Young Queen

TWENTY THREE

ARIA'S POV

I woke up the next morning to one side of the bed empty, but the blankets were messed up as if someone had slept there. I wasn't sure how I got to the bed in the first place, especially after Leo and I spent most of the night staring at the view on the couch. I suppose I just fell asleep and Leo carried me up, and assuming by the still-warm side of the bed, he must've woken up not too long ago.

I decided to get out of bed, my new bed, now that I wasn't on good terms with my parents. Would I ever get to go back to my old room? Did I even want to? I wasn't sure. I also wasn't sure how the closet was now filled with my clothes, but I was happy that I would be able to change out of the ones I had been wearing for far too long now.

I grabbed a random pair of black athletic shorts and a white hoodie before making my way into the shower. The same hair products I always use were also conveniently placed in the shower. I took my time scrubbing my hair, face, and body, possibly trying to get the confessions from the past twenty-four hours off of me, or just trying to clean myself.

My skin was red by the time I exited the bathroom, but there wasn't a better feeling than comfy clothes and feeling clean. After my skincare, I made my way downstairs, keen on making myself some breakfast since the dinner from yesterday was long abandoned, and my stomach was growling for something to eat.

The apartment seemed rather empty with no signs of Leo, so I made my way into the kitchen until the sounds of grunts came from down the hall past the dining room. My brows furrowed as the grunts continued as I made my way down the hall to the gym. It was well past ten in the morning by now, there was no way Leo was barely getting his workout in now.

Of course, I was proved wrong when I opened the door to the gym, seeing a sweaty and glistening Leo bench pressing some weights. His muscles contracted as he lifted the weight up and then down. Up then down. Up then down.

"Aria?" Leo called as he placed the weight on the stand above him. It was like I was in a daze, watching Leo's meaty arms with all my attention that I hadn't noticed his attention was now on me.

"Yes?" I answered, my voice slightly raspy due to dehydration.

"What are you doing awake? I was gonna let you sleep longer," he said, using a rag from next to him to wipe the sweat dripping down his forehead and neck, onto his very toned chest and down the imprint of abs. 

"And make me miss this view, not a chance," I smirked, still keeping my focus on his body.

He smirked back, "See something you like?"

"Just the sight of an incredibly fit man all sweaty and out of breath, just how I like them," I flirted, feeling free-spirited for some reason this morning.

His jaw dropped slightly before he composed himself, "Why don't you come over here and make me out of breath?"

I began walking over to him, sitting on his lap so I was straddling him. "If this is what you look like every morning that you workout, I might have to start joining you."

"I think you would just distract me, especially when you're sitting on my lap wearing my clothes," he grinned, holding my hips.

"Hmm, I didn't even notice. What's that thing they say? The one that goes 'what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine'?"

He shook his head, "I don't think that's how it goes, but I know how crazy girls are about hoodies."

"Oh really, maybe I should give it back to you then," I smirked, and before he could protest I pulled the hoodie off my body, leaving me in just the shorts and a lace bra.