They lay quietly for a long while, then Donovan said, “My next week is going to be pretty hectic, and I’ll have to pull some weekend hours. Maybe the weekend after, we can go on a picnic or to the park for a while.”
“Actually, I’m going to Oakland that weekend. Nana misses Yasmine, and I promised to bring her up there.”
He groaned. “I can’t go two weekends without spending time with you, baby.” He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. “I need to see you.” He removed the band from her hair, and the braids cascaded around her face. He fisted his hands in her hair and crushed his mouth against hers.
Intense desire shot through her body like a crack of lightning. He released her hair, and then his hands were on her body. She felt him everywhere. Her nipples hardened against his chest, and a deep ache settled between her thighs. He broke off the kiss abruptly and palmed her face, his smoldering light-brown gaze searing her. He’d once said her eyes told him everything he needed to know, so Simona quickly turned away and laid her head on his shoulder, afraid he would read her emotions.
“Simona, baby. Look at me.”
She slowly lifted her head.
“Tell me—”
“Mamamama...ananana...” His words were cut off by the sound of babbling coming from the monitor.
She scooted off his body and rushed out of the room, grateful for the interruption. Donovan eventually left so she could settle Yasmine, but the look he gave her before walking out the door said the conversation was far from over.
Although he hadn’t given her a reason not to believe in him, she wasn’t ready to share what lay in her heart: that she had fallen in love with him.
Chapter 16
Donovan smiled at the text from Simona on Monday morning: Ugh! Disneyland withdrawals.
He typed back: It’s only been two days, but anytime you want to go again... He had gone to amusement parks several times as a teen and twice as an adult, and always enjoyed himself. However, none of those visits compared to the amazing time he’d had on Saturday. In the past, he’d always thought people who brought very young children to those parks had to be crazy, but Yasmine’s happy face—as well as those of the other three children—had changed his perspective. He relished the sounds of their delightful chatter. It hadn’t even bothered him when Yasmine seized a fistful of his mashed potatoes and shoved them into her mouth, or when she wiped that same hand on his shirt.
As priceless as those memories were, nothing topped Simona’s reaction to the Soarin’ Over California ride. His heart swelled, and the magnitude of that moment would forever be imprinted on his brain—it was the moment he knew he had fallen in love with her. When she threw her arms around him and kissed him, he’d have sworn she was about to tell him she loved him. He hadn’t been able to coax the words from her then or later that night. Donovan didn’t realize how much he wanted to hear her say it. Maybe he should have said it first, but he wasn’t ready to put his heart on the line.
“Hey, D. You have a minute?”
Donovan tossed the phone on his desk. “What are you still doing here? I thought you left an hour ago.”
Terrence entered and dropped a notepad on Donovan’s desk.
“What’s this?”
“Lyrics I’m working on for my next song. I want you to take a look.”
He picked up the pad and scanned the words. “Ballad?” When Terrence nodded, Donovan asked, “What’s the title?”
“Without Your Love.”
Taking inspiration from his newly discovered feelings, Donovan picked up his pen, added a few lines, tweaked three others and handed the pad back.
Terrence glanced down at the paper, then back to Donovan, and lifted an eyebrow. “Something you want to tell me?”
“No.”
“Hmm. I haven’t been able to get you to pick up that pen and write one word in eight years, and you perfect my song in, like, two minutes? Must be love.”
Donovan merely shrugged.
“Ah, so I’m right. So, are you in denial?”
“No. Unlike some other people, I don’t have a problem owning up to my feelings. I just think she’s still a little uneasy because of her ex, so I have my work cut out for me.”
“Stepping up your game, I see.”
“My game is fine,” Donovan retorted.
Terrence laughed. “If you say so. Now that the song is finished, I’m going home.” He turned back when he got to the door. “You should really consider donning your songwriter’s hat again.”