Free Anarchy of the Heart by Max Sebastian Page B

apart from Caitlyn.
    "Sofia and I have chosen a very nice little
place where we can go for a few drinks, and then we'll see how
everything went - and we can go from there." 
    Leo felt a little queasy as he saw Caitlyn
place her hand in Marco's, look up at the Spaniard with a glimmer
of pure delight in her eyes, and then look round to give Sofia and
himself a final parting smile. 
    Then his fiancée and her brand new
friend-with-benefits were walking casually away down the street.
Leo thought she already appeared very relaxed with the other man,
their conversation seeming easy as they departed.
    He loved to see Caitlyn happy like that, but
how strange it was to see her disappearing with a man with the
express intent of bedding him that very night.
    "It is strange to see them go, no?" Leo heard
Sofia's voice before he saw her step beside him. There was a kind
of dreamy quality to her dulcet French soprano, which somehow
seemed to both calm Leo and also lull him into a strange state of
euphoria.
    "Very strange," he said softly.
    Before Marco and Caitlyn disappeared around
the street corner, their audience saw the Spaniard do
something that made the brunette jump, let out a short sharp yelp
and then fall against him, laughing, draping her hands and arms
over him as they walked. Perhaps he had pinched her butt or
something to that effect, or said something to tease her. 
    They looked very natural together, Leo
thought. Much more natural than he felt standing with Sofia.
    "They seem good together."
    "Yes, don't they?" Sofia said. 
    Then Marco and Caitlyn turned, and were
gone.
    Leo felt Sofia take his hand, her fingers so
light and soft around his, cool in the evening air. She said: "Are
you okay, Leo?"
    He turned to look at her, taking a deep
breath that was accented by her perfume and the earthy smells of
the street. 
    "I'm fine," he said, affecting a smile he
feared she might not think entirely convincing.
    But she simply smiled in return, and the
sight was truly dazzling, even in the shaded street. "I know how
you're feeling, Leo," she said softly. "I've felt that way myself.
Even now."
    "Even now?"
    She shrugged, "Even now, yes, a little.
Nervous, excited, hopeful, afraid."
    "Do you think we're going to be as good
together as they are?" he asked.
    Sofia looked him over for a brief moment,
making him wonder what she thought of him. She grinned, "I think we
are definitely going to be just as good together."
    Leo said: "In your experience, what's the
best way to handle all this?"
    She paused, considering. Said: "In my
experience, the best thing you can do is to relax, be yourself, and
never keep anything hidden. Always be completely open and honest.
If you can't do this, it's no problem."
    He nodded, breathing deeply. He said: "In
that case, would you be offended if I said I find you a little
intimidating, Sofia?"
    "Intimidating? Me?" she inhaled. "But I'm so
small compared to you!"
    "Because you're stunning," he said. "You're
very beautiful."
    He could see Sofia melt a little, tilting her
head as she looked at him, perhaps seeing him in a new light now
that he was on his own, away from Caitlyn, outside the public
sphere of their group of four.
    Then she stepped forward, reached her arms up
behind his neck, and kissed him. 
    Oh my God.
    She tasted of sugar and rosé wine, she
smelled of apricots and soft blazing sunshine. She was pretty as a
picture in a magazine, and her plans for the evening were pure
seduction.
    How on Earth had he gotten himself into
this?
    "You shouldn't feel intimidated by anyone,"
she whispered into his ear.  
     
*
     
    After that kiss, Leo felt a little better,
some of the tension between them dissipating, though none of the
extraordinary sense of anticipation for what they were doing.
    Sofia took his hand in hers and they walked
in the opposite direction from Caitlyn and Marco, over towards the
port of Old Nice.
    "You and Caitlyn are only the third couple
we've ever been with," she was saying,