Leah stiffens against me, no doubt sensing this.
As I navigate her away from Colton, she nudges me with her elbow.“I thought you had work.Why are we going home so early?”
“Because apparently I can’t leave you here unsupervised.”
She frowns.“I know I’m your little girl, but you don’t have to treat me like a childallthe time.I could handle Seth.We were only talking.”
We walk down the hall to the rear door.I open it and we step into the brisk April night.
Dmitri, working at the back door, turns toward us.As usual, he’s dressed to intimidate.His black pants and matching T-shirt showcase his muscular build.He frowns in concern.“Everything okay?I didn’t expect you to leave for a couple more hours?—”
I cut him off.“Everything is fine.”
Obviously not trusting the anger in my voice, he says, “Leah?”
She glances at me.“Seth Colton pissed him off, and now he’s throwing a little tantrum.”
“This is not a tantrum.”I resist the urge to wrap my arm tighter around her shoulders and hustle her into the parking lot.“He disrespected you.”
“He didn’t disrespect me?—”
“Then he disrespectedme.”
Dmitri raises his eyebrows, but a grin plays on his lips.“I’ll let the two of you work this out on your own.Give me a call in the morning, Leah.I can bring over some soothing lotion for your ass, because you’re gonna need it.”
Shrugging me off, Leah gives him a hug, then a long, lingering kiss.Little brat.She’s trying to push my buttons.The thing is, I’m not jealous of Dmitri.Not even when his big hands are fisting the fabric of her sexy black dress.
But Seth Colton?I don’t want him breathing the same air as her.
Leah is quiet in the car, staring out the window.I want to take her hand in mine, to reassure her, but my arm won’t move.My throat feels like a cork is lodged within it.
The car’s speakers announce Colton’s name becausetheyaren’t afraid of the elephant in the room.The robotic voice repeats, “Call from…Seth…Colton.”
I jab the navigation screen to ignore the call.The last thing I want is to hear Colton’s voice.
“Call from…Seth…Colton.”
I jab the screen again.Colton must give up, because the rest of the drive passes in silence.Leah doesn’t speak, and neither do I.Not even when we arrive at our building.
She doesn’t wait for me to open her door.She doesn’t reach out to hold my hand on the way to the elevator, but I don’t reach for hers, either.
Stop being a fool, I say to myself.
We get in the elevator and start moving up.
“Leah.”My voice cracks on her name.
Her blue eyes fill with tears, and she throws herself into my arms.“I don’t want you to be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you.”She feels so good against me.We fit together, and the sensation of her body pressing against mine is absolute heaven.Warm curves, full trust.She feels delicate and sturdy and perfect all at once.
The elevator reaches the top floor and we part.I keep hold of her hand as we go into our apartment.I can’t believe there was ever a time I didn’t live with Leah.This place wouldn’t feel right without her.When she was gone, it felt the same way my heart had felt: cold, empty.
Once the door is locked behind us, I face her fully.“Seth Colton wasn’t making idle chit-chat with you, was he?”
After a long beat, she lowers her gaze.“No, not entirely.But he was harmless.”
“You’re minimizing it.You minimized it when we were at the club, too.”
