"Probably." His gaze shifted to the open door and the hallway. "I'm not making any assumptions here. Ryan's office has a pull-out couch. I can stay there if you want this room."
As attracted to him as she was, she couldn't have sex in his brother's house. The home wasn't that big and it wasn't respectful, plus, she wasn't sure she was ready. But passing up the opportunity to be close with Leo wasn't something she wanted to do either. Kelsey took his bag from his shoulder and set it next to hers. "It would be nice to have someone warm to cuddle up with tonight."
"I'm happy to be your own personal furnace." His fingers dove into her hair, angling her head to meet his waiting lips. Kelsey breathed in his familiar scent and dug her fingers into his shirt. Surrounded by his strength and heat, she shivered as a delicious thrill raced down her spine.
With a careful nip to her lips, he raised his head. "I'm glad you're here. I like seeing you in my space."
"I'm glad I came. I can't wait to see everything."
"We should probably start with lunch."
She pressed her hand to her rumbling stomach. "Breakfast at the airport was a long time ago."
"I know I promised you a cheesesteak, but I thought we'd do that tonight with my dad and brothers. We can head to Old City now, so you can check out the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and anything else you want to see. There are a ton of cafes and restaurants there, so we can grab lunch too."
"I'm ready." She'd worn her most comfortable boots and jeans, and had layered two shirts under her coat. "Let's play tourist."
They ate lunch at a tiny restaurant tucked into a small street two blocks from Independence Hall, then visited the sites she'd wanted to see. Later, they warmed up with coffee and fresh baked macaroons at another cafe. She loved walking around the historic district, seeing the tiny cobblestone streets and architecture of buildings constructed during different eras. The city had a unique vibe and flavor that invited her in and welcomed her to stay. "I would love to live in an area like this."
"I've thought about it. I'm not sure which neighborhood I'll pick when I move home. Each one has its own personality."
Her stomach clutched at the thought of him not being in Buffalo. Surely the Bedlam would offer him another contract at the end of the season. It would give her time to show him how great her city was too.
Leo drew his phone from his coat pocket and glanced at the time. "Let's get a cab and go to the art museum. I'll get some pics of you running up the steps like Rocky."
A gust of cold air swept past, stealing her breath, and Kelsey burrowed into her coat. Eagerness to experience more of the city beat out her desire to escape the cold. "Could we walk there?"
"From here?" His arm immediately wrapped around her and he drew her against his side. Her heart fluttered as she snuggled into his warmth. "It'll take a little while, but let's do it. That way, we can walk through the courtyard at city hall, and through Love Park, and up along the parkway to the museum. There are other museums by the art museum, and if you want, we can check them out tomorrow. My favorites as a kid were the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute. But there's a lot more that we can do tomorrow too. We'll have my family with us then and my brothers always have some good ideas."
Block after block, they walked hand in hand, passing a wide variety of shops, hotels, businesses, and houses. She loved how trees and flags lined the parkway and how the art museum sat at the end, waiting to welcome them.
When they reached the base of the steps, Leo held up his phone. "I'll take some pics of you running up them and a video if you want."
"Okay. I'm ready." She adjusted her hat and, feeling a little silly, jogged up the steps. On the opposite side of the wide expanse of steps, a few other people were doing it too. When she reached the top, she turned and pumped her arms in the air, recreating the scene from Rocky. She had a great view of the parkway and city hall at the end. The Philadelphia skyline was a lot bigger than the buildings that made up Buffalo's downtown. She needed to come back and explore a lot more.
After a moment, Leo took the steps easily, three at a time, and joined her at the top. "Almost everyone I know who grew up here has run these steps at least once."
"Have you?"
"I was ten years old the first time I did it. My mom took Xavier and me here while my dad went to Shane's soccer game. Ry wasn't born yet. We drove her crazy running up and down the steps. Then when we got inside, all we wanted to do was see the armor exhibit and eat lunch. Xavier was four. He got in trouble with security for touching furniture in one of the exhibits. Mom swore she wouldn't take us back until we were older and could appreciate it." His smile was bittersweet. "We never did get that chance. She was diagnosed with breast cancer soon after Ryan was born and she died two years later."
Her heart broke for him. Kelsey rubbed his back, desperate to soothe a wound that was still sore. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how hard that must have been on you and your dad and brothers."
"We had a lot of family nearby. They helped us a lot." Blowing out a sigh, he rolled his shoulders as though to collect himself and lock that pain away. He traced his finger along her cheek and his gray eyes warmed. "The sun's beginning to set.
