Waterfall Kisses (The Kisses 9)

Ava, being a true friend, had left me alone with Leo. It should have been a dream come true. It should have been fantastic and wonderful, and a chance to flirt and impress Leo in a non-work environment without Bastian there to interrupt. It was basically a date.

Except I was nervous had gulped a very strong drink on an empty stomach.

And then puked all over him.

“I'm still really sorry about that,” I whimpered, hiding my face in my hands. Of all the people to get sick on, I had gotten sick on the man of my dreams.

“You've already sent me three shirts to replace the one.” Leo laughed, putting his hand on my shoulder. I thrilled at his touch, but didn't uncover my face. “It's fine. You just aren't allowed any alcoholic drinks around me until you learn how to hold your liquor.”

I uncovered my eyes. He was smiling at me with warm blue eyes. I grinned weakly. Someday, I was sure I would find the whole story humorous.

“Anyway, I remember her,” Leo continued. “She was very sweet. That's her ex?”

I glared at the man in the salmon shirt. “Yeah. Guy's a real loser. Ava walked in on him cheating and ended everything months ago, but he's telling anyone with two X chromosomes that 'his fiancée' is just going through a rough patch.”

“Wow. He looks really broken up about it,” Leo observed as Chad brushed the catering girl's hair out of her face. Unfortunately, she looked like she was falling for his act. The guy was attractive enough, but his tactic was way too obvious. All he wanted was in her pants.

“Now I really want to punch his lights out,” I said, feeling protective. “If he tells Bastian that he's back with Ava... I might kill him.” I looked up at Leo and grinned hopefully. “You'd help me with the body, right?”

“Always,” he replied without hesitation. Warm, fuzzy feeling drifted through my middle. He frowned slightly. “Why would you care what he tells Bastian about a fake fiancée anyway? People are always making up bullshit reasons to talk to us. It's part of being a billionaire.”

I looked up at him, surprised. I thought he knew about Ava and Bastian, but apparently not. “Have you talked to Bastian in the past couple of days?”

“Not really,” he said with a shrug. “I've been busy finishing up that giant phone app thing that our company is working on. You know, the one that we've been working on non-stop for the past month?”

I rolled my eyes at him. Considering the two of us just spent a week working eighteen-hour days to make the app a reality, there was no way I could forget. “So you haven't noticed the change in him?”

Leo shrugged. “He seemed moodier than usual, but it's Bastian. He's tall, dark and brooding. That's why we all love him.”

“He's in love with her,” I informed Leo.

“The caterer?” he asked.

“No! Ava!” I smacked his arm and he grinned at me. “Bastian is in love with Ava.”

“Oh, good for him.” Leo looked at me like I was slightly crazy. “Why would this guy matter then? He's a nobody. Why believe him?”

“The problem is that Ava isn't here,” I explained. “Apparently, they had a fight and she left. She's at home being an idiot until she realizes that she loves him and comes back.”

“You sound like a romance novel, you know that, right?”

I smacked his arm again, this time harder. He laughed.

“Shut up, I'm serious,” I said. “The two of them are head-over-heels crazy in love, but they're both being too dumb to do anything about it. I'm about ready to send someone to kidnap Ava and bring her here. It's either that, or accidentally have the private helicopter land on her lawn the next time Bastian gets on it.”

“So Bastian's in love, huh?” Leo watched the auctioneer flirt with the caterer for a moment. “That does explain why he cussed me out for stealing his pen this morning. He did seem a little crankier than usual.”

“If Bastian hears Mr. Stupid Hair's fiancée nonsense...” I shook my head. “It would kill Bastian if he thought Ava was with someone else.”

“Mr. Stupid Hair?” Leo repeated, raising his eyebrows.

“He's making me mad and I can't think straight when I'm mad,” I informed him. Instead of smacking his arm again, I tried to push him out of the way as I moved around the table. Except he was rock solid under my palms and didn't even budge. What would those muscles look like naked... under my fingers...

Stop it. He's not yours. I told myself.

“You sure are cute when you're mad,” Leo informed me. I knew he was trying to tease me, but I couldn't help but flush with pleasure at being called cute. Damn him and how he always managed to tie me up in knots. Even when I was irritated with him, even though he would never feel the same way about me, I couldn't help but be charmed by him.

A sharp slap rang out through the main entrance and we both turned to see the caterer storming off while Chad held a hand to his cheek.