14
1023 Words
ESMERALDA'S POV
He turned slowly, like he had sensed me since I started staring at him.
His dark eyes landed on me instantly.
And stayed there.
Slowly— painfully slowly—his gaze traveled down my body.
I suddenly became hyperaware of the silk clinging to my curves.
The thin material.
My bare legs.
The fact that my n*****s hardened slightly beneath the cool air.
Mortification slammed into me.
I folded my arms quickly over my chest.
Leoandros’s eyes darkened immediately.
Not with mockery.
With something far worse.
Desire.
“You’re awake,” he said quietly.
My throat felt dry.
“Yes.”
His gaze remained fixed on me as he stepped closer.
“You look beautiful, Esme.”
My heart stumbled so hard it physically hurt.
Beautiful.
The way he said it—
Like he meant it.
Like the word belonged to me.
I looked down immediately, unable to handle the intensity in his eyes.
“Thank you.”
God, why did I sound breathless?
He moved around the island slowly, stalking toward me with the kind of confidence that made my pulse race wildly.
I should move.
I should step back.
But my body refused.
By the time I realized how close he was, it was too late.
Leoandros stopped directly in front of me.
Massive.
Warm.
Overwhelming.
I could smell soap and expensive cologne mixed with something uniquely him.
My stomach twisted.
“Do you have any idea what you did to me this past few days?”
I blinked up at him in confusion.
“What?”
“You disappeared- plus a bunch of other things”
His voice had lowered dangerously.
“When I heard that a shooting happened at your cafe, I panicked. The traffic held me for almost an hour.”
My lips parted.
“I was scared,” I whispered.
"I don't know, I'm just-"
His jaw tightened.
Then suddenly his hands planted on either side of me against the marble counter behind me.
My breath caught sharply.
Trapped.
Completely trapped.
The cold marble pressed against my lower back while Leoandros towered over me.
Too close.
Much too close.
“Don’t do that again.”
The command in his voice made heat curl low in my stomach.
I swallowed hard.
“I thought…” My voice faltered. “I thought you forgot about me.”
"I- I didn't see you again after the wedding i thought I don't know that makes be you were disappointed that it's not me and it's Bethany. And you felt werid because it's me"
"Old little me" I whispered the last part
The moment the words left my mouth, regret hit instantly.
Why did I say that?
Why did I sound hurt?
But Leoandros became very still.
His eyes locked onto mine with terrifying intensity.
Then he leaned closer.
So close our breaths mixed.
“You think I could forget you?”
"You think I'm disappointed"
"Esme"
My heart nearly stopped.
I couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t think.
His face was inches from mine now.
Close enough that I noticed every detail.
The faint scar near his eyebrow.
The darkness in his eyes.
The way his lips parted slightly when he exhaled.
“I haven’t forgotten you for a single day in years, Esmeralda.”
My chest tightened painfully.
Years.
Years?
I stared at him, completely speechless.
Because this was impossible.
This was the man who had pushed me away over and over again.
The man who acted cold whenever I got too close.
The man who I loved without no explanation.
Yet now he stood here looking at me like I mattered.
Like I had always mattered.
It made no sense.
And somehow that made it harder to breathe.
My eyes dropped accidentally to his mouth.
Big mistake.
Because Leoandros noticed.
I saw it in the sudden shift in his expression.
Something dark.
Hungry.
His gaze lowered to my lips slowly.
The air between us became unbearably thick.
My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
Oh God.
He was going to kiss me.
I knew it.
Every inch of my body knew it.
And the terrifying part?
I wanted him to.
After everything…
The wedding.
The shooting.
I wanted him more than anything.
Leoandros leaned closer.
My breath hitched sharply.
I could feel the warmth of him surrounding me completely now.
One more inch.
That was all it would take.
Then suddenly my brain screamed at me.
Danger.
Not physical danger.
Emotional danger.
Leoandros could ruin me without even trying.
And maybe he already had years ago.
I turned my face sideways quickly, breaking the moment.
The loss of his warmth hit instantly.
I wrapped my arms around myself tightly.
His eyes followed me carefully.
Unreadable now.
I tried desperately to steady my breathing.
“You… you said there were clothes for me.”
A pause.
Then Leoandros straightened slowly.
The movement revealed the full power of his body again and I immediately looked away before my face caught fire.
“There are.”
His voice had gone rough.
I hated how much that affected me.
He grabbed his coffee mug before turning slightly toward the hallway.
“Get dressed.”
I blinked.
“For what?”
“I want you to come with me somewhere.”
Suspicion flickered through me.
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Typical Leoandros answer.
I frowned slightly. “That’s not comforting.”
For the first time since I’d seen him this morning, amusement touched his face.
A real one.
Small.
Dangerous.
Beautiful.
“You’re safe with me, Esme.”
My stupid heart reacted instantly.
Before I could respond, he walked out of the kitchen.
And just like that, the room felt empty.
I stood there frozen for several seconds.
My pulse still racing.
My skin still burning where his body had nearly pressed against mine.
God.
What was happening?
I pressed trembling fingers against my lips.
Because the worst part wasn’t that Leoandros almost kissed me.
The worst part was knowing—
If he had…
I would have let him.
God I would have leat him do it again.
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