Handcuffed in Housewares: Tulle and Tulips, Book 3 by Nikki Duncan Page B

wanted to start a family. With her.
    Every day he spent with her was a day he fell a little closer to love. By the time his eyes slid closed at night he was sure he’d gotten there, but each morning he watched her walk away he thought of Paula, and that had him wondering how long Leigh would stay before she decided he wasn’t the best she could get. Those thoughts had him pulling away until she returned in the evening.
    The up and down of his emotions was exhausting. He hated the insecurity and wished he knew how to talk about it with Leigh, but talking it out would require revealing himself to her. He wasn’t ready for that.
    The mattress dipped at his side. Leigh’s soft lips came to rest on his with a sweetness he’d been allowed to taste every morning for weeks. His lips curved a moment before he opened his eyes. “You’re dressed.”
    “Yes.” She kissed him again and then moved away. “And you need to be too. We’re supposed to be at Jace and Misty’s in less than an hour.”
    He grabbed her hand and pulled her down. “Plenty of time for sex and a shower.”
    She giggled the way she often did when he talked directly about sex. She’d admitted after a few drinks one night it wasn’t embarrassment that made her giggle. Her claim was he made her feel like a teenager and that made her giggle. Of course her telling him that had him finding ways each day to make her giggle. It was almost as cute as when she sneezed.
    “I have sweet rolls in the oven. I don’t want them to burn.”
    “You cooked?” She excelled at take out while he was the one who did most of the cooking, when they cooked.
    “Even I can open a tube of rolls and put them in the oven.” She kissed him sharply and pulled back. “Now get showered and dressed so we’re not late.”
    Arguments sprang to mind. He’d discovered which buttons to push when he wanted to coax her into bed. He’d also discovered if he made her late for work or something with her friends she withdrew and he had to work twice as hard to coax her out of her embarrassment.
    In a humoring mood, he let her go deal with breakfast while he followed her orders. He stepped into the kitchen to see a sight he’d never have expected.
    Leigh stood in front of the refrigerator with the door open. In her hand was a jug of dark chocolate milk, and she was drinking directly from it. She was the kind who frowned on double dipping. Her eyes would shout her disappointment if he moved a chip toward the salsa bowl for a second scoop. Yet, there she was with the jug cap in one hand while she drank freely from the jug.
    Grinning, he watched her for a minute. “I thought you were more refined than that.”
    She jumped and looked ashamed as she turned to him. He closed the distance and took the jug from her. With a wink he took a long pull of the milk too. “Some things are better when they’re shared.”
    “I do like the way you share things.” She was laughing as she pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Go sit down while I ice the rolls and get your coffee.”
    It was all very comfortable and domestic, when he didn’t know how to do that outside of his family home. “You don’t have to wait on me.”
    “I know.” She moved to the island and began spreading the thick white glaze on the rolls. When she slipped a finger between her lips to suck off the icing his resolve to resist her crumbled.
    Nothing guaranteed she wouldn’t leave him one day, that she wouldn’t find someone better or with deeper pockets. He could hold on to the fear like a pro, or he could take a chance and see what happened if he took the next step.
    The debate was still raging in his head when Leigh turned with a large plate of rolls and a smile that warmed her eyes and made his stomach turn to mush. “Hungry?”
    “Starved.” And not just for cinnamon rolls.
    She poured him a cup of coffee and handed him the bowl of sugar. She dished out several cinnamon rolls on a plate and served him. She