Page 364 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

“Don’t be.”

“That’s not how it works, John.”

“You don’t have to be worried about me. I have everything handled, Siena.”

He usually did.

Still …

“I know you do, but when you don’t even call and, I have to just sit here and wonder, it makes me—”

She didn’t even get to finish her rambling word vomit before John had crossed the entry hall and had kneeled in front of where she sat on the stairs. One of his hands took the glass of water from hers, setting it aside to the step. Then, both of his hands found her face with the softest touch that reminded her exactly why she loved this man as much as she did. He tipped her head up, those fingers of his tangling into her hair, before he kissed her.

Once, then twice.

A third time, too.

It was only when his tongue teased the seam of her lips did she open up for him, letting him deepen the kiss just enough to get her hot and breathless. At the same time, the sweetest relief floated through her because John was fine. Or shit, maybe in his mind he wasn’t entirely great, but it was okay because he was here. They could handle it.

The same way they always did.

John pulled back from the kiss, but stayed close enough to her that his lips grazed hers with every word that he spoke. “Let me take you to bed, hmm? You should be sleeping.”

Siena grinned. “You think you can kiss me like that and then tell me I have to go to sleep? Really?”

“Well—”

“Take me to bed, love me, and then we’ll talk.”

John didn’t even think about it.

Not really.

He kissed her again.

“Deal,” he murmured.