Page 39 of An Unexpected Home

She licked her lips and her eyes burned with fire. “Bad, bad influence,” she said in a husky voice and stepped back, turning away from him. “But,” she turned her head to look over her shoulder, “a really great plan.”

He groaned and dropped his chin against his chest.

“Come on, let's get to work,” she prodded him. “Someone has a promise to keep.”

Standing – and adjusting himself – he followed her to the corner of the room. “Mel said you wanted something moved?”

“I want all these desks rearranged.” She pointed at the three desks that occupied the room. “This isn’t the best use of space and I’m going to need some storage in here eventually.”

“Tell me where.”

They got to work, moving the desks together and she was no slouch. She pushed and pulled, making sure everything was right where she wanted it.

Standing back they admired the work they had done together. “I think this is going to be much better.”

“Wow.” Carly walked in the room. “Look at all this space in here.”

“Do you like it?” Leah asked.

“I do.” She moved around the room. “I wasn’t sure, with all the grunting going on, if it was safe to just walk in here.”

“Carly,” Brandon said in a warning tone.

“What?” Her eyes got the ‘I didn’t say anything’ look that she had been using on him since she was twelve.

Then Leah went and surprised the hell out of him. “Another five minutes and you might have.”

He gaped at her.

“Oh, I can leave,” Carly said.

“Nah.” Leah pursed her lips and looked at him. “I think I’ll make him wait.”

“That’s my girl.” Carly high fived her. “I have to say, I missed ya.”

“I’ve missed me a little, too.”

“Since Bran looks like he’s about to lose his mind over there, I’ll leave you two alone. But no sex in the office.” She wagged a finger at them.

Carly gone, Brandon looked at Leah. “You’re like a different person this afternoon.”

All of a sudden the light went out of her eyes. “And you don’t like it?” Her voice was timid, not confident like two minutes ago.

“Hey,” he said and moved toward her. “Hey, look at me.” He lifted her chin forcing her to make eye contact. “I didn’t say that. And if you would have waited like thirty seconds you would have heard me tell you that it was fucking sexy as hell.”

Her mouth formed a small O.

“Don’t lump me in with all the assholes of the world that you have known.” He wanted to include her dad and uncle in that statement but thought better of it.

“I’m just so used to people wanting me to be a certain way. College was the one time I loosened up a little and let my true self show. It took me months to realize that Carly didn’t care if I said something stupid or if I made mistakes.”

“I don’t care either. Hell, Leah, none of us are perfect. And the Leah who is confident and knows what she wants...that’s a fucking huge turn on.”

She smiled. “You seem to bring out my confidence.”

“While I love that, I want you to feel that way all the time. And I want it to be because that’s what you want.”

“It is what I want.”

---