As she woke to the smell of coffee, Leena opened her eyes to see Owen standing beside the bed looking down at her with a cup in his hand. She grinned sleepily at him. “Hi.”
Owen smiled at her. “I wasn’t going to wake you yet, but Chris called and he needs to come over and get some paperwork out of the way.”
She slid up, propped herself against the headboard. “Paperwork?” Leena accepted the cup from him and smiled. “Thanks.”
He sat down and played with the hair hanging over her shoulders. “To do with yesterday, pressing charges.”
She sipped the coffee and was silent for a minute. “Can I?”
Owen nodded. “Chris says so, and the police are encouraging it.” He fingered her hair again. “You are so beautiful all soft and sleepy.”
“I’m sure you’re biased, and my hair will be a nightmare to brush. I rarely sleep with it down.”
“I think I wore you out last night.”
“I think you did, too, quite wonderfully.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Do I have time for a shower?” He nodded. “I’m taking the coffee with me. You make great coffee.”
“Every writer needs to make great coffee, it’s our main staple when we’re on a roll.”
Leena set the cup down as she swung out of the bed. Her nakedness didn’t even bother her this morning. “How is your writing going?” She picked up the cup and walked toward the bathroom. “And you better say really well, after ignoring me most of last week.” She showed him a pout.
“Baby, if you brought me coffee looking the way you do now, I’d never ignore you again. You could sit on my lap, just like that, while I work.”
“I’m sure you’d get no work done that way.”
Owen followed her out into the hallway. “I’m sure I wouldn’t care. God, woman, you have the most perfect ass.” He walked up behind her and gently cupped her butt.
She leaned back against his hands. “Don’t spill my great coffee.” Then she walked into the bathroom and closed the door, laughing at his shocked expression as the door was closing in his face.
“I can’t believe it was him following me.” Leena stared at the cup in her hands and then back to Owen. He wasn’t as surprised to hear this, as he should have been.
Owen pulled a chair beside her and sat down, reaching for her hand. “There’s more.”
She looked up at Chris, who nodded. “What more?”
Chris leaned on the table and studied her briefly. “Mr. Tyler Black ran out on assault charges about two months ago. The car he was driving belongs to the corporation he’d been working for, they have been looking for him and their car for the last few weeks.” He sat back and shrugged. “If you add charges to his list, the judge isn’t going to think kindly of him in any way.”
He set a notepad on the table. “I need to ask you some questions, Lee.”
She looked at Owen for a moment, then she stood up and paced across the room. “I need bigger chairs.”
Owen looked at Chris for a second trying to understand where that was coming from.
Leena grinned. “Seriously, the two of you look like giants sitting on kiddie chairs or something.” Grabbing her cup, she moved to the sink and rinsed it. “I definitely need bigger chairs to accommodate all the hulking men I know.” She leaned against the counter for a moment.
“Leena...”
She stopped him with a hand. “So, will the assault and harassment stick, Chris?” Leena jammed her hands in her back pockets and let out a long breath. “Would hospital records help? There’s hospital records of the one time. Of course, he lied to the doctors, but my throat was so damaged I couldn’t speak for days. There were many times I should have gone to the hospital, but I was afraid. It was a long time ago, but would it help?”
Chris held up a hand. “He put you in the hospital, Leena?” She nodded and his head swung back to Owen.
“I told you to let me get a hold of him yesterday,” Owen mumbled.
“Bastard!” Chris spat.
“Chris, it was a long time ago...”
Chris leaned back again. “Sorry, that wasn’t very professional of me.” He let out a breath. “You give me the information, and I’ll get the records.”
Owen watched her lean over the table and quickly write on the notepad then step back just as fast.
“We’ll do this the legal way.” Chris glanced back at Owen. “If he tries to press charges against Owen for breaking his nose...” he smirked, “I’ll drag him over the coals.”
Chris turned in the chair. “Lee, I need to know if Tyler knew about your gifts.”
Leena shook her head vigorously. “No, no. I thought about it a few times. They weren’t very strong at that point, but I was never comfortable enough to tell him.”
“Okay, good.” Chris sat back again. “So, do you want me to go ahead with this Leena? I need to know what you want to do.”
She paced around the kitchen and stopped to look out the window at her backyard. The plants were so full with leaves now, so pretty. The lawn was green. “I’m going to do what you say, Chris.” She smiled at them both. “Then I’m having a garden party.”
Owen looked at Chris and then they back at her.
“Next weekend. Saturday, late in the day we’ll have a meal and a few drinks and celebrate that part of my life being over.” She put her hands on her hips for a moment. “I’m sure with all the rooms in this house I can fit a few bodies here and there to crash.”
Owen looked at her silently, watching the way she flitted around the kitchen with her nerves showing.
“Bring the drums, Chris.” She added. “I’ve almost finished new outfits for the girls, and it will be the perfect time to wear them.”
He looked at Chris again, they were thinking the same thing there.
Leena continued. “We’ll drum and dance, and I can light the fire bowl, then we’ll have our own little circle.” With that, she walked out of the kitchen.
Going into the living room, Owen walked up behind Leena and put his arms around her waist to pull her back against him. “Are you okay, baby?” She nodded, but he could feel the hitch in her breath. “Talk to me.”
Leena let out a huffed breath and tried to relax. “It’s just... I’ve wondered for years if I’d see him again, and if I did what would happen. It’s over. It’s finally closed.” She turned in his arms and hugged him. “I can start fresh now.” She whispered against his chest. Lifting her head, she pulled his mouth down to hers and nibbled on his bottom lip gently. He pulled her against him and slowly kissed her with all the tenderness he was feeling.
Chris cleared his throat behind them. “Sorry, I seem to be interrupting a lot of that with you two.” He smirked as they turned. “I can only hope its catching.” With that, he walked to the door. “I sent those lists to everyone; when you get time check them over and see if anything at all seems to feel familiar.”
Leena walked over and hugged him. “Thank you, Chris. We’ll see you Wednesday.”
As soon as Chris left, Leena spun back to Owen and smiled at him invitingly. “Do you have to rush back to your keyboard?” She toyed with the end of her hair and bit her bottom lip. “And I warn you now your answer will help me decide whether we discuss your not warning me about what
Chris found out. I know he told you.” Owen frowned and then shook his head and started walking toward her, his eyes searching hers. When he stepped in front of her, she ran her hands slowly up his chest. “Good.” Running her hands down his shoulders and over his arms suggestively, she looked up at him. “I really need you to stay for a bit more.”
“I’m all yours, baby.” He pulled her into his arms and leaned down to kiss her, but she pulled back and grinned at him.
“Good. We need to move the fire bowl, and I want to get the lawn furniture out of storage. For the party.”
He groaned, “That wasn’t nice.” But he still laughed. “I’ll stay and help you, but then I really have to get back before my story goes cold.” She nodded and kissed him quickly.
By Wednesday, Leena had exhausted herself trying to get the house ready for Saturday’s party. She was almost relieved when Steven sent word he had to work Wednesday night to cover for the doctor who was taking his Saturday shift. So, everyone agreed to not meet.
Instead, they would continue going over the endless lists from Chris on their own. The downside was she wouldn’t see Owen. She’d only spoken to him once since he’d left on Sunday, and he sounded so tired she sent him to bed, which he agreed to, saying he’d make it up to her. By Thursday, she was ready to drive over and invade his space, just long enough to hug him. She couldn’t believe how much she missed a man she’d hardly known any time at all.
Powering down her computer, she sighed. “You’re acting like an infatuated girl.” She chastised herself out loud, while silently wondering if he’d have his cell phone nearby. She didn’t want to phone and interrupt any brilliant plot events, but if she didn’t at least hear from him, she was going to pout. A startling thought considering she’d never pouted over anything a day in her life. Leena searched two rooms and found where she had left her cell phone then sent him a quick message.
Lonely woman seeks sexy man’s attentions.
Grinning at her own creativity she went to make herself some tea. When her phone beeped she almost dove on it.
Lonely sexy man in need of pretty lady’s attentions.
She smiled and dropped down on the couch while hitting the keys. Can sexy man stop long enough to call and whisper sinful things to lady?
Leena knew it was distracting and in fact cheating to send a message like that, possibly interrupting him, but she decided it was worth it to just talk to him for a few minutes.
The phone rang before she reached the kitchen. “Hello.”
“Hey pretty lady.” Owen’s voice was low and quiet.
“I didn’t interrupt you, did I?”
“No, I was just doing some proofing, trying to give my mind a bit of a rest.” He paused. “So, are you missing me, baby?”
The husky sound of his voice made her flush. “Enough to be whining to myself about it.”
“I’m really sorry I haven’t called you. It’s just moving at a frantic pace, and I don’t like to stop when it’s going so well.”
Leena curled up on the couch. “I understand, really. I’m just lonely and missing you,” she was barely whispering.
“When I get this finished, I’ll take a break and devote every moment to you. You’ll be telling me to go write then.”
“I look forward to that opportunity.”
“I’m really missing you, too, baby.” He sighed, “I almost headed over to see you last night when I burned out and then I realized it was three in the morning.”
She felt better having heard that. “You’re still coming on Saturday, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“I finished the new outfits.”
“Definitely won’t miss that. I want you to phone here until I answer on Saturday morning.” Owen cleared his throat. “I lose track of day and time when my characters are running, so I take naps at strange hours.”
“Okay, just look after yourself, please.”
“Will do, baby.”
“Owen?” She could hear the keys clicking in the background. “Would you allow me to read the first chapter or something? You’ve never even mentioned what it’s about.”
There was a long silence. “I don’t usually, but for you, I’ll send a few. Just don’t comment on them until I’ve finished the story, okay?”
“Absolutely.” She sighed quietly. “I miss your mouth,” she whispered.
Owen groaned, “Baby, I miss all of you more than I thought possible.”
She smiled to herself.
“I just looked at the time, why aren’t you sleeping? You have work in the morning.”
“I was restless tonight.”
“Well, get rest because I won’t be letting you have any Saturday night. I have a week’s worth of kissing to do.”
“Owen, the others are going to be staying here in the house.”
“Baby, I don’t care. I’ll carry you outside after they’re all asleep if I have to. I really miss you.”
His anxious words reassured her. “Get back to work then so you can stay and cuddle with me all day Sunday then.”
“I’m on it. Get some sleep, pretty Aileena. Dream of me.”
“I will. Good night.”
“Night, baby.”
Setting the phone down, she turned the lights off and went up to her room. She wanted to climb into bed when his voice was so fresh in her mind.