Falling From Grace (Leverage 3.5)

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said, yawning as he scooted to sit up, accepting the plate with another smile. “But thank you. It smells great.”

“My dad was a big believer in eating a hearty breakfast. He always said, eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner and it must be pretty good advice because I hear fitness gurus repeating the same phrase.”

He bit into the eggs and nodded in approval. “That’s pretty good.”

She preened under his praise. “Thanks. My dad taught me. I can make French toast, too. Except with all the carb warfare going on, I rarely make it anymore.”

“I love French toast,” he said with complete seriousness. “I would love to try yours.”

“You got it,” she said, grinning. Why couldn’t this be their reality? She’d gladly serve him breakfast in bed every day if it meant she could forget the trauma between them and just start over. But that wasn’t possible, right? She wouldn’t disrespect Miles by pushing the boundaries he’d set, not again anyway. Still, her heart ached with a heaviness that she tried to cover with a bright smile as he wolfed down the eggs.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked, wiping his mouth and swigging the orange juice.

She bit her lip, admitting, “Not that great. The bed was wonderful but…”

He seemed to understand, sighing as he said, “I know. It’s hard to sleep in a strange place. It’ll get better.”

There was no sense in admitting that she would’ve slept like the dead if Miles had been cuddled up beside her so she simply nodded in agreement.

“If it’s any consolation, I didn’t sleep so good on this sofa either. My neck feels crimped into the shape of a question mark.” As if to illustrate, he cracked his neck a few times with a groan. “I’m going to need to see the chiropractor.”

“I’m sorry. I can take the couch if you want,” she offered but he waved away her offer as she knew he would. He was such a gentlemen, deep down and through and through. It’s what she loved about him. “So…mind if I shower first?” His gaze darkened before he could shield his reaction and her breath hitched in her chest. The chemistry between them was palpable. Would it be like this until they exploded from the pressure? “Or, I can wait, it’s okay.”

“No, no, it’s fine. You go ahead.”

“Thanks. I need to wash off this salt from yesterday. I feel grimy.”

He jerked a nod and shoveled his toast down his throat. She finished her own plate and carried it to the kitchen. “Yeah, no problem,” he said, but he was staring so intently at his plate she thought it might shatter. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“Sure. It’s the least I could do.” And then, because she realized she was stalling in the hopes that he would simply drop his plate and scoop her up to carry her into the bathroom, she quickly hurried into the bedroom and closed the door. Her heartbeat thundered as she fought the wave of disappointment and the burgeoning sense that if she didn’t manage to get Miles to touch her she’d go crazy. This was pointless. He wasn’t interested and he’d all but told her that it wasn’t going to happen, so let it go. With a sigh, she pushed off the door and headed for the bathroom, where, if nothing else, a glorious open-air shower awaited. Gotta take your blessings where you find them…that’s another thing her dad used to say and he’d been pretty damn smart.

#

Miles tried to focus on anything aside from the knowledge that Dani was naked in his shower. Dani…naked…in his shower. Yeah, that was nearly impossible. He narrowed his thoughts to problems at the clinic, hoping that the complicated nature of a small-town clinic would occupy his brain long enough to give Dani time to finish showering but when he heard Dani’s voice floating in from the open window, singing with playful joy, he lost it. His feet were on auto-pilot, his brain had effectively shut down. Don’t do this, man. This is a terrible idea…but he was lost to reason. Honestly, what red-blooded American male could resist the scintillating sexual allure of Dani St. Claire? If she sizzled on the screen, she flat-out killed in real life. Unlike many actors and actresses who relied on the magic of filmmaking to round out their flaws, Dani was the real deal. She didn’t need filters and special lighting to look good. She simply radiated youth and health. And for God’s sake, he was only human.

He stripped as he went and then stepped into the shower, officially leap-frogging over the edge of sanity and wearing a smile as he fell because ten seconds later, his hands were filled with the luscious fullness of Dani’s beautiful breasts and his cock was already straining to bury itself between her hot folds. Yeah, officially…fucked.

#

Dani, singing to herself, was startled mid-scrub when two strong, familiar hands, reached around and cupped her breasts, as she was pulled against a muscular chest. Soapy water slicked their bodies and she shuddered with pure, wild pleasure at the dizzying realization that Miles had joined her. She closed her eyes, leaning against him, loving the feel of his hard cock, pressing insistently against her, nudging her with the warm steel, teasing her with the promise of mind-altering pleasure. His fingers tweaked her nipples, demanding their attention and they hardened like obedient soldiers, rising for action. She pushed against him, needing to feel every inch of his body, as if starved and he were her only form of sustenance. “Miles,” she gasped when he slipped a finger inside her, sweetly and gently strumming her arousal as if plucking a melody from a guitar. This was heaven, no this was bliss, and she hoped she never awoke if this were only a dream. Her clit throbbed, dancing around that promised release but Miles knew how to play her body to his own tune, refusing to allow her to come until he was ready. Miles, her sweet and gentle Miles…except when he fucked — then, he was a master and she was his willing submissive slave. She shuddered as he withdrew his finger only to turn her slowly, gazing with lust-soaked possession blazing in his eyes. She nodded, answering his unspoken question. Are you mine? Yes, yes, Miles! Her lids fluttered shut as he pushed her against the wall of the shower and dropped to his knees, burying his face between her folds, fingering her G-spot with a come here motion that sent her into orbit. She threaded her fingers through his hair, steadying herself as her knees weakened. Oh God…sweet Jesus…brilliance wrapped in decadence exploded behind her eyes and everything clenched in beautiful unison as she crashed headlong into a violent orgasm, shaking and crying out like a whipped baby as the pleasure rippled in waves throughout her body, blotting out everything but the moment as she sank into Miles arms, nearly spent from that one single orgasm. “Oh my God,” she said weakly, clinging to him as the water rained down her back, caressing her with drops of moisture as her core continued to clench and shudder from the magnitude of what he’d done to her. “You’re a magician…that was…oh, God…yeah…no more words.”

Miles chuckled but that savage light still filled his gaze and she knew he wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot and the realization made her groan with anticipation and a bit of trepidation but there was no turning back now. “I agree…no more words,” he said, spinning her back around and pulling her hips to him. “I’ve dreamt of this ass for too long and I can’t hold back any longer.”

She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she sank willingly on his hard cock, enveloping his long, turgid shaft with a moan as he stretched her to the point of pain but she welcomed every sensation between them. In and out, harder and faster, Miles was an animal of lust and domination. His hands gripped her hips as he thrust, demanding everything she had and then some. She cried out as another orgasm began to build, gathering steam and causing her to tense. There was no running away from it — the power between Miles’ legs was a force to be reckoned with and she was more than willing to take whatever he could dish out. Stars burst behind her eyes and she cried out as she rode the wave again but Miles wasn’t slowing down and he sure as hell wasn’t done. She growled and pushed back, clamping down with her internal muscles and popping a deep, guttural groan from Miles that turned her on unlike anything she’d ever k

nown. Miles had made her come twice already. He deserved a good bone-rattler and she was happy to give it to him. She knew Miles liked it when she talked dirty and she loved how it turned his crank. “That’s right, baby…you like that? You like fucking that sweet pussy? I know you do. Fuck it like you mean it, baby. Say my name…say my name!”

“D-dani!” he gasped, as his thrusts became erratic. Seconds later, he yelled and warmth flooded her channel as he bathed her core with his juices. She was on the pill so she wasn’t worried about getting pregnant but for a split second, she desperately wished she’d stopped taking it so that at this very moment, Miles might be getting her pregnant. A baby was the last thing she needed but the thought of Miles’ baby growing inside her…damn, it changed the way she looked at babies. She swallowed and pushed away the lingering oddness of such a sentiment and when Miles withdrew she immediately went under the spray to wash away the sudden moisture that’d gathered. A long, loud exhale from Miles snagged her attention. She was afraid to see regret in his eyes but as she turned to face him, she was grateful when nothing but the remnants of soul-shattering pleasure remained. But it didn’t last. “Dani…I’m so sorry…” shame crept into his cheeks and she shook her head, refusing to hear it.

“Don’t. Don’t apologize for doing what we both wanted. I won’t listen.” Dani pinned him with a hard look. “And don’t you dare try to tell me that you didn’t enjoy it, too because you’re not that good of a liar.”

A chagrined smile lifted the corners of his sexy mouth and he shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that. I enjoyed the hell out of that but I shouldn’t have come in here. I was lost the minute you said the word shower. I was weak.”

“Didn’t feel weak to me,” she countered with a sly look at his softening cock. “Felt pretty strong and virile.”

He actually blushed and she thought that might be the single most adorable thing she’d ever seen a guy do. Dani grabbed the shampoo and lathered some in her hands, going to his head and telling him, “Close your eyes. I don’t want the soap to burn you” before scrubbing his head gently with a smile. They used to scrub each other — sometimes playfully and sometimes functionally — but somehow they’d always ended up having sex at some point. Neither could put their hands on the other without wanting to take things to the next level. It was nice to see somethings hadn’t changed between them. He rinsed and then the returned the favor. His gentle touch soothed the ragged beast of her heart and for a time — maybe just this sliver of time — Dani knew true happiness.

#

Miles followed Dani out of the shower and even though he’d royally screwed up, he couldn’t find the willpower to dredge up the appropriate amount of regret. Dani didn’t seem to mind, if anything, her smile was brighter and more effervescent, which of course, just made him want to bury his cock inside her all over again. Not that lack of desire had ever been their problem. No, their problem had been far more devastating — the fact that Dani had been married.

“So…since we’ve totally obliterated boundaries…” he began, pulling on his board shorts while she donned her barely-there bikini. “Tell me about this husband of yours and is he still in the picture?”

She scowled. “No.”

“No, you don’t want to tell me about him or no, he’s not in the picture.”

“Both.”

Maybe he ought to listen and not press the issue. But hey, in keeping with the current trend of ignoring good sense, he pushed. “I think I’m owed an answer, don’t you think?”

She turned to him with an expression of irritation and distress. “Why would you want to ruin an otherwise wonderful morning?”

“Because I spent a year of my life broken to pieces over what happened. You don’t think that warrants a tiny bit of explanation?”

“Oh, so this is all about you? How about me? Did it occur to you that I don’t want to talk about it because it’s a really dark time in my life that I’d rather just forget?”

Confused, he shot back, “What do you mean? The day you left me, you said you were going back to the love of your life and right after that your career exploded and you had everything you said you ever wanted. So…what was so dark about it?” She actually looked green when he threw her words back at her and he knew something wasn’t right. Miles went to her and grasped her hand, smoothing the soft skin and forcing her to look at him. “What’s really going on? People don’t go into tailspins for no reason. The Dani I fell in love with would’ve never put herself in this position unless something had happened to change her. So, tell me, what happened?”

Tears welled in her eyes and he knew a moment of pure frustration when her mouth seamed shut and she shook her head in a desperate motion. “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” She pulled her hand free. “Please, just let it go.”

“You tried to tell me earlier and I wasn’t ready to hear it. I’m ready now. Please tell me what happened.”

But she shook her head, almost desperately as she said, “You were right…a confession isn’t going to help anyone, it’ll just confuse things and why ruin a great morning? Whatever is in the past…let’s just leave it there and go forward, please.” Her pleading confused him but her refusal to give him a single answer rubbed him wrong.

“How can I let it go? Tell me, how? I loved you, Dani,” he said, putting it all out there. “Did that mean anything to you?”

“Yes!” Her eyes sparkled with tears that he didn’t understand. She’d broken his heart and yet she was the one looking at him like he was some kind of jerk-off because he needed answers? “Jesus, Miles, I can’t talk about this right now, okay?”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to share that part of my life, my past, with you.”

“You were going to earlier!”

“I changed my mind,” she shot back, wiping at her eyes. “I’ve since realized it would’ve been a bad idea, okay? It’s just way too personal and I’m not ready.”

He drew back, stung. “We just had sex. Seems pretty personal to swap bodily fluids but let’s draw the line at sharing something as personal as the reason you stabbed me in the back and tossed me to the side. I get it. It’s always on Dani’s terms, right? I want answers, feel entitled to answers, but too fucking bad, right? Yeah, I get it, loud and clear, babe.”

“No, it’s not like that,” she protested, following him into the living room, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Stop, don’t act like this, please.”

Beyond frustrated and more than a little hurt for her stonewall, he didn’t know how to handle the mystery of her tears. If anyone ought to be crying, it was him. He shoved a hand through his hair and sank into the sofa, when in fact, what he really wanted to do was walk away, doubletime. In the end, he tried to cool his temper because he knew she was fragile and he wasn’t going to be a total dick and stomp on her when she was already broken. He drew a deep breath and gestured for her to come to him. When she hesitated, unsure, he pulled her gently into his lap. “I promise I won’t bite,” he said with a deep sigh. “I didn’t mean to lose my temper. Even though I can talk a pretty good game about not letting our past get in the way, I guess I’m still pretty raw about the whole situation between us. Dani…I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she muttered against his chest wall with a small hiccup. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Was she sorry for refusing him answers or sorry for breaking his heart? Miles bit his tongue so he didn’t pepper her for clarification. He supposed it didn’t matter either way. The fact that she was clinging to him like a spider monkey, shoulders still shaking from silent tears killed him. He wrapped his arms around her and she cuddled more snugly against him. “We’re going to come back to this conversation at a later date, okay?” She nodded against his chest and he took that as a good enough agreement to let it drop for now. He changed the subject for his sanity and for hers. “There’s a band tonight at one of the local bars. You might like it. Want to check it out?”

&

nbsp; “Can we just stay in?” Her voice, small and vulnerable, squeezed his heart.

“Yeah, of course. I just thought you might get bored in the bungalow.”

She lifted her head and brushed a salty kiss against his lips. “With you, I’d never get bored.”

Said with such brutal honesty, without an ounce of guile or coy innuendo, Miles felt something shift inside him, and he wasn’t talking about in his board shorts, no, it was deeper, something far more integral to life and fear squeezed his chest. He couldn’t fall for her again. Dani had no idea the power she held over him, the way he lived and breathed for her every smile, every happy, contented sigh, and he wasn’t about to hand over his life to a woman who’d been clumsy with it the first time around. He shifted and moved her from his lap to the cushion beside him. “We should talk about what happened in the shower,” he said with regret, knowing it wasn’t bound to make her a happy camper. “I know you said it was okay but it really does make things messy between us.”

A frown crossed her features and something akin to resignation followed. “I understand.”

“Do you? Because I’m not sure you truly do. You’re not ready to talk about what happened on your end but I can tell you what happened on my end. Can you listen, at the very least?” At her slow nod, he settled into the sofa and decided to put it all out there and let the chips fall where they might. Maybe the sharing would be cathartic. Maybe it would just sting like hell and leave a new open wound. There was only one way to find out.

-8-

Dani knew Miles needed an explanation and he sure as hell deserved one but the idea of sharing how her ex had manipulated and blackmailed her into staying with him, not to mention the other things he’d done to her, made her skin crawl with shame and revulsion. She didn’t want him to see her in that light. God, she never wanted him to lose that beautiful light in his eyes when he looked at her. It was the one thing in her life that remained pure, no matter what she’d done to destroy it. And so even though he desperately needed to know…she couldn’t bring herself to give it. But she could listen to his side. She would do that for him no matter how much it hurt to hear.