Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? The words just kept repeating in Marissa’s head as she pressed her lips to Danny’s and felt a rush of familiarity, but also something completely new. Danny had an air of confidence that she didn’t remember. His hands were cupping her face as his mouth claimed hers, kissing her as if he’d been dying to taste her for months.

Months? She almost laughed. More like years.

How many times had she dreamed of this happening? Of Danny coming back into her life and the two of them picking up as if nothing had ever happened. She’d always imagined him sweeping her off her feet and taking her to her bedroom to show her just how sorry he was for ever even considering leaving her.

But in her dreams, she hadn’t realized just how much she’d wanted him. How scared she was to give herself over to this man who’d hurt her deeply. Or that no matter how many times she told herself to take it slow, she just couldn’t pull away from him.

There was a desperation in his touch. The same desperation that radiated from her very core. This man was hers. He always had been. And she was certain that no matter how long she lived, he’d always be the one for her.

Marissa didn’t know how long they sat on her couch kissing. All she knew was that she wanted more. Wanted him. Finally, when they were both breathing heavily, she stood and held her hand out to him.

Danny looked up at her, all the questions in his eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” she said and then led him to her bedroom.

And when he laid her down in her bed and crawled over her, she felt it in her bones that her Danny was finally home.

Marissa woke to the scent of coffee and a hint of cinnamon. She pried her eyelids apart and blinked away the sleep in her eyes. When she saw Danny smiling down at her, she couldn’t help reaching for him. “Why are you up?”

He chuckled. “That pesky thing called work. I have orders to fill and a private lesson later this afternoon.”

“Nooooo. You should be right here next to me. Preferably naked.” She pumped her eyebrows, knowing there was zero hope of getting him back into her bed before he left for work. But it was fun to watch his face flush as she flirted with him.

“You know I can’t. But I brought you coffee and a freshly baked cinnamon roll.”

“You baked ?” she asked, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

He laughed. “Why do you say that like it’s impossible?”

“It’s not. I mean, I don’t think that at all. It’s just so early. What time did you get up to make these? And why… when you could have woken me up and we could’ve spent some more time getting reacquainted?”

“Do you really think I got up one minute earlier than I had to this morning? Especially when I had all of that in my arms?” He let his gaze roam over her torso, not bothering to hide his appreciation.

“So where did the cinnamon rolls come from?” she asked.

“Would you believe that Felicity dropped them off?”

“No. Absolutely not.” Marissa shook her head. “Felicity never bakes at home. It’s because she spends so much time around all the apple pies and turnovers at work.”

“I hate to break it to you, but it was indeed your friend Felicity. She also told me to tell you that she expects a full review before you go into work tonight.” He paused and then added, “Considering the way she was looking at me, I’m guessing she’s not talking about a review of the cinnamon rolls, is she?”

Marissa laughed, just imagining the look on Felicity’s face. “I’d guess not, but what did you do, answer the door naked? ”

He sputtered. “Of course not. I was wearing sweatpants. But I think this may have given it away.” He pulled his shirt down just enough to show her a small red mark on his collarbone.

“Oh, oops.” She giggled and knew her friends were going to embarrass her something terrible when they came into the pub later that day. But she knew their teasing would be all in good fun and that they’d be happy for her. “I think perhaps I got a little carried away. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” he ordered and then went in for a kiss.

When they finally came up for air, he stood and backed away. “I have to go or else I’m never gonna leave.”

“That wouldn’t bother me one bit.” She picked up the coffee and took a long sip. “No one is waiting for you at the shop, right?”

“Oh no, evil witch. If I climb into that bed, neither of us will be going anywhere for hours.” He backed up further. “I’ll come by the pub after work. How about that?”

“It’s not the same,” she said with a fake pout. “But I’ll be looking forward to it anyway.”

She watched him hesitate in the doorway, and then as if he’d been having an argument with himself, he finally let out a breath, strode over to her, gave her one last kiss, and then disappeared.

Pumpkin darted after him, barking her displeasure when the front door slammed and the roar of the truck filled the silence. A few moments later, Pumpkin trotted back into the room and jumped up on the bed. She curled up next to Bells, looking forlorn as she stared at the door where he’d been only moments before.

“You and me both, sister,” Marissa said as she leaned back to enjoy her coffee and pastry in bed. Smiling to herself, she decided that waking up to a hot man, hot coffee, and a warm pastry might be the perfect way to start her day.

Just as she finished the last bite of the cinnamon roll, there was loud knocking on the door, followed by her phone buzzing with a text.

Felicity: We saw him leave. Get your butt out of bed. We have questions.

Marissa groaned and wondered who thought it was a good idea to live next door to the nosy sisters. She looked at Pumpkin and Bells and said, “You two have now been promoted to favorite status.”

Pumpkin just looked at her with a bored expression.

“Yeah, okay, you were already at favorite status, but it’s even more so now. Come on. Your aunties aren’t gonna go away until they get the deets.”

Marissa pulled on her pajamas and wrapped herself in a robe before she and Pumpkin went to answer the door. She glanced back at Bells, who had curled up and gone back to sleep, and wondered if it was wrong to be jealous of a cat.

With a huff, she pulled the door open and was almost knocked over by her friends barging right into her house.

“Come on in, why don’t you,” she said dryly before closing the door and making a beeline for the kitchen. This was going to require a lot more coffee .

“How was he?” Felicity asked without any preamble.

“Felicity!” Clara admonished. “That was crass. You’re supposed to ask how her evening was. And it if extended into this morning.”

Marissa shook her head at her friends. “You two are up entirely too early.”

“It’s eight,” Clara said, sounding as if interrogating your friend about her love life first thing in the morning was perfectly reasonable. “So you did it?”

Felicity rolled her eyes. “Of course they did it. Look at her.” The tall blonde let out an envious sigh. “She looks like she’s been ravished. You know, Danny is hot, but I kinda thought he was too sweet for all of this.” She waved a hand up and down at Marissa. “But judging by the look on your face, I’d say sweet wasn’t exactly on the agenda last night.”

“It was sweet when we were watching Small Town Christmas ,” Marissa offered.

“Don’t tell me you put that on and made that man watch it.” Felicity looked like someone had just suggested that she eat week-old sushi.

“He watched Small Town Christmas with you?” Clara asked, placing her hand over her heart. “That is really romantic.”

“It’s not exactly how I’d entice someone into my bed, but it looks like maybe he was desperate enough that he was willing to put up with that BS just to get you under the sheets.” Felicity wrinkled her nose. “He’s a better man than me, because if any guy put that on, I’d show him the door. ”

“You would not,” Marissa said, knowing her friend secretly loved Christmas movies. “I’ve caught you watching Her Christmas Prince more than once.”

“Not while on a date!” Felicity threw her hands up. “Have I taught you nothing?”

“It’s a good thing it wasn’t a date then, isn’t it?” Marissa said. “And he was the one who put the movie on. Not me. One thing led to another and… Well, here we are.” She gave her friends what she knew must’ve been a sappy grin.

“That’s just…” Clara blinked back happy tears. “I love a second-chance romance.”

Felicity sat back, looking stunned, and then threw her head back and laughed. “Okay. Props to Danny. That man has moves.”

“I don’t think it was moves. I mean, I don’t think any of it was premeditated. We just… I don’t know. I think we were just finally honest with one another and now we’re… whatever this is.”

“He’s your lobster,” Clara said, her eyes gleaming as she referenced her favorite Friends episode.

“Not this again.” Felicity rolled her eyes. “He’s just a man who wanted to get laid. We’ll know more once we see what he does next.”

Marissa just listened to her friends try to analyze her relationship with Danny. She knew in her heart that he loved her, and while she didn’t want to jinx it, she figured Clara was right. Danny was her lobster, and she was ready to do whatever it took to keep him in her life.