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He froze as the front door opened and Leila walked out. Her brown hair floated behind her, making her look like the angel she was. She was breathtaking. Adler’s pulse raced as he sauntered cautiously toward her.
He cleared his throat. “Leila?” Nerves took over his insides and made his churning stomach go into overdrive.
She looked up and their eyes met; hers went wide.
The side of Adler’s mouth ticked up a little, and his pulse raced.
He saw her eyes flick quickly up and down, then back to his face. “I thought you had your date with Desiree today,” she said, her voice soft.
“I did but plans changed.” He was so close he could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo. He could touch her if he wanted to, and his fingers itched to reach out. “We talked about things, and this was where I wanted to be.”
Leila’s eyes flitted across his face. “Why?” Confusion shrouded her features.
Adler’s heart stopped. Maybe Desiree was wrong. “I thought maybe . . .” His voice trailed off as she backed away. Maybe he was wrong. God, he was stupid. He combed his fingers throughhis hair and held his hands behind his neck. She’d told him she didn’t want him. That he wasn’t good enough. Why was he here? He pressed his teeth tightly together, and anger rose from his gut. Don’t get mad at her. It’s not like she led you on.
“Adler.” She pulled his arms from behind his head. The warmth of her touch slowly seeped into his skin. His gaze met hers, and that familiar pull was there, bringing them together. “I’m surprised you’re here after how I treated you.”
He tried to say something but couldn’t think of any words. It was okay. He didn’t need to.
“I need you to believe that I’m sorry.” She squeezed his hands.
Adler breathed in deep and pushed his shoulders back.Keep your feelings in check.He worked hard to hold himself back. He wanted to reach out and wrap his arms around her so badly he could taste it, but he needed to keep his head on his shoulders.
“Adler, when Skylar’s dad asked me to take care of my pregnancy, I was so frightened and alone. I swore that I’d never put myself in a situation where I was blindsided by a man again.” She placed her hand on his cheek, and her warmth seeped into his skin. “But you blindsided me, and it frightened me. Why would a man like you be interested in me? Then when we went out and all those women, beautiful women, talked to you, it took me back to Ben.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and his heart lurched. “Leila?” By instinct, he closed the space between them.
She put up her hand. “Let me finish, please.”
He stopped and gently placed his hands on her arms.
“You and Brad are so much alike. You’re both handsome, and you both have a magnetism that attracts girls to you. I saw you walking away from us and breaking both our hearts, but I was wrong. You’re nothing like Ben, and I shouldn’t have compared you to him.”
Adler tucked her hair behind her ear, “I’m sorry . . .”
She laughed lightly as she pulled away. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’ve been nothing but amazing and wonderful to me and Skylar, and I treated you so badly. So awful. I’m the one who’s sorry. I can’t believe you’re here after what I said to you.” She paused and stepped closer, reluctantly. “I thought I was doing the right thing for Skylar. I was so stupid.” She placed her palm on the side of his face. “I wish I could take back all those things I said. I don’t think you’d be an awful father. Skylar adores you. I adore you. I think you’re amazing. You aren’t the person I thought you were, and I was so wrong to say those things.”
He studied her face and put space between them. He knew she was sorry. He could see it in her eyes. “Leila, I hope you realize how wrong you were. I’m not the person I used to be, but I could have just forgotten us today. I’ll be totally honest. Desiree didn’t want the lessons she bought. She wanted me again.” Her eyes bulged. “But she knew I wasn’t available. My heart is taken.”
Leila rubbed her hands on her face. “Adler, I really hope you can forgive me.”
His gaze traveled across her features. Her beautiful eyes, her porcelain-like skin, her soft pink lips that he really wanted to feel against his. His heart filled with emotions he didn’t know existed. “Of course I forgive you.” His voice was thick. This woman made him feel more than he thought possible, and the only thing he was sure of was that these last few weeks without her were a nightmare, one he didn’t want to relive. He swallowed hard as his pulse picked up speed. Their gazes held.
Leila’s soft whisper broke the silence. “Kiss me, please. If you want to.”
Adler’s mouth ticked up at the corners. “I don’t want to, beautiful. I need to.” Without waiting another second, his mouth devoured hers. Finally, his heart grew calm, whole, and complete.
Chapter 30
“Well, it looks like we have another set of hands, guys.”
Adler and Leila pulled apart slightly, and a blush creeped across Leila’s face as she met Adler’s smirk.
There were Tristan, Jacob, and Chad, tool belts on, baseball hats on backwards, and water bottles in their hands standing and watching them.
Adler gave such a small shake of his head that she almost missed it, and his lips met hers again, lighter this time, gentler.
“I don’t think he’s much into working right now,” said Tristan.
