Waterfall Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story (Saltwater Kisses Book 8) Read online

  I didn't believe he could have any deep dark secrets. Besides, short of him telling me he was an ax murderer, there wasn't anything he could say that would change how I felt about him.

  Leo's eyes darkened and he looked away. Indecision filled his expression so strongly I could feel it eating away at my stomach. He sighed, ripping another blade of grass from the earth.

  “Tell me, Leo,” I said softly, pulling gently on his chin to face me again. “Nothing you say can change the way I feel about you. You should know that by now.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched up in a small smile, but it didn't touch his eyes. He took a deep breath. “I used to have a gambling problem. A big one.”

  “Gambling? That's it?” I repeated. That was definitely not ax murderer, but he felt it was a big deal so I wasn't going to dismiss it. I softened my voice. “Like betting on horses or poker kind of gambling?”

  “Yes, both.” His voice was wooden and he looked out past me. “If you could bet money on it, I did it. Football games were my specialty.”

  “Were you any good at it?” I asked, thinking of how terrible my luck was at a casino.

  “Very.”

  I nodded slowly. The idea of gambling contrasted with the Leo I knew. Leo was always in control, always throwing out some sort of joke or causing trouble. I had difficulty seeing him in a situation where he couldn't be guaranteed to win. I supposed that's where the thrill to him came. He was the type of person who always won, and gambling didn't allow for that.

  “I just realized that I've never seen you bet on anything. Not even a five dollar bet with Bastian or Gabe or even the office basketball tournament pool. You must be very committed to it,” I said. I had to wonder what else I had missed about him. “What made you stop?”

  “I nearly lost everything.” The lines of his face hardened and he finally brought his gaze back to mine. “So I stopped and I don't gamble any more.”

  “And you thought I would hate you because of that?”

  “It's not something I'm proud of.” Leo's eyes begged for forgiveness from me. “It's an addiction. One I fight every day. It's not exactly a lovable trait.”

  I leaned forward and kissed his lips. He didn't pull away, but he didn't kiss me back.

  “I still like you. A lot. Maybe even more than like.” I grinned hoping he would smile at my words.

  Leo looked up and I loved the joyful surprise that filled his face. He kissed my forehead. “See, this is why I really don't deserve you. I tell you a secret that would send most girls running to the hills and you smile and make it all seem okay.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You keep up with that and I'm going to have to do something about it. You deserve me. End of story.”

  “If you say so,” he replied, shrugging off his previous unease.

  I laughed as he moved behind me so I sat between his legs. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and I leaned back, loving the warm heat of his chest pressing into my back. The sun hung low on the horizon, turning into a red ball in the sky and casting dark orange shadows across the field. Soon the stars would come out overhead and already the frogs and crickets were starting their nocturnal songs. Leo hugged me tight. “Okay, your turn to tell me a secret.”

  “What?” I sat up and looked at him. “I never agreed to that.”

  He raised his eyebrows and grinned, knowing full well that I hadn't, but wanting my secrets anyway. I sighed. Leo always got what he wanted.

  “I have had a crush on you since the day we met,” I admitted.

  “Charlotte, I'm pretty sure that the aliens on Mars know that,” Leo replied, rolling his eyes.

  “You knew?” I felt a blush sear across my face.

  “You blush every time you look at me,” Leo informed me. “Just like you're blushing now.”

  I buried my face in my hands, trying to hide the evidence. “That just makes it worse. You knew. All along.”

  “It was cute,” he said, kissing my hair.

  “That's terrible,” I groaned. My crush had known all along. To be honest, I hadn't been very subtle about it, but that didn't make the shame of being found out any less.

  “It made it that much harder to say no to you,” Leo explained, running his hand down my hair. “I knew I shouldn't feel the way I do about you, but you were just so damn perfect and sweet.”

  “Yeah, like a kid sister,” I mumbled. “Did you even like me back? Or is all of this-” I indicated to the two of us “-a new emotion for you?”

  “Not new. I've liked you for years, but I had to keep my distance or your brother would give me two black eyes and a broken spleen.” Leo chuckled. “But now, I think I can take him in a fight, especially if he's busy with his new girlfriend.”

  I giggled. “So, you did like me? Even though I was Bastian's scrawny little kid sister?”

  “At first you were Bastian's scrawny kid sister,” Leo admitted. “But when you walked into our office during your freshman year of college, you weren't scrawny anymore. You were this transformed, beautiful woman. And there was all this spunk and energy to you that I couldn't stay away from. Why do you think I always brought you coffee to our meetings?”

  “I just thought you liked coffee and were flirting with the baristas,” I admitted.

  “Well, maybe a couple of flirtations, but you were the one I liked.” Leo chuckled, the vibrations of his laughter reverberating through his chest and into my back. “But, the coffee was my way of telling you that I cared without having Bastian beat me up for hitting on his kid sister.”

  “So what changed?” I asked. “I mean, I noticed you've put on some muscle lately, but...”

  Leo hugged me hard, stopping my words and making me giggle. “What changed? I saw how happy Mr. Grump-face Bastian was and I wanted to feel that too.”

  “Those two certainly are something special,” I agreed. I thought of how Ava smiled at Bastian and I knew that I had that same smile for Leo. I always had it, but now, it wasn't just me smiling. Now Leo was smiling with me.

  Leo let out a slow, long breath. “It's more than that, actually. I'm greedy, and weak, and I wanted that. I couldn't see a good reason to deny myself anymore.” He paused for a moment. “I'd feel guilty, except you feel so good in my arms that I can't.”

  “You're not greedy or weak,” I said. Leo was many things, but both of those words were the last things I would ever call him. I snuggled back into him and he hugged me close to him. The sun was almost gone now, but the dark was inviting and warm here.

  “Tell me a real secret.” Leo's voice was low as darkness spread over us like a blanket.

  I took a deep breath. He had told me a secret, it really was only fair that I did to.

  “Only Bastian knows this,” I said slowly, pressing my hands into my thighs. My palms were suddenly coated with sweat. This wasn't something I wanted Leo to know about me, but something I thought he should. Lovers should know their history. “He only knows because he helped me deal with all the paperwork.”

  “You don't have to tell me, Charlotte,” Leo said, picking up on my distress. “Pick something else.”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “You should know what you've gotten yourself into.”

  I paused. This was my secret. The one I hid from the world and even from myself. But, love was about sharing secrets and not being afraid of them. Love can't thrive where there is secrets.

  “My parents died in a drug deal gone bad. I loved them because they were my parents, but after they died, I found out that they weren't good people.” The words tumbled out in a rush. There was so much darkness in my past, so much that I didn't want to say.

  “I'm sorry, Charlotte,” Leo said quietly. I loved that he pulled me closer to him, sharing his strength with me and silently telling me he wasn't going to let me go.

  I clung to him, praying that he wouldn't let go. “When I say they were drug dealers, I don't mean that they sold some brownies with special butter. They ruined people's lives. They were sus
pected of several murders.”

  I hoped that Leo didn't think I was like them. Their blood ran through my veins. They'd raised me until I was six and I was sure that a part of them was still with me. I had done my best to root out any bad habits they might have passed on, but there was no fighting genetics.

  They were bad people. What made me any different than them?

  What made me good enough for Leo? If either of us didn't deserve one another, I didn't deserve him.

  Yet, Leo wasn't letting me go. If anything he was holding me tighter.

  “I hate that they left me that secret. I hate that they left me.” My voice faltered. “I still have nightmares about the day they died. Even though they weren't good people, they were all I had.”

  I pushed away the memory of leaving my home and everything I knew. How alone in the world I had felt and how terrified I was that no one would ever love me again. I was the orphaned daughter of drug dealers- who would want me?

  I took a deep breath. “But, I'm glad I got Bastian instead of them,” I informed him, putting strength back into my voice. That was the only part of my life that I was grateful to my parents for. They gave me the opportunity to have a brother like Bastian. “So, when you say that you don't deserve me, I don't believe it.”

  “I still think you're everything I could ever want.” He pressed a kiss to the back of my head, his arms still tight around me. Never once during my confession did he loosen his hug.

  I shifted my weight to look at him. Night was falling quickly and it wouldn't be long before I could no longer see his eyes, but for now, they were still blue. And full of love. “You've always been there for me and Bastian. If anything, I don't deserve you.”

  Leo brushed a strand of hair away from my eyes and held me tighter. “Now, it's my secret too. You don't have to carry it by yourself anymore.”

  He kissed my hair, holding me as close to him as possible, and for the first time in years, I felt truly wanted and safe.

  ***

  The helicopter blades sliced through the air and hummed with power, but I barely noticed as it landed. Sleep tugged at my eyes and I couldn't resist it. I didn't mean to fall asleep in Leo's arms, but safe under his care with a blanket of stars, I had drifted off.

  “Is it time to go?” I murmured, sleep blurring my voice.

  “Shh,” Leo whispered, picking me up and carrying me to the helicopter in his arms. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the black shadow of Murdoch leap down and scurry behind us to pick up our things.

  I was nearly asleep again by the time the helicopter took off. I couldn't believe how tired I was, but given that I had been up since before dawn, ran an auction, had amazing sex under a waterfall, and finally got to tell Leo my darkest secrets, I supposed I was allowed to be a little sleepy.

  Leo took my hand as the helicopter soared through the air back to the mansion. His hand was warm and strong around mine and I knew that he'd never let me go. He knew my secret now and he didn't care. He didn't care what my parents had done, just that I was his.

  It made me love him even more.

  I didn't remember the flight home at all, but the jolt of the helicopter landing startled me awake. With blurry eyes and clumsy feet, I jumped out of the chopper. Leo helped me away from the whirling blades. I held onto him, trusting that he would make sure I didn't hurt myself.

  “Come on, sleepy head,” Leo said gently, scooping me up in his arms once we cleared the helicopter pad. “You can't even walk you're so tired.”

  I didn't fight him, even though I usually hated being carried. Being carried usually made me feel small and helpless, but not with Leo. With his arms around me, I was precious and protected. I snuggled into his shoulder, breathing in his comforting scent and letting him be in control.

  I feel him take the stairs, his strong arms and back lifting me effortlessly. It was only at the top that he let out a chuckle and shifted my weight around. To be fair, they were steep stairs and I had a stomach full of chicken.

  “Here you go, sleeping beauty.” Leo carefully laid me down on the bed and then pulled off my sandals. He paused, but left the dress on since it was now dry and moving me would be more work than it was worth.

  “Don't leave,” I begged, catching his hand before he could turn. “Stay with me.”

  He paused, clearly thinking about my brother sleeping just a few rooms down. “Okay,” he whispered, kicking off his own shoes and pulling off his t-shirt before sliding into bed next to me.

  Now that he was with me, I pulled the dress up and over my head, pressing my bare skin against his. He wrapped his arms around me, placing my head on the hollow of his shoulder. He was so warm and comfortable, I knew I would never be content with a regular pillow ever again.

  Leo's heart beat steadily in my ear, singing me back to sleep with every beat.

  I slept, and for the first time in my life, the nightmares never came.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I woke up sticky and hot with the sun in my eyes. But Leo was still in my bed. He was splayed out across the bed, snoring softly and taking up most of the room. I didn't care. He was here.

  Sunlight filtered through the window, highlighting the soft golds and reds in his brown hair. His chest rose and fell, rhythmic and smooth and full of muscles and tanned skin. I couldn't believe how beautiful he was. Handsome was a word for men, but he was so much more than that. He was perfect, and even better, he was mine.

  I was a lucky girl.

  “Are you watching me sleep?” Leo's eyes stayed closed.

  “Maybe.” I grinned at him, even though he couldn't see me.

  “That's kind of creepy,” he informed me, keeping his eyes closed.

  “But in a sweet, lovable kind of way, right?”

  He opened one eye and one corner of his mouth tipped upward. “Definitely a sweet, lovable kind of way.”

  This was heaven. It had to be. There was no way that a person could feel this much joy and pleasure and not be dead. It just wasn't possible.

  “Want to shower?” Leo asked, his voice low and deep as he rolled over and stretched.

  “Yes, please.” I nodded. I was covered in sweat and sex from yesterday, and besides, Leo hadn't seen my shower yet.

  I had picked this room in the mansion as my bedroom for a reason. The view of the ocean was excellent, but certainly not the best in the building. I had chosen this room for the attached bathroom. The bathroom made it the best room in the house.

  First off, the bathroom was about as big as a bedroom. There was the small toilet room off to the side and his and her sinks. The over-sized tub overlooking the ocean was certainly a selling point to the awesomeness of the bathroom, and despite having enjoyed several baths in it, was still not the best part of the room. The shower, far and away, was.

  The shower was big enough for four people, with eight shower heads, a digital water thermometer which allowed different temperatures for the different heads, a rain feature, as well as a steam function and music selection. It was the best shower I had ever seen, and I worked for billionaires. I'd seen a lot of cool showers.

  “Wow,” Leo said, standing back and taking in the massive shower. “Do I need a college degree to operate it?”

  I gave him a gentle push out of the way as I went to the sink and ran a brush through my hair before starting the water. “Just push preset number one,” I told him.

  Leo gave me a skeptical look before stepping inside the magic glass doors and pressing the button. The shower came to life with all eight jets and the rain feature all starting at the perfect temperature.

  “I am never leaving your shower,” Leo informed me, closing his eyes and enjoying the luxury of the spray. I watched him for a moment, loving the way the water sluiced down his muscles and how his skin gleamed when it was wet.

  “I'm actually, really, really alright with that,” I said, opening the shower door and joining him in the steamy water.

  “I really like the way you look when you're
wet,” he said, his eyes going up and down my body.

  I raised an eyebrow at him, knowing he meant with water but enjoying the double meaning. “You are so dirty. Will you hand me the shampoo?”

  “Then you better get me clean,” he teased, handing me the shampoo.

  I quickly opened the bottle and poured some in my hair. I loved the way my shampoo smelled- floral but not girly.

  “So this is how you always smell so damn good,” Leo murmured, coming up behind me. The bare skin of his chest, legs, and groin pressing into my back. I leaned back slightly as he put his hands in my hair and started to massage my head with his fingers.

  I moaned softly, feeling any remaining stress I could possibly have leave my body. It felt so good just to be touched and taken care of. I was usually the one taking care of everyone and everything that it felt amazing to be pampered.

  “Lean your head back,” Leo coaxed, pulling my hair into the water and rinsing the suds out. He carefully cupped his hand over my head to keep any of the bubbles from straying into my eyes. “Conditioner?”

  I pointed to the corner where he had found the shampoo, unable to form sentences. Leo chuckled and added the creamy conditioner to my hair. I closed my eyes in bliss as he worked it into every strand, taking his time and making sure he did a thorough job.

  “What do you have planned for the day?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I moaned. He tipped my head under the spray of water again and started rinsing. “Well, once I send out a few emails and make sure the world isn't going to burn, nothing. After the gala and auction- I'm taking a day off.”

  “Good, you deserve a day off.” He squeezed the water out of my hair and I sighed, sad that it was done.

  “What do you have planned?” I asked, putting the shampoo bottle back in its holder.

  “I was hoping to hang out with my girlfriend.” He grinned at me.

  I froze for a moment, my heart skittering and hoping. “Am I your girlfriend?” All my teenage dreams depended on his answer.

  “Would you like to be?” Leo flashed me his confident, bad boy billionaire smile that made all this business deals fall into place.