His Son, Her Secret(27)

They had separate bedrooms for a reason. A very good reason. She could  not let him break her heart again and she especially could not let him  break Percy's heart.

But did that mean she couldn't let him relieve a little of her tension? Or was that the shortest path back to pain?

She had the bags loaded into the car and a snack of raisins packed for  Percy. All that was left was a final look around to make sure she hadn't  forgotten anything.

And, of course, dealing with her sister. "I can't believe you're really  going to him," May said from the couch where she was pouting.

Leona sighed. She didn't want to fight with May, but she was tired of  being made to feel like a traitor. "You don't know him like I do, May."

"That's the understatement of the year."

Leona almost smiled at the sarcasm. "It won't be bad. I promise."

May looked sullen. It was not a flattering look on her. "But he already left you once. What happens when he bails again?"

"He won't." Leona said it with confidence, but she couldn't ignore the  little voice that insidiously whispered the same doubt in the back of  her head.

What would happen if he left again?

May shook her head. "Well, I guess I'll be here, waiting to help you pick up the pieces again."

Even though she had Percy on her hip, Leona impulsively hugged May. "I  know, honey. That's why I love you." May sniffed and hugged her back.  "You're going to be just fine."

"Sure." She did not sound enthusiastic about this pronouncement.

"Come out next week. Percy will want to see you. And so will I."

"Will he be there?"

"It's a big place. You won't have to see him if you don't want to."

May nodded and then kissed Percy's head. "All right."

And that was that. Leona walked out of the apartment that had been her  home for a year without another look back. She loaded Percy into his car  seat and began the long drive. For all her apprehension and resistance  to the idea that she and Byron should live together, now that she was  actually doing it, she had the oddest feeling of...                       
       
           



       

Of coming home.

That feeling only got stronger when she pulled into the drive. Percy  had fallen asleep during the car ride. Byron came out to greet them.

"You're here," he said as if he didn't quite believe she'd actually made the trip.

"We're here," she agreed, getting out of the car. "He's just waking up."

"That gives me time to do this, then." The next thing Leona knew, Byron  had wrapped his arms around her and kissed her so hard that it nearly  bent her backward. There was nothing slow or sensuous about this  kiss-this was pure heat. God, how she'd missed this.

When the kiss ended, Byron grinned down at her. "Been waiting to do that for weeks."

"Oh, my." She blinked in the bright sunshine and gave him a lazy smile.  "You're the one who insisted on ordering furniture, you know."

"Don't remind me." He gave her a slightly less passionate kiss and then stood her back up on her feet. "Have you decided?"

She fought the urge to rub her eyes. "About what? I'm here."

Byron reached over and caressed her cheek. "About where you're sleeping tonight."

Her skin flushed hot under his touch. "Oh. That."

"Yeah, that." He grinned. He picked up her left hand and kissed it.

This shouldn't be a huge deal. After all, she was physically moving in  with him at this exact moment in time and they'd already done things.  And it would be a relief to have him take care of her. But could she do  it? Could she resume a physical relationship with him without losing her  heart a second time?

Byron stepped in closer and slid his hand around the back of her neck.  The touch was possessive-and hot. "Tell me," he said, his voice dropping  an octave, "that you want me in your bed tonight."

There was nothing between them except some easily removed clothing.  Heat, languid and powerful, built between them and her body ached for  his. As tired as she was, she couldn't wait to be awake in bed tonight.  There were no contractors listening to every word they spoke, no  siblings to cast judgment. Now, finally, it was just Leona and Byron and  this need between them. Figuring out if she could trust him again would  have to wait until the morning.

And Percy. The baby fussed sleepily. But Byron didn't let go of her,  not just yet. Instead, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss right below  her ear. "Tell me you want me, Leona."

"I do," she said breathlessly. His lips brushed against her sensitive  skin and her whole body screamed out for his. She couldn't say no if she  wanted to. "I want you in my bed. After Percy goes to sleep."

Byron released his hold on her, trailing his fingers down her neck and  her shoulder. She shivered under his touch. "I'll get your bags. Welcome  home, Leona."





Fourteen

For the first time in what felt like weeks, Leona took a day off. She  did not think about supporting beams or color schemes. She did not have  discussions that revolved around which toilet seats were more pleasing  to the eye or which kind of leather made better chairs and couches. She  didn't even defend her relationship to anyone.

Instead she spent the day playing with Percy on the playground set and  eating the delicious lunch of roasted broccoli, sweet apple sausage and  macaroni and cheese-homemade, not from a box-that Byron had fixed for  them.

The afternoon nap didn't happen-Percy was far too excited by the new  playground and the big house and Byron to even think about lying down  for an hour and missing out on all the fun. Which meant that, by  dinnertime, he was a tornado of unhappiness. Anything or anyone who  touched him only made things worse.

"Is he sick?" Byron asked, the concern writ large on his face as Percy screamed and tried to twist out of his arms.

"No, just tired," Leona said, dodging a handful of applesauce. "He  skipped his nap. This is what happens with no nap." She tried to grin at  Byron, but the exhaustion and the screaming were wearing her down.  "I've dealt with worse."

Byron paled as he looked down at the raging ball of adorable fury in his arms. "It gets worse?"

A flash of fear hit her. Was this it? Would Byron change his mind? Up  until this point, he'd only seen the mostly calm, totally cute side of  Percy. He hadn't been getting up at all hours of the night because Percy  wouldn't stop crying and he'd never seen an epic meltdown like this.

She tried to steel herself. If he was going to back out, better to do  it now. She hadn't even unpacked her bags. They could pick up and be  gone inside of fifteen minutes.                       
       
           



       

The thought made her ache. Byron had made a promise and she couldn't  bear the thought of him breaking another one. Especially not this one.

"Okay, yeah," Byron said, looking at her with wide eyes. She thought he  might be on the verge of panic, but at least he was doing an admirable  job of keeping it contained. "Naps. Every day. Got it."

She felt a real smile taking hold of her lips. "If we can get some food  into his tummy, I can nurse him and he'll go to sleep early."

Byron's eyebrows lifted. "Will he sleep all night?"

"Probably not," she admitted. "But hopefully for a couple of hours."

Byron exhaled heavily, which momentarily distracted Percy from his howling. "And you've been doing this alone for how long?"

"Five months," she replied. "But I had May with me."

Despite the squalling baby, the flying baby food, the fact that she was  exhausted-Byron gave her the kind of look that seared her with heat.  "And now you have me."

She was really too tired and coated in too much applesauce to feel this  attractive. But that's what Byron did to her. That was why she'd  eventually agreed to go out with him, why she'd never been able to call  it off despite knowing that it couldn't end well. He made her want to  melt into his arms and let the rest of the world fall away.

And he knew it, too. His gaze intensified and he leaned forward. "An early bedtime, you say?"

The warmth spread from her lower back all the way up to her face  because she wanted to have him in every way possible. "Very early."

"Come on, Percy," Byron said, enthusiastically scooping up another spoonful of applesauce. "Yummy, yummy!"

* * *

An hour later, Percy had eaten enough applesauce to count, had a  soothing bath with only minimal screaming, and was sleepily listening to  Byron read him a story. Leona decided to try out the new shower-it was  hard to feel sexy with sauce in her hair. The bathroom had a huge  two-person whirlpool tub and a separate shower. Byron had gotten some  thick white towels and the basics of toiletries. Good enough.