Hidden Miles by Claire Kingsley

Author:Claire Kingsley [Kingsley, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Always Have, LLC
Published: 2019-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

Hannah

Leo wasn’t home when I got back from breakfast with his mom. So I went out to run some errands in town. Afterward, I came back and got to work on my backlog. I was excited to clear my schedule so I could get started on the logo for Salishan.

I was thrilled that Shannon had asked me to work on this. Creating a branding package was one of my favorite things to do. And the idea that she trusted me to take this on gave me a serious case of the warm fuzzies.

When Leo came home a short time later, he gave me a friendly half-smile and pulled up his office chair next to me. And I couldn’t get over how right this felt.

You should really consider marrying Leo.

Chase’s words echoed in my mind. Thinking about marriage was the dumbest thing. I wasn’t sure if we were actually a couple. We hadn’t even kissed yet. Marriage was a long way off.

But this? Living and working side-by-side? I could get used to this.

It was comfortable. Easy. I loved sharing space with Leo. We’d always been good friends, and the transition from an online relationship to the real world had been seamless.

Maybe we weren’t a couple, exactly. Not yet. But something was happening. I’d felt it the other day when I’d hugged him. It had been stronger this morning when we’d cuddled in bed. I wanted Leo, there was no doubt about that.

The problem was, he was closed off. He had so many defenses. I didn’t think he was shying away from me because he didn’t want me. No man growled like a predator just from hugging a woman he only liked platonically.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. From this angle, none of his scars were visible. Just the soft glow of his monitors lighting his face. His hair was tucked behind his ear, which was unusual. Typically, it hung down to cover more of his face. His beard was full and thick—and so very, very tempting.

He caught me looking. His eyes flicked toward me, meeting mine, and I didn’t look away. I held his gaze for a few more seconds, trying to read him.

What is it you want, Leo?

His brow furrowed, his expression disarmingly sexy. The tension was killing me, knotting me up inside, like a coiled spring. Did he feel it too?

He looked away, clicking a few things with his mouse, and I realized something. He wasn’t going to make a move. Not now. Maybe not ever. That defensive wall he kept between himself and the world was too strong. He was so used to hiding behind it, it was as if even he didn’t know how to get around it anymore.

Here I was, looking in from the other side. Maybe I needed to be the one to try to find a door—a way in.

Or maybe I’d just make one.

I got up and put my empty mug in the kitchen, then peeked out at him. He was still at his desk, but I had a feeling he wasn’t as absorbed in his work as he appeared.

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