Just One Look - Leah and Lance (Crossroads Book 15)

by Melanie Shawn

  He plunged himself into her with breathtaking force, and she instinctively lifted her hips even further to meet him.

  “Oh my god, you’re so deep inside me,” she whimpered. “So deep. Fuck!”

  She knew she wasn’t making any sense just babbling in ecstasy. She never would’ve let herself do that in front of anyone else. She never would’ve let herself be that vulnerable. But in front of Lance, she realized, she put up absolutely no pretense. She felt no need for it. When he looked at her, she knew that he saw the real her, and more than that—he liked what he saw.

  Very quickly, they got into a smooth rhythm—he thrust into her, penetrating her, both body and soul, and she rose to meet him as he did. Their timing was perfect.

  She felt another orgasm building deep in her belly and wanted it to be perfect, and she knew that there was only one way that it could be—if it was in perfect sync with his. She wanted the two of them to share that powerful, visceral experience together. She knew it was a damn cliché. She didn’t care. Apparently Lance brought out the cheesy cliché lover in her, and she was freaking here for it.

  She slid her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down closer to her as she gasped, “I’m about to come, baby. Come with me. Let’s do this together.”

  He didn’t answer, but she felt the muscles in his back clench and bunch under her fingertips and knew that she was going to get her wish.

  She slid her legs around his waist, wrapping him up in her arms and her legs, holding him close to her as they both exploded together. It was perfect, having him that close to her as they shared such a primal experience. Completely, one hundred percent perfect.

  Chapter 23

  Leah sat curled up on her couch, watching The First 48, sipping a glass of Merlot, and eating chocolate ice cream when her phone rang. Bea’s face popped up on the screen. She licked excess chocolate off of her lips as she grabbed the phone.

  “What am I doing right now?” Leah asked, teasing her sister about their psychic connection, or lack thereof.

  “Well, since I saw Lance’s bike parked in the back of the shop when I took out the trash, I’m guessing you’re at home forgetting to text me to tell me that you got back safe.”

  Shit.

  Bea was a worrier. Leah was not. Leah always assumed everything was okay, unless she heard differently. Her twin was the opposite. Bea’s mind automatically went to worst-case scenario.

  Even though Leah didn’t share her sister’s worrisome ways, she’d had every intention of texting Bea when she got home four hours ago. But Lance had distracted her with mind-blowing sex before he left to go do a tattoo for Dray, who’d contacted him when they were on the way back to Harper’s Crossing. When he left, she’d decided to have a glass of wine, bask in her post-coital bliss, and watch murder shows. The time had flown by.

  “See, we are psychic!” Leah exclaimed.

  “Ha ha.” Bea sighed. “I’m glad you’re home. It looked like you guys had fun.”

  Leah had been documenting her road trip adventures on Snapchat. She hadn’t shown Lance’s face to protect his privacy. Since she’d outed him to Karina Black, she’d been very careful not to make that mistake again. It was more difficult than she thought it would be. Whenever anyone complimented one of his tattoos, which happened a lot, she wanted to say, “If you think that’s good, you should see his work.”

  She wanted to shout that he was “LANCE JAMES TATTOO GOD” from the rooftops. But she didn’t think he would appreciate it, so she refrained.

  “My favorite pic was the one with Kyle Austen Reed.” Bea stated. “I still can’t believe you met him and Karina Black.”

  Neither could Leah. As soon as she and Lance left Sue Ann’s, she’d immediately regretted not meeting Kyle, but she didn’t want to make them go back or embarrass herself further by fangirling out again.

  “I almost didn’t meet Kyle. Karina offered to introduce us but I sort of embarrassed myself fangirling out over her and I didn’t want to make more of a fool of myself. So we left Sue Ann’s without stopping by his table. But Lance must’ve read my mind because when we got to the car he stopped and said, ‘You want to go back and meet Kyle, don’t you?’ I don’t know how he knew but I’m so glad he did. I wouldn’t have said anything, and I can honestly say that meeting Kyle Austen Reed is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He’s everything you’d think he is and more. I didn’t even ask to take a picture with him. He offered.”

  “That’s amazing!”

  “It was.” And it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Lance.

  “How did things go with Lance? Was he driving you crazy?”

  Since entering adulthood, Leah’d had had a two-day rule. She never spent more than forty-eight straight hours with someone. That was her threshold before everything they did started getting on her nerves. Bea was exempt, of course.

  “No. The opposite.”

  Bea was quiet for a moment before saying, “Uh oh.”

  “Yeah,” Leah agreed with her sister’s assessment of the situation.

  “Have you told him?”

  “Told him what? That I’m in love with him? That I want to marry him? That I want to have his babies?”

  “Umm…I was talking about you wanting to see him after he went back to Florida. But, yeah, have you told him any of that?”

  “No.”

  “Are you going to?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Leah, if you feel those things, then you should definitely tell him. No one is promised tomorrow. You never know what is goi—”

  “Can we save the lecture for later? I’m tired.” Leah loved her sister, but once the lecture train left the station it was hard to get the locomotive to stop.

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”

  “Love you, Sissy.”

  Leah disconnected the call and thought about what her sister had said, or started to say. She didn’t need to be Nostradamus to figure out the rest of what she would’ve told her.

  She and Lance hadn’t talked about what them hooking up meant, if anything, or what their future held. She’d wanted to, but she was scared to bring it up. Things had been going so well between them and she was scared to ruin it. She’d lost an entire week with him because she’d opened her big mouth. Well, she’d opened up her big mouth and covered his with it, but still. She didn’t want to spook him into leaving even a second before he absolutely had to.

  Her biggest fear was that she’d build up the courage to tell him how she felt only for him to get on his motorcycle and ride into the sunset, never to be seen again.

  She’d tell him after he went back to Florida. Maybe she’d give it a week, see if he kept in touch. If he did, great, that would make things easier. If not, she’d send him a, hey, just wanted to let you know that I accidentally fell in love with you, text.

  If that didn’t work, she’d call and try and have an adult conversation with him. One that she’d never had with anyone before. She’d tell him that she loved him, he was the best man she knew, that she couldn’t imagine her life without him, and ask him how he felt.

  But that was definitely going to be her last resort.

  What he did or said after that, she had no control over. What she did have control over was tonight. They had one more night together before he would most likely be going home, and she was going to make the most of it. She was going to hop in the shower, shave, and be waiting for him in something that he wouldn’t easily forget when he returned to Florida.

  A burst of determination flooded her. She took her last bite of ice cream, downed the rest of her wine, shut off the TV and hopped up. She set her dishes in the sink but when she was walking away, she stopped and smiled to herself. She needed to be an adult and wash her dishes. If she was ever going to have a real adult conversation with Lance, she needed to start with at least washing her dishes.

  She turned back, rinsed them out, and put them in the dishwasher. She lifted the door back up an
d was feeling a totally disproportionate amount of pride in such a menial task when she heard a man’s voice behind her.

  “Where is she?”

  The hairs on Leah’s arms stood up as she spun around and saw Martin Watts was standing in her kitchen. He was holding a gun pointed at her.

  “Where is she?” He repeated slowly. “I know you took that fucking dog to her.”

  Leah’s heart and mind were racing. She was trying to think fast. She’d watched so many shows about murder and abduction but she never thought she’d be starring in one. She tried to think of what she’d tell a woman to do in this situation if she was watching it.

  “What are you talking about?” She hoped to stall him from doing anything rash and keep him talking.

  “Don’t play stupid. I went back to the store to get my fucking dog and I heard your sister telling someone you just got back from dropping him off.”

  “I did drop him off.” Leah nodded, thinking fast. “I dropped him off to an adopter.”

  “Bullshit! I know you took him to her!”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  A light bounced off of Martin’s face, shining through the blinds in the front room and the sound of a motorcycle shut off.

  Lance. He was home.

  Martin looked out the side window then moved behind the door. “Get rid of him.”

  “How? He has a key.”

  “If you don’t, I’ll kill him. Your choice.”

  Fuck!

  She started to open the door, when Martin grabbed her arm, keeping hold of it behind the door as he held the gun up to the peephole in the door. If he shot it, he would hit Lance in the head. “Stand where I can see your face,” he sneered.

  She opened the door halfway and said much too brightly. “Hey!”

  Lance, who was now on the porch, gave her a strange look before taking a step to come in the house. She put out her hand, stopping him.

  “Can you go to the store?”

  He stilled and looked at her. “For what?”

  “Ice cream.” It was the first thing she thought of.

  “Ice cream?” he repeated.

  “Yep, you know I can’t watch a rom-com without my ice cream,” she let out a small laugh, wanting to sound casual but instead sounding manic.

  “Is this a joke?” he half-teased, using a phrase that they’d both said to one another.

  “No.” She said seriously. “You know I don’t joke about my love of rom-coms or ice cream. Can you please go get me some ice cream?” Leah pleaded.

  She needed him to leave, but she was trying to tell him something was wrong. She had no idea if he would pick up on it. It wasn’t a great strategy, but she didn’t know what else to do.

  Lance’s eyes cut to the side and they narrowed. It was only for second but she thought he might’ve been able to see Martin through the slit between the door and the frame.

  “What kind do you want?” he asked calmly.

  “Chocolate.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  He stepped forward to kiss her and Leah froze, terrified that Martin was going to shoot him. But after a brief peck Lance retreated, turned and walked down the porch. Panic set in as she watched his back disappear around the corner to the driveway. She wanted to scream, to cry out for him to come back, but she knew that she couldn’t.

  What if she did that and Martin shot Lance? She’d never be able to live with herself.

  When she heard the motorcycle start up, she closed the door and Martin smiled. “Good girl. Now just tell me where Rebecca is and I’ll be gone by the time he comes back.”

  She knew that wasn’t true. There was no way that Martin would leave her alive. Not when he knew she’d call the police. Even if that was the case, she’d never tell him. She wasn’t about to let this psycho hurt Rebecca again, and it didn’t matter what that cost her. Even if it was her life.

  Ideally, though, it wouldn’t come to that. She’d talked herself out of sticky situations before. None quite this sticky…but, still. She had a talent, and if there was ever a time to bust it out…

  She figured her only hope was not to give up the information that she had, and pray that she could find a way to escape.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” She tried to pull her hand away but Martin squeezed it tight. Just like Brock the accountant had done. But unlike Brock, Martin added a twist causing her skin to burn.

  “Ahh,” she cried out in pain.

  He pulled her closer to him. “Tell me where she is!”

  Without thinking, Leah shifted so that she was in position and brought her knee up as hard as she could.

  Martin groaned and dropped her arm. “I’m gonna kill you bitch!”

  She started to run past him to get to the door but she’d only made it one step when he grabbed her and yanked her hard by her hair. Her neck snapped back and she screamed in pain.

  The next thing she knew, the door flew open and she heard a loud pop.

  She collapsed to the floor. Maybe a second later Martin dropped to the ground beside her on his back. His eyes were closed and his head fell to the side. Then she felt a large arm wrap around her and she was being lifted to her feet, into Lance’s arms.

  She threw her arms around Lance’s neck and buried her face into him. “You came back!”

  “I never left,” he said calmly, holding her tight.

  His breathing was shallow and suddenly she felt something warm on her chest. She lifted her head and saw bright red liquid on her chest.

  “Am I bleeding?”

  “No. I am.”

  She stepped back and saw that Lance was holding the gun in his left hand, pointed at Martin’s unconscious body. His right shoulder was covered in blood.

  “Oh my God?! What happened?”

  “He had the gun pointed at your head. When I kicked the door in, he aimed it at me and shot. I knocked him out and grabbed the gun.” Lance kept his stare trained on Martin.

  “I need to call 911!” Leah was shaking as she scrambled for her phone.

  “I already did. I called when I started my bike.”

  She grabbed a towel off the kitchen table and pressed it to his wound as a faint sound of sirens began growing louder. “You should’ve waited for them to get here! He could’ve killed you.” Tears started running down her face.

  Lance’s voice softened. “He didn’t. I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. You’re shot!” she cried and thought about what her sister had said. No one was promised tomorrow. This might not be the right time to say it, but if not now, when? “I love you!” she blurted out. “I love you, Lance.”

  His eyes cut to hers right before police came in with guns drawn. “Drop the weapon!”

  Lance lowered the gun and put his hands up. One of the cops secured the gun and the other started to cuff him.

  “No! Stop! He’s shot! He saved me! This is Lance Taylor, Doc and Kitty’s grandson.” She didn’t know the officers but everyone in town knew Doc and Kitty. “Lance saved me. That’s who you need to arrest.” Leah pointed to Martin. “He broke into my house and held a gun on me.”

  Everything after that was a blur. The police took Lance outside and put him in an ambulance. Leah tried to go with him, but they wouldn’t let her. They took her statement. They arrested Martin. Bea and CJ showed up at some point. They took her down to the station to make another statement.

  She didn’t know how long it took…an hour, two hours, six hours…but finally she made it to the hospital. When she did, she saw Doc and Kitty were in the waiting room.

  When they saw her, they stood. She rushed up to them. “How is he?”

  “He’s in surgery.” Doc said somberly. “We won’t know anything for a few hours.”

  Leah sank into the chair, engulfed in an endless pit of helplessness and despair.

  “Honey, why don’t you go home?” Doc suggested.

  Kitty offered, “We can call you when we hear something.”r />
  Leah didn’t have the strength to answer them, she just looked up at Bea.

  Bea nodded and sat beside her sister. “CJ, why don’t you go get everyone some coffee.”

  Kitty and Doc sat back down and Bea fielded questions from them. Leah was silent. She had no words to say. She wouldn’t until she knew if Lance was going to be okay. She needed him to be okay.

  Chapter 24

  My head is pounding.

  That was the first thought Lance had as he floated into awareness. The second was that he heard beeping. Loud beeping that his throbbing head didn’t appreciate. And the third was Leah. He wanted to see Leah.

  With more effort than should ever be required, he tried to open his eyes, but they were too heavy. He tried again but instead of seeing his surroundings, his sight was still curtained in darkness as flashes of scenes began playing in his mind.

  He saw Leah opening her door and acting strange.

  He saw himself catch sight of a man through the crevice of the frame and door.

  He saw a closed door and heard Leah scream on the other side of it.

  He saw the door open as he barreled his shoulder into it.

  He saw a bright flash and heard a loud pop that he knew was a gunshot.

  He saw Leah on the floor and felt the panic of thinking that she was the one that had been shot.

  He saw himself scooping her up into his arms.

  The rest was foggy. He remembered someone in uniform talking to him. He had the feeling it was a first responder but he didn’t know if it was a cop or a paramedic.

  Had Leah been shot?

  Had he reached her in time?

  He needed to find out. He had to find her and make sure she was okay.

  He tried to call out her name, but he couldn’t. It felt like he had cotton in his throat. It took several tries, but he finally managed to pry his eyelids open. His vision was fuzzy, but he could see that there was an IV in his arm, he had a blanket covering him, and there was a dark figure of a person beside him.

  Several blinks later his eyes adjusted and he saw that it was Leah. Leah was sitting in a chair next to the bed. She was smiling down at him and looked like an angel. Suddenly, a faint memory of her telling him she loved him drifted into his mind, but he wasn’t sure if that was a dream or not. He had a suspicion that it was.