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Authors: Indigo Bloome
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‘Well, hello, you must be Alexandra. I’m Leo.’ He holds out his hand toward me. I cannot believe I am meeting Leo for the first time like this.
‘Oh, Leo, great. Hi. I’m sorry, um … I’m wet.’ I quickly wipe my hand against the towel so I can shake his hand and see the twinkle of amusement in his azure eyes.
‘I see that. You are also quite a dancer.’ Oh, dear lord, how long had they been watching? Visions of methinking I looked like a disco goddess quickly vanish and are quickly replaced by the reality of a tipsy mother in her mid-thirties, with two left feet, falling into the damn pool. Okay, now would be a good time for the ground to swallow me up or for me to jump back in the water and stay under with my eyes closed until the men disappear. Typical! Of all the times I could have met Leo looking sleek, confident and relaxed, instead I’m sodden, see-through and in a bikini, my wet hair slathered against my face and body and completely flustered.
‘Just … please … I just need a moment to, you know … sorry. I’ll be back …’ I quickly excuse myself and run into the bedroom to catch my breath and pull myself together.
Leo is here, right now, after all these years. Jeremy’s hero, his mentor. The person who helped him out of the emotional hole he went into when his brother Michael committed suicide and when none of his family and friends could reach him, me included. I’m in awe of this unknown man, even possibly a little jealous of him for being able to achieve what I could not, though grateful nonetheless. But we were so young, I was so young.
I can’t imagine how Jeremy — so strong, so alpha male — will behave with someone he admires so much, when he is the one who is used to being in control. Suddenly this piques my interest, my first and maybe only opportunity to see these two men interact with each other, two men who have had such a profound effect on each other’s lives. Fascination begins tocompete with my mortification at my poolside performance. Of all the times …
‘Sweetheart, are you lost in there?’ Jeremy lightly taps on the door before entering the room.
‘That couldn’t have been more embarrassing, J. You could have warned me he was about to arrive.’ I can still sense the amusement beneath the mask he is trying to maintain for my benefit.
‘You were in the moment, AB, letting yourself go, just as you did when you sang and played guitar on our last rooftop together.’ His arms snake around my middle. ‘There must be something about you and rooftops, something seductive and delicious.’ His lips nip my neck. ‘I need to remember that … I’d never interrupt you when you’re in that space. It’s when you are at your most beautiful.’
‘Nice words to hear, but not helpful right at this moment. Leo! After many years of hearing about him and this is how I meet him.’ I indicate my state so he doesn’t miss my point.
‘He doesn’t care, you care. Come on, let me help. I want you back out there sooner rather than later.’
I slide my arms around his torso and kiss his chest. ‘If you help me get dressed, I may never get back out there.’
He guides my meandering hands away from the zip of his cargo pants.
‘You’re incorrigible and still a little tipsy, I see, even after your dunking.’ He pulls the wet dress over my head and begins to dry my body with the towel. A few seconds later, a dry dress is whipped over my head.
‘Jeez, you are moving so fast it’s making me dizzy,’ I complain.
He towel-dries my hair before looking for a brush. ‘You need to meet him properly. He has come back specifically for us.’
Suddenly I feel dread in the pit of my stomach. For us? ‘What do you mean, for us?’
I sit on the edge of the bed as he gently but quickly brushes my hair, something I’d usually enjoy under different circumstances.
‘So we can consider all the options.’
Clearly my time of being free from reality has come to an
‘Well, hello, you must be Alexandra. I’m Leo.’ He holds out his hand toward me. I cannot believe I am meeting Leo for the first time like this.
‘Oh, Leo, great. Hi. I’m sorry, um … I’m wet.’ I quickly wipe my hand against the towel so I can shake his hand and see the twinkle of amusement in his azure eyes.
‘I see that. You are also quite a dancer.’ Oh, dear lord, how long had they been watching? Visions of methinking I looked like a disco goddess quickly vanish and are quickly replaced by the reality of a tipsy mother in her mid-thirties, with two left feet, falling into the damn pool. Okay, now would be a good time for the ground to swallow me up or for me to jump back in the water and stay under with my eyes closed until the men disappear. Typical! Of all the times I could have met Leo looking sleek, confident and relaxed, instead I’m sodden, see-through and in a bikini, my wet hair slathered against my face and body and completely flustered.
‘Just … please … I just need a moment to, you know … sorry. I’ll be back …’ I quickly excuse myself and run into the bedroom to catch my breath and pull myself together.
Leo is here, right now, after all these years. Jeremy’s hero, his mentor. The person who helped him out of the emotional hole he went into when his brother Michael committed suicide and when none of his family and friends could reach him, me included. I’m in awe of this unknown man, even possibly a little jealous of him for being able to achieve what I could not, though grateful nonetheless. But we were so young, I was so young.
I can’t imagine how Jeremy — so strong, so alpha male — will behave with someone he admires so much, when he is the one who is used to being in control. Suddenly this piques my interest, my first and maybe only opportunity to see these two men interact with each other, two men who have had such a profound effect on each other’s lives. Fascination begins tocompete with my mortification at my poolside performance. Of all the times …
‘Sweetheart, are you lost in there?’ Jeremy lightly taps on the door before entering the room.
‘That couldn’t have been more embarrassing, J. You could have warned me he was about to arrive.’ I can still sense the amusement beneath the mask he is trying to maintain for my benefit.
‘You were in the moment, AB, letting yourself go, just as you did when you sang and played guitar on our last rooftop together.’ His arms snake around my middle. ‘There must be something about you and rooftops, something seductive and delicious.’ His lips nip my neck. ‘I need to remember that … I’d never interrupt you when you’re in that space. It’s when you are at your most beautiful.’
‘Nice words to hear, but not helpful right at this moment. Leo! After many years of hearing about him and this is how I meet him.’ I indicate my state so he doesn’t miss my point.
‘He doesn’t care, you care. Come on, let me help. I want you back out there sooner rather than later.’
I slide my arms around his torso and kiss his chest. ‘If you help me get dressed, I may never get back out there.’
He guides my meandering hands away from the zip of his cargo pants.
‘You’re incorrigible and still a little tipsy, I see, even after your dunking.’ He pulls the wet dress over my head and begins to dry my body with the towel. A few seconds later, a dry dress is whipped over my head.
‘Jeez, you are moving so fast it’s making me dizzy,’ I complain.
He towel-dries my hair before looking for a brush. ‘You need to meet him properly. He has come back specifically for us.’
Suddenly I feel dread in the pit of my stomach. For us? ‘What do you mean, for us?’
I sit on the edge of the bed as he gently but quickly brushes my hair, something I’d usually enjoy under different circumstances.
‘So we can consider all the options.’
Clearly my time of being free from reality has come to an
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