He grinned at her. “What I meant was—you’re not the only one who feels that way. I’m in love with you too.”
Lenny broke down crying then, and she buried her face in his chest. Brandon drew her closer and held her tight. “I love you, Lenore,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to do anything and everything to make you happy.”
He swayed with her right there on the sidewalk. “I am an absolutely pathetic man without you,” he said, pulling back slightly. “Ifyou’llgivemea second chance, I promise to take care of you and make you happy.”
She lifted her head and nodded.
He wiped her tears, smiling. “So no more crying, okay? At least not over this. Unless they’re happy tears.”
She nodded, a genuine smile coming to her face, brightening her and making her the most glorious woman Brandon had ever laid eyes on.
“You know what we need?” he asked.
“What?” Lenny leaned into his chest.
“Something really sweet from the bakery, and a huge pasta feast.” He released her and fell back, taking her hand in his. “And I know where to get both.” He led her off the sidewalk and toward his truck.
“You don’t want to go back to church?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “I want to take you back to the homestead and lie with you on your couch. I want to talk about everything that happened in the past couple of weeks and brainstorm through all the amazing things we’re going to do on the homestead together.”
He glanced over at her, all of his words and feelings suddenly in the exact right order.
“I want to breathe in the scent of your shampoo, and I want kiss you just to make sure this is real. I want to talk about having a family together, and I want to move my food back into your fridge, and I want to find out when you want to get married.”
Lenore blinked again, and Brandon chuckled. “Too much?”
“No,” she said. “I want to have all those conversations too. I’m just not really good at them.”
“Not yet,” Brandon said. “But only a few weeks ago, you couldn’t cut down a tree either. And now you swing a chainsaw around like a champ.”
Lenny laughed, filling the world with light and air, and Brandon wanted to bask in it for the rest of his life.
He helped her into the passenger seat of his truck and then got behind the wheel, just as Lenny asked, “What about my truck?”
“Oh.” Brandon came to a full stop. All of his plans for the rest of the day evaporated. “New plan.” His mind worked quickly. “I’m going to get us lunch and baked goods—so many that we’ll be sick for days. I’ll meet you back at the homestead in a couple of hours. Deal?”
Lenny leaned across the console. “I don’t think so, Mister Rhinehart,” she said. “You’re missing one thing.”
Shock moved through him, puncturing the hope that had been growing and growing. “I am?” he asked. “What am I missing?”
“You haven’t kissed me yet,” she said, grinning at him. “So first, you’re going to kiss me. Then you’re going to drive me to my truck, which iswaydown the street. Andthenyou’ll get us lunch and as many sweet treats as possible.Thenwe’ll meet back atourhomestead in a couple of hours.”
Brandon studied her, falling more and more and more in love with her as her words sank into his soul.
“Ourhomestead,” he repeated, just before he slid his hand along her jaw and matched his mouth to hers.
Kissing Lenore Sawyer knocked his world off its axis every time he did it, but no kiss had been as powerful as this one.
For he was kissing the woman he loved—and the woman who loved him.
41
Brandon held up a piece of bread, but Lenore shook her head. “I’m so full.”
“You sure?” he asked, his breath warm and wonderful as it cascaded over her shoulder. “It’s the oily, crispy corner of the loaf. Your favorite bite.”
Lenore took it from him. “You’re right. I can’t pass this up.” She popped the corner of the bread into her mouth, a moan following and the buttery, crunchy deliciousness.
