Another woman appeared in the frame and sat down next to Janelle. She was trying to look stern and pointed at the camera. “I’m still going to kick your ass when I see you again, Brady. Just because you both swore to me that you kept your mouths closed and still hated it …” She burst out laughing. “Just kidding. Happy birthday, bud. But if you think you can ever kiss my wife again …”
Janelle waved her hand in front of the camera, showing off a wedding ring. “She’s not kidding, Ryan. We got married! You’re looking at Mrs. and Mrs. Riley and Janelle Jameson!”
Leanne’s hand came up to cover her mouth as fresh tears ran down her face.
“That’s right, big guy.” Riley smiled at the camera. “You should learn from Janelle. Get out, get married, get a life while you still can. But I know you probably won’t. So, next time we’re back in the States, we’ll come visit.”
“We will,” added Janelle. “But for now, have yourself a wonderful birthday. We love you! Bye!”
The screen went blank and Leanne sat there staring at it. Her heart ached. She hadn’t believed right up until she’d sat down here at his desk, that there was any way he would ever be able to convince her. She knew what she’d seen. She still did. But now she understood.
She rested her elbows on the desk and put her face in her hands and cried.
“Lee?” He came in and pulled her to her feet. “What …?” He looked scared.
She flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry!”
A fresh wave of sobs came when he closed his arms around her, and she melted against him. He’d been right. Here in his arms was the only place she’d ever belonged. And she’d screwed it all up.
He tucked his fingers under her chin and made her look up at him. “I’m sorry, Lee. I knew before I even got home that night that you’d hate it if you ever knew about it.”
“You did nothing wrong, though. I understand that now.”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is now. Now and … what comes next. Where we go from here.”
She looked up into his eyes. “Where do you want to go?”
“Nowhere.”
Her heart slammed to a halt and she started to pull away from him. Was this some kind of sick revenge? She didn’t understand.
He pulled her back to him. “Don’t you dare assume the worst and pull away from me now.”
Anger bubbled up in her chest. “What the hell?”
He chuckled and lowered his head to nip at her lips. She put her hands on his shoulders to push him away, but she couldn’t. He was kissing her and there was nothing more important than that.
When he finally lifted his head, he smiled. “When I said nowhere …”
Her heart started to hammer again.
“Don’t look like that! You’re going to have to learn to trust me.”
“Sorry. We can talk about that. Just put me out of my misery. Tell me what you mean?”
“I mean that I want us to stay right here.” He looked around with a smile. “It’s a nice place—you said so yourself. And you’re going to need to live somewhere since you’re moving here …”
She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up into his eyes. “Are you saying …?”
He nodded. “I’m saying I want you to move in with me. I’m saying I don’t want you to leave.” His arm tightened around her. “I don’t want you to leave me ever again, Leanne.”
Her arms came up around his shoulders. “I don’t want to. I wasted—”
He put a finger to her lips. “We wasted. I’m not going to let you take all the blame. We share it. If I wasn’t such a stubborn bastard, I could have fought harder to make you understand.”
“I guess.”
He grabbed her empty glass then took her hand and led her back into the kitchen. After he’d poured them each a fresh drink, he asked, “So, what do you say?”
She met his gaze and saw fear in his eyes again. How could he not know? She went to him and slid her arms up around his neck. “I say yes, please. I want to come home now.”
He put his hands on her hips and lifted her up to sit on the counter then stepped between her legs and caged her between his arms. “Are you saying you want this place to be your home?”
“I’m saying you are my home. And I don’t ever want to leave home again.”
~ ~ ~
When he woke up the next morning, Ryan immediately turned to make sure she was still there. His heart rate started to slow back to normal when he saw her sleeping face on the pillow next to his. It was real. She was here. They were good—they’d made it.
He curled his arm around her and drew her to him. She opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile.
“Tell me I’m not dreaming?”
He dropped a kiss on her lips. “You’re not dreaming.”
Her arm came up around his shoulders. Her smile faded as she stroked his back. “What is that?” She was stroking his scar.
He gave her a rueful smile. “I got shot again.”
“Ryan!”
He laughed. “Don’t look like that; I didn’t do it on purpose.”
She sat up and turned him so she could kiss it. The feel of her lips on his shoulder sent shivers chasing each other down his spine.
“I have more, if you want to kiss those better, too?”
She chuckled. It was the sexiest sound he knew, and he’d gone too many years without hearing it. “Oh, yeah? Where?”
“Here.” He pulled her hand down to the one on his hip.
She traced her fingers over it and raised an eyebrow at him. “I’ll kiss it better for you, but I’ll be down there a while. Do you think we have time?”
He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was eight-thirty already. He was usually at work by eight. But they hadn’t gone to sleep until after two. They had so much making up to do—and talking.
He blew out a sigh. “You tell me. I could stay here with you all day.” He grinned. “All week if you like.”
He was disappointed when she brought her hand back up to stroke his chest. “I suppose we should get dressed and go into work, shouldn’t we?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “We can revisit this tonight or tomorrow or any day we like. Since we’re going to be waking up together every day from now on.”
She met his gaze, and a rush of warmth filled his chest. There she was—his Leanne. The soft, sweet girl he hadn’t seen for so many years and had feared that he would never see again.
“Aren’t we?” He asked when she didn’t say anything.
“Did you mean it?”
“Jesus, Lee! Of course, I did.” He sat up against the headboard and pulled her with him, wrapping her up in his arms and hugging her close to his chest. “I want you to move in here with me. I want you to live with me.” He almost said marry me. But he wanted to wait on that—wanted to make sure that when he asked her, he did it right. “I don’t ever want to be without you again. And if you still have any doubts or any hesitations, then you’d better tell me now.”