Leo (A Sign of Love Novel)(30)

No, no I was not. I was more than okay. I was fabulous.

"Yeah," I whisper back and I sound breathy.

He pulls out of me and I mewl in protest at the loss and that makes Jake grin. "My Evie likes me inside of her," he says.

Yes, yes I do.

"Let me get rid of this condom and get something to clean you up with. Stay there.”

He sits up on the side of the bed, facing me and pulls on his boxers and t-shirt. Then he walks to the bathroom and I hear some water running before he comes back out with a wet washcloth. He sits back down on the side of the bed and says, "Open your legs and bend your knees," and I'm slightly embarrassed but I trust him and so I do as he says.

He cleans me with the warm cloth and I notice there's blood and that embarrasses me more but he doesn't make a big deal of it.

Then he's padding back to the bathroom and I hear water again as I quickly find my panties on the floor and pull them on. Jake walks back in the room with a glass of water which he offers me. I take long drinks and smile at him as I hand it back.

He puts the glass on the nightstand and he climbs into bed next to me and pulls my back against his hard chest as he nuzzles his face into my hair.

I turn in his arms so that I'm facing him and look into his handsome face, running my hand down the side of his cheek.

"You're mine now, Evie. Say it," he whispers.

My hand stills and I look him in the eyes. "I'm yours, Jake," I whisper back.

I think I see a flash of something that looks like pain in his eyes, but then he smiles that beautiful smile of his and kisses me gently.

"I've never experienced anything as beautiful as that," he says and I feel my heart fill up because I feel the same way. I press myself closer to his warm body and learn something else that's beautiful about Jake Madsen. He's a cuddler.





CHAPTER 15


Evie is 13, Leo is 14



I'm sitting on the sofa in the front room of my foster home, when there's a knock on the door. My foster mom, Jodi, calls from the back family room, "Evie! Get the door!" and I stand up to answer it.

I note briefly that I'm wearing a really tight pair of jean shorts and a tank top with no bra and so I open the door just a crack and lean my head out. Standing there is Willow and Leo. I swing the door wide open, saying, "Hey! What are you guys doing here?"

"Is it okay if we come in?" Leo says, and I notice his eyes sweep my body quickly and he gets a tight look on his face. I realize that I'm not really dressed to receive guests but I didn't exactly expect any. I look at him questioningly and he moves his eyes to Willow in a quick gesture, telling me all that I need to know.

"Of course," I say, waving them in.

"Who is it?" Jodi yells.

"A couple friends!" I yell back. "They won't stay long." There's no answer from the back room, meaning Jodi has gone back to whatever television drivel she's involved in right now. She won't bother us.

Leo sits down on the smaller love seat and I guide Willow over to the couch where I was sitting. I sit down right next to her and move her blond hair out of her face. Her eyes are blood shot and she smells like pot.

"Willow," I prompt when she just continues to stare straight ahead, "What's going on, baby girl?"

She continues to look straight ahead but then her face crumples and she face plants into my chest. I freeze for a second but then I bring my hands up and stroke her hair, planting my lips on the top of her head and murmuring, "Shhh, it's ok, talk to me, Willow." I wait, but only get silence and the occasional sniffle.

"She showed up at my place stoned out of her mind," Leo says, his jaw clenching. I had to sneak her away from there. My foster parents would have called the cops if they'd seen her. They're not exactly the easygoing types.

"Do you know what happened?"

"Yeah, she was mumbling about a court date, her dad showed up and leered at her the entire time, apparently he's expressing some interest in getting her back even though he hasn't given a shit about her for the last three years. That was all I really got out of her about that. Then some so-called friends snuck her out of her house and got her stoned and drunk and dropped her off to walk home. She showed up at my place. Nice f*cking friends."

"Leo!" I hiss, "Don't swear!" I cover Willow's ears.

He looks at me for several long second and then his face breaks out into a grin.

I look at him, shocked. "What are you grinning about?" I demand.

"You. You're so damned cute."

I snort. "Honestly, Leo? What is wrong with you? This is SERIOUS!"

He sobers his face, and says, "I know, Evie, believe me, if I knew who her friends are, I'd go teach them a lesson about giving drugs to twelve year olds and letting them walk home alone."

I continue stroking Willow's hair until I notice that she is snoring softly. I lay her back against the couch and grab the blanket on the end and cover her up with it. I watch her for a minute, chewing the inside of my mouth.

"Jodi's shows will be over in an hour. I'll need to get her out of here by then," I tell Leo.

He nods. "I think that will be long enough for her to sleep some of it off. Come on over here and sit by me so we don't wake her."