Page 152 of Lucky Mother Pucker

My head spins. He makes it sound like he just waltzed in there and had a polite conversation with Richard. But I know him. He was probably drunk and aggressive. There’s no way he let them walk out of the house with all this without a fight.

“Wait, wasn’t he upset?” I ask.

“Yeah. But I convinced him to rethink things.”

Something flickers in Leo’s gaze. It’s sharp and hard.

I don’t think he’s telling me the full story. But honestly? I don’t care how he got my parents’ belongings. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m just so happy to have them.

I walk over to him and hug him, crying into his chest. “Leo, this is…I can’t even…” I look up at him. “Thank you,” I say, my voice shaking with emotion. “Thank you so much.”

He cradles my face in his hands. Heat and emotion flash in his eyes as he gazes at me.

And then he kisses me. It’s so soft and gentle; it makes my heart ache.

“Anything for you, Luce,” he rasps. “Anything in this world.”

His whispered words wrap tight around my heart. He’s said this to me before, and I believed him then, but it’s different now.

I’ve seen just how far he’ll go for me. What he’s willing to do.

Emotion courses through me. It’s so powerful that it’s hard to breathe.

“You’re such a good friend, Leo.” The second I say it, I regret. Because “friend” doesn’t seem like the right word at all.

He is so much more than a friend.

He’s the guy who protects me. Who planned the most thoughtful birthday surprise ever. Who drops everything to help me. Who’d do anything to make me smile. Who loves my dog as much as I do. Who kisses me breathless. Who turns me on like no one else can.

I swallow hard, feeling hot all over.

I think about how I told Leo I don’t want to get serious and that I just want us to have fun together.

I don’t want that anymore. I want more. Because I’m falling for him.

I almost say it…but then I stop myself.

This is just how Leo is. He helps people. He goes out of his way for the people he cares about, without question.

Yeah, he did this generous, selfless thing for me…but he’d do it for his teammates, his sister, his mom, a stranger.

I swallow back the words sparking on my tongue. If I spill my feelings to him right now, he might get freaked out at how quickly I’ve gone from only wanting to just have fun to something more. And he might not feel the same way about me…

I need to wait longer before I tell him how I feel. I need to be sure he feels the same way about me.

My throat is tight as I gaze up at him and hold it all in.

When I don’t say anything, he flashes a small smile. “I’ll leave you alone so you can have some time with your parents’ things.”

He kisses my forehead, then walks back into the house.

* * *

I watch Leo race across the ice.

It’s the last game for Hollis U before Thanksgiving next week, and both the team and the crowd are fired up. The stands are packed. Everyone wants a win before leaving for the holiday break.

I’m sitting in the stands with Poppy, Briar, and Anna, watching the guys as they go to battle with Richmond State. It’s the second period, and Hollis is down by one goal.