Page 70 of Modern Romance July 2025 #4-8

‘Then don’t. If you get the misguided temptation to try and rekindle what happened between us eight years ago, then you’ll find that you’re barking up the wrong tree. I don’t make the same mistakes twice, Cass. What we had is done and dusted.’

‘I’m not a fool, Leo. Do you think I would ever want to climb back into any kind of relationship with you?’

‘I don’t know, Cassie,’ Leo said smoothly, his voice slamming down shutters on her brief departure into the sort of emotionalism he had warned against. ‘When you start going down the dangerous road of “what ifs”?’

‘Forget I said anything,’ she said abruptly, swinging round and walking back into the bedroom suite. ‘We might just as well get this over and done with.’

She was hurt—hurt at the cold, flat hardness in his voice even though she knew that it shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

She was also angry—angry at herself for falling into the trap of nostalgia and whimsy because he was right, that wasn’t what this week was all about.

She would have to make sure that the past remained where it was, separate from the present, with no overlap.

Leo watched her as she walked briskly back into the bedroom, leaving a vague, clean, flowery scent behind her.

For a minute there, the softness on her face when she had strolled back into the past, wondered aloud about a future that had never happened, had taken him with her but he had instantly fought back against that.

A happy-ever-after life with love, optimism and hope?

He’d had a taste of that with her before it had all turned sour and he wasn’t about to repeat the mistake.

He seldom thought about marrying and settling down.

He had no particular desire to leave his mark behind him in the form of a child.

If he ever changed his mind on that count, then love wouldn’t be the guiding force behind any union he entered.

Learning curves were there for a reason. He’d ignored his own learning curve growing up. He had wilfully chosen not to remember the pain of his mother’s absence from his life, a pain he saw every day on his father’s face, and had succumbed to hope with Cassie—never again.

Nor did he want her getting any ideas about longevity with him. This was going to be an uncomplicated week during which demons that had floated to the surface would be put to rest once and for all.

She was waiting for him in the bedroom, her stance defiant and belligerent, her clothes still on. Leo enjoyed the anticipation of how that was going to play out over the course of the week when she would be standing there greeting him completely naked and definitely with no arms defiantly folded.

He tugged off his tee-shirt, stripping it over his head, watching the way her colour rose, and the way she was trying her hardest not to look at his bare chest. Her eyes flicked there, and slid away just as fast, but then were compelled to return to a sight she didn’t want to enjoy, but enjoying it she certainly was.

He felt a kick of satisfaction.

‘Your turn.’

‘I’m tired—jet lag.’

‘You don’t look tired.’ He grinned when she yawned. ‘I’m very good when it comes to waking women up.’

‘You have a lot of experience of women falling asleep on you?’

Leo burst out laughing and rocked on his heels, looking at her and appreciating every single inch of her beautiful body. He looked at the well-built body with strong, full breasts—nothing like the wafer-thin models he was accustomed to dating.

‘I have a lot of experience of waking them up at night so that I can make love to them again… It’s your turn, by the way.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I’ve taken off my top. Your turn now.’

‘Leo…’

Leo could smell the desire in her and that was a massive turn on.

‘I’ve always liked the way you say my name,’ he murmured, moving towards her until he was so close to her only a sheet of paper could have been slipped between their bodies. ‘You have a great voice, husky…sexy…’

He trailed his finger over her arm but didn’t do anything else but look at her.

‘Leo, there’s something you should know…’

‘Now is not the time to tell me that you’re having second thoughts, Cassie.’ He pulled back and raked his fingers through his hair.

‘I’m not!’

‘Then there’s nothing else I need to know.’

‘Leo, you may have moved on with a thousand different partners but…but… I haven’t had time to. I’ve been so busy growing my business that… Of course, I had a relationship after you but, if you’re expecting a wild, experienced lover then you might be in for disappointment.’

Leo smiled slowly.

‘I get the picture and you don’t have to worry on that front. I’m not a guy who expects anything from the women I sleep with.’

‘You date models, Leo.’

‘You’ve been reading about me?’

‘I’ve seen pictures of you prancing here, there and everywhere with six-foot blondes!’

‘I’m not sure I like the picture of me you’re painting.’ He was grinning now. ‘I try so hard not to prance . But I have to admit to the six-foot blondes. Were you a tiny bit jealous when you snooped around and saw those images?’

‘No! And I wasn’t snooping. I was curious…considering the situation I was about to embark on.’

‘Good. I don’t like jealousy.’

‘As a matter of fact, nor do I.’

‘So,’ he said, ‘Now that we’ve covered that particular topic…’

Before she knew what was happening, he swept her off her feet and deposited her unceremoniously on the bed, eyebrows raised with amusement as she struggled up onto her elbows, glaring at him.

‘One thing I can tell you,’ he whispered. ‘I’ve never made love to a hellcat and, now that you’re here in my bed, I realise that one time with you wasn’t nearly enough. Disappointment isn’t going to be anywhere on my radar.’

He put his hand on the zip of his shorts.

‘I’m still waiting for you and your top to part company,’ he crooned, ‘But, if you don’t want to oblige, I’m very, very happy to do the honours.’

He pulled off his shorts without taking his eyes off her and then he sauntered towards her, completely naked but for his boxers…and his erection.

Cassie’s heart was beating so fast, she could scarcely breathe. Not in her wildest imagination had she ever thought her body could behave the way it was behaving now. She wanted this man. She wanted him with eight years’ worth of pent-up, frustrated passion.

There wasn’t a shred of objection in her as he moved to stand right next to the bed, touching himself and watching her as she watched him.

‘I’ve waited a thousand years for this moment,’ Leo said huskily. ‘Although, in fairness, I’m only realising that now. Take your clothes off.’

Cassie slid off the bed. She was standing right in front of him as she reached to pull the tee-shirt over her head. Underneath was the laciest bra she had ever owned. When he had told her that he wanted her to dress in sexy underwear, she had been more than happy to oblige.

She’d wanted that as well. She wanted the feel of lace to scrape over her nipples; wanted to expose the fullness of her cleavage to his gaze; wanted to see his eyes darken with desire.

Maybe he wasn’t the only one to have had that youthful fantasy.

‘So, you followed the brief,’ Leo murmured with rampant masculine appreciation, ‘I can’t wait to see the other half of the set. So much more exciting than boring, practical underwear, and you certainly have the body to pull off those little bits of lace.’

Cassie looked down at her cleavage spilling out of the skimpy bra and then sucked in a shaky breath as his finger dipped between the valley of her breasts to trace a tantalising, feathery line that made her shiver in response.

Heady passion and recklessness swamped all the apprehension she’d been feeling. If he’d been waiting a thousand years for this moment, then so had she.

One week…and then her life would reset and she would be on another track, with no debts hanging over her head like a hangman’s noose and no shadowy memories of lost love darkening her dreams and clouding the roads she chose to follow.