Chapter Seventeen

Brynn

It was the middle of the night again, and there I was, standing in front of the fridge, searching for the leftover chocolate cream pie. The cool air washed over me as I shuffled things around, feeling a little ridiculous but desperate. I had to have that pie.

“Again?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Leo’s voice behind me. My hand flew to my chest as I whipped around, glaring at him. “And again, you have to scare me?” I scolded, breathless from the shock. I turned back to the fridge, spotted the pie, and grabbed it, shutting the door with more force than necessary.

Leo was leaning casually against the kitchen island, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips. He looked entirely too pleased with himself. Without a word, he held up two forks, like this was something he’d planned all along.

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to suppress the grin threatening to form. “I really need to pay attention better when I’m looking for sweets in the middle of the night,” I muttered, moving toward him.

Leo chuckled and handed me one of the forks. “You’re just focused on the task at hand,” he said, clearly amused by my late-night craving. “Nothing wrong with that.”

I set the pie on the island and took the cover off, revealing what was left. “That looks like two pieces, right?” I asked, though I knew better. It was probably enough for three people, but I wasn’t exactly in the mood to share with more than one.

Leo peered over at the pie and grinned. “I think there’s only enough for the two of us,” he agreed.

“Then there’s no sense in getting plates, right?” I laughed, grabbing a forkful of pie. The idea of dragging out plates at this hour seemed ridiculous when it was just the two of us indulging.

“No sense at all,” Leo said, already digging in, shoving a huge bite into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in days.

I followed suit, but as I raised the fork to my mouth, something caught my eye—Leo wasn’t wearing a shirt. My fork hovered in the air as my gaze locked onto his bare chest. He was only wearing a loose pair of gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, and his skin gleamed under the soft kitchen lights.

My mouth watered, and not because of the pie.

Leo was standing so casually as if he didn’t realize the effect he had on me. His muscles were more defined than I remembered—broad shoulders, a toned chest, the faint outline of his abs leading down to those damn sweatpants. I blinked, trying to refocus on the pie, but it was like my brain had short-circuited.

“You okay there?” Leo’s voice broke through my haze, his eyebrows lifting in amusement when he noticed my fork still suspended mid-air.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to look away from his chest. “Yeah,” I lied. “Just... distracted.” I finally took a bite of the pie, though I barely tasted it.

Leo smirked, his eyes gleaming like he knew exactly what had me so flustered. “Distracted, huh?” He leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping. “By me or the pie?”

I swallowed hard, trying to play it cool. “Maybe a little bit of both,” I admitted, though I couldn’t hide the flush creeping up my cheeks.

Leo chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. “Well, I’d say the pie has my full attention, but…” he trailed off, his eyes dipping to my lips for just a second before locking back onto mine. “I’m not so sure anymore.”

Heat flooded my body, and I busied myself by taking another forkful of pie, trying to distract myself from the sudden tension in the air between Leo and me. We had agreed to take things slowly, but with him standing shirtless in front of me, his chest and abs on full display, it was hard to focus on much else. There were only a couple of feet between us, and the weight of that unspoken agreement to go slow was starting to feel like a fragile thread.

I stabbed my fork into the pie, trying to ground myself. “So... tonight was pretty entertaining. Meg sure is something,” I said, hoping that changing the subject would help cool down the moment. We needed to talk about anything other than the heat coursing through my veins.

Leo leaned back against the island, his eyes still watching me with that intensity I was trying to ignore. “Yeah,” he agreed with a chuckle. “King manages to keep her in line for the most part. I don’t know how he does it sometimes.”

“I think they’re actually great together,” I said, grateful for the casual direction the conversation was taking. “He reins her in just enough but still lets her be herself. It’s a good balance.”

Leo nodded thoughtfully. “That’s being together for well over twenty years. You learn how to make it work.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Twenty years. That’s how long Leo and I should’ve been together. We should have had those two decades to figure each other out, to learn how to balance the wild parts of ourselves with the softer ones. But life had other plans. And instead of growing together, we grew apart. We lived different lives and made different choices.

I set my fork down and sighed, glancing up at him. “That’s what we should have had,” I admitted softly. “Twenty years.”

Leo’s expression softened, and the humor in the air evaporated, replaced by the weight of everything we had missed out on. “Yeah,” he said, his voice just as quiet. “We should have.”

We stood in silence for a beat, both of us lost in thoughts of what could’ve been. The kitchen was dim, the only light coming from the soft glow of the refrigerator. It felt intimate, and not just because of the pie or the fact that Leo wasn’t wearing a shirt. It was something deeper than that—something between us that had never fully gone away, even after all this time.

Leo finally broke the silence, his voice gentle but firm. “But we didn’t, Brynn. We didn’t have those twenty years. We had different lives and different paths. And maybe it wasn’t perfect, but... we’re here now.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. He was right, but it didn’t stop the ache in my chest. “I know. I just... it’s hard not to think about it sometimes. About what we missed out on.”

Leo took a step closer, his hand reaching out to touch mine, his thumb brushing lightly over my knuckles. “We can’t change the past,” he said softly. “But we can decide what happens next.”

I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were steady and calm, but there was something else there, too—something hopeful. I realized then that while we had lost a lot, we still had a chance to make something of the future. It wasn’t too late for us.

I squeezed his hand, the tension between us softening into something warmer, more hopeful. “I want that,” I said quietly. “I want us to figure this out.”

Leo’s smile sent a rush of heat through me, and his words lit something deep inside—a fire that I didn’t want to contain any longer. Why were we waiting? We had wasted enough time already, and now, with the air thick with desire and the intimacy of the moment surrounding us, waiting seemed absurd.

Without thinking, I swiped my finger through the whipped cream left in the pie tin and reached out to smear it across Leo’s chest. His eyes widened slightly, darkening with lust as they met mine. “Oops,” I whispered, my voice dropping into something sultry and teasing. “Looks like you have something there.”

Leo’s lips parted, his breath hitching slightly as he watched me.

“Let me get it for you,” I added, my voice barely above a whisper, filled with the heat that now pulsed through my entire body.

I leaned in, my tongue lightly brushing against his chest, tasting the sweetness of the whipped cream mixed with the salt of his skin. Leo’s reaction was immediate—a deep groan that sent a shiver down my spine.

“God damn,” he moaned, his voice rough with need. His fingers threaded through my hair, gripping it lightly as he pulled me closer, urging me on. The tension between us snapped, and there was no more room for restraint. I licked the whipped cream from his chest, savoring the heat of his skin beneath my tongue, the way his muscles tensed under my touch.

His hand tightened in my hair, guiding my mouth across his chest, and my own hands roamed over his body, memorizing the hard planes of muscle, the dips and curves that I had once known so well but now felt like a rediscovery. His skin was warm, the heat radiating off him, and I wanted more. I needed more.

Leo tugged me up, pulling me into a fierce kiss. Our mouths crashed together, and I could taste the remnants of the chocolate pie mixed with his own flavor—intoxicating. His tongue swept into my mouth, commanding and possessive, and I couldn’t help but melt against him.

Our bodies pressed together, and I could feel his desire through the thin fabric of my clothes. My hands slipped lower, tracing the edge of his sweatpants, but he was quicker. Leo’s hands were on me, sliding under my shirt, and in one swift motion, he lifted it over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra.

He pulled back for a second, his gaze locking onto my chest, the hunger in his eyes making my knees weak. Without a word, he grabbed the remaining whipped cream and smeared it over my breasts, his eyes never leaving mine. My breath hitched as the cool cream met my skin, but that coolness was quickly replaced by the searing heat of Leo’s mouth.

His tongue traced slow, deliberate paths across my skin. My head fell back, and a moan escaped me as his mouth worked its magic. Every stroke of his tongue, every gentle bite, sent sparks of pleasure shooting through me, and I couldn’t stop the way my body arched toward him, craving more.

“Leo,” I gasped, my hands tangling in his hair as he continued to taste me, his mouth hot and insistent against my skin.

He growled against my breast, his teeth grazing the sensitive peak before he licked it clean. His hands were everywhere, touching, exploring, igniting every inch of me. I was drowning in him, in the overwhelming need that had been simmering between us.

“Brynn,” he murmured against my skin, his voice rough and thick with desire. His hands slid to my hips, lifting me up onto the counter as though I weighed nothing. My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, pulling him closer.

I could feel how hard he was through the thin fabric of his sweatpants, and the friction was enough to make me gasp. He moved between my legs, grinding against me as his mouth found mine again, and this time the kiss was desperate, needy. I responded in kind, my nails dragging down his back, pulling him even closer as I lost myself in him.

Leo’s hands gripped the waistband of my shorts, and with one swift motion, he tugged them down. I was completely bare in front of him. His eyes darkened even further as they roamed over my body, taking in every inch of me with a possessiveness that sent a thrill through me.

“You’re beautiful,” he rasped, his voice barely controlled as his hand slid down my thigh, then between my legs, teasing me.

“Leo,” I whimpered, the need in my voice undeniable.

He smirked, leaning in to whisper against my ear, “Patience, baby.” His fingers teased me, brushing lightly against my most sensitive spot, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out.

But Leo had no patience either. His own control seemed to snap as he slid his fingers inside me, his thumb working slow circles. My head fell back, and I clutched onto his shoulders, moaning at the sensation. He knew exactly how to touch me, how to push me right to the edge of pleasure without letting me fall over.

“Leo,” I gasped again, and that was all the encouragement he needed.

With a swift motion, he yanked his sweatpants down, and before I could even process what was happening, he thrust into me, filling me completely. I cried out, the pleasure so intense it was almost overwhelming. Leo groaned, his hands gripping my hips as he began to move, each thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure through me.

Our bodies moved together in perfect rhythm, every thrust, every movement driving us closer and closer to the edge. I clung to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as I lost myself in the sensation, in the heat of him, in the overwhelming pleasure that consumed us both.

“Brynn,” he groaned, his voice strained with need as he thrust harder, faster.

I was right there with him, teetering on the edge, and then, with one final thrust, I came undone. My body tensed, and I cried out his name; waves of pleasure crashed over me as I clung to him.

Leo followed right after, his own release shuddering through him as he buried himself inside me, groaning my name in a way that made my heart pound even harder.

For a few moments, we stayed like that, tangled together, our breaths coming in ragged gasps as we slowly came down from the high. Leo leaned his forehead against mine, his hands still gripping my hips as though he couldn’t bear to let go.

“God,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “That was...”

“Yeah,” I breathed, still trying to catch my own breath. “It was.”

We stayed there, locked together, for what felt like forever. But eventually, reality began to seep back in, the cool air of the kitchen brushing against our heated skin. Leo pulled back slightly, his hands still resting on my hips.

“We should... probably clean up,” he murmured with a lazy grin.

I laughed, leaning back against the counter, still feeling the aftershocks of what had just happened. “Yeah, maybe we should.”

I should have been shocked by what we just did. We had both agreed to take things slow and to rebuild what we lost, but the way the tension between us had exploded, there was no stopping that.

Neither of us had wanted to take it slow.

Sex on the kitchen island. Wow .

Leo was the first to break the silence, his chest still rising and falling as he reached for the near-empty pie plate. He swiped his finger through the remaining cream and licked it clean with a devilish grin. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at a chocolate cream pie the same again,” he said, his voice rough but teasing.

I laughed softly, still catching my breath, feeling the flush in my cheeks from both the intensity of what just happened and his playful comment. “I made it knowing it was your favorite,” I said, my voice quiet but sincere, “but now it’s my favorite too.”

Leo chuckled, and his eyes warm as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to my lips. It wasn’t hurried or heated this time. It was a kiss that felt... right . “Thank you, baby,” he murmured against my lips.

I smiled against him, savoring the moment before he pulled back, his hand still resting on my waist. We stayed like that for a moment, catching our breath and letting the reality of everything settle between us. The kitchen felt warmer and cozier now, like it had somehow absorbed the heat between us.

Eventually, we both moved, a silent agreement passing between us to get dressed and clean up. Leo reached for his sweatpants and pulled them up, while I slipped back into my shorts and shirt. The pie plate was still on the counter, and I reached for a dish towel, wiping away the traces of whipped cream and crumbs scattered across the island. Leo joined me, tossing the empty pie tin in the sink with a grin.

“You know,” I said, glancing over at him as I tidied the counter, “this was definitely not what I had in mind when I went looking for pie.”

Leo’s grin widened, a mischievous spark in his eyes. “I don’t hear any complaints.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “No, definitely not complaining.”

We made our way out of the kitchen, Leo slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as we walked down the hallway together. It was quiet, the house still in the middle of the night, but the silence felt comfortable, like a blanket wrapping around us. The events of the night—the laughter, the passion—had given way to something softer, something more intimate as we walked side by side.

We reached the bottom of the staircase, and Leo’s hand slid down to my waist as we ascended the stairs. The wood creaked softly under our feet, the house feeling like it was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next.

At the top of the stairs, I led the way to my bedroom, my hand resting on the door handle as I turned to look at Leo. There was a moment of hesitation, not out of doubt, but because this felt like a step forward—a real step. Everything before this had been in the kitchen, heat and passion driving us. But this... this felt more vulnerable, more like something that couldn’t be undone.

I pushed the door open, the soft light from the hallway spilling into the room. I looked back at Leo, my voice quiet but certain. “Stay with me.”

His eyes softened, the mischievous glint replaced by something deeper, something that made my chest tighten. Without a word, he stepped into the room, his hand finding mine, squeezing it gently as he pulled me inside with him. The door clicked shut behind us, and it felt like we had just closed the door on the past, on the years of separation and heartache.

Leo’s hand slid to my waist again, pulling me close. “I’m not going anywhere, Brynn,” he whispered, his breath warm against my ear. “Not this time.”

I smiled, leaning into him, letting myself believe those words, letting myself feel the comfort and security in them. We had spent years apart, years filled with hurt and mistakes. But now, with his arms around me and the quiet of the night surrounding us, it felt like we had finally found our way back to each other.

And I wasn’t going to let go.