Waterfall Kisses (The Kisses 9)

“Figure it all out?” Elijah asked.

I nodded as my phone buzzed with a reply from Leo.

Come to my place.

“Change of plans, Eli- I'm going to Leo's,” I said with a grin, putting my phone in my pocket.

***

The walk to Leo's from the community center wasn't far. He was staying at a big place on the water that actually belonged to a friend of his. Owen Parker was a good friend to both Leo and Jack Saunders, and let any of his billionaire friends use the beautiful seaside mansion whenever they were on the island.

I loved the big, white, marble columns and old British colony look of the place. A security guard called out a greeting to us, recognizing Elijah as we approached.

“So, are you two a thing now?” Elijah asked as we walked toward the house. “I mean, officially?”

I nearly tripped on the smooth walkway. “Maybe...”

“So you are,” he said with a grin. I gave him a dirty look and he just smiled bigger. “Murdoch owes me twenty bucks.”

“Why would Murdoch owe you twenty bucks?” I asked, taking the first step to the main doors. “What did you bet on?”

“That the two of you would get together,” Elijah answered with a shrug, pulling on the big door and holding it open for me. “Murdoch's a cynic and didn't think it would happen. He bet that you two would never be a couple.”

“Seriously?” I asked. I had always thought that Murdoch liked me, but that fact that he was betting that Leo and I would never be together made my heart sink. Why didn't he think we would make it? I paused. “But, you bet that we would be a couple?”

“Yeah.” Elijah said with a grin. “I always bet on love.”

Chapter Eighteen

Once inside the mansion, I turned to go up the curving staircase to the master bedroom while Elijah veered off to the kitchen to find Murdoch and get his money.

The stairs echoed with the clicks of my steps as I ran up them and threw open the doors to the big bedroom. The balcony doors leading to the ocean were open, letting in the warm night air filled with the scent of the ocean. Leo was at his desk, pouring over something and frowning. The room was dark except for the light on his desk and the blue glow from his computer screen.

“You okay?” I asked, coming over to him. He had his hand on his head like he was in pain and there were shadows in his eyes that hadn't been there this morning. “Leo is something wrong with the phone app? Do I need to get Bastian?”

“No, no need for Bastian. Everything's fine.” He closed the lid to his laptop and gave me a weak smile.

“Are you sure? It's not a problem, Leo.” My concern grew a little. His voice was just too hollow and it felt like a lie.

“It's just something I need Murdoch to look into for me. That's all.” He sighed, standing up from the desk. The thought of Murdoch looking into something gave me shivers. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of anything but a smile from Murdoch, and even that still was dangerous. Murdoch was a great bodyguard, but he was scary.

“You look great by the way,” Leo said, changing the subject.

“What? I haven't done anything special...” I ran a hand over my hair, noting that it was still windblown and tangled from sailing.

Leo came around the desk, pulling me into him with an arm around my hips. He looked down at me like I was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

“You're all windswept and your cheeks are flushed from sailing,” he whispered, tipping his head closer to mine. The corners of his mouth curved upward in the beginnings of a real smile. “Gorgeous.”

I grinned, basking in his compliments. It was something I had always wanted him to say, so to hear it made my heart flutter.

“Go on,” I murmured as he kissed my neck, just under my ear. His grip on my waist tightened and I tried not to moan at how good he felt. “Don't stop.”

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, his words dancing along my skin. “And smart. And funny. Did I mention, wonderful and amazing?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh. Well then, you are wonderful and amazing.” The smile was apparent in Leo's voice. “I've always thought so.”