The object of her confusion arrived at Leah's door early and tapped gently but persistently. Seth pulled his pillow over his head, and Sue simply didn't have their hearing capacity. That left Leah to crawl out of bed and peek through the peephole in the front door. With a string of muttered profanity, she opened the door. "Are you lost, Sam?"

His smile was tentative. "Nope. I just wondered if I could talk to you, LeeLee. Just for a few minutes."

She stiffened. "First of all, don't call me that. And secondly...don't call me anything, Sam. I have no interest in talking to you." She tried to slam the door, but he stuck his big foot in the way.

"Please, Leah. Just five minutes."

She opened the door and stepped back with a sigh, closing it after him. She stalked into the kitchen and he followed, watching as she put on a pot of coffee. He sat at the table and folded his hands. "I just wanted to tell you I appreciate your change in attitude. It's making it easier on me - and everyone."

Leah leaned against the counter, trying to keep as much distance as possible between them. "I hope you understand that I don't give a flying fuck about making your life easier. Just so we're clear." He winced but didn't reply. He did, however, rise from his seat and walk toward her. There was no place to go, no escape, as he invaded her personal space and placed his warm, familiar hands on her hips.

Her voice was a croak, and she hated herself for that. "What do you think you're doing, Sam?"

"We don't have to be enemies," he murmured, his face mere inches from hers. She was appalled to realize, with a jolt, that she still wanted him. Her palms were sweaty, and she knew he could hear her heart pounding. He leaned in, and her hand moved like lightning. The slap echoed through the small space, followed quickly by his deep chuckle. "Don't you think I can tell how you feel, Leah? I can hear it, I can feel it - I can even smell it! It would be so simple! And Emily would never have to know…"

She put her hands against his solid chest and shoved, giving her room to scamper to the other side of the table. She couldn't believe the bastard actually missed the constant reminders of their intimate moments that she had been using to annoy him - and the rest of the pack. "How DARE you? I am not your possession, Sam Uley, and any affection I felt for you is long gone. Does it bother you so much that I'm moving on with my life? Get out of my house!"

Her voice had been rising, and Sue scuffed into the kitchen in her slippers, belting her robe. "I think that's for the best, Sam," she agreed quietly. She opened the back door and, with one lingering glance at Leah, he left, heading across the back yard and into the woods.

Sue wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Don't give him that power over you, honey," she murmured, kissing Leah's hair. "You have someone in your life who really cares for you - only you. Embry is a good man. I don't know if he's your forever guy, but right now he makes you happy." She smiled. "I can tell."

Leah offered her mom a weak smile and trudged back up the stairs. She turned her phone off and crawled under the covers.

"Leah? You okay?" The bed creaked slightly under Embry's weight, and he placed a warm hand on her back. "Your mom said I could come up - as long as I left the door open."

Leah rolled over to face him. "Of course she did," she smiled. She felt better already, looking up at his handsome face. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just needed some time to think."

"And have you had time to figure it all out?" He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

She pulled herself up, leaning back against the headboard, and looked at him earnestly. "What would you say if I told you I decided to go back to Sam? That I'll take him any way I can get him, even part-time, on the sly?"

He thought about it for a full minute. "IF I believed you - and, for the record, I don't - I'd say that all I want is for you to be happy. And I'd step aside. However... " He slipped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest, and she didn't fight him. It felt too good. "I do not believe you would settle for that, so my response to that silly question is moot."

Leah looked up at him, completely serious. "You get me, Embry. How is that?"

"I care enough to listen to you, Lee. And I would really love to kiss you right now." He smiled and leaned in, his lips touching hers. His kiss was warm, soft, and increasingly demanding. His tongue slipped inside her open mouth, fanning the flames that were poised to engulf them both. A light step on the stairs sent them scrambling to rearrange clothing. Sue didn't even glance Leah's way as she entered Seth's room across the hall with a pile of clean, folded clothes. Leah chuckled softly, pulling up the strap of her pajama top.

"Maybe we should continue this discussion someplace else," Leah suggested with a smile.

"Nobody's home at my house," Embry laughed softly as Sue headed back down the stairs.

Leah stood, peeling off her top. "It's not like you've never seen me naked, Embry." She stepped closer and placed a finger under his chin, closing his mouth. "Well, okay, maybe it is different after that kiss." She laughed and pulled off her flannel pants, wiggling into a pair of jeans and zipping them up before dragging a tee shirt onto her naked torso. "C'mon. We need to...talk." She slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and started down the stairs.

"Mom! I'm going over Embry's for a while - see ya later!" The screen door slammed behind them as they jumped into Embry's truck. Leah slid over and laid her head on his shoulder, her hand resting lightly on his thigh.

"I meant that...about talking," Leah said softly as he parked in his driveway. "I don't know how to do this, Embry. There's no denying that I like you - or that I want you - but can I trust you? I thought I could trust Sam. I thought I loved him."

"Yes. You can trust me, Leah. And we will just talk if that's what you want."

She sighed. "Oh no you don't. You don't kiss me like that and then just talk to me." She grinned at him, then hopped out of the truck. "Come on. I've got a better idea." She stood on the porch and waited for him to unlock the door.

After making sure the house was empty, Embry led her into his bedroom. It was surprisingly neat, the bed neatly made with a dark blue comforter. She sat on the edge and patted the bed beside her. He sat. Leah kissed him, then looked into his eyes. "I'm trusting you, Embry. You know I'm pretty fragile right now, even though the rest of the world thinks I'm tough. Don't break me, okay?"

"Leah," he breathed. "I'll never hurt you. I only want to love you."

"Love me then," she whispered, a soft growl issuing from her throat. "Please."