The Fireside Inn (11 page)

With a sense of inevitability, Leo turned slowly and found Serena standing behind him with an uncertain smile on her glossy red mouth.

***

The groom winked at her before melting away into the night, presumably to collect his bride and get ready for their first dance as husband and wife.

Serena couldn’t say for sure. She only had eyes for the groomsman.

Swallowing around the lump of emotion clogging her throat, Serena said, “Did I hear that right? You and Miles had a bet?”

Leo’s eyes widened. “I’m not sure what you heard, but it’s not what you may be thinking—it wasn’t some sordid wager about getting a woman into bed or anything like that.”

Serena laughed, the sound a little choked. “I know, don’t worry. I heard…enough. I think. I have a few questions.”

Stepping closer, Leo stared down at her. “Ask me anything, love, and I swear I’ll tell you the truth.”

Every part of Serena yearned toward him, her chest brushing his with every short, shallow breath. “That poem—you really wrote it.”

“That doesn’t sound like a question,” Leo teased gently, his eyes roaming her face as if memorizing every line. “But yes. You told me you could see me as a poet. And when I listened to the wonderful words of the poems you recorded for me…suddenly, I began to see it, too.”

“It was beautiful,” she whispered, her heart so full she thought it might burst. “I loved every line of it. I’m so proud of you, Leo.”

“Do you know, I’m proud of me, too.” He smiled, a warm, confident grin without a trace of the brittle sarcasm he used as a shield. “But I never would have even attempted it without your encouragement. You were the mirror through which I glimpsed the man I want to be.”

“See,” Serena croaked, tears burning behind her eyes, “that’s what I mean, that right there. Poet.”

Instead of blushing or waving it away, Leo lifted one red-brown brow in a sultry arch. “What were your other questions?”

Nerves prickled along her palms, lifting every hair on her arms. Chickening out, she blurted, “Do you know what table we’re sitting at?”

Some of the light dimmed from the bright stars of Leo’s eyes. “The wedding party is at the two tables in front. Don’t worry, though—if no suitable donors are at our table, I’ll make sure to do the rounds with you, introduce you to some possible library sponsors.”

Miserable with anxiety and kicking herself for her cowardice, Serena muttered, “Thanks. But I’m not so worried about that, since you didn’t bother to listen to me when I said I didn’t want your donation. The check arrived yesterday, so thank you for that. And I’m pretty sure the Harringtons want to sponsor the library. One of the brothers came by to see me a few days ago. Dylan, the one who married Penny Little.”

“That’s wonderful,” Leo said, with genuine warmth. “I suppose I should be glad you decided to attend the wedding at all, after that.”

“I wanted to.” Serena dropped her gaze.

With a courtly bow, Leo offered her his arm and a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Shall we go in to dinner?”

Serena wrapped her hand around the crook of his elbow, her fingers squeezing at the hot, solid strength of his muscles flexing under the suit coat. The moment she touched him, her courage came flooding back, and when he moved to guide them through the tables to find their seats, she dug in her heels and stopped him.

Leo turned back, an inquisitive expression on his face, and Serena said, “To hell with questions.”

Stretching up on her tiptoes and curling her free hand around the back of his neck, Serena kissed him.

***

Desire roared to life, hardening Leo’s body in a dizzying surge. He dragged Serena closer and plundered her mouth. Drunk on the sweet taste of her, the taste he’d been sure was lost to him forever, Leo forgot their surroundings, forgot everything but the feel of her in his arms.

Until a loud wolf whistle and a round of applause jarred them apart, panting and staring into each other’s eyes.

“Hey, that’s the newlyweds’ job!” someone shouted from the crowd of guests gathered at the edge of the temporary dance floor.

A blush darkened Serena’s cheeks, but she laughed like bubbles popping in a glass of champagne, and Leo’s heart exploded in a frothy shower of joy.

“Come on,” he said into her ear. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her off the dance floor and out of the heated tent, away from the milling guests and the twinkling lights, across the sand and down to the cold water’s edge.

The sun was slipping below the edge of the world in a golden orange explosion of beauty, coloring the surface of the ocean magical stained glass in constant, rhythmic motion. A chill breeze whipped off the waves, cooling Leo’s heated blood enough that he could take Serena into his arms without immediately ripping off her clothes.

They’d get to that bit, he fervently hoped—but first, he had to make sure she understood.

“In case the poem wasn’t clear enough,” he told her, smoothing back the riotous, windblown mass of her curls, “and just so there are no questions about it later—I love you, Serena Lightfoot.”

Her eyes were so wide and dark, he could drown in them if he didn’t take care. “I love you, too. So much, Leo. I left that night partly because I couldn’t take the thought of our time coming to an end.”

“If you’d stayed, I would have told you that we can find a way to make this work. Wherever you are, that’s my home.”

“I’m so sorry I ran.”

“I understood,” he assured her. “You’d been hurt too many times. The human heart is resilient, but if it’s cracked too many times, it can’t repair itself easily.”

“My heart didn’t fix itself.” Serena smiled up at him, golden and perfect in the sunset. “You did that.”

“Well, I want to keep it in good condition.” Leo adopted a pragmatic tone. “After all, I intend to have use for it for a long while to come.”

“Hmm,” Serena purred, curling closer to his chest. “So I’m a possession now. Like your vintage Jag or your Saville Row suits.…”

“A prized possession,” he corrected her. “Your heart is the greatest treasure of them all—and I promise to cherish it, for as long as you choose to leave it in my care.”

“I don’t know, that might be a very long time.” Serena pressed tight to his body, fire heating her gaze. “My heart is pretty happy with you.”

“Good. I’ll take a lifetime warranty, then,” Leo rasped out, then bent her back against his arm and dipped her over the sand to seal the deal with a kiss.

Don’t miss the other heartwarming novellas in Lily Everett’s romantic e-original trilogies!

THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS

THE BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS

Get even more romance with Lily Everett’s full-length Sanctuary Island series!