Page 123 of Modern Romance December 2025 5-8

‘There is a gym and a pool inside and out, so feel free to make use of them.’ He had made full use of them both before his run. He had exhausted his body though not his mind, which had only eventually cleared as he had pounded the forest trail.

He was overthinking everything. There was no problem to work through; he was not a hormonal teenager, and neither was he one of those men who waxed lyrical about emotional connections.

Last night had been sex, pretty mind-blowing, excellent sex, to be sure, but just sex.

‘I don’t expect I’ll have time,’ she said, resurrecting a little defiance.

‘Do you have an issue with what I’m wearing?’ he drawled, setting his drained cup back on the tray.

Her lips pursed tight as she glared at him and thought,Thanks for drawing attention to the fact I can’t take my eyes off you.

‘I was just thinking that you’re not looking very executive today.’

No, just sexily gorgeous.

And he knew it.

Swallowing, she forcibly removed her eyes from the second bead of sweat that was tracing a slower path down the glistening skin of his throat.

Behind his half-closed, heavy lids she could see the gleam in his inky eyes and she tensed, preparing for another jibe. Only she was left stunned when instead he said, ‘You look beautiful this morning. We never did get to spend a night together, did we?’

Despite her innocence, or for that matter his own, she had not been overendowed with inhibitions. In fact, Leo thought, she had usually taken a wicked delight in shocking him.

He’d had more skilful lovers since her, but not one of them had ever come close to living up to the youthful, carnal initiation they had shared.

Until last night, he had sometimes wondered if he was guilty of embroidering their fireworks in bed with nostalgia.

Now he knew he hadn’t.

He watched her through his lashes, the angle of her jaw, her shell-like earlobe…Dio, what the hell was happening to him? He was getting aroused by a woman’s jaw!

Everything she did was just so… He took a final gulp from the nearly empty cup and got to his feet, moving restlessly around the room. His research into her life would have revealed any long-term relationships, but he considered it impossible that a woman with her innate sensuality would have lived the life of a nun.

Still, the knowledge that she was OK with casual hook-ups did not totally erase the unease he felt about last night, but he shelved the idea of the faceless men who had passed through her life, not finding it a subject he wanted to dwell on. At the same time, he was well aware that, considering his own lifestyle, his disapproval of hers was incredibly hypocritical.

‘Last night…’

‘A mistake, I know.’

‘Inevitable is what I was thinking.’

‘Oh!’ She folded her hands primly in her lap and lowered her gaze.

‘I was… I mean I…don’t always act with so little…finesse.’

She looked up and was astonished to see embarrassment flit across his face.

‘You were perfect!’

Her blush amused him.

‘So were you.’

‘This could get complicated, Leo.’

‘What are you agonising about? We’re not in a relationship, so why should there be any complications?’

Not for him, maybe, because he didn’t even like her, whereas she… ‘I don’t like the assumption that you consider me being here as your sex on tap. That really isn’t in my contract, not even the small print.’