Текст книги "Coming Home"

Автор книги: Priscilla Glenn

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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

Danny watched her for a second before he looked back down at his hand. A few of them were merely nicks now; little silvery lines against the tanned skin. But the ones across his knuckles were still bright red lines, jagged and angry.

He wet his lips before he looked back at her. Her eyes were downcast as she picked at her fingernail, and he could see a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

But instead of driving him crazy, this time it made him feel sick.

He watched her fingers fiddling awkwardly under the table, and before he could think about what he was doing, he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, stilling the movement.

She froze, slowly lifting her eyes back to the conversation as her posture straightened.

“DeLuca, what was it the dude said when we told him he had no gas?” Jake asked through his laughter.

Danny chuckled, using his fingers to turn Leah’s hand so that it was palm up beneath his. “He said, ‘Well, spank my ass and call me Fudgie.’”

Jake fell forward in hysterics as the entire table cracked up, and Danny looked over to see Leah staring at him. He slid his fingers between hers, clasping their hands together, and even through the raucous laughter around them, he heard her tiny intake of breath.

That little hiccup of a sound did more to him than the touch of any woman he’d ever been with.

His eyes met hers as gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and then he turned his attention back to the table.

“Remember, we were gonna have T-shirts made for the shop that said that on the back,” Tommy said through his laughter, and Danny nodded with a smile.

That had actually been Bryan’s idea.

Leah gently squeezed Danny’s hand before she caressed the scars that peppered his skin, and that little movement sent tiny sizzles of electricity up his arm and through his chest. He closed his eyes for a second before he attempted to refocus on the conversation.

It was such a simple, innocent gesture—holding hands—but there was a significance to it that Danny could not overlook, and coupled with the fact that everyone else at the table was completely oblivious to what was going on just beneath it, it seemed that much more intimate.

She shifted her hand and their thumbs met, circling around each other’s slowly.

Okay, he was wrong. He had thought holding someone’s hand was innocent, but this was so goddamn sensual in its simplicity that it made him want to throw her down on the booth and cover her mouth with his.

You need to get the fuck out of here. Now.

His fingers tightened around hers for just a moment before he cleared his throat and slid his hand out of her grasp.

“Alright, I’m gonna head out,” he said as he stood, and Leah’s expression dropped slightly as she looked up at him.

Give a reason.

“I have to be at the shop early tomorrow.”

“On a Saturday?” Jake asked, cocking his head.

Two years. He’d make him clean the shop floor for two years.

“Yeah,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “An old friend of mine wants me to do a rebuild for him, and I promised him I’d get it done in good time.” He stared at Jake a little longer than he needed to, hoping he got the message, before he turned to the girls.

“It was so nice to meet you guys,” he said, and then he looked at Leah. “I’ll talk to you soon?”

She smiled, reaching up to fiddle with her earring again as she nodded.

He turned then, because if he had to look at the poorly shielded disappointment on her face for another second, he would slide right back into that booth and spend the rest of the night doing anything she asked of him.

Danny forced his way through the crowd for the second time that night, only this time, instead of feeling desperate to get to the door, he felt a tug in his chest, demanding that he turn back the way he came.

He pushed the door open, ducking his head against the wind as he jammed in his hands in his pockets.

“Such an asshole,” he mumbled to himself, shaking his head. He had no idea why the hell he’d done that. Everything was going perfectly. They were having fun. Friends out at a bar. That was his plan for the night.

And then he had to go and put his hands on her.

He laughed bitterly, running his hand over his eyes.

“Danny!”

His head jerked up as he stopped short, looking over his shoulder.

She was standing just outside the bar, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she wrung her hands together in front of her.

He turned, walking back toward her, and she took a tentative step forward before she picked up speed and met him in the middle.

Her eyes were wide, almost panicky, as she approached him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it without saying anything.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “I just…I didn’t say good-bye to you in there. So I just…wanted to say good-bye.”

“Okay,” he said with the hint of a smile.

“Okay, so,” she looked down, spinning her bracelet over her wrist before glancing back up at him. “Good-bye.”

The smile he’d been fighting finally broke as he nodded once. “Good-bye.”

She stood there, staring up at him, and he knew if he didn’t leave, he was going to do something stupid. Danny turned away from her, freezing when he felt her grip his bicep.

He spun to face her just as she took a step toward him, going up on her toes as she brought her mouth to his.

He froze.

She stilled against him, and for a moment, they just stood there, both struggling to get over the shock of what had just happened. But then her lips softened against his as they parted gently, closing over his bottom one.

He still hadn’t moved.

He could feel his heart slamming in his chest, preparing his body for action, but it was as if he no longer had control of his body.

Her mouth parted again, and this time she brushed the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip before she closed hers over it.

It felt like something inside his chest snapped.

Danny grabbed her face in his hands, pulling her mouth to his as he kissed her back. She pressed her body against him, and he slid his hand to the back of her head, knotting his fingers in her hair.

Slow down. Too rough.

But he couldn’t stop. Her lips were so fucking perfect and he needed this and she was so beautiful and he couldn’t stop.

She moaned lightly against his lips, gripping the back of his shirt and tugging him closer as her tongue entered his mouth, and his hand came to her hip, squeezing it firmly as he tried to keep himself grounded.

Fuck. She was going to make him hard right here on the sidewalk.

As if she had heard him, Leah slowed the kiss down, pulling back slightly before bringing their mouths back together, languidly running her tongue over his.

His hand in her hair went slack as it slid down to caress her neck.

She pressed her hips against him as she caught his bottom lip between her teeth, and his other hand slid around to cup her ass, holding her against his body.

And then his eyes flew open as he pushed her away, taking a quick step back.

She gasped as she stumbled backward, staring up at him with wide eyes.

His breath was coming in short bursts, the white puffs of vapor clouding the image of her standing before him.

And then he whirled around, jamming his fists in his pockets as he stormed off down the sidewalk.

Danny ripped the keys from his pocket and hit the button to unlock his door, trying to make his legs move faster. When he finally reached his car, he yanked the door open and slid inside, starting it before he had closed the door behind him.

He didn’t even check for traffic before he pulled out onto the street, hitting the gas and causing the tires to squeal slightly as he took off down the road.

Just before he rounded the corner, he made his final stupid move of the night.

He looked up at his rearview mirror.

The last thing he saw before he made the turn was Leah standing on the sidewalk, her fingertips pressed to her lips as she watched him speed away.

One week.

It had been one week since she’d kissed Danny outside The Rabbit Hole. One week since she’d totally put herself out there for the first time in years. One week since the fire coursed through her veins and burned in her belly at the feel of his mouth on hers.

And one week since she’d heard from him at all.

He hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. But the most frustrating thing of all was, this time Leah knew it was her fault. After all, she had been the one to push boundaries multiple times that night. She had been the one to initiate the touching under the table. She had been the one to chase him outside after he’d already said good-bye. And she had been the one to initiate that kiss.

She wasn’t angry at him; it wasn’t his fault if he wasn’t interested in her that way. In fact, it was something she had sort of suspected all along. But now she’d made it awkward; he probably wouldn’t ever call or text her again for fear he’d be sending her the wrong signals.

Robyn and Holly had been so upset on the drive home, alternating between bouts of silence and strings of apologies for pressuring Leah to go out after him that night. She tried over and over to reassure them, telling them it just meant Danny wasn’t into her, and it was probably better she found that out sooner rather than later. This seemed to placate them, and Leah found it somewhat amusing that she was the one doing the consoling when she had just made a complete fool of herself in front of a guy she really liked.

At least it provided her with a much needed distraction.

Leah placed her cup of tea on the coffee table before she fell back onto the couch with a sigh, stretching her arms above her head. Her phone buzzed with Holly’s ring tone, and she leaned over, swiping it off the coffee table before bringing it to her ear.

“What’s up?”

“Hello my love. Are you showered and ready?”

“Showered and ready for…?”

“It’s Friday night. Let’s go out.”

Leah yawned, rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes. “Not tonight.”

“Please, Leah? It’s the last weekend before Robyn’s wedding, and then she’ll be gone for two weeks on her honeymoon.”

“Okay, so go out with Robyn. We can hang out whenever.”

There was a stretch of silence on the other end before Holly exhaled. “Don’t go backward, Leah. I don’t want you sitting home and moping over him. It’s not worth it.”

“I’m not moping,” Leah said.

She wasn’t moping or pouting or fuming or brooding. She wasn’t…anything.

“Leah.”

“I swear, I’m not moping,” she said with a laugh. “I’m just tired. We can hang out tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” she sighed in acquiescence. “Call me if you change your mind.”

“I will.”

“Alright. Peace out, baby.”

Leah laughed. “Peace out,” she said with an eye roll before she ended the call.

After a minute she sat up, grabbing her mug and turning off the television before she made her way down the hall, shutting off the lights as she went. Leah grabbed the book she had just started before she padded into the bathroom and ran herself a bubble bath.

“Exactly. What. I. Needed,” she breathed as she submerged herself under the steaming water, placing her book on the edge of the tub as she rested her head back and closed her eyes.

She read until the water chilled, and then she pulled herself lethargically from the bath and drained the tub, throwing on a pair of flannel pajamas and crawling into bed.

The next thing she knew, her eyes flipped open as a shrill sound echoed in her ears. In her disoriented state, she reached for her alarm clock, swatting to turn it off.

She hit the button, but the sound continued.

Leah lifted her head as she slowly gained coherency, realizing it would be Saturday; her alarm wouldn’t be set. When it finally registered that her phone was ringing, she bolted upright. The room was pitch dark, and she turned to look at the clock on her nightstand.

One fifty-seven in the morning.

Leah leaned over, sliding her hand along the top of her nightstand and cringing when she heard the clink and subsequent splash that meant she had just knocked over her glass of water.

“Shit,” she hissed, reaching to turn on the light. By the time she got it on and spotted her phone, it had already gone to voice mail.

She brought the phone to her face, squinting against the offensive light to see who had called.

One missed call from Danny.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she sat there, cursing herself for taking so long to get to the phone. Why was he calling her? And at two in the morning, no less. Should she call him back? Text him? Maybe he was leaving a voice mail?

As she sat there staring at the phone and contemplating her next move, it started ringing again. Her stomach flipped as she saw the words flashing on the screen.

Incoming call from Danny.

She tapped the screen before bringing it to her ear.

“Hello?” she said softly.

“Leah,” he said, sighing heavily into the phone. “God, I don’t even know what to say.”

She pulled her brow together as she sat up further, running her hand through her hair. His voice sounded strange.

“Danny? What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“No. I want it to be okay, but I don’t know what to do anymore. And I’m sorry I kissed you, but I’m not sorry, you know? I just…I wish you knew. God, I wish you already knew, because I don’t wanna have to say it.”

“Wish I knew what?” she asked. “Danny, what are you talking about?”

He sighed softly. “You have no idea how much I want to see you right now, but he took my keys, and this is bullshit because I’m fucking fine.”

Leah closed her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Because she realized then why his voice sounded so odd, why he’d called her at two in the morning.

He was completely wasted.

She sighed heavily before switching the phone to her other ear. “Who took your keys?”

“Joe.”

“Who’s Joe?”

“Bartender,” he said. “But I’m fine. He knows I’m fine! Goddamn it, I just want to go home.”

Behind his drunken slur, there was an unmistakable desperation in his voice.

Something was wrong.

Plus, hadn’t he just told her last weekend that he didn’t drink? And here he was, absolutely hammered.

“Where are Tommy and Jake?”

“Not here.”

Leah’s eyes widened. “They left you alone like this?”

“I just don’t know what to do anymore. About anything,” he said dejectedly, his words running together. “All I wanna do is go home.”

“Where are you?” she asked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“Outside.”

She huffed heavily, rolling her eyes. “Outside where?”

He didn’t respond, but she could hear a rustling sound, like he was walking quickly.

“Danny, you have to tell me where you are.”

“McGillicuddy’s.”

“Okay, where is that?”

“Valhalla,” he said, and the despondency was gone from his voice, leaving him sounding oddly detached.

Leah dropped her head back, blinking up at the ceiling before she sighed heavily. “Alright, you need to go inside, okay? I’m coming to get you, but I don’t want you to go anywhere else.” She slid off the bed and pulled a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt out of her drawer.

“Leah?”

“Yeah?” she said, stepping out of her pajama bottoms.

“I don’t deserve this. I just really need you to know that, okay?”

She froze with one leg in her yoga pants. What the hell was he talking about? His keys being taken? Her coming out to pick him up? Or something else entirely?

Either way, his words were dripping with misery again, and she quickly pulled her pants on as she held the phone with her shoulder.

“I’m leaving right now. Just go back in the bar, alright? Don’t go anywhere.”

“Yeah, alright,” he said distractedly before ending the call, and Leah tossed her phone on the bed as she pulled off her pajama top and threw on the sweatshirt. She combed through her hair with her fingers as she sat on the end of her bed, doing a Google Map search of McGillicuddy’s in Valhalla. The directions said the trip would take twenty minutes, but at this time of night, with no traffic, she could probably make there in ten.

Ignoring the little voice in her head that told her she was crazy for doing this, she scooped up her keys and purse and walked out of her bedroom.

If nothing else, Danny had become a friend of hers, and she would do this for any one of her friends, she told herself as she locked up the apartment and made her way down to the car.

Besides, there was something in his voice, something in the fraught way he spoke that caused a knot in her stomach. He needed help, and he had called her. It didn’t matter what had happened between them last weekend. After all, what kind of a person would put her own ego before helping someone in need?

Leah made it to the bar in just under fifteen minutes, pulling up to the curb right out front. She didn’t really know the area and wasn’t thrilled about walking around alone this time of night, so she hoped getting him to leave would be quick and painless.

She exited the car and pulled her hands into her sleeves, wrapping her arms around herself as she approached the bar.

Behind the impressive oak door, McGillicuddy’s was nothing but a dive bar; a few random patrons sat scattered about rickety wooden tables, and Leah’s heart rate kicked up a notch as she scanned the area, not seeing him.

Just as she was about to take out her phone and try to call him, she spotted him at the far end of the bar by himself. His head was down, his elbows resting on the bar as he spun a half-empty drink in his hand, and Leah frowned.

Why would they have served him again? The bartender took his keys, but gave him another drink?

Leah walked briskly toward the back of the bar, glaring at the bartender as she passed. When Danny heard her approaching, he lifted his head.

“Leah?”

She put her hands on her hips. “Danny.”

He blinked at her, stunned. “You’re here?”

Jesus, does he not even remember calling?

“Yes, I’m here. Come on. You’re going home,” she said, taking the drink from his hand and placing it on the bar. She realized a beat too late that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea; she had no idea what kind of drunk he was, whether he would get angry or belligerent if she took his drink away.

But instead he slunk out of the chair, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. She brought her hands up to his biceps to brace herself, and he buried his face in her hair as he inhaled deeply. “You’re here,” he said again, and this time it sounded like a prayer.

Leah stood frozen for a moment before she closed her eyes.

He’s drunk. He has no idea what he’s doing. He doesn’t even remember calling you. Just get him home.

“Okay, come on,” she said, using her hands on his biceps to push him away gently. He held her firmly for another second before he relented, releasing his hold on her and taking a step backward. Leah slid her hand down his arm before timidly wrapping her hand around his wrist to keep him next to her while she leaned over the bar.

“Excuse me?” she said, and the bartender looked up. “Can I have his keys?”

The bartender shook his head, his expression never changing as he went back to drying glasses and stacking them. “I don’t have his keys.”

“Okay, well is Joe still working?”

The bartender chuckled as he slung the rag over his shoulder. “Sweetheart, either you’ve had a little too much to drink, or you’re at the wrong bar. There’s no Joe that works here.”

Leah stared blankly at him before she turned to Danny. “Where’s Joe? Where’s the guy who has your keys?”

He dropped his head, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he fisted the side of her sweatshirt. “The other bar,” he mumbled, and Leah closed her eyes, sighing heavily.

At least now she knew why he’d been served. This wasn’t the place that had cut him off. The only good news was that she knew he hadn’t driven to McGillicuddy’s, so the other bar had to be within drunken walking distance.

“Excuse me?” Leah said, leaning over the bar again, and the guy glanced up, a condescending expression on his face. “Is there another bar near here?”

“Across the street,” he said, as he turned to lift a bin of glasses from the floor.

“Thanks,” she said before she turned her attention back to Danny, sliding her fingers under his chin and lifting his head. He opened his eyes, smiling softly as he focused on her face.

“Come on. I need you to walk with me,” she said, wrapping her arm around his waist. She had no idea how she was going to hold him if he couldn’t walk, but as she took a step, thankfully he followed.

“Get home safe,” the bartender said as they passed, and she held her hand up behind her in acknowledgement. As they exited the bar, Leah’s eyes scanned the opposite street until she located a tiny pub called The Alley.

“There?” she asked, and Danny shrugged.

“Sure.”

Leah shook her head. “No, I’m not asking if you want to go there…ugh, just forget it. Let’s go,” she said, pulling him across the street.

As they entered the bar, the guy standing behind the tap turned to look at them. “You here for his keys?” he asked, and Leah nodded.

“Yeah, sorry about this,” she said.

“Don’t you apologize,” Danny murmured into her hair. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He pressed his lips to the crown of her head, and Leah squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach that the intimate gesture invoked.

He’s drunk. He’s drunk. He’s completely oblivious and drunk.

The bartender fished under the bar and came up with Danny’s keys, handing them to Leah.

“Thanks for looking out for him,” she said as she turned them toward the exit, and the guy nodded, giving her a flimsy salute.

Once they were back out on the street, Danny began leaning a bit more of his weight on her, and she wrapped both arms around his waist, trying to steady him. “Just a little farther, okay? My car is right there.”

“Where’s my car?” he asked, and Leah shook her head.

“You’re not driving tonight. Please don’t argue, okay? I have your keys. You can come back and get your car tomorrow.”

He leaned down, pressing his lips to the top of her head again. “I would never tell you no,” he said into her hair. “But you already know that, don’t you?”

She gritted her teeth together, trying to focus on getting them across the street. Right foot, left foot. Right foot, left foot. Not his breath in her hair, or his hands on her body, or those words on his lips. Right foot, left foot.

She managed to help him into the passenger side, and as she walked around the back of the car, she saw him fall forward, burying his face in his hands as he rested on the dashboard. She stopped short, biting her lower lip as she looked in the back seat for a plastic bag, or a container of some type.

She hadn’t even thought about the possibility of him getting sick.

Leah rubbed her hand over her forehead before she slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door, and she placed her hand on his lower back, rubbing soothing circles.

“Do you feel sick?”

He shook his head.

“If you need me to pull over, just tell me, okay?”

He nodded.

She took a breath as she dropped her hand from his back. “Alright,” she said as she exhaled. “Where do you live?”

“In my apartment,” he mumbled into the dashboard.

“That’s helpful, Danny,” she sighed, looking around the car. She noticed the outline of his wallet through the back pocket of his pants, and Leah bit her lip before she reached over and slid her hand into his pocket, removing the wallet.

“Leah,” he groaned. “What are you doing to me?”

“I need your ID so I can get your address. Just shush, okay?”

She quickly typed his address into her phone’s GPS before folding his wallet and dropping it into her cup holder, and just as she pulled out onto the street, he fell back against the seat, his hands falling limply into his lap.

“A year. Can you believe it? How could it be a year?”

“What’s a year?” she asked softly.

He dragged his hands down his face before he exhaled heavily. “What the fuck was I thinking?” he yelled, causing Leah to jump, and she glanced over at him, blinking quickly.

“I wasn’t thinking, you know? I just…I wasn’t. But what was I supposed to do?” he said, his voice softening significantly. “What was I supposed to do?”

He covered his face with his hands as he rested his forehead on the dash again, and then he slammed his fist down on top of it. “What was I supposed to do?” he asked again, and Leah’s stomach twisted.

She had not the slightest idea what he was talking about, but there was so much pain in his voice that she felt like she might cry.

She knew what that kind of suffering felt like.

Leah took a tiny breath as she reached over and resumed rubbing circles on the small of his back.

“And then you,” he mumbled against the dashboard.

She held her breath, waiting for him to continue, but he never did. He didn’t speak again for the remainder of the drive, and Leah kept her hand on his back, trying to soothe him. It wasn’t until she pulled up to the curb in front of his building that she realized she might have a huge problem on her hands. If he had passed out, based on how drunk he was, there’d be no waking him up. If that were the case, she had no idea how she would get him out of the car and up the stairs.

Leah cut the engine, looking over at him. She watched his back expand and contract with every breath, but he still hadn’t moved.

“Danny?” she said softly, and to her surprise, he turned his head to look at her. He blinked a few times, his eyes bleary and unfocused as he tried to sit up.

“Hey, it’s okay,” she said as she leaned over and ran her hand through his hair, and he closed his eyes. “You’re home. Let’s get upstairs, okay?”

He nodded wearily, and she exited the car and came around to his side, helping him out onto the sidewalk. He was leaning most of his weight on her as they walked into the lobby, and as they stood waiting for the elevator, Leah’s legs began to tremble with the task.

You’re almost there. Hang in there.

Danny rested his chin on the top of her head as he ran his hand over the back of her hair. “You’re so good, Leah,” he sighed.

She smiled softly as the doors dinged open, and she managed to get them both inside before the doors closed, leaning them up against the wall. He rested his head on top of hers again, and she could see in the reflection of the doors that his eyes were closed.

She could tell he was close to passing out, and Leah glanced at the numbers lighting up above their heads, willing them to go faster.

As soon as the doors opened, she stood up, pulling him to a standing position as she rubbed her hand up and down his side. “Come on, Danny. Almost there, okay?”

By now she was using all her strength just to keep him steady as they stumbled down the hallway toward his door. She had his keys in her hand, and she opened the door quickly before tossing them somewhere on the floor. She needed both arms to help him now, and every muscle in her body strained with the effort.

Leah glanced around the small space quickly, noticing two doorways off the living room. Assuming that his bedroom had to be one of them, she began walking them in that direction.

“Come on. A few more steps,” she said, her voice strained as they tripped and staggered across the living room, and when she turned them into the first doorway and saw his bed, she thought she might cry with relief.

Leah gave him a gentle shove and he lurched forward before falling back onto the mattress with a groan, his eyes already closed.

“Holy shit,” she said to herself, rolling her neck as she leaned up against the wall to catch her breath.

She stared at him, his chest rising and falling with his arms splayed out at his sides, and that’s when she noticed what he was wearing: a dark blue button-down, black slacks, and a belt. She glanced down at the black dress shoes still on his feet and sighed, walking the few steps over to the bed before kneeling down.

Leah undid his laces and removed his shoes, placing them up against the far wall so he wouldn’t trip over them if he got out of bed for any reason tonight.

Okay, that was the easy part.

She stood at the foot of his bed, her hands on her hips as she looked him over.

It would be like seeing him in a bathing suit. It’s not a big deal.

With a deep breath to strengthen her resolve, she climbed up onto the bed and sat on her heels at his side. Just as she brought her fingers to the buckle on his belt, she felt his hand slide up her thigh, coming to rest more than halfway up.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“I lied to you,” he said hoarsely, his eyes still closed.

“About what?” she whispered, her fingers still frozen on his belt buckle.

He laughed lightly, but his face contorted in disgust. “So many things.”

She didn’t want to be affected by him anymore, but she felt her heart drop at his words.

He lied to her?

Leah shook her head quickly. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. He didn’t want her, and they weren’t anything to each other. She was just going to make sure he was comfortable, and then she was going to get the hell out of there.

With renewed purpose, she undid the belt buckle, followed by the button on his slacks. Leah gripped the zipper with the ends of her nails, trying to avoid any contact as she slid it down. His hand rode a bit further up her thigh, his thumb beginning to make soft, sensuous passes over the thin material of her pants, and as Leah moved from the bed, his hand slipped from her leg and slapped down onto the mattress. She stood beside him and leaned over, hooking her fingers in the waistband of his pants.

“I lied to you about lunch,” he mumbled.

Before she could even decide if she would play into this or not, he went on. “I wasn’t meeting a friend.”

Leah pursed her lips as her stomach churned. She didn’t want to hear the rest. Instead, she gripped the top of his pants and yanked somewhat forcefully. They jerked over his hips, and she immediately pressed her lips into a hard line as she closed her eyes.

Boxer briefs. Tight, gray boxer briefs.

She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes, tugging his pants the rest of the way down and removing the belt before she folded them and draped them over a nearby chair. She came back to the bed and climbed on, dutifully keeping her eyes above his waist as she started undoing the buttons of his shirt.