Bared Souls - Ellie Wade Page 0,73

nods toward my bed, which is covered in fancy white pastry boxes.

On the bedside table is one of the most beautiful bouquets I’ve ever seen. It’s a wild and artsy arrangement of purples and pinks—daisies, tulips, roses, lilies, and sweet peas. In front of the bouquet, leaning against the square vase, is a letter with my name on it.

I snatch it up and open the envelope. There’s a handwritten note inside.

Alma,

The first time I saw you was in Giovanni’s. You came barreling into me while looking at your phone. I was so taken aback because when your body connected with mine, I felt this chemistry between us. You were wearing jean shorts and a baggy T-shirt. Your hair was up in a messy ponytail, strands falling, framing your face. You were clumsy and awkward, a little sweaty, and by far, you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I was immediately terrified of you and the power I knew you’d hold over my heart. After you apologized and went stumbling toward the restroom, I left without waiting for my food because I couldn’t deal with seeing you again. From that initial moment, I knew you were special, and I was sure we’d be amazing together. But I also knew me, and I couldn’t risk it.

An instant connection like ours isn’t something most people find in their lifetimes. Yet we had it. Destiny isn’t something I buy into, but you make me want to believe. From the first second I saw you, I wanted to believe in more.

I’ve seen you, all of you, from the beginning. I miss you more than I can convey. My soul aches when I’m apart from you. I’m far from perfect, but I want to try for you. I want to be a man who deserves to be loved by you.

Enjoy your dinner. I sent every dessert on the menu on account of your sweet tooth. ;-)

I love you forever.

Leo

I look up from the note in my hand, tears in my eyes.

“It’s from him, isn’t it?” Quinn sighs.

I nod, running my fingertips over the flowers.

“He’s a smooth talker, Alma. Don’t fall for it. You can’t change him. Remember that.”

I look to her with pained eyes. “I know,” I say.

But I know him. She doesn’t. She can’t possibly understand.

“Have dinner with me?” I grin awkwardly before scrunching up my nose.

She claps her hands together. “I thought you’d never ask!”

Quinn and I sample all of the dishes until we can’t eat another bite. Then, we taste all of the desserts until our stomachs are round with food babies and we have the sugar sweats.

“He did it. He killed us. That was his evil plan all along,” Quinn groans from her bed, holding her stomach.

“It’s pretty cool that he didn’t even eat with us that first day, but he ordered everything we ate. That dinner with you and Amos the day I moved in seems like forever ago. And that mushroom risotto is still one of the best things I’ve ever tried.”

“Yeah, well, he had half the menu delivered, so it was probably luck. And I’m not going to lie; the guy has good taste. Everything that he puts effort into, he excels at. I’m not surprised he ordered all of our favorites.”

He does have good taste. I’m not going to dispute her there.

“Can you pass the tiramisu?” I groan, extending my hand between our beds.

“You can’t possibly eat any more.” She chuckles.

“Just one more bite.”

After the servers come to retrieve the table setup and dishes, I pull out my phone and send Leo a two-worded text.

Thank you.

The next day, I come home after tutoring to another enormous and incredibly gorgeous flower bouquet and a gift basket filled with candy and at least a dozen envelopes. I read the hand-addressed envelope first.

Alma,

The second time I saw you was the same night after Giovanni’s. You had swapped out your baggy T-shirt for a tight black tank top and showed up at the frat house with Quinn. You were ridiculously out of place, which I loved, and even more beautiful, which I hated. I adored that the party life wasn’t your style because as much as I was a slave to it, I hated it. Your innocence was refreshing and drew me in more.

I wanted to scare you away. I wanted you to hate me. You were the light to my dark, the good to my evil, the pure to my tainted soul. You were everything that I wanted but