No Love Attached

chapter nine : patron & pizza

| No Love Attached |
chapter nine: patron & pizza

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   When God blesses you by sending a stunning man armed with pizza and booze to your hotel room, do you turn him away? No. You don't. I put duct tape over the voice in my brain screaming at me to not open the door when I heard that strong knock. I wanted free tequila. Last time I checked, that was no crime.

I guess my reasoning didn't matter, all that mattered was I opened that door and let Leo Wells waltz into my hotel room like he owned it.

Once again, I reminded myself, that he did in fact own it.

"Love what you've done with the place," he flashed me a smile before setting the Patron and pizza box on the counter. "Although, when I came up with the plans for the hotel, I intended this room to be a living area but a library works too."

He was right. It did resemble that more than anything else. The only evidence of it being a sitting area was the small part of the couch that wasn't covered in books, and a television.

"You should see what my place in New York looks like." I replied, thinking of my penthouse apartment.

It smelled of citrus always. Book shelves lined the walls of every room. And I had a window bench. A window bench that overlooked Central Park as I read. It was the initial reason I agreed to pay an arm and a leg for that apartment. It was perfect. Almost.

His eyebrow raised, "Is that an invitation?"

"No." The words flew from my mouth too quickly.

Leo plopped himself on the couch and a faint smell of vanilla mixed with tobacco followed as it often did when he was around. He sat with his feet propped up on the coffee table -- which was also covered in piles of books.

   His clothes matched his casual demeanor. I had never seen him in anything but a perfectly tailored suit. At the moment he was sporting joggers, a t-shirt, a pair of Nikes, and a baseball cap. I pretended to ignore the way the clothes clung to his muscular body.

    I was already pouring two large shots. Throwing one back quickly. The tequila gave me that familiar burning feeling in my throat that I've grown to love.

    "No cheers," Leo chuckled. "Tough day?"

He threw his back in one gulp.

      "The worst," I shuttered at the thoughts of Alec James and that horrible meeting as I took another sip.

       Leo's worried eyes were on me while he rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Your boss, huh?"

     At this point, I was five shots of tequila in. Drunk Vera was out to play.

      "Yep...but let's not talk about him. Let's talk about why on your last night in London you want to get drunk with an old book lady instead of going out with friends." My curiosity was genuine but alcohol laced it with meaningless flirtation. Something it often did when I drank too much.

    My change of conversation caught him off guard, but I could tell he was amused. I sat on the floor, cradling the bottle and nursing a slice of pizza in the other hand. He sat across from me on the couch.

    "Well, I figured the 'old book lady' must be pretty lonely."

     My brows furrowed, "I'm not lonely. Penney's here." I lied, I was a bit lonely. My best friend was busy with work as well, and going out to clubs which isn't an activity I'd like to participate in. Especially after what happened the other night with someone slipping something into her drink.