She looked up, shifted Karim off her lap, and by the time he reached her, she was on her feet with Karim on her hip.
“I can explain!”he said.“Please don’t leave.”
She ran into his arms, and her lips smacked against his.
Stunned, Dan kissed her back.And in one hot flash, all his pleas and worries that she’d be angry were silenced.
“Oh, Dan!”Libby kissed his neck, his jaw, his ear.His mouth.Definitely not angry!But warm and soft like always, her body molding against his as he embraced her and Karim.
And that’s when two things struck him.
One, Libby loved him back—his heart, body, and soul were on fire with it—and two…
“You’ve finally seen my Part Five clips.”He kissed her nose.“It’s about time.”
“So that’s why you knew I hadn’t watched them yesterday.”
“I thought if you had, you’d either throw me out of the kitchen or jump into my arms.I was hoping for the latter.”Grinning, he cupped her face and gazed into her beautiful eyes.A wish come true.“I want to keep being with you and Karim.Australia, or anywhere and everywhere else.Please don’t leave.I know Isabella turning up like that looked bad, but nothing is going on between us.She’s a crying mess.My phone is still in your bag.Her’s is flat.I couldn’t call you, and—”
“Dan, it’s okay.”Libby was laughing.“I found your phone.And I’m not leaving.”
“Thank f—fudge.”He bent to kiss her, but Karim patted his chest as if to say,Hey, I’m here too!Like Dan would ever forget.“Come here, squirt.”He lifted Karim into his arms and then finished dropping another kiss onto Libby’s lips.“I’m quite sure I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“Me too,” she said.“It’s kind of terrifying, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”He grinned and cupped her face again.“But I won’t run away from you on a moonlit beach.”
She kissed his palm.“I promise I won’t do that again either.”
“I was so scared you were running away today.When Hehu called Tia Rosa, and she said you were heading to the airport, I panicked.I thought you’d think that I’d want to get back with Isabella.But I don’t.That stuff on the internet isn’t true.”
“I know that now.”Libby wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against Karim.Two of his favorite people in his arms.Dan’s heart swelled.
“I thought the worst at first,” Libby added, “but once the shock had passed, I started thinking clearly.”
“So then…?”He glanced around Libby’s feet.No big rucksack nor Karim’s stroller.“Why are you here?”
“I’m waiting for Rick.He’s just landed.I’ve no idea what’s going on with him, but he followed Isabella to LA, and all I know is that she told him to, um…leave her alone.”
“Ah.”Dan winced.“That was Rick?”
“She told you?”
Dan nodded.But with the reminder of Isabella’s problems, his heart sank a little.The remedy was to kiss Libby again and savor having her back in his arms for a few more moments before they updated each other on the whirlwind of the afternoon.
But as it turned out, even a few moments were far too long for Karim.He slapped a hand on Dan’s cheek.
“Beach.”
Pulling back from Libby’s lips, Dan chuckled.“We’ll go soon, kid.I promise.”
“Where’s Isabella now?”
“At the bungalow.”He rested his forehead on Libby’s.“I don’t know much about what happened between her and Rick in LA, but Hunter’s bailed and left her to drown.”
“So I gathered.I’ve seen those disgusting comments about her.”
“She’s getting the blame for everything, while Hunter gets away scot-free.Those posts Isabella’s friends put out about her impending wedding were to counteract all the crap that’s been written.She asked me to marry her.”
