Chapter 23
Leah had no idea ifshe was doing the right thing or not by moving in with Brandon. All she knew was that being with him made her feel good. And, it was funny because, before the whole crazy money scheme with her dad and uncle, she had assumed she was happy.
She’d had people who she thought loved her, a job she loved, lived in an awesome city and even dated every once in a while.
But that was a version of happiness that only worked if you didn’t know what true happiness was. Once you got a taste of the real thing, no one would ever mistake that life for happy.
She had just been surviving, until Cedarville.
And now that she was here, she was thriving. And she didn’t ever want to go back.
So moving in with Brandon, while it seemed impulsive, it also seemed right.
Her truck was due to arrive any time and she and Brandon were trying to make room in his garage. She didn’t have a ton, but she did have a few pieces of furniture that she had purchased herself when she had gotten her first place, and she loved them. Plus, there were boxes with the rest of her clothes and belongings.
“I think this is enough space,” she said looking around the garage. “I really don’t have that much.”
“Whatever you need,” he said.
She watched him lift a box and shove it on top of another. “Hey Bran?”
He turned his head and looked at her. “Yeah?”
“I love you.”
A smile slowly appeared on his lips. “I would hope so.” He winked.
She chuckled and tried to think of something clever to throw back at him but before she could the small moving truck pulled into the drive.
“Looks like they”re here,” he said and took her hand, both of them walking out to meet the men.
They moved quickly, unloading all her stuff within thirty minutes and then they were gone.
“Is there anything you want to have inside with you right now?” Brandon asked her, closing the garage door.
“I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it.” She did want to get all her jewelry making stuff and bring that inside but as for furniture, she would have to see what would fit.
“If it’s okay with you, I am going to try and get some sleep before my shift tonight.”
“Probably a good idea.” He looked tired and worn out and she felt bad for all the work he was putting in trying to find Will. “I have work that I should be doing anyway.”
“Damn, I was going to try to talk you into napping with me.” He kissed her softly.
“If I napped with you neither of us would get any sleep.”
“Is it my fault that you are so sexy and I can’t keep my hands off you?”
She laughed. “Go nap and maybe, if I finish all my work, I will join you in the shower later.”
He stared at her, his mouth hanging wide open. “You expect me to sleep with the image of you all wet and slippery in my head?”
“Yes.” She walked away, leaving him standing there staring after her.
“You’re a cruel woman!” he shouted.
“You love it!” she yelled back, laughing all the way to the kitchen.
His kitchen and dining room area was quickly becoming one of her favorite places. The view of the lake was so calm and serene, that she could work and not even realize that it was work.
Just thinking that this was now her home and she could have this view every day made her happy deep down where happiness formed.
Grabbing her bag, she opened it and set her laptop on the table along with her phone. She noticed she had several missed calls from Carly.
Hitting redial she waited for her to answer.
“Hey,” Carly finally said.
“Is everything okay?” Leah asked. “I saw all the calls and you had me worried.”
“Sorry,” Carly said. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. But is it true?”
“Is what true?” Leah asked.
“That you are moving in with Brandon?” Her screech pierced her ear through the phone.
“What the fuck?” Leah said. “How did you already hear?”
“It’s a small town, Leah.”
“Dammit, I wanted to tell you guys together.”
“You should have thought about that before you had the moving truck show up at Brandon’s.”
What had she been thinking? Of course, someone mentioned the truck to someone else. That’s how small towns worked.
“Are you mad?”
“I’m not mad that you are moving in with Bran. Hell, I could see that coming from almost the beginning. I’m just mad that I’m the last to know.”
“It all just happened so fast. One minute we were talking about my moving truck coming and the next, I’m moving in with him. It’s crazy, right?”
“Of course it’s crazy,” Carly said. “But in a good way. What I wouldn’t give for a little good crazy right now.”
Leah sighed into the phone. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys first.”
“You know that after everything you have been through, I would never begrudge you happiness. But next time, maybe tell me before all the old biddies in town start gossiping about it.”
“I’m kinda hoping this is a one-time thing, so there should be no next time.”
They talked for a few more minutes before saying their good-byes and Leah set her phone down and got to work on her laptop. She was working on something cool for Carly and Melanie to commemorate their first month in business. She’d had Logan take some pictures of different items in the studio; the bar, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and she was having them framed for the lobby. She also had Logan take some unknown photos of both Carly and Melanie teaching, figuring they would be great for brochures.
That was what she was working on now, the brochures. She wanted them to be professional but also fun. And since making brochures wasn’t necessarily one of her skills, she was learning as she went.
She was right in the middle of setting the pictures inside the brochure when she heard the shower turn on. Smiling to herself when she remembered her promise to Brandon, she closed the laptop and made her way to the bedroom. Stopping only at the bed to remove her clothes, she opened the door to a steamy bathroom.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” she spoke loudly so he would hear her over the water.
He peeked his head around the corner of the gorgeous tile that made up the wall of the shower. His eyes widened at her nakedness. “I was hoping you would hear the shower and come running.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “God, you are like a sex-starved teenager.”
“Damn right I am. Now get your sweet ass in here.”
She took three steps before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her around the corner and into the multi-head shower. While the view of the lake was the first thing she loved about his house, this shower was the second. It was fully encompassed by a tile wall and inside there were four showerheads and even a bench. It was like her own personal spa.
“How’d you sleep?” she asked, hot water spraying down over them both.
“Refreshing, but this is better.”
He nuzzled her neck while his hands roamed over her backside.
He was already fully hard, his cock pressing into her stomach and she got the overwhelming urge to take him in her mouth.
She pushed him back further and when his back hit the tile, she slid down his body. She lifted her eyes so she could see his face when her mouth engulfed him.
He didn’t grab her head like she expected him to but instead, placed his palms flat against the wall next to his hips. His eyes were wide open, as was his mouth.
She took him deeper, using her tongue to glide over the head when she pulled back again.
“Fuck,” he swore.
Loving the effect she had on him she continued on, adding more pressure each time. In just minutes, he pulled her up and before she could even breathe his mouth was covering hers. He was wild with passion, so much so that she could barely keep up.
“Goddamn,” he swore and turned her around so that her back was to him and her breasts were pressed up against the cool tile.
“Lift your arms,” he huskily whispered in her ear as he stroked a hand down over her ass.
She obliged, lifting both arms above her head and pressing her palms into the wall. Her breath was coming out fast, her mind racing with all the possibilities of what he was planning.
He pulled her hips just a little toward him, forcing her to arch her back.
“Fucking perfect,” he said, his fingers sliding between her legs and teasing her clit. “So fucking perfect.”
“So good,” she moaned out.
“It’s about to get even better,” she heard him say. He used one of his feet to widen hers and then she felt him open her with his fingers. She felt the tip of him at her opening and then, in one forceful movement he was inside her.
“Ahh!” she shouted but not from the force or pain. From pure joy. The feeling of him inside her was almost better than anything else she could think of.
He started moving, her arms pushing a little more against the tile every time he pounded into her. She arched her back even further, forcing him deeper and making her moan his name.
She felt his fingers tease her clit from the front and her body began to shake. She was already so worked up that she knew her orgasm was going to come fast and fierce.
And from the feel of him, he was going to be right behind her. His pace quickened, his strokes getting shorter and shorter. Her body gave in and let go, a shout coming from her mouth.
“That’s it,” he groaned and pushed into her one more time, holding himself tight against her as his release filled her.
She relaxed and stood, his cock sliding from her as she did so. “Holy shit,” she turned to face him. “Why haven’t we done that before.”
He laughed. “I was just wondering the same thing.”
After they washed up and got dressed, she made a quick dinner before he had to go to the station. During their meal he said, “Something happened last night with the case.”
Her eyes widened. “Something bad?”
“Yes and no. He broke into several houses in Woodridge and the only thing that was taken was insulin.”
“Was anyone hurt?” She dropped her fork. Eating was suddenly the last thing on her mind.
“No,” he said reverently. “Everyone was fine.”
She looked down at the table. “So he’s still out there and now he is breaking into people”s homes. He’s getting bolder,” she said and looked up at him.
“Seems like.”
She took a deep breath. “What do we do?”
“We don’t do anything,” he said, taking her hand. “You are going to stay safe and continue to not be alone. I am going to do everything humanly possible to find this guy.”
She hated that she was afraid and hated even more that her past was tainting her new home, but she knew that Brandon was right. “All right,” she acquiesced. “What about tonight?” she asked. “With you at work, should I stay here or go to Carly’s?”
“My house is completely safe, so it’s really your choice.”
She thought about it. “I could go there and get my stuff packed up to bring here. Then I can have some time with Carly and Mel.”
“Perfect,” he said. “I will drop you off on the way to work.”
And that’s what he did. Neither Carly or Mel was home yet from the studio but Logan was there as usual.
Brandon left her but not before kissing her so deeply that she was completely breathless when he left.
Logan who came up behind her said, “That was some kiss.”
She spun around and playfully slapped his arm.
“What?” He shrugged. “I’m just saying, someday I want to kiss a woman and walk away knowing that I am leaving that look on her face.” He pointed to her.
“It’ll happen,” she said, wondering if he was thinking about Melanie.
When he went back to his computer she left him alone figuring he wanted it that way. In her room she began re-packing the clothes that she had just over a month ago unpacked. At eight-thirty she heard Carly and Mel come home and went down to greet them.
“I didn’t expect you here,” Mel said. Dropping her bag on the floor and falling on the oversized chair. “I thought since you were shacking up with Bran that you would be at his place.”
She shook her head. “I am not shacking up with Brandon. We are going to live together.” She rolled her eyes. “If he can ever find that fucking douchebag Will.”
“Is that his official name,” Carly spoke up, “cause I can see the headlines now. ‘Fucking Douchebag Will caught by Cedarville’s finest.’”
“I like it,” Mel said. “I would read an article that had that title.”
“You guys are kinda scary,” Logan said. “Remind me not to get on your bad sides.”
“You’re already on my bad side,” Mel said.
“I’ll always love you, Logan,” Carly reached for his hand. “Unless you do something to piss me off.”
They all laughed and Logan just shook his head and walked away. Leah was going to miss living with them. Even though it had only been a short time, she had already gotten used to having them around.
“Tell me the truth,” she said, “do you think it’s too soon for me and Brandon to live together?”
Carly stared at her like she had two heads. “Asking two single, never lived with a guy, have no idea what love even is, people if it’s too soon to move in with the man you love, might not be the best idea.”
Leah scowled. “Just because you guys aren’t where I am, doesn’t mean that you don”t have opinions on what’s right and wrong.”
“Like Carly said, I’m no expert, but I’m almost positive that right and wrong are relative in relationships.”
“Okay,” Leah said. “Forget right and wrong,” she waved her hand in the air, “and tell me what you think?”
Carly smiled. “I think it’s great. I have never seen Brandon this happy, hell I’ve barely seen him with a woman. There were times we thought he might be gay,” she looked at Melanie, “and then he would all of a sudden have a date and it would blow that theory out of the water.”
“Remember the time we followed him,” Mel said. “It was like four years ago and we wanted to know where he was going and who he was going with?”
“OH MY GOD!” Carly bellowed. “I totally forgot about that.”
“So what happened?” Leah asked, curious.
“Nothing,” Melanie said laughing. “Literally nothing.”
“He walked around town for like thirty minutes, hitting a couple of stores and then went home. We were so sure he was up to something or had a secret girlfriend –”
“Or boyfriend,” Mel inserted.
“But we were sorely disappointed,” Carly finished.
Leah laughed with them, completely able to imagine them following him, thinking he was up to no good.
“And now he has you,” Mel said, “and we don’t have to wonder anymore.”
“I’m happy I could help clear up the confusion.”
“Seriously,” Carly said. “You guys are both so in love that it is nauseating. If I didn”t love you both, I’d slap your happy faces.”
“You should add that to your speech at her wedding,” Mel said.
At the word wedding, Leah blanched. “I’m not getting married.”
“Yet,” Carly said. “But just wait.”
Was marriage in her future? And Brandon, did he even want that? Now that the thought was there, she couldn’t seem to push it out. And to make matters worse she wasn’t sure she wanted to.