Текст книги "Coming Home"

Автор книги: Priscilla Glenn

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Текущая страница: 20 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

Leah sat in the driver’s seat, her heart sinking as the call went to voice mail.

It was already four thirty; she’d been forced to spend the entire day without him, and it induced a level of anxiety in her she didn’t know existed. The showing at the ASH program that afternoon had been one of the largest of the school year, what with finals on the horizon, so canceling would have been in poor form. Plus, Leah had already taken off the following day to be at court with Danny, and the day after that as well, just in case things didn’t go well. Bailing on the program had been out of the question.

But sitting in a room full of students for two and a half extra hours on the last day before Danny went to court was nothing short of torture.

When the program ended, she’d raced out of the building, calling him as she made her way to her car. He was spending the day finalizing some things at the shop and told her to let him know when she was leaving so he could meet her at her apartment.

Leah chewed her lip as she listened to Danny’s voice, asking her to leave a message, and when it beeped, she told him she was done for the day and to come up whenever he was finished. She ended the call and tossed her phone into her purse with a frustrated sigh. If he was in the garage, more likely than not, he hadn’t heard her call. It was always so noisy in there, with people talking and tools and machines running nonstop—unless he had his phone set to vibrate in his pocket, he probably wouldn’t even see she had called until he was already leaving.

She sent up a silent prayer that it would be soon.

But by the time she pulled into the parking space in front of her apartment, a gnawing impatience was beginning to mix with the anxiety already swirling in her gut.

He still hadn’t returned her call.

Leah put the car in park and gathered her things quickly, as if her rushing could somehow make him do the same.

She hoisted her bags onto her shoulder as she approached the front door, promising herself that if she didn’t hear back from him in the next ten minutes, she would call the shop and have him paged. The idea of wasting any more time without him tonight was making her want to crawl out of her skin.

Leah fumbled with her keys for a moment before she opened the door to her apartment, immediately stopping in her tracks.

It was dark inside, save for the faint flickering of candlelight.

After a stunned second, she walked in, closing the door softly behind her. There were candles on her kitchen table, along with wine glasses and place settings and a vase of red roses.

“Danny?” she called, her eyes roving the scene before her.

A second later he came out from the kitchen with a bottle of wine in his hand.

“Welcome home,” he said.

Leah blinked at him before she put her bags down by the door. “What are you doing?” she asked, walking toward the table. “What is this?”

“An early birthday celebration.”

She stopped short. “You remembered?”

“Of course I did,” he said matter-of-factly, placing the bottle on the table as he began to uncork it.

Leah stared at him, completely floored. With everything he had going on the next day, celebrating her birthday should have been the last thing on his mind.

“I even bought you a birthday cake that I’m going to pretend I made. And you’re going to pretend to believe it, just like you promised.”

She looked up at him with a tiny laugh as she watched him pour her a glass of wine, and then he smiled as he held it out for her. “I hope you’re hungry,” he said. “I got us something from Il Bardona.”

Leah’s mouth dropped. Il Bardona was one of her favorite restaurants, but it certainly wasn’t an establishment that dealt in takeout.

She reached for the glass he handed her. “That’s not the type of place that makes food to go.”

“I know,” he said. “I called in a favor.”

She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “Danny…”

“Leah,” he said, mimicking her tone as he poured himself a glass of wine.

She tried to stifle a smile as he placed his glass on the table, and then he pulled her chair out and gestured for her to sit down. “Your meal will be out shortly, miss,” he said with a bow.

As he disappeared into the kitchen, Leah turned to look at the table.

He’d remembered her birthday. He’d gone out of his way for her tonight. Sneaking up to her place while she was stuck at work, making arrangements with her favorite restaurant, setting the table with stemware and flowers, getting her a birthday cake so she could make her wish.

What was she ever going to do when they took this all away from her?

Her vision clouded as her eyes welled with tears just as Danny turned the corner and placed several serving plates down on the table. He situated everything before he sat across from her, his expression turning serious when his eyes met her glassy ones.

“Leah,” he said gently. “I realize what tonight is, but I don’t want this to be about saying good-bye, okay?”

The sting behind her eyes doubled at his words, and she blinked quickly, trying to keep her tears at bay. When he saw her struggling, he reached across the table, taking her hand in his and playing with her fingers.

“It’s not good-bye, sweet girl. It’s only temporary. You’re the one who told me that, remember?”

Leah forced a smile as she nodded.

“I want tonight to be about us,” he said. “Just you and me. Nothing else. Can we do that?”

She nodded again. “That sounds perfect,” she said softly.

“Good,” he said, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it before letting it go. He picked up his glass and raised it to her. “Happy birthday, Leah.”

She tapped her glass to his before taking a sip, and she hummed, swirling the glass gently. “What is this?”

Danny reached across the table and spun the bottle toward himself. “Shafer Relentless Napa Valley, 2008.”

“It’s really good.”

“It was the top-rated wine last year.”

Leah lifted her brow. “Is that so? Since when are you a wine connoisseur?”

“Since I asked the guy at the liquor store to give me his best bottle, and he gave me this and said it was the top-rated wine last year.”

She smiled at him before shaking her head, and he winked, picking up his knife and fork.

They talked and laughed throughout the meal, but every so often, Leah’s mind would wander where it wasn’t supposed to go—she’d find herself wondering where he’d be this time tomorrow, what he’d be doing, how she was going to get through knowing he was out of her reach and suffering. But when the lump rose in her throat, or when she felt her eyes burn with the threat of tears, she would distract herself by concentrating on him, memorizing his every detail: his light-blue eyes refracting delicate candlelight, the curve of his lips, the inky black hair that felt so soft between her fingers, the lines of his jaw, the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled her favorite smile, the sound of his laugh, the way he held his fork.

Despite the reality that was looming over them, it was surprisingly easy to get lost in those things.

When they’d finished eating, Leah and Danny left their dirty dishes on the table and moved into the living room with their wine. Leah curled into his side as they sat on the couch, and his arm immediately came around her, holding her against his body as he rested his chin on her head.

She couldn’t believe she had ever existed without this. Being with him, touching him, laughing with him—there was nothing more satisfying, nothing capable of making her feel more content and gratified and beautiful and whole.

And as much as she was dreading the struggle that would be coming her way, the thought of never having met him rivaled the pain of losing him.

She often thought about how many facets of the universe had been at work the day their paths crossed. If that guy hadn’t been tailgating her on the street, she would never have parked in front of Catherine’s house and gotten out of the car. If Catherine didn’t happen to be looking out the window when Leah stopped there, she wouldn’t have invited her in. If her bracelet hadn’t fallen off in the guest room, she wouldn’t have left her number.

Leah slid her arm around Danny’s waist as she pressed her cheek against his chest and inhaled his scent.

Those little wonders in life, the tiny miracles, they never ceased to amaze her. They were everywhere, overlooked too often because people were preoccupied with the minutiae of everyday life, or because the miracles themselves were too discreet to be recognized. But to see them at work was one of the most humbling things Leah had ever experienced.

Because there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that the day she met Danny, the stars had aligned just for her.

“Do you believe in fate?” she asked softly.

Danny took a slow sip of wine. “I don’t know. To an extent, maybe. Why, do you?”

“I never really did before, but now…I don’t know. It’s kind of hard not to.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, tilting his head to look down at her.

Leah dropped her eyes, watching the light glint off her bracelet as she spun it around her wrist. “I’ve had this bracelet for almost fifteen years,” she said, looking up at him. “And never once has the clasp failed. And I’ve had it back for over four months now, and it hasn’t happened since.”

He held her eyes for a moment before he smiled, looking down as he ran the tip of his finger over the bracelet, and then he pulled her into his side and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

“Can I give you your birthday present now?” he asked into her hair.

Leah smiled. “Did you get me a Slap Chop?”

He burst out laughing before he released her and stood from the couch. “You already have one.”

“I know,” she said, “but you can never have too many of those.”

Danny grinned. “Maybe for Christmas, then,” he said with a laugh as he turned and walked toward Leah’s bedroom, and her smile fell.

Because he wouldn’t be there for Christmas.

She wasn’t even sure how many Christmases she’d have to endure without him, and the thought made her throat feel like someone had clamped their fist around it.

Stop it, she warned herself. Stop it right now. Not tonight.

Danny walked back into the living room then, and she could see that he held a small rectangular box in his hand as he sat back on the couch beside her.

“Happy birthday,” he said, holding it out for her.

Her breath hitched as she looked down at the box. She had thought he’d gotten her something silly—a little trinket they would laugh about—but it was clear to her that there was jewelry inside that box.

“Danny,” she said, her shoulders dropping, “you shouldn’t have—”

“I wanted to,” he said, cutting her off.

Her eyes met his before she took a tiny breath, and then she reached for the box. She lifted the lid hesitantly, the hinge creaking slightly as it opened.

Lying on the black satin inside was a necklace; the chain was white gold and glittered with every movement of Leah’s trembling hand, but her eye was immediately drawn to the pendant hanging from it. It was a large, clear stone, perfectly round. She lifted her finger and cautiously touched the end of it, the tiny movement causing a prism of sparkles to flicker within the stone.

“Is this…” She trailed off as she looked up at him.

“Is this what?”

“A diamond?” she asked, looking back down at the shimmering pendant.

“Yes.”

Her hand came up to cup her mouth. “Oh my God,” she whispered, shaking her head. “Danny.”

“Do you like it?”

She opened and closed her mouth, trying to find her voice. “It’s…incredible,” she stammered.

He smiled at her, and she reached down and touched the pendant again. “It’s too much,” she said, and he shook his head.

“It’s perfect.”

She lifted her eyes to his, and his dimples started to appear. “Can I see it on you?”

Leah held the box out to him, still beyond words, and Danny leaned forward and removed the necklace before undoing the clasp, holding an end in each hand as he wrapped it around her neck. Her hand came to the pendant, holding it against her skin as he fastened the clasp behind her.

He leaned back and looked at the necklace on her, his smile broadening as he took her hand and pulled her off the couch. Danny walked her over to the mirror on the opposite wall and turned her so that she was facing it. The diamond glittered against her skin, the bright stone a sharp contrast to her deep-blue V-neck sweater.

“See?” he said from behind her. “Perfect.”

He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and Leah leaned back into his embrace, closing her eyes as one of his arms snaked around her waist. A few seconds later, she felt his other hand come up to the necklace, taking the pendant between his fingers.

Danny brought his lips to her ear. “When this is over, I’m going to put one of these on your finger.”

Her eyes flipped open, finding his in the mirror.

“We’ll get through this, Leah,” he said, his eyes on hers. “And then I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I promise.”

Leah turned slowly in his arms, placing her hands on his chest as she stared up at him. Danny’s arms tightened around her waist, holding her against him as his eyes searched hers.

Her heart was thundering in her chest, and her body felt too small to contain the emotions reeling through it at breakneck speed.

“I am so completely and utterly in love with you,” she whispered, her voice measured, wanting him to feel the magnitude behind the simple, inadequate words.

He smiled down at her. “Then you know exactly how I feel.”

Her eyes fell closed as she dropped her forehead to his chest and slid her arms around his back, and Leah felt him press his lips against the crown of her head.

“Are you ready to go to bed?” he asked, and she nodded gently.

Danny ran his hand over the back of her hair before he released her, and Leah turned to the coffee table, grabbing their empty wine glasses. Danny took them from her, and a few seconds later, she heard the sounds of him putting them in the dishwasher as she made her way back over to the table, blowing out the candles and collecting their dirty dishes. She brought them into the kitchen and rinsed them before loading them in behind the wine glasses, and by the time she made her way back to her bedroom, Danny was already there, lighting the last of several candles he had lined up along her bedside tables.

Leah leaned against the doorframe. “You thought of everything.”

He looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I tried,” he said before he blew out the match, and Leah pushed off the door as she walked toward him.

Danny turned, his expression growing serious as she closed the distance between them. As soon as she reached him, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down to hers.

Their lips parted and met over and over in soft, worshipful kisses, and he splayed his hands over her back, pulling her with him as he backed them toward the bed.

Danny broke the kiss as he sat down on the mattress, and Leah immediately crawled onto his lap and straddled his thighs, cradling the back of his head as she leaned down to kiss him. Danny groaned softly as his hands slid under her sweater, running them up the length of her back.

She reached down and grabbed the hem of his shirt, and he removed his mouth from hers just long enough to allow her to pull it up and over his head. And then her hands were everywhere, memorizing the contours of his body. His skin was warm and smooth, the hard muscles flexing and contracting as he moved, and her hands slid along the tops of his shoulders and down over his biceps. They bulged beneath her touch as he gripped the hem of her sweater and started tugging it upward.

As soon as it was off, he brought one hand to the back of her head and wrapped his other arm securely around her lower back, twisting his body and laying her down on the bed before positioning himself above her.

And then he ground his hips into hers, and Leah gasped as she dug her nails into his back. All at once their hands grew frantic, undoing buttons and zippers and clasps as they pulled clothes from each other’s bodies. The movement of Danny’s hips became more urgent with every inch of skin they exposed, fueling the fire growing between them and working Leah into a frenzy.

“I need you,” Leah murmured against his lips, and he pulled his mouth from hers with a grunt, holding his weight up in one arm as he reached for her nightstand.

She took his chin in her hand and turned his face toward her. “No,” she said through heavy breaths.

“No?” he asked, his brow furrowed.

She slid her hands behind his shoulders and pulled him back down so that his chest was flush with hers.

“Just you and me, remember?”

Danny looked down at her, a little crease between his brow.

“Nothing between us,” she whispered.

He stared at her for a second before understanding swept over his face, and she watched his throat bob as he swallowed hard.

“Just you and me,” she repeated softly.

There were several emotions flitting over his face, and Leah watched and absorbed and memorized every single one until finally he dropped his weight to his elbows, cradling her face in his hands as he positioned himself between her legs.

It took him a few moments to move, and when she felt him pushing into her, she forced her eyes to remain open, watching him as he joined their bodies inch by inch. As soon as he was fully inside her, a pleasant chill ran through her body, prickling her skin with goose bumps.

She was completely overwhelmed with the gravity of the moment: the feel of him inside her, the weight of his body on hers, the candlelight flickering on his face, his eyes looking down at her with adoration. And when her chin began to quiver, Leah let her eyes fall closed.

Danny lowered his head, bringing his lips to hers. “I know, baby. I know,” he said against her mouth before kissing her softly.

She ran her fingertips up and down his back, and the tears building behind her eyes transitioned into tears of elation as he began moving, setting a perfect, unhurried pace.

His breaths were heavy against Leah’s lips, and after a while, she could feel the muscles in his back trembling beneath her hands. She slid them around to the front of his shoulders as she shifted beneath him, pushing him onto his back and swinging her leg over his hips. His hands came to her waist, holding her as she lowered herself onto him, and he sat up immediately, burying his face in the side of her neck.

His grip on her waist tightened, and she remained perfectly still until she felt his hands begin to relax; they slipped down the sides of her hips and over the tops of her thighs before settling on her calves. Danny unfolded her legs and guided them around his hips so that she was sitting on his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist.

The shift in her weight caused their connection to deepen, and she sucked in a sharp breath, wrapping her arms around him. His face was still pressed against the side of her neck, and he began kissing it softly, causing her to rock her hips imperceptibly against him. Danny splayed one hand across the small of her back as the other came up to the nape of her neck, holding her against his body.

She began to move against him with more insistence, and he lifted his head then, kissing her deeply. Leah could feel his arm muscles flex around her as he pulled her against his body.

“God, it’s like I can’t get close enough,” he breathed against her lips, and she moaned softly, tightening her legs around him.

They continued moving together, their pace steady and passionate and more intimate than anything Leah had ever experienced. When her body began to tremble, she closed her eyes.

“Open your eyes, Leah,” he whispered.

She did as he asked, bringing her hands to the sides of his face as she dropped her forehead to his. Their lips were parted and centimeters away from touching, but rather than close that distance, they stayed that way, their lips ghosting over each other’s with each movement.

Danny’s hand on her lower back pressed her more firmly against him, and with one last roll of her hips, the tension in Leah’s belly shattered as a sated cry fell from her lips. Seconds later she felt his fingertips digging into the flesh of her back, and then he was groaning as he followed her over.

She had never been with anyone else this way before—and the fact that she could feel his release only amplified her own. Leah clutched at him, trying to keep herself grounded as her body broke apart over and over before it slowly pieced itself back together. They continued to sigh and pant into each other’s mouths until both of their movements wound down and eventually stopped.

Leah felt him start to lie back, and she unhooked her legs from behind him, bringing her knees to rest on either side of his waist as he pulled her down onto his chest. Her body rose and fell with his labored breath, and his hand came to her hair, holding her against his heart.

After a minute he rolled them gently so they were lying on their sides, and Leah reached down and found his hand, intertwining their fingers. Danny brought their joined hands to his mouth, kissing hers before he brought them back to the bed and began playing with her fingers.

“Do I get birthday cake in bed now?” she asked, and he laughed softly.

“As soon as I can move.”

Leah smiled before she snuggled closer. “Don’t move yet.”

Danny hummed contentedly. “As you wish,” he murmured, and she grinned before closing her eyes with a gratified sigh.

They stayed that way for hours, alternating making love with talking quietly as Danny gently trailed his fingertips over her skin. She wanted to stay awake as long as she could, wanted every last minute with him that she was entitled to. But as the night crept on, her traitor eyelids grew heavy until finally, she couldn’t keep them open anymore.

She had no idea how much time had passed before her eyes flew open in the darkness, and she turned quickly in a panic, clutching air until she felt his arms wrap around her.

“Shh,” he whispered into her hair. “Shh, I’m right here.”

She turned her face into him, nuzzling his chest as she tried to slow her breathing and her racing heart. “Danny,” she murmured.

“I’m right here,” he repeated against the crown of her head, his voice a strained whisper.

“Okay,” she said sleepily, and it wasn’t long before the rhythmic beating of his heart and the familiar scent of his skin lulled her back to sleep.

Seconds or minutes or hours later, she gasped loudly as she threw her arms out in search of him, relaxing with a small whimper as her body came in contact with his.

His arms tightened around her. “Baby,” he crooned softly. “I’m here.”

This time she was lucid enough to hear how broken his voice sounded, and she exhaled softly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Don’t be sorry,” he said gently, running his fingers through her hair. “Try to sleep.”

“You’re not sleeping,” she pointed out, moving closer to him.

He said nothing as he continued to stroke her hair gently. Leah fought with all her might to remain awake after that, but as soon as he realized what she was doing, he began to sing softly. His low, throaty voice filled the room, his chest vibrating gently against her cheek, and she teetered on the edge of consciousness, hearing bits and pieces of the song.

The last thing she remembered was the feel of his fingers slowly working their way through her hair as he sang, “You’ll look at me, with eyes that see, and we’ll melt into each other’s arms…”

Morning.

She knew it before she even opened her eyes, and Leah felt her heart drop into her stomach.

She could feel Danny pressed up against her back, his arm draped over her waist and his breath fluttering her hair. She opened her eyes slowly, and it took a second for them to focus on the clock.

It was five after seven. The alarm was set for eight, but she knew there was no way she’d be able to go back to sleep now.

Leah rolled slowly under his arm, careful not to jostle him as she turned to face him. He always looked so beautiful when he slept—so peaceful—and she found herself fighting the urge to touch his face, his lips, his jaw.

And then suddenly, an image of Danny sleeping on a tiny cot in a cell flashed in her mind, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to rid the image from her head.

But the floodgates had opened.

Image after image of Danny in prison flashed before her eyes: Danny wearing some type of prison jumpsuit, walking through a corridor in handcuffs. Danny at a table in some sort of cafeteria, eating what looked like a pathetic school lunch off a plastic tray. Danny sitting in a bare room with a bed, a toilet, and zero privacy.

She opened her eyes quickly, not wanting to see any more, and she was greeted with his beautiful face, innocent and untroubled in sleep.

She felt her composure slipping rapidly, and Leah struggled to get out of bed as quickly as possible without disturbing him. She pressed her lips together as her vision blurred, and just as she slunk out from beneath his arm, she felt the first round of tears spill over.

Leah padded over to the bathroom quickly, shutting the door softly behind her before she ran to turn the water on in the shower. As soon as the sound of rushing water filled the room, she slumped to the floor, burying her mouth against the crook of her elbow as she burst into tears.

Violent sobs racked her body, and she curled in on herself, gasping for air as she tried with all her might to keep the sounds muffled against her arm. She couldn’t let him hear this. She had told him she was strong enough to take care of herself, that he didn’t need to worry about her.

She wanted so badly for that to be true.

When Leah gained some semblance of control—when the ferocious sobbing subsided into pathetic little hiccups and sighs, she stood up and climbed into the shower, standing under the stream with her eyes closed as she replayed every beautiful moment from the night before in an effort to calm herself down. Every word, every touch, every smile. And then she remembered waking frantically several times throughout the night, reaching out for him in a panic, and her heart sank.

It killed him, seeing her suffer because of him. She knew it did. She’d heard it in his voice. And she couldn’t allow him to see that level of weakness again. She would not let him carry that burden.

And just like that, Leah felt her resolve click into place.

She opened her eyes, allowing the last of her tears to run down her face with the water, and then she tilted her head back, letting the warm stream wash the remnants of salt from her cheeks.

She would not cry again. Not today.

Today she would be strong for him. He needed to see that she was okay. He needed to leave knowing everything back home would be fine.

Leah finished her shower, stepping out onto the bath mat and wrapping herself in a towel before she walked to the mirror and swiped her hand across it, erasing the fog.

“Shit,” she whispered as her face was revealed in the glass. Her eyes were bloodshot and extremely swollen; there was no way this would go unnoticed.

She ran the cold water full blast, grabbing a washcloth and tossing it into the sink. Once it was saturated, she tilted her head back and laid the freezing cloth over her eyes.

After a few minutes, she tossed the rag back into the sink and sifted through her makeup case until she found some eye drops, blinking quickly as they stung her tender eyes.

Once her vision had cleared, she leaned close to the mirror, checking her reflection again.

Better, but still not great.

“Leah?”

Danny’s voice came through the door and she jumped slightly.

“Yeah?”

“You okay?”

She cleared her throat gently. “Yep, just drying off,” she said, keeping her voice as smooth as possible. “I’ll be out in a second.”

Leah grabbed her brush and ran it through her wet hair before securing the towel around her body and taking one last look in the mirror.

It was as good as it was going to get.

She took a deep breath before she turned and opened the door, walking back toward the bedroom.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down, and when he heard her come into the room, he lifted his head and smiled.

“I didn’t expect you to be up,” he said as he stood and walked toward her. Leah watched his smile fade as he got closer, finally noticing her eyes.

“I know, I look like hell,” she said, forcing a tiny laugh as she rolled her eyes and gestured toward herself. “This is what happens when I don’t get a full night’s sleep.”

“Leah,” he said, and she unraveled her towel, bringing it to her hair as she squeezed it dry.

It was a cheap move, and she knew it, but she was desperate.

His expression smoothed as his eyes dropped to take in her now naked body, and Leah turned and walked toward her dresser, sifting though one of her drawers for a bra and underwear.

“Do you want me to make you banana pancakes for breakfast?” she asked, turning to look back over her shoulder.

“Hmm?” he asked, peeling his eyes from her body and bringing them to her face.

She smiled softly. “I said, do you want me to make you banana pancakes for breakfast?”

“I can just grab something easy. You don’t have to cook.”

Leah fastened her bra behind her back as she walked over to him. “I want to,” she said, going up on her toes and kissing his mouth before she said, “Go take a shower. They’ll be ready by the time you’re done.”

Leah turned from the room then, and as soon as she made it into the kitchen, she gripped the edge of the counter and bowed her head, exhaling a trembling breath.

After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and straightened, gathering the things she’d need to make him breakfast. By the time Danny came into the kitchen, she was setting a plate full of pancakes on the table.

“It smells amazing in here,” he said, kissing her cheek before he took a seat at the table. “Oh, and Leah?”

“Yeah?” she asked as she sat across from him.

“I won’t ask you about this morning. You can get dressed now.”

Her eyes flashed to his, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Very well played, though. I can’t deny you that.”