by Debora Ryan
He must have stood at the door staring for too long. Leah stammered uncertainly. “I should have called. I’m sorry.”
She turned around to leave and before he had time to think about it, his hand shot out and he wrapped his fingers around her arm. She turned back to him questioningly. Amazingly, he found his voice. It cracked a little when he spoke, but at least the words came out. “No, it’s all right. I don’t mind. Come in.”
He closed the door tightly behind him and engaged all of the locks, something he’d never done before. It might buy him some time if she tried to flee before he had a chance to say his piece.
* * * *
Leah looked around curiously. Something had changed since she was last there, and it wasn’t the slow song emanating from strategically-placed hidden speakers. Boxes and papers littered the countertops in the kitchen, take-out containers and wrappers scattered among them. Then her gaze lit on the pile of suitcases in the corner of the room and the empty cases of alcohol next to them. She turned to study Will. Before tonight, every time she saw him, he had been impeccably dressed. Even his pajamas sported the stamp of approval from some designer or another. Now he wore a plain white T-shirt, which made him appear that much darker, and nondescript grey sweatpants unevenly cut off at the knee.
In those simple clothes, he appeared much more vulnerable and human. Or was it that she had changed?
“You’re leaving?”
He nodded. “Sunday. I go back to work a week from Monday. I thought I’d give myself some time to settle back in.” Will lifted the bottle in his hand. “Would you like a drink?”
Leah eyed the beer warily. She had been about to refuse when he added, “I have tea.”
“Sure.”
Will went into the kitchen to heat some water in the microwave. Even though the August days had been unseasonably cool and the nights downright cold, Leah was suddenly too warm. She removed the jacket of her suit and draped it over the back of one of the heavy oak chairs at the formal dining table before following Will into the kitchen.
Will gathered empty containers and began dropping them into the trash. Leah picked up one from the far side of the island and brought it to him.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said as he took it from her.
Leah screwed on her courage. “I came to thank you for today. I had wondered why Dani didn’t try to get somebody to refute what you were probably going to say. Now I see that the two of you arranged this from the beginning.”
Will shook his head. “Nothing was prearranged. I didn’t say anything to Dani when she interviewed me that I didn’t say to Antonio or to your ex-boss. Repeatedly.”
“Well, thank you anyway. If by chance I don’t go to jail, it will be because of you.”
Will studied the cardboard box still in his hand. He added it to the trash. “I didn’t—”
Leah put up a hand. “I’m not finished.”
The microwave sounded. Will slid behind Leah to finish making her tea. “Lemon or mint?”
Leah considered what her breath must be like after having Italian for dinner and chose mint.
“I also want to apologize.”
Will placed the steaming-hot mug in front of Leah. “You have no reason to apologize.”
Leah looked up at him, tilting her head to see him better. “I misjudged you.”
“I gave you every reason.”
Again, she stopped him. “I’m not finished.” Leah faced her mug of tea on the island. She wrapped her hands around it for warmth and courage.
Will leaned back against the stove behind him.
“For years now, since my parents died, I’ve closed myself off. After my parents’ accident, I pushed away all of my friends. Even Anne, though thankfully, she’s too stubborn to take the hint. I thought if I didn’t let anyone else get close to me, I wouldn’t have to go through the pain of losing them. And it was working for me. I was reasonably happy until I met you.”
Leah traced the patterns in the cold, grey-streaked marble countertop with her fingertip. “I think I left you that night in the bar as much out of fear as anything else. I liked you too much, and that scared me.” She switched fingers and found a new line to trace. “Then when you kept asking me out…” She rubbed her eyes with her hand, trailing off in an effort to gather her thoughts.
Though he was giving her the space to say what she came to say, she could sense his restlessness.
“I was so close to giving in. Every time you came close to me, every time you touched me, it was hard to keep turning you down. At first, when you blackmailed me, I was livid. Then I realized you gave me the perfect safety net. I didn’t have to think about the feelings I had for you because you invalidated them. I could spend as much time with you as I wanted and not think about the fact that I was falling in love with you.”
Leah looked up at him, but he wasn’t watching her. He seemed frozen in place, focused on nothing.
“After my accident, I managed to convince myself that you had feelings for me as well, that you were no longer blackmailing me.” Tiny tremors shook her shoulders. Leah put down her mug so she wouldn’t drop it. “Then I realized that I had fooled myself. Worse, I realized that I fell in love with someone who was only interested in controlling me, that I was nothing more than an amusement to you. I hated myself for being so weak, and I hated you for making me that way. And I hated you for making me forget my responsibility to Cecelia. She and I were both nearing eviction.”
“You don’t have to worry about Cecelia.” The words slipped out. She could tell he hadn’t meant to interrupt. He grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him. His eyes frantically searched hers. “Or anything else. Leah, I wasn’t using you. I swear I wasn’t. I know I made mistakes, big ones. I went about this all wrong. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn’t make those mistakes again. I wanted so much to be with you, and I know it’s not an excuse, but I was desperate. Leah, I love you more than I thought it was possible to love another person.”
“Oh, Will. I love you, too.”
She rested her hands against his chest for balance and rose up on her toes to kiss him. He crushed her to him and returned her kiss tenderly. If she could have merged their physical bodies so that their souls could touch, she would have.
When that kiss ended, she kissed him again, slowly threading her fingers through his hair, then trailing her fingertips down his neck and back. Without a word, Will bent and hooked his free arm behind her knees to scoop her up.
“Are you going to make love to me?” she whispered, her voice already filled with passion. His phone sounded shrilly from the living room.
“All night long,” he said with a grin as he carried her to the bedroom, pausing only long enough to silence the ringing.
He continued to the bedroom, where he released her legs to let her slowly and sensuously slide down the length of him until her feet reached the floor. Taking her face in his hands, he touched his lips to hers lightly, teasing her with his nearness and setting a slow pace.
“I love you, Leah. Always.”
“I love you too, Will. Always.”
* * * *
The next morning, Leah woke up first. They had fallen asleep tangled together. Sometime during the night, they had separated. She took the opportunity to watch him as he slept. A peaceful sleeper, he didn’t move very much or take up more of the bed than he needed. Gravity forced his thick, full hair to fall away from his face. She noted his dark lashes, curiously full for a man. Leah was temporarily jealous before that feeling morphed to the hope that their children would inherit his eyelashes. She wondered if he wanted to have children. It wasn’t something they had discussed.
As if she had willed it, his lashes slowly opened. He smiled at her. “Do you want a big wedding or a small one?”
She used a puckish smile. “Who am I marrying?”
He rolled toward her, drawing her into his arms. “How about marrying me?”
She shrugged as best she
could. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Epilogue
Leah Dannaker raced through the lobby, sliding into the elevator at the last minute. She flashed a smile of thanks at the elderly lady who held the door for her.
“You have guests, Mrs. Dannaker,” she said. “I’ve never met Mr. Dannaker’s parents before.”
Leah smiled nervously. Mr. Dannaker had grudgingly shown up at their wedding, but not the reception. It had been a small affair, taking place a week after Leah’s acquittal. Will had reimbursed his father’s firm for the forty thousand Leah had taken, but he refused to speak to his father until Tom apologized to Leah. A year and a half later, it hadn’t happened. No matter how much Leah insisted that she didn’t require an apology, Will refused to bend.
He didn’t know she had invited his parents for dinner. He had no idea they were in New York, just as he had no idea she’d invited Erika’s family, his brother Tom, Anne, and Cecelia to dinner. He wouldn’t be surprised to find Cece there. After all, he had purchased a brownstone for her right around the corner from the advertising firm where both she and Leah worked. Cecelia was a regular guest. He had even remodeled parts of their apartment so that when Cece needed to use her wheelchair, there were no barriers.
Leah rushed into her apartment, hoping to head off World War III before her husband ruined the surprise she had planned for his birthday. She found Will and Mr. Dannaker deep in conversation, not arguing. Anne, Cece, and Tommy held Zorah’s attention.
Will put his arm around her and kissed her soundly when she entered the spacious living room. Before he had a chance to comment, the bell rang, announcing Erika, Gavin, Jaden, and Quinn.
“Happy Birthday, darling,” Leah said.
“I didn’t need a party, sweetheart. I only need you.” Will’s kiss was filled with longing and a promise.
“I thought this would be a good night to share our news.”
“Our news?” He put a hand over her stomach, a question in his eyes. They had been trying for nearly six months.
Her smile grew at the hopeful look in his eyes. She nodded and he crushed her carefully in his arms, smothering her with kisses. “I love you so much, Leah. You can’t imagine how happy I am.”
“I think I have a pretty good idea.”
THE END
http://deboraryan.wordpress.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbie spends her days teaching middle school students and her nights being run ragged by her children. She fell in love with love as a teen, and now she writes romances as a form of relaxation. She loves hearing from readers, so feel free to stop by her website, enjoy a free read or two, and leave a note.
Also by Debora Ryan
Cartescu Vampires 1: Tomorrow Cries
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