Waiting for Forever (Hope Valley Book 8)

by Jessica Prince

  And once I had a lock on that, I closed my eyes and passed out.

  Chapter Twelve

  Leo

  I blinked awake, my internal alarm clock going off before the physical one I set each morning did. It was just before six, but I was awake in a way I knew getting back to sleep was impossible, which was perfect. I needed to be home before my kids got there to prevent any questions, but I wasn’t ready for my time with Danika to be over yet.

  And speaking of . . . I rolled to my side and stared down at her sleeping face, thinking for the millionth time that she had to be one of the most beautiful women I’d ever laid eyes on.

  I hadn’t initially planned on spending the night. I hadn’t shared a bed with a woman since Whitney, and even then, there’d been no cuddling, no spooning. It had pissed Whitney off to no end that I didn’t hold her while we slept. I’d tried during those first years, but I could never sleep well. I just wasn’t that kind of guy. I liked my space when I slept; I couldn’t stand being restricted. Then, later on in the marriage it was simply because I didn’t want to. She blamed our lack of intimacy solely on me, but the truth of it was, the last thing I wanted to do after getting home and listening to her bitch at me for hours on end about one thing or another was hold her while she slept.

  It had been different with Danika, and I knew that from the very beginning. After making her come and seeing that sleepy, sex-drunk look on her face, I couldn’t leave. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted as much of her sweetness as I could pack in to the short amount of time we had.

  So I’d made a decision, stripping off my tee and putting it on her for no other reason than I wanted to see how she looked in it. And fuck me, she looked amazing. When I’d walked back into her room, seeing her snuggled up under her covers, her mass of silky dark hair fanned out all around her, I pictured that smile she’d given me when I told her I was staying. It was a smile I’d never seen her wear before. It wasn’t the one she gave to her customers or her friends. It was different. It was the smile Sage had been talking about in my truck as I drove her home. That was my smile.

  I’d climbed into the bed and, without giving a single thought to the need coursing through me to touch her in any way I could, pulled her against me. At some point in our sleep, our positions had shifted, but my arms were still firmly around her, holding tight.

  I studied her face, taking in her thick lashes that were so long they swept across her high cheekbones when her eyes were closed, her pale, creamy skin, her button nose, and as I watched her sleep, my arms grew tighter.

  Unwrapping one arm from around her, I brought my hand to her face and dragged my fingertip down the bridge of her nose. It instantly crinkled as she reached up to swat at the air. I swallowed down my chuckle and did it again. This time, she let out a tiny mewl of protest as she waved at the air, trying to fend off whatever it was attempting to pull her into consciousness.

  “Danika.”

  Her eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice before opening partway, and I was hit with the beauty that was Danika first thing in the morning. “No talk,” she mumbled, turning her face and stuffing it into the pillow. “More sleep.”

  I laughed, pushing her hair aside in an attempt to see her, but she just burrowed deeper. “Sorry, sweetness, but it’s time to get up.”

  “No, no, no.” She twisted her head back to me, however, her eyes were closed again, so when she lifted her finger to my lips, her aim was off, and she ended up smooshing my cheek as she whispered, “Shhhhhhhhh.”

  Okay, so she wasn’t a morning person. Time for another tactic.

  Releasing her from my hold, I rolled off the mattress and padded around to the bottom of the bed. Once there, I grabbed hold of the covers and yanked them off.

  “Hey!” she screeched, but before she could flip over, I wrapped my fingers around her ankle and pulled her down the length of the bed. Once it was in reach, I took hold of her waist and lifted her off the mattress, placing her feet on the floor in front of me.

  “Good morning.”

  She scowled up at me and blew a strand of hair out of her face dramatically. Her big gray eyes and heart-shaped face made her look like one of those cartoon princesses from the movies Macie used to watch when she was little. “It was until you woke me up,” she grumbled.

  “Sorry about that.” I really wasn’t. “But I need my shirt if I’m gonna go out and pick up some breakfast.”

  At that, her eyes lost all their venom, not that there was much. “You’re getting me breakfast?”

  I placed my hands on her hips and stepped close to her, even having just woken up, she still smelled like vanilla and sugar. “Well, I considered cookin’ for you, but we both know I suck at it. Also, you told me you still haven’t hit the grocery store since the whole droopy lettuce-moldy cheese-petrified pizza conversation. So I’m workin’ with what I got, which means a carryout order from Evergreen Diner.”

  Her frown vanished, replaced with a look of excitement that was almost as good as the smile she’d given to me. She did a little dance, hopping from foot to foot as she bopped her shoulders. “I want their biscuits and gravy. With home fries. Ooh! And sausage—no, wait . . . bacon. No, sausage. Definitely sausage.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “That all?”

  She looked up, scrunching her lips to the side in thought. “A to-go cup of orange juice would not be remiss,” she stated seriously, then finished on a mumble to herself, “Man, I really need to go grocery shopping.”

  “All right, baby. Now gimme my shirt so I can see to getting you fed.”

  That shyness suddenly returned, painting the apples of her cheeks red. She suddenly turned, quick as lightning, and bolted toward the bathroom, leaping over those high-heeled sandals she’d worn the night before, and slammed the door closed behind her. A few seconds later, she came waltzing back in, wearing a soft-looking robe that hit her at mid-thigh, my tee hanging from her extended hand.

  I took it and slipped it over my head, loving that her scent was now on it. “Next time, feel free to strip down in front of me.”

  “But”—she chewed on her bottom lip, nervously—“I wasn’t wearing anything underneath.”

  I smiled, knowing it looked wicked as I leaned down, taking her chin between my thumb and index finger as I let out a groan and grunted, “I know.”

  She hit me with a bashful smile that I kissed right off. Then I finished getting dressed and started toward the door, calling back over my shoulder, “Be back in a few, darlin’.”

  “All right, honey. I’ll be here.”

  Damn, but I loved it when she called me honey.

  Danika

  “What do you think about cats?”

  I was sitting on one of my kitchen stools, twisted to face Leo who was sitting beside me, chomping down on a strip of bacon—he’d gotten me bacon and sausage. Yay! He’d gotten back from the diner a while ago, and while he was gone, I used the opportunity to undo some of the damage I’d caused by sleeping in my makeup the night before. I’d quickly brushed my teeth, scrubbed my face clean, and gone through my morning skincare regimen before tackling the rat’s nest that was my hair.

  By the time he got back with breakfast, I was fresh-faced and dressed in a pair of baby blue yoga pants and a cream-colored, cowl-neck long-sleeved tee. We sat at my island and dove in to Evergreen Diner’s incredible breakfast.

  Now we were done, for the most part—I was still munching on the strips of bacon because I was incapable of sitting in front of bacon without eating it—and talking about nothing in particular and everything at the same time. He’d just asked how long I’d been in my house, which naturally led to me asking my question about cats.

  He finished taking a sip from the coffee mug I’d given him and lowered it from his lips, looking at me with an arched brow. “You want my opinion on their general existence, or how I feel about them personally?”

  I giggled and lifted my foot from the rung of his stool to bump his leg. “Both,
I guess.”

  He faced forward, pausing to give the question some thought. “Well, as far as their general existence goes, there’s really nothin’ I can do about the cat population, so as long as they don’t bother me I’m cool with ’em. Personally, I’m not a fan, and I mean that in the sense that I think they were created by Satan himself and he banished them from hell, sending them to earth because even he couldn’t stand the furry bastards.”

  I choked on the orange juice I’d just taken a drink of. “Wow. That’s . . . a very strong opinion,” I finished on a giggle.

  “Let’s just say, I know from personal experience that those fuckers like to wait until your pants are down—literally—to pounce,” He shivered, and I burst into laughter. “Why do you ask?” he asked once I got a hold of myself.

  “Well, I was thinking of getting a pet. I’m more of a dog person, but I’m gone so much and I don’t think it would be fair to a dog to be alone that long. Cats, on the other hand, seem to like their space.”

  “You could always hire a dog walker,” he offered.

  I stopped mid-chew. “Huh. I haven’t thought of that.”

  “Somethin’ to consider,” he said with a shrug. “So you know what kind you want?”

  “Not really,” I answered, then finished off the last of the bacon. “If I do it, I think I’ll go down to the shelter.”

  His expression went soft. “Good decision. You decide that’s what you wanna do, just give me a call and I’ll go with, help you pick one out.”

  Those bubbles started to burst in my stomach again as I smiled. “You’d do that?”

  He saw the look on my face and leaned in, giving me a short press of the lips. “Yeah, baby. I’d do that. Just say the word.”

  I fought to tamp down my giddiness and picked up my orange juice to hide my smile. “All right. I’ll think about it.” I watched as he stood and grabbed our plates, heading for the sink, catching the time on the microwave as he moved past it. “Just leave those in the sink. I’ll do them. You bought, which is pretty much the same as cooking, and everyone knows the person who buys-slash-cooks doesn’t clean. And you probably need to head home soon, anyway.”

  He glanced at the microwave as well, noting it was already a little past eight. “Shit. Lost track of time.”

  I really loved the fact that he’d lost track even while I was bummed our time together was up. I hopped off the stool and followed him to the door, standing on my tip-toes to press a kiss against his lips. “Thanks for breakfast,” I said quietly, my cheeks heating as I finished with, “And last night.”

  “My pleasure,” he said on a grin. “I’ll call you later.” With one last lip touch, he turned and headed out the door.

  I closed it behind him, engaging the lock and dropping my forehead to rest against the cool, smooth surface of the wood. I pulled in a deep, calming breath, working to regulate my erratic heartbeat.

  Once I had that under control, I pushed off the door and headed for the kitchen to take care of the dishes.

  And as I rinsed and stacked them in the dishwasher, I did it with the widest smile on my face.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Danika

  Leo and I had been dating in secret for a little over two weeks, and it had easily been two of the best weeks of my life.

  We’d managed to pull off another dinner at my place: pizza, during which he’d shared why he’d wanted to go into law enforcement. I might have known him for most of my life, but I hadn’t actually known him. Listening to him talk about how it was something he’d wanted to do from the time he became old enough to realize being an astronaut wasn’t really his thing was like shining a light on parts of Leo I hadn’t known existed.

  His grandfather had been a police officer, and he’d idolized that man up until he passed when Leo was ten, but the passion he’d instilled in his grandson never went away. He wanted to do his granddad proud, he wanted to help people, and he wanted to take care of those he’d sworn to protect.

  He was one of the lucky few, the rare breed who were living their dream and working a job they were really and truly passionate about, not just collecting a paycheck and waiting day in and day out for the clock to hit five.

  I loved that, and I’d shared as much, leading the conversation to how we were blessed to both be doing what we loved.

  Sure his job came with bad days, and he’d shared some about a few of his cases back in Philadelphia. His bad days were leaps and bounds worse than mine—and most other peoples’—and it took a toll on him at times, but there was no other option for him. It was a calling, not a choice. And when he spoke about wanting to do his part to leave this world the tiniest bit better for his kids than he’d found it, I went from crushing on the boy I’d watched from across the street to admiring the man I was coming to know.

  During one of our many late night phone calls, lying in my bed, tucked beneath the covers and surrounded by darkness, I’d found the nerve to confess my crush to him. I didn’t go into great detail, and I certainly left out the part about having loved him since I was a little girl. But something about lying in the safe cocoon of my bedroom with his soft, raspy voice in my ear, soothing and exhilarating all at the same time, gave me courage to admit at least part of what I’d felt for him growing up. I’d even confessed to being a total cliché, admitting I’d been that nerdy girl who sat in the stands at every football game, secretly hoping the cool quarterback would notice her.

  “Damn, honey,” he’d grunted in reply once I’d finished. “All that sweetness up in the stands during my games, cheerin’ me on, and I didn’t even know it. I’m feelin’ a grave sense of loss right now that I can’t quite put into words.”

  Even though he couldn’t see it, that big, goofy smile that I only seemed to get when it came to him stretched over my face.

  He came into Muffin Top almost every single day, and I always made the time to chat with him for a bit before we both had to get back to work.

  I’d also had another baking lesson with Macie. Although I’d sensed him in the room, watching me the whole time, I’d been so lost in what I was doing, getting the biggest delight out of spending time with that sweet girl and teaching her something we both enjoyed, that Leo had been pushed to the back of my mind.

  She had my full attention from start to finish, but I still had the added bonus of getting to do a little necking with Leo after he walked me out to my car later that night.

  For more than two weeks I’d been in a perpetual state of happy, and although I wasn’t able to share it with my friends, that hadn’t dampened my glow one damn bit. If anything, the added hint of secrecy made things that much more exciting, and not being able to spend time together regularly created a sense of anticipation that made me feel a bit punch-drunk.

  But tonight, all that build-up was finally paying off. This night had been on my calendar for a week now, and I’d been eagerly marking off the days as they passed, all but counting down the hours.

  Leo was back working days this week, and, with his kids at their mom’s, I was spending the night at his house for the very first time. I’d packed a bag before work, stowing it in my trunk, and as soon as I closed Muffin Top, I’d rushed for my car, shooting him a text that I was on my way, and pointed it in the direction of his house.

  He was already waiting in the driveway when I pulled in, standing in front of the second stall of his two-car garage, the door open and lit up. He’d changed out of his work clothes. He was sporting another faded tee, but instead of jeans, he was in loose, gray sweat pants that hung down to his bare feet. I wasn’t sure why, but for some reason, seeing him barefoot like that was the world’s biggest turn on. That goofy smile took over my face as he grinned at me through the windshield, waving me into the garage.

  Leo was at my car the moment I killed the engine, pulling my door open. “Hey baby,” he said, that rich voice of his wafting over me and sending a tremor from my chest to my core.

  “Hey, honey,” I returned an
d began to twist so I could reach my seatbelt.

  He got it before I could, bending at his waist and leaning over me. As soon as the buckle unclipped, he had me out of the car and pressed up against the side, pinned between him and the smooth, cool metal.

  “Missed you,” he grunted, then a second later his mouth came down on mine. I parted my lips instantly. It had been days since we’d last kissed, and, although I hadn’t forgotten what he tasted like—not that I ever could—it was still better than I remembered.

  He kissed me until my brain grew foggy and my knees turned to jelly. By the time he pulled back, I was breathing heavy and my vision had grown cloudy.

  “Wow,” I said on a dreamy sigh. “Well, hello to you too.”

  He laughed, stepping aside so he could reach back into the car and grab my overnight bag from the passenger seat. “Come on,” he said, taking hold of my hand. “Dinner’s ready. Hope you’re hungry.”

  He stopped when my fingers tightened around his and I planted my feet, turning to look over his shoulder with a curious expression. Seeing the trepidation on my face, he threw his head back and laughed, long and loud, the sound setting off fireworks in my belly. “Relax. I didn’t cook. I remembered you saying you liked Mexican so I picked up El Toro on my way home.”

  My feet remained rooted in place as what he said washed through me. It had been during one of our calls when I’d offhandedly mentioned liking Mexican food. It hadn’t been something I thought would stick out, but not only had he remembered, he’d gone out and gotten something specifically with me in mind.

  His expression grew tender as he studied my face, and his voice came out low as he asked, “What’s that look for, sweetness?”

  I had to do a better job of remembering what a lousy poker face I had or Leo would know everything I was feeling long before I was ready for him to.