Coming Home(74)

And by the time the credits rolled, he couldn’t resist anymore.

Danny used the tips of his fingers to brush the hair away from her forehead before he trailed them down over her cheek, and she lifted her eyes, looking up at him. He moved in slowly, and he heard her breath catch just as the end of his nose touched hers.

And then he stopped.

Her terms. It needs to be on her terms.

“Leah,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He watched her throat bob before she murmured, “What?”

Danny lifted his chin so that their mouths were only centimeters apart before he whispered, “Can I?”

For a moment the world seemed to stop.

And then she nodded.

His mouth was on hers before she’d even finished, and she instantly leaned into him, surrendering her mouth as she allowed him to control the kiss.

He concentrated on keeping his lips gentle, parting them slightly and brushing them over hers, and she followed his lead, kissing him back with cautious reverence that made it feel like tiny flints were igniting in his veins.

It was too chaste to be dangerous, but far too sensual to be innocent.

He pulled away as soon as he felt his control slipping, and she immediately rested her head back on the pillow, exhaling shakily before she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “You’re good at that.”

Danny smiled, blinking up at the ceiling. “I think we’re good at that.”

She ran her hands up into her hair and let out a puff of breath. “I think it’s time to take you back to your car.”

Danny nodded, raking his teeth over his bottom lip. “I think you’re right.”

They both lay there, unmoving, until Leah said, “Ten more minutes of cuddles. That’s it. And then we go.”

His lip slid out from between his teeth as he smiled. “As you wish,” he said, and she whipped her head toward him.

“Did you just quote The Princess Bride?”

“I did.”

She stared at him for a second before she curled back into his side. “Fine. Twenty minutes,” she said as she rested her head on his chest, twisting the hem of his shirt between her fingers.

Danny smiled into her hair. “Twenty minutes,” he repeated, knowing that if she asked him right now, he’d give her every single minute he had left.





“Wow,” Robyn said as she fell back against Leah’s couch.

“No shit,” Holly added.

“I know.”

“I’m excited,” Robyn beamed, and Holly sighed.

“I’m nervous.”

“Well, I’m both,” Leah said, “so I guess that works.”

Holly nibbled on the side of her thumbnail. “Slow, Leah. You need to go very, very slow.”

“She knows that,” Robyn said. “Don’t be condescending.”

“I’m not being condescending, I’m being cautious. I mean, he openly admitted he’s harboring some huge secret. That’s already starting off behind the eight ball, don’t you think?”

“Okay, but at least he told her about it, even if he’s not ready to talk about it yet. If he were some kind of shady bastard, he wouldn’t have said anything.”

“Guys, stop,” Leah interrupted. “Holly, I hear what you’re saying, and I’m gonna go slow with him. It’s just…” She shook her head. “I wish I could explain it without sounding like an idiot, but there’s something about him. He’s genuine. I can feel it in my bones.”