Loving the CEO (Whitley Brothers #7)

Chapter Eighteen

Tory

Over the next few weeks, I realized why Leo ran the most successful real estate company in the country. He'd sent me incredible apartment listings in the neighborhood that were decently priced.

In the end, I decided on a one-bedroom apartment three streets away. I’d signed the contract yesterday, and Leo was getting me the keys today.

I was beyond excited. I'd chosen this particular apartment because at least it had some furniture. Granted, the rent was higher, but it was still worth it. At least I didn't have to buy a bed, dresser, couch, or dining room table. The living room was sparsely decorated, and everything was in shades of black, but it was a start.

Step by step. That's what I told myself every day so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.

Around lunch, I took a break from work. I’d chosen to stay in my bedroom today. It was my last day at Leo’s, and I wanted to soak it all in.

And that’s when my mind started to wander. Was it smart to live so close to him? It made perfect sense right now, but what if things turned weird down the road?

I shook my head. It was no good thinking about that .

The whole point of starting over was to do things differently than before, which was why I was now opening the first page of the glitzy gold journal I’d just bought. I simply wrote down Resolutions . I couldn't very well put New Year's Resolution , since it wasn’t the New Year. I was tempted to put Single Resolutions , but that felt a bit odd because of Leo.

I smiled and felt myself blush. Then I put the pen down and buried my face in my hands. The man was absolutely incredible. Part of me wondered if sex with him was so amazing because I knew him so well. I allowed myself to be carefree with him.

But no, that couldn’t be it. Walter and I had been together for years, and I never felt as special or satisfied as I did with Leo.

But did it even matter why it was so delicious? We were both having the time of our lives. And I was determined not to think how that could impact our friendship long term.

Opening my eyes, I started on my list again.

1. No overthinking

2. No manifesting/visualizing the future

That had backfired so damn badly, it wasn't even funny.

3. Jump Leo’s bones whenever I have the chance

I was doing that anyway, but it was a worthy goal. I liked seeing it in writing. It made it more official.

Closing my journal, I scarfed down lunch before going back to work, but who was I kidding? I was too excited about moving to be able to focus.

I kept checking my texts, too, to see if Leo wrote anything. At 5:40 p.m., he finally texted me.

Leo: I just left the office. I'll be at your apartment in 20 minutes.

Tory: Perfect. I'll walk over there too.

Leo: You sure you don't want me to pick you up ?

Tory: Thanks, but I want to stretch my legs a bit.

I had a lot of pent-up energy—not that walking the few blocks would help me get rid of it. But it was a very nice evening, and the temperature was pleasant. Many of the trees had bloomed down the street, and it smelled incredible. I couldn't tell one tree from the other, but I appreciated them nonetheless.

I walked leisurely, wondering how this was my life now. I'd never thought I'd be back in Boston, not in a million years. I also never thought Leo and I would be anything more than friends, but lately, life was determined to surprise me. I was starting to enjoy it.

I wanted to tell my mom about my plans when I was in NOLA, but I didn’t want her to try to persuade me one way or the other. For once I wished she’d just let me live my life and not worry that what happened with her and Dad will also happen to me. I wasn’t even sure if she truly liked Walter, but the fact that he came from a “good” family with a lot of money was enough for her. I wished she understood that other things were far more important.

When I arrived, Leo's car was already in the driveway. He was just turning off the engine.

Stepping out, he dangled the keys in front of me. “The apartment is officially yours.”

I barely kept myself from jumping up and down with joy. That was a bit childish, after all.

"Let's go up," he said.

The place was spotless, so I could move in right away. I'd packed all my stuff after we came back from seeing it yesterday—yeah, I was really hoping this was going to work out—so we just had to bring the bags over from Leo’s. The building was fairly new, which I liked. While I adored old buildings, I'd lived in enough of them in New Orleans to know that repairs were necessary all the time .

Leo put a hand on the small of my back as we went up the staircase. I lived on the second floor. Since we didn't have the bags, there was no need to bother with the elevator.

"I'm so excited," I confessed.

"I can feel it. It's like your entire body is vibrating," he said.

He kept touching me while I unlocked the door and pushed it open. Once I turned on the light, I spun around and smiled at Leo.

"Welcome home to me! I know it’s silly because we were here yesterday, but today it feels like mine, you know?"

"You’re adorable. How can you be so excited?"

I shrugged. "It feels like I’m finally moving on. I can start decorating it just the way I want to."

He frowned. "You could have brought whatever you wanted at the house too."

"Don't be silly. It would totally have cramped your style."

He walked closer, surprising me by putting his arm around my waist and bringing his mouth to my ear. "No, it fucking wouldn't. I mean it. If you want to have something at the house, just tell me and it’s yours."

Oh, this man! He was saying all the right things.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I might come use that amazing treadmill of yours." I wrinkled my nose. "I don't like running on the pavement."

"It's better for your joints to run on the treadmill. Besides, I can make sure you don't have any muscle cramps afterward. Massage them out—and everything else too." He bounced his eyebrows.

"How very thoughtful of you," I teased, then started looking around my new place. "I need to start making some friends in Boston."

"You feel lonely?" Leo asked.

“Not exactly, considering a certain sexy realtor is filling up my nights. But I miss socializing. I talk to Debbie daily, and we message back and forth like crazy, but it's not the same. But I have some ideas. I might join some theater improv group or something."

Leo tilted his head. "My grandmother would love that. Maybe she could give you some tips. I’m sure she still has connections even though she retired from acting a long time ago. And you can always take up the girls on their offer. They’d love to hang out with you."

I moved farther into the living room. Leo was right next to me, one arm around my back as if he couldn't bear to be in the same room with me and not touch me.

I looked at him over my shoulder. "And you wouldn't mind, even now?"

"Of course not. Wait, what do you mean, even now?"

"Things were awkward enough when I was a runaway bride living with you. But now that we're... you know..."

"I'd like to hear you say it," he teased.

I turned around. "Now that we're having fun under the sheets."

He lowered his hand to my ass. "Come on, Tory. You can do better."

"Now that we're sleeping together. And no, you can’t make me say it even dirtier.”

“Fair enough.”

“I don't know. Will things be even weirder? What would I even tell them?"

"What would make you comfortable?" he asked.

"I'm not even sure."

I scrutinized him for signs of whether this bothered him or not, but then I realized it was useless. I couldn’t read Leo as well as I’d thought—I'd never picked up on the fact that he’d wanted me in his bed long before now, after all. Odd how fresh I was out of an almost-marriage, yet I wasn’t afraid of what Leo and I could have together. The possibility of a future excited me. How could that be ?

"Then let's just play it by ear," he said.

"So, do I call them up out of nowhere?”

"Leave it to me."

"Why?"

"Because it's going to be easier."

"Thanks.” I sighed. “Starting over is not easy."

Leo's gaze darkened. He moved his hand up from my ass back to my waist. "Do you miss him?"

"Hell no!" I exclaimed. "That's not what I meant when I said it's difficult. It's all the rest that's a bit weird. Changing cities when you're in college or fresh out of it is somehow way easier than starting anew later in life."

"Well, you know what? You're in luck. When we met in college, it was just me, Nick, and Maddox. But now you can add, like, fifty more Whitleys to the mix." He pushed my hair out of my eyes. "When do you want to move in?"

"Hello? Tonight," I said.

He jerked his head back slightly. "You already packed?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yes, after we got home last night. I figured there's no reason to postpone things. I’ve been procrastinating like a queen with the unpacking anyway, so I didn't have a lot to pack."

He swallowed hard. "Then it would have made more sense for me to pick you up from home with the bags."

I spun around a few times, waving my arms. "I was too excited to get my keys to think straight. But luckily, a certain sexy realtor convinced me to only move a few blocks away."

"I'm such a genius. It takes all of three minutes to drive from one place to the other, ten to walk."

"You checked the distance?”

He grinned. “Hell yes! "

“That’s oddly endearing.” I placed my lips straight over his, then kissed down his chin and went to my favorite place: his Adam's apple. He sucked in a deep breath as I teased it with my mouth. Then I buried my face in his neck, and he wrapped his arms around me.

I’d never felt as safe as in this moment—this loved—not even one day in my life. How was that even possible? And how was I going to fare once things between Leo and I went back to friendship? I knew he wasn't the type to settle down.

So why even think about it? said a voice in the back of my head.

The truth was, I couldn't help myself.

"Let's go back to the house. I'll make you dinner and then bring you over with your luggage."

I raised a brow. "You found me this place, and now you want to cook dinner? You’re definitely trying to seduce me tonight."

He looked down at me and wiggled his eyebrows. "Of course. After all, we need to christen the bed, don't we?"

I smirked. "Yes, we do."

***

Leo

It was late by the time I left Tory’s apartment that night. On the way home, I texted Meredith.

Leo: Call me when you can talk. I need to ask you for a favor.

I liked all of my brothers' girls, but Meredith and I were closest. Possibly because she took a liking to me after I found her and Cade the house of their dreams. He'd even proposed there.

I'd been shell-shocked but happy for them. Even though I’d tried hard, I couldn't put myself in his shoes. I couldn't understand how he'd met Meredith and decided to spend the rest of his life with her in the span of a few months. I didn’t even know how he decided to move in with her.

Bizarrely, I was now starting to figure out where he was coming from.

Meredith called as I entered my house. "Hello, hello. What can I do for you? Is it about your houseguest?”

"The favor has to do with her, but she’s not living here anymore.”

Meredith gasped. "She left already? But we didn't even get to hang out with her."

"No, she didn’t leave. She actually decided to stay in Boston for good and got a place of her own."

"Mm-hmm."

Was it my imagination, or did she sound disappointed?

"All right, so how can I help?" she asked.

I paced the kitchen up and down. "She’s a bit lonely.”

“Ohhh, I’m on it. I figured she’d call after the brunch, but I think we might have overwhelmed her that day.”

"She had a lot on her mind back then."

"And now she doesn't anymore?"

"Starting over is rough" was all I said.

"But why did she move out so quickly? We figured that if she stayed longer, then you would..."

I closed my eyes. "Cade told you?"

"To his credit, he didn't, actually. He was talking on the phone with Nick, and I put two and two together."

I groaned. "Who else in the family put two and two together?"

"Jeannie might have informed everyone that she's hoping you and Tory will be an item.”

"This is just Gran, right? "

"You're taking it remarkably well. I thought you might be more pissed."

How could I be pissed when once again Gran was 100 percent spot-on? Of course I couldn't live with Tory and keep things platonic. I had no idea why I thought I ever could. I prided myself on my excellent self-restraint, but even I had limits.

"Okay, listen, I have another favor to ask," I said.

"Do tell."

"Since Tory moved into a new place, she needs some stuff."

"All right."

"I might have already gone overboard with her housewarming gift, so I can't buy more things for her." I planned to carry the gift over to her place tomorrow.

She sighed. "Oh, Leo."

"But she needs some stuff.”

"And you happen to know what those things are?"

"Yeah. I took a look at her Amazon wish list. I can send you some links. But—”

"Yes?"

"Don't buy exactly the stuff that's on the links, okay?"

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because she's going to catch on that I shared the wish list."

"Oh, you want us to be stealthy? We'll try, but I'm not sure it's going to work."

I didn't really think it would, either, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Tory would have all the things she needed.

"Roger that. Don't worry about anything, Leo."

"I wish she hadn't moved out." The second the words were out of my mouth, I groaned inwardly. Fucking hell, why did I have to say it out loud? It was true, but Meredith didn't need to hear it .

"Did you tell her that?" she asked.

"No. She wants to start with a clean slate. Everyone needs to have their own space."

"You don't sound happy about it at all."

I exhaled sharply but didn't reply. "Can you not broadcast this to the family?" I said instead.

"Of course, Leo. You know I don't blab."

That was true, but things had a way of making the rounds in our family.

"Can I ask you something?" she went on.

"No, because I know where this is going."

"Okay. Then let’s do this. Since you got mad at Nick, if you need someone to talk to, you can always call me."

"I didn't get mad at Nick. We just bust each other's balls. We do that all the time. But thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it. Also, what the hell would I even say to Nick? We don't talk about stuff like that.”

"All right, I'll keep you posted. Send me all the links tonight, okay?"

"Thanks, Meredith."

"You're welcome."

I was going to take care of my woman one way or another.