of self-control required here, Amy.

The cloth was plucked from her hand and flung into a sink.

‘Are youtryingto be a martyr? You’ve been up since dawn and you’ve seen nothing but the kitchen—’

She gave an indignant gasp. The cheek of the man! ‘And whose fault is that? You brought me in by the servants’ entrance.’

His grimace was not guilt exactly, but something that came as close as she had ever seen or was likely to on his face, and a moment later it was gone.

‘No one expected you to go straight to work.’

She fixed him with a narrow-eyed glare. ‘What did you expect, Leo?’

Good question.‘Not what happened. Come on, I’ll show you to your room.’

She curled her lips into a sarcastic smile. ‘A cosy cellar somewhere, I can’t wait.’

‘I think we can at least manage hot and cold running water.’ He caught her gaze moving to the work surface and the plate and his lips tightened. ‘Leave it; someone else will attend to it.’

‘My, you really have grown into the arrogant billionaire lifestyle, haven’t you, Leo? Iamthe someone else that does the attending,’ she muttered, but her heart wasn’t in it. Weariness was washing over her as the day’s events finally caught up with her.

His eyes had narrowed but as he studied her face he simply shrugged. ‘I’ll give you the grand tour tomorrow, but we’ll use the shortcut tonight.’

She hadn’t noticed the stone spiral staircase in the lobby when they had arrived.

She was too tired to argue, too strung out on the emotions he’d dragged out of her, from the depths of her past.

By the time she had followed him to the top she had stopped counting the floors they had passed and was breathing hard.

‘This is the direct route from the service section to the east tower wing.’