Because I Love You Read Online Free

style could put people off, but he found her wickedly funny and her sharp wit kept him on his toes. Now he just had to convince her that throwing in dinner at a nice place, or an occasional bout of hot sex, would be good for both of them.
    â€œSure. I’ll think about it.” That was the last thing she said until he settled her into a taxi. “Thank you, Tristan. For, um, being a gentleman.”
    â€œYou’re welcome.”
    He closed the door of the car and waved to her. A weak smile broke through the stoniness of her face. Lo and behold, the smile was lovely and sweet.
    Tris got the sense that Leah’s edginess wasn’t so much arrogance. Something told him there was a story behind it, a wound that went deep. He didn’t know why she struck him that way—the woman was formidable—however something in the green-gold depths of Leah’s eyes told him she’d suffered a world of hurt, but she hadn’t shared it with him.
Yet
.
    It made him wonder about her, made him think. Friends. Right. It was time he started learning more about his friend. He had a mystery to solve.

Chapter Two
    She was late. She was so damn late. Normally she should have been able to get out of the city without a problem, but the tunnel was closed, so she had to go downtown, over the Manhattan Bridge, and weave her way through Brooklyn and Queens.
    She’d bought the car when her mother was going through chemo so she could make frequent trips to Long Island without worrying about train schedules and cabs. In truth, having a car in the city was an expensive pain in the ass, even though in her case it was necessary. As soon as she was sure Mom was better, she’d sell it and cut her losses.
    It was another full family gathering, including her brother and his now obviously pregnant bride, her sister, her parents, grandparents, Sally . . . Jesus. Leah didn’t know how she was going to explain herself except to say she overslept. Which wasn’t a lie, but it wouldn’t wash with her father, who’d been up since five.
    Ever since her mother’s cancer diagnosis, her father was far less forgiving regarding anything that might make her mother tense or unhappy. Leah’s “attitude,” as he called it, was something he brought to her attention at every turn. She loved Da more than life, but he was a stubborn Scot and he loved her mother beyond measure. It was probably why Leah hadn’t settled down. How was she ever going to find love like her parents’? She thought she had, once, but she’d discovered that kind of connection was a rare jewel.
    It was unlikely Leah would ever find it. Especially with her
attitude
. Da said it like she was a fucking teenager. Drawing a deep breath, Leah tried to focus on her mother. She had to calm down, she wouldn’t do herself any favors if she walked in ready for a fight.
    It was a really nice day, even though it was cold. The sun was bright and the leaves were turning all sorts of beautiful colors. The water on the harbor rippled from the stiff breeze and made Leah glad she’d added a sweater to her outfit.
    Grill was an upscale restaurant that sat perched on the edge of Huntington Harbor. At night it served some of the best steaks on Long Island, and was the place to take someone you wanted to impress. But they were also known for their wonderful brunch, gorgeous views, and signature drinks. Leah didn’t care about signature anything. She needed food and she needed caffeine. There was a good chance if anyone annoyed her she might do violence.
    Pssht. Da would call that her
attitude.
He’d be right.
    The valet opened her door and she dashed up the front steps of the restaurant, ignoring the way his gaze drifted to her ass as she walked away from him. Normally, she’d give the kid an earful, but she just didn’t have time to tell some hormone-addled twenty-year-old to act like a gentleman.
    A gentleman
. Leah