Aria

I feel drunk. Drunk on everything Leo. As much as I enjoy having control, I allow Leo to take the lead. I can't stop myself from drowning in the way he touches me. Gently. Perfectly. When we're both spent, he rolls over beside me and runs a hand through his sweaty hair. I glance at him, admiring his flushed cheeks and the glisten of sweat across his chest as it rises and falls at a rapid pace.

"You're getting better at this," I tease, playfully flicking his nose.

Leo grabs my wrist and presses my knuckles to his lips, letting them linger there for a moment before he intertwines his fingers with mine. "Well," he replies, not ashamed in any way about what I've said. "I have a great teacher."

I don't feel embarrassed about telling Leo what I want and how I want it, but for some reason, my already-flushed cheeks turn a couple of degrees hotter.

He chuckles, slipping his free arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. To me, it's still surreal, having a boyfriend that treats me as an equal. That is living, breathing proof there are still good men out there. What I love most about Leo is that he knows I can handle myself. He knows the fine line between offering help when I need it and when I don't. That being said, he's also extremely supportive and doesn't dismiss someone's decision unless he catches any hit of negativity that could potentially come. And, on top of that, he considers every aspect of his decisions and what effect they will have on the people surrounding him. I could write a book about the things I love about him, about why I love this dynamic relationship between the two of us.

The day we met, that rainy, gross day where I almost hit him with the rental vehicle, I hadn't thought twice about a potential relationship with him, let alone ever seeing him again. I had wanted answers to the questions that had been swirling in the back of my mind. I had wanted to know why he didn't know who I was or why he didn't rush over to me like some men do and beg for my autograph. I had wanted to know if he was okay after learning what happened to his dad. I laid my concerns anywhere else but in the possibility of having a relationship with him, and I think it's the best unintentional decision I've ever made. If I had thought about it, I would have continuously been questioning his actions. I would have continuously been in self-defence mode. After all these years of being a hockey player, there have been many situations where men have tried to get together with me simply because I'm famous and make a fair amount of money. A fair amount, but not nearly as much as male players do. 

"What are you thinking about?" Leo asks, interrupting my thoughts. 

"The day we met," I reply, my cheeks turning pink again. "I'm, uh, sorry I snapped at you."

I'm certain that Leo is unaware that he's running his fingers through my hair in a repetitive motion, but it doesn't bother me. It reminds me of how sweet he is, how lucky I am to have him next to me. "It's fine," he replies. "We were both snippy with each other. Can I ask you one question, though?"

"Sure," I reply.

"Why were you speeding that day?" he asks.

When I glance at him, I don't fail to notice the hint of a smirk on his lips. It intimidates me a little. While Leo had a reason to be in that area, a sentimental, heartfelt reason to be there, I was simply speeding to get back in time for Benn's fundraising event. I had already been late due to my own tardiness. After the appointment with Tenille and Kit that day, I sat in the rental car for twenty minutes, scrolling through my Instagram and other social media sites just for the heck of it. It was my fault I was late getting home. It was entirely my fault that Leo almost faced the same fate as his dad. It was a selfish moment that I am forever going to be ashamed of. I should have left immediately. 

"I, um," I say, tracing his chest with the tips of my fingers. "I was late for Benn's fundraising event. We were supposed to go out for dinner and drinks before we actually went to the event, but after I went to the appointment with Tenille and Kit about the party, I sat in my car for a while to kill some time. It was stupid and selfish, but I was extremely nervous about my speech that night and I didn't want to go. I knew I had to, but I didn't want to. It was stupid of me. I'm so sorry I almost hit you, Leo." I pause, biting my lip. "But, in a sense, it was kind of a good thing we met each other under such drastic circumstances, right? As soon as you walked into the shop the next day, we couldn't deny the connection between us. I...as stupid as this sounds, I think it's kind of had a hand in what led us to this relationship."

Leo stays silent for several seconds and I begin to wonder if I've made him think differently of me. I was acting irrationally that day due to my own mistakes, and I snapped on Leo, who was a complete stranger at the time. 

"You know what?" he finally asks, letting his head fall to the side so he's looking directly at me. In the soft glow of the lamp, Leo's features look softer, making him look even younger than eighteen. I want to reach out and caress the softness of his jawline, the stubble on his face. I want to touch his lashes. 

"What?" I whisper.

"You don't need to apologize for anything. Everyone has a bad day, and you're allowed to feel the negativity of that. What matters is that you were paying attention to your surroundings and you managed to not turn me into roadkill."

I'm surprised by how light and airy his tone is when he mentions "roadkill." Leo's always been very touchy when it comes to talking about the accident. I mean, he'll still discuss it, but you can visibly see the emotion on his face and he never jokes about it. 

As if he can pick up on my questioning thoughts, Leo continues on, his gaze still locked with mine. "I think doing this bucket list is helping me come to terms with everything that's happened. I know I never met my dad, but that's, essentially, what the hardest part has been. Not the accident, not seeing my mom cry on the anniversary of his death, and certainly not growing up without a father figure aside from my grandpa. I know, it sounds strange, but not meeting him is terrible. The first night I met your parents and you introduced me to them, on the streets of The Village, I was so pissed at you for acting embarrassed. I would have given anything to have my dad wrap his arm around me and embarrass me in front of a friend and a potential lover. I would have given anything to be with my mom and dad, and maybe a sibling or two. I don't know how different things would be if my dad had survived the accident." He pauses and sighs, running a hand through his sweaty hair. "It's hard to explain the emotions involved in this, Aria. All I can say is that it's hard to not meet someone you love."

His words knock the breath from my lungs. I also feel a twinge of guilt. As much as I love my dad, I've always been mortified by his cheesy ways and relentless teasing. Now, in a matter of seconds, Leo has managed to change my perspective on the whole thing. I can't imagine life without my dad or Jax. If dad had passed away before I was born...Christ. The more I think about it, the more unstable my emotions become; the more my eyes begin to burn and the more my hearts bleeds for Leo. 

"Hey," Leos says softly. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me flush against his body until my head is resting on his chest. "Hey, hey. It's okay. I didn't mean to offend you or anything like that, Aria. I'm sorry."

I gently swat at his chest, sniffling. "I'm not offended. I mean, yes, I can understand where you're coming from, why you were pissed at me. And now, as soon as I get home, I'm going to apologize to my dad for all those times I got mad at him for embarrassing me or calling me his little girl. But that's not why I'm crying. I just...fuck, Leo. I...I wish I had the power to bring him back so you could meet him. So I could meet him. So your mom could have her true love back."

"So do I," he whispers. "But you can't change the past, Aria. My family and I are broken in many ways, but we've done the best we can to pick up the pieces and make the best out of it. This bucket list, Mom being back in Whistler, both us getting out of bed in the morning and making something out of our days are all steps forward in the right direction. From all the stories I've heard about my dad, I know it's what he would have wanted for us. As much as I wish I could meet him, I feel closer to him than ever. And I'm so grateful that you've joined me on this journey. Memories hold so much more meaning when you have someone to create them with."

"Christ," I sniffle, smiling against his chest. "What you're saying sounds like some kind of goodbye speech."

Surprisingly, I feel Leo's muscles tense beneath my body. Concerned, I pull away and look up at him. "What?" I ask, noticing just how uncomfortable he looks. "What's wrong?"

Leo's eyes, those beautifully stunning eyes with the patch of brown, search mine. He's got a worried look on his face, lips pressed into a flat line.

I'm not sure I like this look on Leo's face. He's usually calm, cool, and collected. He normally doesn't fret over things until he knows the full details. 

"Leo?" I ask. 

Without breaking our gaze, he reaches up and cups my face with one hand, trailing his thumb along my cheekbone. "Aria," he says softly. "What happens when this summer is over?" A crease forms between his brows as his eyes search my face. I don't like how he's taking his sweet time looking over me. It makes me think he's trying to memorize what I look like, engraving it into his brain. "What happens to us? We're going to be on opposite ends of the country. How are we going to make this work?"

I blink at him, shocked that he'd bring something like this up post-sex and when we're lying in bed, naked and together. To be entirely honest, I've thought about this situation, too. I know that once this summer ends, our lives will have to continue on. Leo is only eighteen and he's in line for a big spot on the golf team in Halifax. He wants his education. He wants to play golf as his dad did. And I have a major hockey season coming up, as well as a spot on the Olympic team. We're going to see very little of each other after this summer ends. 

But that doesn't mean we can't make it work. When you love someone, you're supposed to put in the effort to keep your relationship afloat. You can't just give up on the person you love because the situation isn't ideal. Great relationships aren't great because they have no problems. They're great because both people care enough about the other person to find a way to make it work.

"That doesn't matter," I reply. "We can make it work."

A pained look crosses his face, one that makes my heart drop. "Aria..."

I hold up my hand. "Don't go there, Leo. When the time comes, we can discuss it. Let's not ruin tonight, okay? We still have a month. We have the rest of the bucket list. We have Kit and Tenille's wedding."

"Aria," he repeats, propping himself up on his elbows. "We need to talk about this. If we leave it until last minute, we're not going to know what to do and things aren't going to turn out well. That's exactly what my dad did and I don't want to make the same mistake. Not with you."

While I can see why Leo would be concerned about the future of our relationship, I'm not entirely pleased with the fact that he's even concerned about it. I thought things were going just fine between us. "Point taken," I reply. "Your dad did make a mistake, but so did your mom. She could have easily called your dad or messaged him on some social website. That aside, need I remind you that your dad also fought to win your mom make and make amends for his mistakes. Isn't that proof enough that, despite the rockiness of some aspects of having a relationship, you simply come out stronger in the end?"

Leo throws one hand up in the air. "They knew each other for years! We've known each other for not even a fraction of that time. We were strangers."

"So, what," I demand, my brows furrowing together. "Is this just some kind of summer fling, Leo? Some summer fling with a stranger? Because that's certainly not what I thought, seeing as I taught you what my body wants. Seeing as I just let you fuck me. Seeing as we've spent almost every day together."

Leo blanches but he keeps his argument going. "That's not at all what I meant. Don't try and pin this on me."

"I'm not pinning it on you," I say, sitting up. A cold breeze tickles my skin as the blankets fall from around my shoulders. "What I am saying is that you need to sort yourself out and get your head out of your ass, Leo. If you love me as much as your body shows me you do, if you love me as much as you did that day at the cliffs, then you shouldn't be worried about anything. Because true love, just like with my parents, always finds its way back." I shove the covers back and sit up, gathering my dress and shoes from the floor. I can feel Leo's eyes watching every move I make, but it doesn't bother me. I'm not trying to be seductive. I'm trying to get the hell out of here so I can cry in peace. What Leo's just said, the questions he's caused to pop up in my head, have hurt me. I know he probably didn't mean to. I know what he's said holds some truth. We will need to talk about what we're going to do. 

Once I'm dressed, shoes in hand, I turn to Leo. He looks so young and innocent and handsome in this light, so much so that my heart inevitably aches for him. But I don't allow myself to give in to these feelings. He's made the mistake here and he needs to realize it. 

"Leo," I say, levelling my gaze with his. "I think the real question you need to ask yourself is do you want this relationship to continue? Do you want this to work? Because I do. I'm ready to put in the effort. Just like my mom and dad did when they got past certain boundaries. And until you've figured out an answer, I think we need some space."

"Aria," he pleads. 

I shake my head. "No, Leo. This is on you. I understand everything you've said. But the fact that you're questioning this concerns me. So, as I said, figure out an answer. I was not put on this planet to be someone's love toy or help them gain experience. I want to love someone who adores me, who brings out the best in me, and who makes me want to be a better person." 

Before Leo can respond, I exit the bedroom portion of the trailer and walk pas the small kitchen and kitchen table. It's difficult to step back out into the warm summer evening and leave him behind, but I know it's what I have to do. I love Leo. I want to spend more time with him. I want to overcome boundaries with him. But the thing about relationships is that if they're lacking the foundation of two people, they're useless. And unless he can come up with an answer, the foundation isn't going to be strong enough to hold this relationship up. 

When I'm at the bottom of the steps, the door only partially closed behind me, I pause. "Your parents were strangers once, too, Leo," my voice just loud enough for him to hear from the bedroom section of the trailer. I glance up at the billions of stars above me, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Remember that."