Strange Attractions

Chapter 19

We bid farewell to Sage, and I expressed my gratitude as Leo nearly sprinted out the door. He paused a few steps ahead, then matched my pace.

"Well, what did you think?" he finally asked, maintaining a straight face.

"Um, I'm not sure. I have my own cards, but I've never had a reading before, and honestly, I'm not sure what to make of it.

"We're on the same page there; it was quite surreal".

"Which cards did you draw?" I inquired.

He furrowed his brow slightly, tapping his chin. "I think the first was a heart being pierced by three daggers, then one with scattered chalices, and lastly, an angel serenading naked people", he said, looking to me for confirmation.

"I believe the first one is the Three of Swords; it's not really a good one. The second is some sort of Cups card, and I think the last one is Judgment. That's a positive one. What did she tell you?"

"I don't know; I'd had enough by that point".

"Leo, you agreed to do the reading".

"And I did, just not to completion. There was no specific mention of finishing it. What about your cards?"

I chewed on my bottom lip. "Apparently, I'm to be betrayed at some point, fall in love, and start a new journey".

"Well, two out of three ain't bad," he offered comfortingly.

I faced him. "Did you just quote Fall Out Boy?"

He gave me a puzzled look. "Who? No, that was Meat Loaf".

We shared smiles, and I couldn't help but notice the genuine crinkles at the corners of his eyes, a smile his serious demeanour couldn't conceal.

As we turned onto my street, I realised I wasn't ready for him to leave.

Keep it casual, talk about work.

"I haven't completely fulfilled my part of the deal yet. If you have time, we could quickly review the paperwork".

I held my breath momentarily, waiting for his response. His hesitation was clear, and I was certain he would decline.

But then he surprised me with his answer. "I have time".

Suppressing a grin, I opened the door and let us inside. "I'll light the fire; it's a bit chilly here".

As I fumbled with the kindling and matches, I stole glances at him. He looked unsure; his hands restlessly tucked in his pockets.

"You have a beautiful place", he observed, taking in the little details of the cottage. "It's original, cosy. It's very you".

Blushing at the compliment, I offered him something to drink. "Thanks, do you want anything? I have wine, whiskey, tea, juice..."

He chose whiskey and followed me to the couch, where I motioned for him to sit. "Please make yourself at home, you look really uncomfortable and it's making me feel uncomfortable".

As we sipped our drinks and discussed business matters, I caught intermittent wafts of his aftershave as he shifted slightly. That mix of woodsy notes and a hint of citrus, a combination that made my head spin in a pleasant way. 

Suddenly, he handed me some forms and I asked if we should have our solicitor look them over. Admittedly overwhelmed by all the legal jargon, I hesitated before signing my name on each page. "There's quite a lot here and I won't lie it's just corporate gibberish to me".

"It's fine", he reassured me, leaning closer and invading my personal space. His touch sent shivers down my spine as he cupped my hands in his own.

"We're here to help", he reminded me with a slight smile.

But my mind was elsewhere as I caught myself getting lost in his gaze. The fluttering in my chest increased as I imagined his lips on mine.

He paused, catching my attention once again. Our eyes locked, his pupils dilating as they roamed over my face before settling on my lips. I couldn't help but look down and pull my hands away, trying to hide the sweat on my palms.

"I'll top you up", I blurted out, using it as an excuse to escape the intensity of the moment. I quickly made my way to the kitchen in search of the whiskey bottle, desperately trying to steady the endless stream of thoughts.

I scoured the sides trying to shut off my internal dialogue. But when I turned around triumphantly with the bottle in hand, I found him standing behind me, blocking my escape.

My heart raced with excitement as he moved closer to me. Our eyes softened into a mutual stare; the air thick around us. Without even realising it, I stepped closer to him.

Gently, he traced his fingers along the curve of my neck, delicately tucking strands of hair behind my ear. The soft caress sent a tingling sensation across my skin.

"I've been wanting to do this since the moment I met you", he confessed in a low voice.

I reached up to cup his face, feeling the roughness of his stubble beneath my fingertips. "Then what are you waiting for?" I whispered back.