Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

Apparently, I didn’t have to because the next thing I knew, Dani’s hand shot out from beside me, practically in Leah’s face. Leah’s eyes got huge as she grabbed for Dani’s hand, jerking it closer, and then blinking as if she was trying to bring it into focus.

She glanced up. “Is that?”

Without waiting for an answer, though I could see Dani nodding vigorously out of the corner of my eye, Leah started jumping up and down and shrieking in glee. Poor Dani was being jerked around by Leah’s bouncing, but she never tried to pull away, nor did her smile lessen.

When Leah finally calmed down, she jumped at me, giving me an exuberant hug. “Finally! You finally met the one to tame your whoreish ways! Mom’s gonna be so happy…”

Ian pulled his wife away and then clapped me on the shoulder, nodding his own congratulations as he tucked Leah beneath his other arm. “But she’s gonna let you guys be the ones to tell her, right, babe?”

Leah sighed. “Yeah, I guess so,” she muttered, glaring at Ian.

He just shook his head, giving her a long-suffering look.

We chatted for a little while longer before Ian reminded Leah that they needed to get to the scrapbook store. They walked away after more hugs and congratulations, and we finally got to leave.

“You know, we should probably just head over to your parents’ house and tell them. I don’t think Leah will be able to keep this a secret for long. And we should probably tell your sisters, too. And definitely my brother, but…”

She hissed in a breath, grimacing.

“What? What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned.

She sighed, her face falling. “You didn’t ask him for my hand in marriage…he’s going to be pissed.”

I blinked at her, unsure of what to say.

The silence stretched out. I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to think of something to make her feel better, but I was completely blank.

Suddenly, her shoulders started shaking and she ducked her head, trying to hide her face from me.

I panicked, grabbing her close again and patting her back. “Baby, don’t cry. Please don’t cry, I’ll make it right, I swear!” I hooked a finger under her chin and tipped her face up toward mine, only to scowl when I saw she wasn’t crying at all.

She was laughing.

“You little-”

“Ah, ah, ah…” she sang, wagging her finger at me. “Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?”

“Payback for what?” I asked, indignantly.

“Gee, I don’t know. April Fool’s Day ring a bell?”

I tried to keep my scowl, but I couldn’t. I grinned down at her. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

She nodded. “But you can tell me again.”

“I love you, Dani-girl.”

“Love you, too, Calland.”

She kissed me then, leaning against the car in broad daylight, without a care in the world, before she whispered, “Take me home.”

So I did.

Life is good.

***

THE END.