Page 35 of I Wanna Dance

“Okay,cariño, you want to tell me why you look like your puppy died?”

Her shoulders slumped. “You’ll think I’m being stupid.”

“Probably. It’s what I do best. But tell me anyway.”

She smiled at that, but her eyes filled with tears, and I squeezed her to comfort her. She was in real pain, and I hated that. Camille cried easily. An advertisement. A book. A TV show. Leah didn’t, so when she did, it meant something had hurt her profoundly.

“I ran into Kevin today,” she revealed, her breath shaky.

The mention of his name made my jaw tighten, but I didn’t say anything. I waited. I could guess what happened. He probably said things to debase her, and she was back in the space she used to be when she was married. When he made her feel small. Emotional abuse was its own trigger, and I wanted to bolster her self-esteem so he couldn’t get to her the way he did. But it would take time. I was here for the long haul, I thought then and felt the band around my heart loosen. I’d take care of Leah. I wanted to.

“He said some things. About me. About us.”

“What kind of things?”

She hesitated, then looked up at me, her blue eyes shimmering with moisture and sadness. “He said I wasn’t good enough for you. That I’m too old, too...damaged, that someone like you wouldn’t want someone like me…not for long.”

My chest burned with anger. The asshole.

“Leah, listen to me. He’s wrong. He’s so wrong it’s almost laughable.”

She blinked, tears spilling over despite her best efforts to hold them back.

“I don’t care what Kevin thinks; you shouldn’t either.” I rocked her gently, kissing her cheek, her lips—whichever part of her face I could reach. “He doesn’t get to define you. You are one of the strongest, kindest, most incredible women I’ve ever met.”

She looked at me, vulnerable, fragile. “But how can you want someone like me?”

“Someone smart, kind, generous, and amazing in bed?”

She sniffled.

I tightened my grip on her and met her gaze head-on. “Because you make me happy. Because you make me think. Because you have this fire inside you that makes me want to be a better man. Leah, I’m not with you because I feel sorry for you or because I need someone to spend time with. I’m with you because I want to be withyou. You’re special.”

Kevin was a fool. I was glad I wasn’t.

Her lip trembled, and she let out a shaky laugh. “You’re really good at this whole pep talk thing.”

“Only because I mean every word.” I brushed tears from her cheek with my thumb.

She smiled, the sadness in her eyes softening just a little.

“Now, we have an important decision to make?” I said seriously.

“What?”

“Should I cook or order pizza?”

She laughed this time. “You can’t cook.”

I wasn’t the best at it. We all had our abilities, and whipping up meals wasn’t one of mine. I could make a mean, soft-boiled egg, though. But that was where it ended!

“True. But you’ve had a hard day, and I want to take care of you.”

“You’ll burn down the kitchen.”

I kissed her nose. “No, just the food.”

“I like anchovies on my pizza.”

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