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It’s really Leo. And he’s here, kissing me, and I’m kissing him back as if we’d been apart for months rather than twenty-four hours. But that’s how it’s been from the beginning with us, full speed ahead.
“Jazz,” he groans in between tastes of my mouth, “I missed you so fucking much.”
“I missed you too. I was coming to you.”
“You were?” He pulls back and gazes at me, brushing my hair back and bracketing my face. “I’m sorry for suggesting we were a mistake and letting you walk out that door.”
“No.” It was torture to see the marks turning a bluish-purple on his olive skin, to know how he’d gotten them. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Leo.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I do.” I cover his hands with my palms. “I should have been more understanding. I never should have left. Can you forgive me?”
“Jazz, baby, there’s nothing to forgive.” He kisses me again. “I don’t need apologies. I just need to hear you say that your feelings haven’t changed.”
“Oh my god, Leo. Of course, they haven’t. I love you.”
“You don’t know how much I wanted to hear you say that again.”
“It feels amazing to say it. I just didn’t know if after what happened with Kai, you’d still want to be with me.”
“I once told you that I could never stop wanting you. I meant that.”
“But what about your family?”
“No matter how they would have taken the news about us, I would still have chosen to be with you. But my mother can’t wait to meet you. She wants to try one of your dance classes, though that’s not something I care to visualize,” he says, both cringing and amused. “She actually had called Kai to task before I even got there last night. She finally told him it was time for him to grow up and be accountable for his actions.”
“How did Kai take that?”
“About as well as you would expect. Accepting responsibility isn’t his strong suit. But he did eventually apologize to me for everything, and I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. Time will tell. But you were right, I needed to get the past off my chest, instead of carrying all that anger around with me.”
“I’m so happy for you, Leo.” I run a finger down his forehead, now smooth and absent the pulsing vein.
He catches it and brings it to his lips. Then holding my gaze with eyes that seem bright and determined, he says, “I realized I didn’t need a spreadsheet or anything else to convince me of what I had known all along. I was drawn to you from the first time I saw you. Before the flyers. It was a photo of you on your website. I couldn’t get your face or your smile out of my head. Then I met you, and I was toast. I wanted to think it was just sexual attraction. That I just wanted to get you naked. But it quickly became more. I liked talking to you, listening to you, just being with you.
“I admire your courage and your strength. The way you care about people, your dedication to your members, your sense of calm, and how you call me on my shit. The more I learn about you, the harder I fall. Who would have thought that a woman who believes in meditation, essential oils, and the joy of movement would change my world? Everything around me is just better and brighter with you. That’s how I know this is real. I love you, Jazz Legend, in all your sweet, sexy pinkness.”
Tears pool in my eyes from the sheer excess of emotion. “My knees are shaking.”
“Mine too, Sweet Pea.” He kisses my wet cheeks and beneath my eyes. “Will you come home with me?”
“Yes, of course! Let me just call Zay so he won’t worry and tell him I got the ‘I love you.’” I stop myself from squealing.
“He already knows.”
“What do you mean?”
Leo reaches inside his jacket pocket and presents me with a small rectangular box. I can tell he tied the bright pink ribbon around it himself. It’s slightly lopsided, but endearing. My hands shake with anticipation as I undo the bow and lift the top. Inside, a shiny key hangs from a glittery, rose gold keychain. It’s engraved with the words, “Sweet Pea.”
“I don’t want just a week, Jazz. I want to fall asleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning. This isn’t the spare key I gave you on Monday. This one is yours.”
I lift the keychain from the box in another pinch-me moment.
“I would have been here sooner,” he says, his thumb brushing my cheek, “but I went to your apartment first to see Zay and ask for his blessing. I know it’s not the same as asking your mom, but Zay is your family.”
Tears run down my cheeks. It’s more than just a key. He put so much effort, so much thought into this…including Zay andunderstanding his importance in my life. “Thank you.” I clench the key tightly in my hand and press my lips to his. He cradles the back of my head, and our kiss feels like it’s sprouting wings, lifting me through the air in a dance that twirls and spins in the light of the love we share.
When we finally catch our breaths, he wipes away my tears. “I don’t want you to feel pressured. I just wanted to show you my commitment. If it’s too soon, just hold onto the key, and I’ll wait for you until you’re ready.”
