No Holding Back

He titled her head back a little, right in front of his boys, and kissed her. it was soft, sweet, and everything he had imagined it would be in his mind. He moved his lips and so did she, everything felt right and incredible, until he heard the howls from his sons.

Lorelei pulled away laughing, “Good timing Briere.”

He turned his head to scowl at his boys, but had to laugh when he saw the smiles on their faces. It was obvious the boys approved of the kiss, something Danny already knew.

The doorbell rang and Carson sprang to his feet, “Money,” he held out his hand.

“On the counter,” Danny told him.

All three boys run to the kitchen and tehn to the door, leaving Lorelei and Danny alone.

He put his hand on her cheek and ran his thumb over the soft skin, “What aws that about?” she
questioned.

“I couldn’t help it,” Danny shook his head.

She let out a giggle as the boys ran with pizza boxes back into the kitchen. “Lorelei,” he moved her head again so she was looking at him, “I couldn’t hold it back anymore.”

Lorelei looked down and then shook her head. She smiled as she looked back up at him, “"Kisses are like tears; the only real ones are the ones you can't hold back.” My mom used to say that all the time.”

The tears behind his eyes finally fell down his cheek as he nodded, “She’s right.”

Lorelei wiped them away, “I guess so.”

Danny leaned down and kissed her again but was interrupted by Caelan asking if they were hungry, “Not right now!” Danny yelled at his son with a chuckle.

“Okay, okay. sorry,” Caelan walked away with his hands up.

Lorelei laughed as Caelan exited the room. Danny turned back to her with a smile, “Everything you told them is true, I don’t think they look at me the same way.”

“They do Danny,” she promised him, “You should hear them gloating about you in the stands. They want to be just like you.”

“I’ve let them down.”

“No you haven’t Danny. You haven’t let anyone down…”

He interrupted her with another kiss, “This is why,” he kissed her again, “This is why you’re so
amazing. Lora, this is why I want to be with you.”

He felt her melt against him and knew that she had been waiting for him to kiss her or to say
something. He felt so many emotions coming from her body, so many words that needed to be said,
so many feelings that had gone ignored for years, “I don’t want to have to hold kisses or tears back
anymore,” he whispered against her head, “I want to kiss you,” he kissed her temple, “hold you,” he
squeezed her body against his, “cry with you, fight with you…I want all of that and more with you.”

“This isn’t right,” she sniffled as she buried her head in his chest, “I can’t be with you Danny;
not because I don’t want to but because of Sylvie. She’s my friend and…”

“And she knows how I feel about you and knows how you feel about me. Her and I have
discussed this,” he pulled back so he could look into her eyes and let her know that he wasn’t just telling her a lie, “Even she understands this.”

“What about…”

“Shh. I know you’re a good friend and I know you want to do what’s right for everyone,” he smiled at her inability to ever do anything wrong, “But if you want this we can have this,” he motioned around his house, “All of this.”