Coming Home (32 page)

Leah stood at the side of the bed, clad only in a T-shirt and a pair of underwear as she ran a brush through her wet hair.

She smiled to herself, looking down at him.

His lashes were fanned out beneath his eyes, the stubble rough and dark on his jaw. One of his arms was hanging over the side of the bed, his other hand resting low on his stomach.

The sheet was barely covering him, and Leah gave herself a minute to admire his body before she turned to head back to the bathroom.

Two arms wrapped around her waist, and she yelped as he pulled her down onto the bed and started tickling her ribs. Leah squealed as she flipped over, attempting to grab his wrists.

Finally, after much effort, she was able to get hold of them, pinning them to the bed above his head as she straddled his stomach.

“Asshole,” she laughed between labored breaths, and he smiled up at her.

“I’d be nice if I were you. You do realize you’re only pinning me right now because I’m feeling charitable.”

“Oh really?” she asked, leaning all of her body weight into her arms as she held him down on the bed. “Try it.”

With no effort at all, he raised his arms, and Leah locked her elbows, trying to keep him pinned. He lifted her entire body off him, holding her there for a few seconds while she struggled to push his arms back to the bed.

Danny chuckled as he lowered his arms to the mattress above his head, allowing her to pin him once again, and she shook her head as she relinquished her hold on him. “You know, pretending to be asleep is kind of a creepy move,” she said as she lay down on his chest.

“Is it as creepy as watching someone sleep?”

“Touché,” she said, and he laughed, arching his back as he extended his arms.

“I need coffee,” he said, his voice strained as he stretched, and then his body relaxed as he brought his hands behind his head.

Leah leaned down so that their noses were touching. “I’m on it. There are towels for you in the bathroom,” she said, kissing him quickly before hopping off the bed and heading out to the kitchen.

As Leah started a pot of coffee, she heard the water turn on in the shower.

“I feel like I’m about to step into a car wash,” he called from the bathroom, and she laughed as she opened the fridge.

“You’re gonna love it!” she called back, grabbing all the things she’d need to make omelets. She grated some cheddar cheese and used her Slap Chop to cut up some tomatoes, peppers, and onions, and then she cracked four eggs into a mixing bowl. Just as she was about to start whisking them, she heard the sound of keys in her door and she froze.

The only people who had keys to her apartment were her sister, Holly, and Robyn, and she couldn’t imagine what either one of them would be doing coming to her place right now.

The front door opened and then closed, followed by the sound of soft footsteps. Finally her sister came into view, walking past the kitchen on her way to Leah’s bedroom.

“Sarah?”

She jumped, whipping her head in Leah’s direction. “Oh, hey,” she said, turning into the kitchen. “You’re up.”

“Yes, I’m up,” she laughed. “Why are you sneaking into my apartment when you think I’m sleeping?”

“Because Kyle is coming to dinner at Daddy’s tonight and I was gonna steal your blue cashmere sweater to wear,” she said, reaching over and grabbing a pepper from the chopping board. As she popped it in her mouth, she did a double take at the bowl in front of her, eyeing the four eggs about to be whisked. “Jesus, Leah. Hungry?”

She opened her mouth, fumbling for a response, and before she could come up with something, she heard his voice.

“Alright, that actually
did
ruin me for all other bathrooms—” His words cut off abruptly as he turned into the kitchen, finding Sarah in there with her. He was clad in only a towel slung low around his hips, the little droplets of water from his shower still clinging to his chest and shoulders. His hand came to the towel, securing it as he cleared his throat.

“Hi,” he said awkwardly.

Sarah grinned from ear to ear. “Hi,” she said, immediately turning to look at Leah.

“Sarah, this is Danny,” she said, looking at him and attempting to apologize with her eyes. “Danny, this is my sister.”

He smiled softly before turning his attention to Sarah. “It’s nice to meet you, Sarah,” he said, extending his hand to her.

“You too,” she said, shaking his hand as her smile grew more pronounced.

“Okay, well, I’m just gonna go get dressed,” he said, holding up his hand in both a farewell and an apology before he turned and walked back down the hall.

Sarah slowly turned back to Leah, her grin threatening to split her face in two. Leah heard the sound of her bedroom door closing, and Sarah folded her arms and shook her head.

“Well, well, well,” she said.

Leah picked up the whisk and began vigorously whipping the eggs.

“So,” Sarah said. “Are you guys dating? Because obviously, you’re fucking.”

The whisk slipped from her hand, splashing egg all over the counter.

“Jesus, Sarah,” she said with a nervous laugh, picking the whisk back up.

“Well? Are you together or just banging? Because goddamn, there’d be no shame in that game,” she said, leaning back out of the doorway and craning her neck to see if she could get another glimpse of him.

“There is seriously something wrong with you,” Leah said with a laugh. She went back to whisking the eggs, and when there was no response from Sarah, she lifted her eyes to see her sister staring at her, a tiny smile on her lips.

“Well?”

Leah sighed. “It’s very, very new.”

“But you’re together.” She said it as a statement.

Leah nodded.

She grinned again, coming around the counter and giving Leah a huge hug. “Yay,” she squeaked in her ear, and Leah smiled.

Sarah let her go and leaned against the counter, grabbing another pepper. “Did Daddy and Chris meet him yet?”

“Not yet.”

She nodded, popping the pepper in her mouth. “He should probably wear clothes for that.”

Leah laughed again, shaking her head as she dumped the veggies and cheese into the eggs. “So, Kyle’s coming to dinner tonight?” she asked, turning the tables on her.

“Yeah. I never thought I’d be one of those annoying girls who says this, but…I think he’s the one.”

Leah raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

She nodded. “Anytime I think of the future, whether it’s next week or next year, I can’t picture anything without him there. That’s never happened to me before.”

Leah glanced at Sarah as she poured the egg mixture into the pan on the stove. “Ohhh, someone’s got it
bad
,” Leah sing-songed.

“Shut up.”

“All jokes aside, that’s awesome, Sarah. I’m happy for you guys.”

“Ditto,” she said, and they smiled at each other.

Just then they heard the bedroom door open, and they both immediately straightened as if they’d just been caught doing something wrong. They realized the absurdity of their actions at the same time, disintegrating into laughter just as Danny turned the corner into the kitchen. He was wearing his clothes from the night before, and his hair—as usual—was in sexy disarray, the messy wet tendrils sticking out in every direction.

He ran his hand through it, smirking at them as they continued to giggle like little girls.

“I’m not even gonna ask,” he said as he walked over to where Leah stood by the stove and reached for the coffee pot. “Sarah, do you want some coffee?”

“No, thank you. I can’t stay. I just came here to get a sweater from Leah.”

“Funny, I don’t remember saying you could have it,” Leah responded, poking the spatula under the edge of the cooking omelet.

“That’s probably because I didn’t ask.”

She heard Danny chuckle as he poured some coffee into a mug, and she shook her head. “It’s in my closet, on the right side.”

“Sweet,” she said, turning and walking down the hall toward the bedroom.

Leah turned to Danny, her expression apologetic. “I am so, so sorry. I didn’t know she was coming.”

He smiled as he leaned up against the counter, bringing the mug to his lips. “No worries,” he said before taking a sip. “It could have been worse. At least I wore the towel out here. I was undecided there for a minute.”

“Well, that would have been eventful.”

He laughed as he came up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “What are you making?”

“Omelets,” she said, and she felt him turn his face, nuzzling her still-damp hair.

“Mmm,” he hummed, and she smiled, knowing it had nothing to do with the food.

“Can you push the toast down?” she said, lifting the edge of the omelet with the spatula. “This is almost ready.”

“Yep,” he said, kissing the side of her neck quickly before he turned toward the toaster.

Sarah turned back into the kitchen holding Leah’s sweater. “So Danny, are you coming to dinner at my dad’s house tonight?”

Leah whipped her head toward her sister, her eyes wide, and then she glanced quickly at Danny; his hand was frozen on the tab of the toaster. “Um,” he said, pushing it down slowly, “I didn’t have plans to.”

“Come,” Sarah said. “My boyfriend will be there, and my brother and his wife. It will be fun.”

He turned toward her, smiling easily. “Thanks for the invite. Maybe I’ll swing by.”

“Great,” she said with a nod. “Okay, I’m out of here. See you guys later.” She winked at Leah before she turned from the kitchen, and then the front door opened and closed. Leah kept her eyes on the omelet, poking at it with the spatula.

For a minute, neither one of them spoke.

“I don’t have to go, you know,” Danny finally said. Leah turned to see him leaned up against the counter, watching her. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“That’s not it at all,” she said as she removed the pan from the stove, slicing the omelet in half with the edge of the spatula before dishing it out onto plates. “I would love for you to come. It’s just…I don’t want you to feel obligated just because she asked. She’ll understand.”

“I don’t feel obligated.”

Leah looked over at him. “You really want to come meet my family?”

“I’d love to meet your family,” he said as if it should have been obvious.

They looked at each other for a few seconds, and Leah smiled as little butterflies flitted through her stomach.

“Well, this will make my dad happy at least. He wants to meet you.”

Danny raised his brow. “He knows about me?”

“Of course.”

It was quiet for a beat before Danny spoke softly. “Everything?”

Leah froze, her hand wrapped around two forks in the utensil drawer. She took a small breath before she looked up to see him watching her intently.

“No,” she said, dropping her eyes, and she could see him look down as he nodded slowly. “It’s not that I’m…you know I don’t…it’s just…he doesn’t know you yet. I didn’t want that to be the first thing he learned about you.”

“I totally understand. I appreciate it, actually.”

Leah heard the tiniest hint of sadness behind his words, and she put down the forks and walked over to where he was leaning against the counter. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Danny’s hands came to her waist, gently rubbing up and down her sides.

“I’m not ashamed of you,” she said, and he nodded, looking her in the eyes.

“I know.”

She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his, holding them there until the loud growling of her stomach interrupted the moment. She felt his lips curve into a smile against hers, and she pulled back.

“I’m hungry,” she said.

“I can see that.” He laughed, brushing the hair away from her face.

Leah turned and grabbed their plates, and Danny grabbed his coffee and hers, following her out to the table.

They sat down and immediately dug into the food, and Danny shook his head as he chewed. “You’re spoiling the shit out of me with this,” he said, nodding toward his plate.

“You could make this, you know. It’s not hard.”

“You’re overestimating my culinary abilities.”

“You put cars back together!” she laughed. “I’m pretty sure you could make an omelet.”

He grinned, taking another bite. “So what time should I pick you up tonight?”

“Pick me up?”

“Well, yeah. I have to go home first. I’m not gonna meet your dad in my walk-of-shame clothes.”

“No, I know you have to go home,” she said with a laugh, “but you’d have to pass my dad’s house to come up here to get me.”

“So?”

“So you’ll be driving an extra twenty minutes to turn back around and do another twenty back down.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, so that’s a ridiculous waste of time and gas. You don’t have to do that.”

Danny put his fork down on the table and leaned toward her. “Leah?”

“Yeah?”

“What time should I pick you up tonight?”

She stared at him for a second before she conceded with a sigh. “Five thirty.”

Danny smiled, taking his elbows off the table as he picked up his fork. “There. Now, was that so hard?”