Waterfall Kisses (The Kisses 9)

“Well, my day just got a little better,” I said.

Leo chuckled. “I'm here to make it even better.”

The warm gooey feeling filled my heart again. He didn't know it, but he had already made my day better just by smiling at me. He always did. “And how are you going to do that?”

“Check your email,” he said with a smug smile.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but pulled up my email on my tablet. The newest one was from Toby, Leo's personal assistant informing me that the guest list was finalized and the parking situation I had been struggling with was taken care of.

“What is this?” I scrolled through the email, seeing more things on my to-do list crossed off by Toby. “How?”

“Toby wanted to help you out,” Leo informed me with a warm smile. “He knows you've been busy with the auction as well as the app stuff, and yet you still had the time to help him out last week. He actually insisted he help.”

“What?” I looked up in surprise. “Toby hates me. He did all this?” I asked, glancing through the work. He had done a great job and was completely saving me.

Leo had hired Toby to be his personal assistant a little over a year ago, despite my objections. He had a decent resume, but there were so many more qualified candidates. I never understood why Leo was adamant that his long-lost college buddy get the job when I had perfect assistants with all the training needed lined up. Something about Toby rubbed me the wrong way, but Leo had insisted.

Apparently, the extra time I had to spend training Toby was finally paying off. Maybe, someday, we'd even get along.

“Does it help?” Leo asked, raising his eyebrows.

“This is fantastic,” I said, closing the email and feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “Thank you, Leo. This helps so much.”

Leo held up his hands, deflecting my gratitude. “Don't thank me- thank Toby. It was all him.”

“Still...” I didn't want to thank Toby. I wanted to thank Leo. I had a sneaky suspicion that it was Leo that had suggested it. It would be like Leo to do something wonderful and give the credit elsewhere. He was always doing stuff like that.

I thought about hugging Leo. I could hug him and it wouldn't be all that weird. We were friends after all. But I had the world's biggest crush on him and I was fairly sure that if I hugged him, I might burst into flames of desire.

So I just kept my distance and said a polite, “Thank you.”

“So,” Leo said, clearing his throat. His blue eyes focused on me and I suddenly felt like a high school girl meeting a rock star. He did it to me every time. Despite years to get over him, he still rendered me back into a love-struck teen with just a glance. “I'll see you at the gala tonight?”

I held up my tablet. “Since Toby got me caught up, yes.” I grinned at him. “I have a dress and everything.”

Leo's face lit up in a smile. “Excellent. Be sure to save me a dance. I know how Bastian likes to steal you for the whole night.”

“He does not,” I replied, trying not to roll my eyes. “He just likes to make sure I have a good time.”

Leo took a step forward, and I was suddenly very aware of how close he was and how much I still wanted to hug him. To touch him. “Still, I want my dance tonight.”

“It's yours,” I whispered, breathless. Leo grinned and stepped back toward the main doors. Behind him, two men were moving one of the large cabinets to the auction area and through the open door I could see a taxicab dropping someone off. I frowned. I wasn't expecting anyone tonight to come in a taxicab.

A young woman with beautiful, dark red hair stepped out of the cab. It was my friend, Ava. She stood there, staring up at the big house and looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Her eyes were wide and rimmed with red, whether from crying or lack of sleep, I wasn't sure. Probably both.

Leo put his hand on my shoulder as he moved to look over my shoulder to see what had caught my attention. The simple touch set my body on fire in a way that I should have been used to by now.

“Looks like your friend is here,” Leo said, removing his hand. I could still feel the weight of it on my shoulder and I missed it. I wanted so much more.

“This is going to make Bastian's night.” I turned and grinned at him, thinking now of my friend and my brother. I knew Bastian was locked up in his room, moping over the fact that Ava left. The idea of presenting her, beautiful and looking like a princess, was too good to pass up. It would be the perfect fairy-tale ending. “Don't tell him, though. This is going to be the best surprise ever.”

“Not a word.” Leo mimicked zipping his lips and locking them shut. “You should go rescue her. She looks like she's about to bolt.”

I grinned, handed him my tablet, and ran out the door to greet her.

Chapter Two

“YOU CAME BACK!” I yelled, running down