“That you two aren’t an item,” Ava replied.
“Yeah, you’re busted, hun,” her grandfather chimed in, big grin on his face. “It’s okay.”
Heat flooded her cheeks. Ah crap. Maybe hehadheard them on Sunday…
“And about damn time you got around to asking her out, Leo,” Ava continued. “It’s good to see you’re not ignoring the attraction anymore.”
Leo squeezed her hand again, and she watched his smile return. “I agree.”
“Good.” Ava nodded, satisfaction warming her gaze. “Then what do you say we all get out there and hit a dance or two before our food arrives?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Leo said.
Sliding his chair back, he helped Kaydee to her feet. Uncertainty skittered through his gaze. “Unless you don’t want to dance?”
This time, she squeezedhishand. “I’d very much like to dance with you.”
A big smile curved his lips, and for the next hour and a half, they danced and ate and danced some more. Kaydee was far from surprised to discover the man had moves. Lord knew he had the right ones when they were naked. Only logical he’d have them on the dance floor, too.
The last time she’d had this much fun was…never. She couldn’t remember a time she’d laughed and let loose without giving it a second thought. It just happened, and she rolled with it. Hell, she was even wearing a grin when washing her hands after a restroom break. The woman staring back at her in the mirror had a flushed face, a curved mouth, and a dreamy look in her eyes.
“Looks good on you,” Ava said, appearing in the reflection with her. “Leo has the same alive expression on his face. Thank you for putting it there, my dear.”
She turned to face the woman and shook her head. “I didn’t do anything.”
Ava laughed. “Bullshit.”
“But I didn’t.” She really hadn’t done anything special. Nothing any red-blooded woman wouldn’t do.
“I’m not talking about sex.” Ava shook her head and waved her hands, and Kaydee was extremely relieved they were the only two in the bathroom. “He could get that anywhere.”
That wiped the smile from her face.
“It’s different with you. He’s gotten so much more.”
A slight tug returned to her lips, and with it, a burst of warmth through her chest.
“You’ve reached him when no one else has been able to.” Her neighbor sobered and drew in a ragged breath, her gaze going misty again. “It has been a long, long time since I had my grandson back. Thank you, Kaydee.” Ava pulled her in for a hug and squeezed. “Please keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.”
Her heart dropped to her knees. It sounded like the woman was talking about something more than a fling. A relationship. Kaydee didn’t do them. But truthfully, she didn’t want things with Leo to end. At least not yet. Other than sex, he didn’t spout promises, or stress her out by talking about a future. They were enjoying a fun, casual here and now. She wanted to keep seeing him that way.
So she smiled and squeezed back. “I will.”
“Good.” Ava sighed, and when she drew back, a hint of mischief danced in her eyes. “Any chance you could occupy him until morning, instead of him sneaking into my house in the middle of the night, like he did Friday and Saturday last weekend?”
Kaydee was pretty sure there wasn’t a name for the shade of red her face sported. It’d gone clear past crimson.
First, she’d learned her grandfather might’ve heard them on Sunday, and now she discovered his grandmother was aware that Leo had been at her place until the wee hours of the morning last weekend.
Right now would be a great time for Scotty to beam her up. Or the floor to open and swallow her. Of course, neither happened, because they weren’t possible. Unlike her megablush.
“It’s okay.” Ava chuckled, patting her cheek. “You’re both adults, old enough to know what you’re doing. Same goes for your grandfather and me, although we’d like to do it all night, not have to cut things short, because Leo might return to the next room at some point.”
Holy hookups…
She swallowed a laugh. Those two faced the same issues as she and Leo had—
“Last thing I want is to be in the middle of the throes when he returns.” Ava continued to speak, and Kaydee’s face continued to flame. “So…do you think you can keep him occupied all night?”
