Chapter 27
Leah was bombardedby Carly and Melanie as soon as she walked in the door.
“Oh my God, we were so worried,” Carly said in her ear as they hugged. “Are you okay?”
“I am,” she assured her. Melanie pushed Carly aside and took her turn hugging her.
“You scared me to death,” Mel said. “Don’t ever do that again.” She slapped her shoulder lightly.
“I’ll try not to have any more crazy stalkers come after me.”
“I’ll be the only one stalking her from now on,” Brandon said from behind her.
She leaned back into him and let him wrap his arms around her.
“Are you guys hungry?” Logan asked. He was standing next to Mel, and from what Leah could tell from the look on her face, she was over her hate of him.
She tilted her head to look up at Brandon. “I could eat.”
“Me too,” he said and kissed her nose.
“I’ll order pizza,” Logan said and walked away.
“Come sit,” Carly said and they all moved into the living room and sat down. “We want to know what happened?”
“But only if you want to tell us,” Mel added.
Leah gave a small laugh. “I’ll tell you but only if you all make me a promise?” When all sets of eyes were on hers, she said, “This is the last time I want to talk about this. I know I am going to have to give a report,” she said to Brandon, “but other than for official purposes, I want this to go away.”
“Deal,” Carly said.
She told them the story from the beginning, leaving out nothing. When she was done, there were a few questions that she answered and then the subject was changed, by Tony of all people.
“So I hear you two are moving in together?”
“That’s the plan,” she said and looked at Brandon.
“It’s more than a plan,” he said. “It’s happening.”
She smiled at his demanding tone.
“I know you haven’t been here long,” Mel said, “but damn, I’m gonna miss you.”
“You’ll see me every day at work.”
“Not the same,” Carly said. “Plus, you are a much better cook than Mel and that’s saying something because you suck, too.”
Mel threw a pillow at Carly and they all laughed. These people had, almost overnight, become her family and she couldn’t imagine a life without them.
––––––––
After pizza, Brandonseemed to sense her exhaustion and they made their excuses and headed home.
Home.
A word that just four short weeks ago she was unsure of. But now, she knew this place, the house, the town, the people; they were all hers.
This was where she belonged.
Once home, Brandon helped her undress and get into the shower. He washed her hair and body; his hands tender and loving.
“You are so beautiful,” he said as his hands skimmed down her sides. “I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”
She practically purred under his touch. Before the shower she had been exhausted, but now that his hands were on her, she was wide awake.
She turned in his arms. “Make love to me, Brandon?”
They toweled off and, naked and damp, laid down on the bed. Their kisses were deep and slow, each of them taking what they needed from the other. Their movements were in sync; as if they were choreographed, in a way that only people in love could understand.
He entered her in one motion and she sighed. He lifted his head, his eyes on her.
“This is heaven,” she told him. “Nothing is ever going to be better than this.”
He began to move and she met him with every thrust. His mouth searched out hers and the kiss was tender with a hint of rough. She was a goner and she went over in record time. The only thing that saved her from embarrassment was that he was right behind her.
Still kissing, he rolled them so that she was tucked into his side.
“Sorry that was fast,” he said when she rested her head on his chest.
“I was faster,” she answered back.
His laugh shook his whole body. “Well, then, I guess you win.”
She sighed and they both got quiet. “Is it really over?”
“It is,” he said and kissed her head.
“Do you know what this means?” she said and sat up, turning to look at him. “This means that I can take walks or go to the store alone or sit out on the porch when you’re not here.”
He ran his hand up and down her back. “You can do all those things.”
“Let’s open all the windows and the porch doors,” she said and jumped up off the bed, reaching for a t-shirt. She knew she sounded crazy but she needed to do something that proved to her that she was really truly safe.
He laughed again but sat up and pulled on shorts. “All right, let’s go.”
They moved through the house and opened windows, then opened the french doors to the porch and left them open while they each took a seat.
“It’s so beautiful.” The sun was setting and the colors over the lake were breathtaking.
“When I built this place, all I wanted was to have a family to share it with.” He took her hand. “And now I have you and you are more than I ever imagined.”
From the beginning, he’d always had the ability to floor her with his words. And this was no different.
“This is a life I never knew I wanted or that I could even have. But now that I have it, and you, I can’t see a future that isn’t here with you, in this house, and in this town. This is my home now and sharing it with you is all I want.”
She leaned in to kiss him, the sun setting behind them over the lake. She knew that life wasn’t going to be perfect, and that they were going to fight and have problems. But she also knew that with Brandon by her side, she would always have someone to lean on.