Page 9 of Leon

"And I adore you. Since I first laid eyes on you. You took my breath away. Still do."

She brought his head down and met his lips. She was determined that they would have a good time. No thinking of what ifs. She was going to make him breakfast and just sit around and do nothing. They did not even have to talk.

"You're cold," he murmured hoarsely when she shivered.

"How can that be when I'm burning up inside?" She whispered against his mouth. "I want to feel you inside me."

His face went taut with passion. "You know I've never been able to deny you anything."

Scooping her into his arms, he rose lithely and went back to the cottage.

*****

The last place Grace expected to run into her best friend's father was Mimi's Café, a trendy coffee and pastry place a few blocks away from the courthouse. She had had to run in on Saturday morning, to tackle a few outstanding briefs which annoyed her to no end, but it had to be done. She had just popped into the café and grabbed her usual skinny latte and a few cream puffs, which she had been unable to resist when she saw the man seated in a corner, looking hale and hearty and scarfing down a few crullers. With a big mug of coffee at his elbow.

She would have slipped out without saying a word to him, but he looked up just then and their eyes met. A wide smile touched her lips at the guilty look on his craggy face, and she made a point of strolling over to sit across from him.

"Mr. Donaldson, why, don't you look healthy."

If the man could blush, he would have, but instead he swallowed the donut that he had been eating and gave her a steely look as if trying to save face.

"I felt the need to get out this morning, not that I owe you any explanation." He had never really liked her, and they both knew why. He thought that Grace had too much influence over his daughter and was slowly corrupting her.

"Of course, you don't. It's just that Kay made it sound like you were at death's door. I told her she was wrong."

He fiddled with his cup and avoided her candid gaze. "It so happens I'm not feeling too badly this morning."

She glanced at the remaining pastries. "Are you supposed to be eating those?"

His eyes flashed. "I can eat whatever I choose."

"With your health issues, I would think that's not possible. But what do I know? I'm not a doctor."

"No, you're not. What are you doing here? Isn't my daughter staying with you? I tried calling her and her phone went straight to voicemail."

The lie came quickly and without a single qualm, she murmured. "She's at the spa and her phone is off. I treated her to a day of it. The poor thing looked plain worn out." Her eyes told him plainly that he was the reason for it.

He sliced her with a look as she took a delicate sip of her latte. "I never forced her to take care of me and if she's been complaining..."

"Complain?" Grace tsked. "Your daughter should be sent up for sainthood. The last thing anyone would ever hear from her is a word of complaint. No matter how bad the situation is or how trying."

She rose gracefully and nodded at his crullers. "Enjoy your breakfast."

With that, she strolled off, considering her job done. Taking out her phone, she quickly shot off a text message to Kadian, warning her of the confrontation and what had been said.

Suddenly the morning and being cooped up in a musty old office did not seem too bad after all.

*****

"We could have gone out for breakfast." He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck, while she expertly turned the golden-brown omelet.

"And missed the chance to cook for you? No way." She leaned into him, contented. He had brought her back and made love to her slow and leisurely, until she was begging him to take her. Afterwards, they had indulged in a long hot bath and now they were both starving.

"I don't want you slaving over a hot stove."

"I don't mind it. I don't mind cooking for you or doing laundry. Not that I will be getting the chance. From what you told me; Mrs. Lynn is very territorial." She flipped the eggs and removed the pot from the flames. "Would you mind setting the table?"

"Putting me to work?"

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