Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 856 : A Bit of Home

*Bianca*

I was in Leo’s strong, capable arms again. Everything about him was what I wanted. I felt him everywhere. His warmth covered me, his hardness pressing into my thigh, as he gently lifted my chin and kissed me. Our lips met and a flame ignited in me.

I pressed myself against him, urging him on. He parted my lips. His fingers curled into fists in my long hair, and our tongues tangoed. Just as he was lifting me in his arms to carry me to the bed, something intruded. I could not tell what it was. A loud sound blared into the world we’d created together.

It was my alarm.

I’d forgotten to turn it off. It was not like I had anywhere to go.

Oh, but the dream–my mind wandered back to his full lips on mine and the warmth and pleasure I could have found in his arms. I stretched and closed my eyes.

I was still breathing heavily and tingling all over from the vividness of the dream. I wished I could go back to sleep and see where the fantasy led me. But I was up now and was sure I could find something more constructive to do than stay in bed and dream of a man I had just met.

There was a mystique about Leo. Oh, he was handsome and charismatic. From what I’d seen of him so far, he did not take himself too seriously. He was protective. He seemed to genuinely want to protect me. Even though I knew him as a real estate mogul, not a protector, he had an aura about him that made me think he was very capable of doing just that.

It seemed to me that there was a dangerous air about him. He was strong. His body was fit and muscular, as I noticed not only by looking at him but by the feel of him when he took me into his arms.

I liked being in his arms, feeling his solid, supple body against mine. I enjoyed talking with him, but he seemed a lot more dangerous than he should have been based on his job. I was not quite sure why that impression came to me, but instinctively I decided I’d steer clear of him if I did not know him as mostly affable and more of a protector than a killer.

Was I right about this? I did not know. All I knew was that I was far too attracted to another man I did not know well enough to grow attached to. I wanted him, yes, but I was not so good at judging men. Perhaps, I should be more cautious.

With those thoughts in mind, I went downstairs. I had hoped to run into Leo this morning while trying to get coffee and check on the courses I’d be starting in a matter of weeks. Maybe I could gauge my reaction to him again. Perhaps I was looking for trouble.

But he was not downstairs anyway. Probably for the best, I supposed.

While I sipped my coffee and read my course list and their summaries, the doorbell rang. I had no clue who that could be. It was not long before I heard familiar squealing. Someone I knew very well was running to the kitchen.

I jumped from my stool at the breakfast nook and ran in the direction the squeals came from. Then, I saw my best friend’s chocolate brown curls and happy face. We ran into each other’s arms, and I started to squeal and jump and down right along with her.

“How did you get here? Why are you here?” I asked in Italian. I tended to lose my languages when I got excited, nervous, or angry.

“Leo called the first day you got to LA and arranged for me to keep you company.”

“Really?” I asked, thinking, what a sweetheart.

“He said he knew you would not be in school for a couple of weeks and would not be able to make friends yet, so he wanted to bring a bit of home to you.”

I could not believe it. How thoughtful of him–it just made me want him more. It also made me like him more as a person.

“Where are your things?” I asked.

“The maid said she’d take them to my room. She said it was just next door to your suite. You have a suite?”

I nodded. “This is a big house for a single man.”

“Is he good to you, Bianca?” Amara asked.

“It’s not like that, Amara.”

I did not want my friend thinking I went from one man to another, but she would not think bad of me for it if I was. That was my problem, not hers.

She was a sweet and supportive friend, and I knew she would be excited for me if it was that way. Just because I wanted him more than I should did not mean it was like that for Leo, even though last night I thought he might kiss me, but no. He’d let me go when I pushed away from him.

It was not right for me to want him. It was not right for me to cling to him, not when Matteo and I had not been apart for that long, and I also was not sure of my own ability to make sound decisions where men were concerned.

And then there was the fact that I could not really read Leo that well. Was he a good man? Was he just a real estate tycoon? At first, I’d just thought Matteo was a student like me. I’d thought he was kind and gentle. He turned out to be a brute who tried to take my will away from me. Now, he was stalking me and scaring me.

No, I did not pick men well. I had proof from the phone calls and stalking.

“Where did you go?” Amara asked.

“Nowhere,” I said, smiling, hoping she’d bought it.

“Well, tell me all about your visit here so far.”

“It’s been like a dream,” I said as we walked up to her room.

“Really?” Amara asked. “Why do you say that?”

I thought about the way my life was different here. I had a lot of freedom, and it was as if all I had to do was think of something and it was provided for me. I was not used to the servants and all that stuff. I was used to cooking for myself and making my own coffee.

I thought the only reason I was able to make my own coffee this morning was because I’d gotten up a little later than normal, and I missed Leo leaving for his office. Usually, the coffee was made, but he must have taken it all before I made it downstairs.

Though the decor of the house was plain, the paintings that were there were interesting and probably expensive. Some of them were masterpieces that I did not know people actually had in their personal collections. The weather was amazing here. It was warm, but not too hot. It was like that story with the girl and the bears. It was just right.

While it was no Italy with all its art and history, LA was lovely in its own way. The sun shown all the time. The trees were different here, and the land was lovely. I walked the grounds of the mansion almost all the time.

“Do you go anywhere?” she asked.

“Not really. I do not know my way around.”

“Well, we need to change that while I’m here,” she said with a smile.

“You do not know your way around either.”

“Better to be lost together than lost alone, I say.”

I chuckled. “Who’s driving? I am certainly not braving driving here on the wrong side of the street,” I said, showing a bit of my yellow underbelly.

“Chicken,” Amara teased, and she even mock-clucked a bit at me.

“Damn right,” I agreed, laughing at her rendition of a chicken.

“So, what do you want to see first?” Amara, my very adventurous friend, asked.

I laughed at her enthusiasm. She made smile, and having her hear was one of the best gifts Leo could have given me. Seeing her lovely face and having her strong happy spirit within only a few feet of me brightened my day.

“I think Rodeo Drive is definitely on the list, but I do not have money for that kind of shopping,” I replied. “I have to make the money Uncle gave me last for the semester until I get my next allowance.”

“You worry too much,” she said. “You know your uncle will give you anything you ask for.”

“Yes, but there is no need for more. I have all I need. We can dress like very rich women and just window shop, though.”

“One thing, Bea,” Amara insisted.

It had always been this way with us, with Amara being the impulsive one. She was always ready to take a trip, look for something new, or have an adventure. Me... I was either along for the ride or only allowing us to do one thing or buy one thing that was silly and unnecessary. It was this Amara referred to now.

“One thing,” I said firmly, lifting my index finger to emphasize that I meant business.

“One thing,” she promised with a grin.

Her smile was as firm as my tone and emphasized finger. I would stick to my one thing, and she would do her best to talk me into a second. It was just our way, and it worked for us.

I laughed at her and hugged her close.

“Shopping and lunch?”

“Yes, let’s get ready and we’ll go see what this Rodeo Drive is all about,” I said, leaving her to freshen up from her flight and to go dress in the clothes I thought would be nice enough to get into the shops on Rodeo Drive.

Spending time with Amara was always a blast. Being in LA with her was almost surreal. As I dressed, I realized I had not thought about my problems, with the exception of that one time at the beginning of the day. It was so nice to see her here in my new home, to make memories with her that I could hold on to when I got lonely or just needed a piece of home, as she’d said Leo had said to her.

I pulled my hair up in a topknot with tendrils artfully curling on the sides and near my forehead. I put in my sapphire earrings my uncle had given me for my last birthday and dressed in nice navy capris, and a silk baby pink shell, and then I paired a summer navy cardigan with the capris. My baby pink walking loafers went well with my leather purse and the shell.

“Oh, you look lovely. I hate you. You do not even have to wear makeup to look so beautiful. You have that effortless chic look going with the topknot and well-matched outfit,” Amara gushed.

She could not talk. She looked lovely in khaki slacks with a maroon tunic blouse and her toupe flats.

“Ready to do the town?” Amara asked, all brimming with excitement and giddy. She reminded me of the little cartoon puppy dancing and jumping around the huge bulldog.

I remembered how that story went and smiled to myself. Yes, it was the little puppy that turned out to be the hero, and eventually, it was the big bulldog that ended up excited and hopping around the pup in the end.

“Sure, I’m ready.”

“We’re going to have so much fun!” Amara enthused.

I laughed wrapping my arm with hers as some of her giddy excitement rubbed off on me.

“Yes,” I agreed.