Page 8 of Leon

Bending his head, he seized her lips and spun them away into dizzy delight.

Chapter 3

He stirred in the early morning and stretched. The smile was on his lips before he opened his eyes and memories flooded his mind. He had kept her up for most of the night, before they dropped off to sleep from sheer exhaustion sometime before dawn. His eyes flickered open as he turned his head and reached for her.

At first panic set in when he discovered her side of the bed empty. The thought that she had left sent the sliver of fear racing through him, before common sense kicked in. Even then, he had to make sure. Swinging his legs off the bed, he scrambled to pull on sweats and a hunter green sweater he had taken from his suitcase. Dragging on an old pair of tennis shoes, he simply dragged his fingers through his hair and was out the door.

There was a craving for coffee, but that would have to wait.

It was too early for sunrise and a gray mist was filtering through the curtains, seeping through windows, and slicing him with the cold. She had not even bothered to light a fire to warm the place up. The relief thundered through him when he saw her vehicle. Slowing his steps, he took several deep breaths and inhaled the fresh dewy scent of the morning. The cottage was on a slight incline and all around there were trees and flowers growing in wild abandon. Somewhere, birds were calling out and he couldjust make out two squirrels chasing each other up and down the redwood tree. The quiet would have been eerie, if it wasn't for the gentle trickle of water of the lake.

He saw her as soon as he rounded the corner and stopped just a few feet away as he studied her profile. She was seated on a smooth rock, near to the lake, her legs drawn up and her chin resting on the arms she had wrapped around them. Her hair was streaming in a thick, untidy heap down her back.

When he started forward, she heard him or perhaps sensed him and turned her head. Her smile came quickly, the pleasure on her face making his heart light. He had been afraid that she was regretting being here.

"Hi."

Lifting a hand, she reached for his. Crossing to her, he took it and lowered himself on the soft patch of grass next to her. She leaned in immediately, snuggling against him with a sigh.

"I didn't want to wake you. You were sleeping so soundly."

"Was I snoring?"

He kissed the top of her head and wrapped a possessive arm around her. Here was contentment. Here with her, he could forget the world of business and the fact that they were caught in an unusual situation.

"Naturally."

Lifting her face, she met his mouth with hers. The kiss was soft and seeking as if in tandem with the quiet ambience. Lifting his mouth from hers, he took a deep breath.

"I thought you had left," he admitted.

She stared at him quizzically, making him feel a little foolish.

"I would never leave."

"I know." He flicked a finger down her nose. "I am a little irrational when it comes to you."

Her brows winged up. "Only a little?"

"More than a little." He grinned at her, white teeth flashing. "Loving you makes me crazy at times."

Her expression sobered, and he swore silently that he was the cause of it.

"It does the same for me." She settled back on his shoulder; one hand curled on his chest. "When we're here like this, I imagine that we're all alone, free from all the drama of our everyday lives. That I'm just a wife who looks forward to coming home to her husband and making him dinner."

"That does not sound like you," he teased.

She did not rise to it but continued in her soft voice. "That I would be baking. Perhaps an apple pie or cherry." She shook her head. "We would be off for the weekend and instead of goinganywhere, we're contented to just stay in and spend time with each other. You would be watching the game, and I would be in the kitchen."

She uncurled her fingers and spread them out, staring at the ring she had placed there. Even in the dull light, it shone, sending sparks everywhere.

"During commercials you would wander into the kitchen to get something to eat. I would distract you by wrapping my arms around you and start kissing. The game and the baking would be forgotten for a while. I would probably end up burning the pie."

"I have a feeling; I would not mind in the least." He was caught up in the scenario and felt himself wishing it was true. Hadn't he had a similar dream?

"Neither would I," she murmured. Lifting her head, she gazed at him and felt the familiar ache starting in her chest. "I love you."

His green eyes darkened as emotions stormed through him. He could be frustrated with the situation they were in, but at times like this, he had no regrets.

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