Page 29 of Louisiana Protector

“A tall tower to heaven,” Danny replied. “There’s going to be lots of chocolate cake in heaven. Do you like chocolate cake, Johnny?”

“I sure do. It’s my very favorite,” Johnny replied, much to Danny’s delight.

“You know what else is in heaven?” Danny asked.

“No, what?”

The rest of the adults had fallen quiet.

“My daddy is in heaven, and I’d like to see him when I get there.”

As Danny’s words sunk in, a new anger sparked to life inside Johnny. He shot a quick look at Mimi, whose face flushed as she quickly looked away from him.

She’d told Danny that his father was dead? She’d killed him off? She’d told the little boy that he was now in heaven, and Danny built towers in his effort to see his daddy?

He didn’t care how long he had to wait tonight for the other men to leave, but he’d wait until they were all gone. Then he was going to have a serious talk with Mimi about her killing him off.

Chapter Six

It was around ten o’clock when the three fishermen finally left the shanty to head back to their own places. It was later than usual, but Johnny was still there, and by the look in his eyes, he was angry with her. She certainly knew why.

She’d believed telling Danny his father was dead and in heaven was the kindest thing she could do for her son, especially since she’d truly believed they would never see or hear from Johnny again. But Johnny was here now, and by the burning in the center of his intense blue eyes, he was positively livid.

Danny was tucked into bed, and once the other men left, Gramps headed into his bedroom, leaving her and Johnny alone. She got up and walked toward the front door in an effort to move him out, too, but he remained seated on the sofa.

“You told him his father was dead?” His darkened eyes held her gaze intently.

Warmth filled her cheeks. “His father is a deadbeat dad. I thought it was kinder for Danny to believe his daddy was dead rather than a daddy who didn’t want anything to do with him.”

He raised a brow. “I thought you didn’t know who his father was.”

“What difference does all this make to you? It’s really none of your business what I told my son,” she replied with a touch of indignation.

God, she hated the lies, but when it came to Danny, there was no question that Johnny scared her. His money and standing in town could be used to take Danny away from her. She would be absolutely destroyed if that happened. Until he demanded a paternity test, she would continue to tell him Danny wasn’t his. And she didn’t owe him an explanation about anything.

After another long moment, he finally got up and walked to where she stood by the front door. The two of them stepped outside and into the sultry night air.

Once there, he stood far too close to her, so close that in the light coming from the open shanty door, she could see the silver shards in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes.

He reached out and gently pushed a strand of her hair away from the side of her face. “Have you had a chance to think about everything I told you last night?”

She knew she should step back and gain some distance from him, but her feet refused to obey her brain’s command. “I’ve thought about a lot of things,” she replied slowly. “Johnny, you can’t just drop back into my life after a five-year absence and assume we’ll just pick up where we left off.”

“I realize that, and I told you I can be very patient. I just want you to see how much I’ve grown and know that I would do things differently going forward. I take ownership of doing it wrong before. I swear I would never leave you again.”

She saw the kiss coming, and she did nothing to stop it. Rather she leaned in, realizing she wanted his kiss. She released a sigh as he pulled her into his arms.

It was like coming home. Her body remembered his as he pulled her tight against him. They fit so perfectly together, just as they always had. His lips took hers in a gentle kiss. However, when she opened her mouth to him, the kiss became something much more…something wild and hungry.

Her heart beat rapidly as the kiss continued, and desire for him flowed hot and thick through her veins. And it was finally that intense desire that made her halt the kiss and step back from him with a gasp.

His eyes glowed like blue fire, and he raked a hand through his thick dark hair. “It’s still there, Mimi. The magic we always had between us is still there.”

Mimi took a moment to recenter herself. “Johnny, we might have a strong physical desire for each other, but that doesn’t make a relationship. That has nothing to do with love.”

“I’m well aware of that,” he replied. “Like I told you before, I can be very patient. All I ask is that you give me a chance to earn back your love and trust.”

“You have that chance,” she replied.