Vlad raised one eyebrow, his hands immediately up to catch her on the fall. The blankets gave up the struggle between them, their bodies brought together in the tumble. He held her carefully, the softness of her skin beneath his hands and the injury fresh in his mind.
“Daphne…for both our sakes…please stop moving,” he heard the low vibration of his own voice even as he tried to control the reaction his body was having to her.
She caught her head before it bounced against his, her breathing next to nothing and her eyes closed for a long minute. Fingers were spread across the bare, firm chest. Daphne stopped moving, one knee caught between his thighs and the semi-aroused male beneath her.
“Vlad…you don’t realize…you should have gone home,” she whispered hoarsely. “Seriously…now…they’ll all know…they’ll think…oh, god…please tell me I still have my underwear on?” She peeked through thick lashes at the low chuckle he offered, eyes slamming wide when his palms released her waist and caressed warmly over her hips and onto her behind.
“Panties still in place, Daphne,” he said gruffly, fingertips following the miniscule edging of lace over the firm, round globes. “Maybe you can try explaining why you’re disturbed…”
Vlad prudently let his palms stroke over her back, one hand going to her forehead to brush the strands of gold to the side.
“Why?” She whispered in disbelief. “Why? How about for starters…this!” She shoved against his chest, elevating herself only to realize what she’d done and immediately withdrawing her palms only to have her body crash down on his once more. Daphne closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder.
“What happens between us is not the concern of our families,” he tried stating very carefully.
“What…nothing…there isn’t supposed to be…don’t start believing your own press!” She hissed furiously, shoving herself to the side, and scrambling hastily to grip the blanket tightly in front of her. She made it almost to sitting upright when his hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her back to lay over him, his mouth moving softly over hers.
Vlad kept himself in check, his kiss caressing and slow, his tongue gently teasing from one corner of her mouth to the other. He traced a seductive, inviting line over the full bow of her lower lip after nipping it gently. He felt her body gradually release the tension inside her, the softest of sighs breaking free as her lips parted and she returned his kiss.
Daphne heard herself in the stern lecture. She heard a voice that sounded like her own telling her this was a very bad idea. But it was nice to be held, she whispered back, a shiver racing down her spine along with the firm, strong hands that stroked her soothingly.
Vlad eased her back onto the bed, fingers that weren’t all that steady up to brush aside strands of gold from the side of her face.
“You need rest, Daphne,” he said quietly, tucking her against him and pulling the blankets over them both. “Go back to sleep.”
“I shouldn’t feel so tired,” she complained, the warmth pulling her deeper.
Vlad didn’t say anything, the darkness surrounding them both once more.
He slipped from the bed, carefully substituting the large pillow for the body she had been curled against. He was grateful when he stepped into the hall that Gwen, Ethan and Zoe were heading toward the dining room.
“How is she?” Gwen asked quietly, glancing back at the closed door.
“Tired. Stubborn,” Vlad said with a long sigh. “She finally fell asleep an hour ago. She was up most of the night…scary dreams, she called them.”
Gwen chuckled softly. “She always called them that.”
“She also told me she had been banned from sleep overs for awhile,” Vlad recalled with his own chuckle, the sound of her low, sleepy voice still echoing in his mind.
“Oh, god…that was so long ago,” Gwen said with a laugh.
“What was?” Eloise looked up from the platter she had finished setting on the large family dinner table. “Good morning…welcome to the family, Vlad,” she said, striding to him and offering a long hug.
“Thank you…”
“Daphne told him how we banned her from sleep overs,” Gwen recalled with a smile.
“Well, we did banish her to the sofa, finally,” Eloise mentioned thoughtfully. “She was…she always gravitated to the warmest body. It was alright if it was just us, because we grew up with it.”
“But it made some of our friends nervous,” Gwen admitted with a giggle. “She always spread out like a plague!”
Vlad managed to make it through introductions, a cup and a half of coffee and some food later, and he realized their family wasn’t so very different than the one he grew up in, the ache in his stomach departing slowly.
“Oh, god…I am so sorry…” a breathless, half bent over Daphne made it down the corridor, stopping and clinging to the door jamb.
Vlad was up immediately, swearing beneath his breath.
“Hmm…vest…good idea for the stitches,” Mariah droned softly, up from the table and going to her side. “Dashing down the halls full blast, not so good…set her over here, Vlad, please…”
“I’m good…just let me catch my breath…” Daphne told them both, her head back on the edge of the chair, her hands up and warding them off. “Thank you…both of you…I’m good…seriously…I am so sorry I’m late…”
“Daphne,” Bridgett Paddington was up and around the table, her pale head shaking ruefully. “Sit, Mariah, she’s stubborn, as Vlad said,” she hugged her daughter gently, tipping up the chin with closed eyes. “Vlad told us you didn’t get much sleep last night, Daphne. Why didn’t you stay in bed and rest?”
“I…breakfast…and I’m okay, mostly…really…just shouldn’t have gone running yet,” she admitted sheepishly, gulping when she became aware of all the eyes on her. “G’morning…”
“But you didn’t get much sleep,” Vlad said with a sigh, taking the seat next to her and pouring juice for her.
“I’m okay, mom…” she murmured, glaring down at her plate and inhaling slowly. “So…the weather’s supposed to be nice today, Elle…can we finish up the wiring at the ranch?”
“Daphne…” Vlad began slowly.
“I think it shouldn’t take more than an hour,” Eloise agreed with a cautious nod. “We don’t have anything planned. I can meet you out there after breakfast.”
“We won’t be…there won’t be…” Daphne looked around the table. “That man…”
“He’s safely behind bars at a state hospital,” Vlad told her quietly, his palm covering hers where it lay on the table.
“I checked for him this morning, Daphne,” Eli told her, all of them too aware of the fear in her voice. “They transferred him to a state facility this morning.
“Thank you…both of you,” she said, making to reach over the table and groaning with the effort. “Okay...the other side…”
“Or perhaps asking?” Vlad suggested through his teeth.
“I can tell you from experience,” Morgan shook his head. “You’re fighting a battle that’ll wear you out, Vlad.”
Daphne wasn’t sure how she managed to make it through the meal. She walked slowly back towards her apartment, hands sunk in her pockets. The shadow of Vlad at her side. She had promised her mother and father to take it easy, not to mention Mariah who warned her about pulling the stitches out of place. She winced and made a mental note to check to make sure she hadn’t already messed up things.
“You were very quiet at breakfast,” Vlad commented as they walked, a lot slower than he was used to her moving.
“You shouldn’t have been there. Now they believe…” She shook her head slowly.
“Your parents were very welcoming, not to mention the curiosity of the rest of your family members,” he remarked, choosing to ignore her statement for the moment. “If I had asked you out, Daphne, would you have accepted?”
“Out? Like…like a date?” She pushed the door to the apartment open, sighing and goin
g in search of her vitamins, some pain pills and her backpack.
“Is it men in general of just me, Daphne?” Vlad asked after watching her for several minutes. He met the startled, wide eyes without hesitation.
“I thought I had answered that,” she said quietly, her head shaking.
“This is about independence,” Vlad said after a long minute, moving to stand in front of her. “You believe I would take that from you?”
Daphne had her hand wrapped around her keys and backed up a step, her tongue out to moisten her lips when she felt the glass of the patio door behind her. Her head went up too quickly and thumped on the glass.
“Vlad…”
“Do I frighten you?” He decided pressing his advantage wasn’t a bad thing at the moment, his hands on her shoulders and gliding slowly over the fabric to the bare skin to her throat. Thumbs went beneath her chin, tipping it up when she tried moving away. “I can tell…you’re not the least bit frightened of me. Then what is it, Daphne? Rumors of how a relationship could be? If you aren’t frightened of me…are you frightened of yourself?” He kept watching her eyes, grinning at the answers he could easily read in her expressive face. “You brought boys home when you were in high school…..your mother mentioned them.”
“I…she did?” Daphne whispered, memories of how fast the boys had run after one lunch or dinner with her family.
“They weren’t strong enough…for you or the family,” he said simply. “Are you ready to go to the ranch? Let me take you, please…for no other reason than you’re in pain and won’t admit it.”
“Not…not really pain so much…” She hedged, her lip pulled between her teeth. “More…just…a little tired…sore…”
“Let me take you, please?” He was relieved when she nodded reluctantly, holding her keys up to him. “I’ll get my wallet and jacket and be right out.”
“We all grew up together,” Daphne said quietly when he began the car. “I suppose we learned from watching…listening…being together,” her smile was soft at the memories. “It would have been better…” she paused thoughtfully, her head shaking slightly. “No…not better…easier…if you hadn’t gone to any of the family meals, Vlad.”
“Easier…for what?”
“For when it ends,” she explained simply. “I’m sorry my…my plan didn’t go as I thought.”
“Would you have gone out with me?” He repeated the question once more.
“I think so. You’re very easy to talk to.”
“You just would have kept me away from your family?” He asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Our families are the same, I think,” she said quietly. “Both would…would misunderstand our friendship.”
“And when it became more than friendship? I’m guessing you wouldn’t let me spend the night at your apartment,” Vlad said thoughtfully. “Too visible for the family. I suppose we could have gone to my place, except I’m in transition and staying at the campground. Well, now, the ranch…”
“Maybe it would never have gotten that far,” she said with a casual shrug.
“I’m strong enough to bear the brunt of your seduction, Daphne, but not fool enough to pretend you didn’t respond when we kissed,” he told her after a low, sultry laugh at her statement. He glanced over to see her chewing on her lip, staring out the front window in silent thought.
“Do you believe being married is a convenient way around the problem of family?”
“Hell no,” he answered instantly. “If anything, it’s made something that should have been simple into a complicated mess.”
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intent,” Daphne sighed slowly. “I guess we keep returning to that, Vlad. You should have refused and let me find another way to handle the problem.”
Chapter Nine
His mouth opened at the same time the SUV rolled to a slow stop, her door open and her body out and moving away with a slamming of the door. His teeth ground together as he counted and turned the vehicle off, striding off in the opposite direction to check on his horses. He’d find a way to corner her before the day was over.
Daphne had a feeling she was functioning on seriously borrowed time. She ignored the occasional stitch in her side, meeting Eloise at the gate and throwing herself into completing the wiring job they had begun the day before. A definite darkening was happening to the south of them and by the time they had finished, it had begun forming thickly layered clouds of deepest blue to almost black.
She waved at Eloise after the pair of them had shown three of the men how to operate the alarm and the gates. Half an hour later, she was chasing kids and chickens, laughing happily and not thinking about much of anything but remaining on her feet.
Anca gestured to one of the younger boys, her head bent low and voice urgent. “Find your Uncle Vlad, have him come here immediately!”
“Yes, ma’am,” he ran off toward the stables without asking questions.
Anca went to the young woman leaning against the newly cemented square post, her head back and eyes closed. That alone didn’t bother Anca as much as the spreading deep red on the blouse showing below her vest.
“Daphne?” Anca had crossed the wide expanse of yard very quickly, her palm out and gripping the younger woman’s wrist.
“Anca?” Daphne inhaled slowly, her back pressed against the sturdy pole. “I think I lost my energy chasing kids and chickens,” she said with a crooked smile.
“Daphne?” Vlad came around the corner with two of his nephews, dismounting quickly and issuing orders for the teenagers who led the large animal off toward the stables.
“Bring her inside...on the divan. I will find bandages and something cool to clean her wound,” Anca ordered firmly, turning and striding toward the house.
“Vlad? I’m alright…honest,” Daphne met those dark eyes with a sigh. “You have beautiful eyes.”
“Hmmm…never noticed…come on,” he quickly lifted her from the ground, ponytail dangling over his arm when her head went to his shoulder.
“You really have to stop hauling me around,” she told him, one arm along his shoulders and her head down with a sigh. “I think I should go home now. I’m feeling a little tired.”
“You’re bleeding, Daphne, and you’ve suddenly become very pale,” Vlad told her gently, carrying her from the increasing winds outside. “I will easily admit that seeing you bleeding and unconscious do not do well on my stability.”
“You’re strong, Vlad…I know you’d handle it well,” she said softly, frowning slightly at the sharp edge to his laughter. “You’re angry.”
“You shouldn’t have been up today,” he said simply, carefully laying her on her good side on the wide, cushioned divan. “Hold still and do not move,” he ordered, swearing at the tiny buttons and a pair of hands refusing to co-operate while opening them.
“But the alarm is finished. I’ll rest knowing at least at night time, things on the ranch are protected,” she answered, exhaling softly and following his orders. She didn’t protest when he manipulated her arm, the vest slid off one side and the once white blouse pulled from the waist band of her skirt. “Somehow having you undress isn’t as romantic as I thought it would be.”
“That makes two of us,” he responded, his head shaking at the wide, dark blood stain.
“Let me take care of this, Vlad,” Anca pulled a stool closer, a small trash bin at her side. “Your room is on the second floor, at the west end,” she said as she peeled the soaked gauze and tape from Daphne’s side. “She was enjoying herself a little too much, I think,” she tsked softly.
“I have to go home,” Daphne said after all the words had registered, wincing a little when the gauze clung to her side. “I didn’t pull them loose? Please…Mariah will kill me…”
“They are not free…but I think the strain you put on them broke the wound open when it should be closing,” Anca said as she gently cleaned her side and the stitched wound. “You must not strain things for a few days, Daphne.”
“I have work tomorrow…” She declared, staring at him, wide eyed in disbelief.
“I called and spoke with Eve,” Vlad informed her casually. “You are off until Wednesday, Daphne. Read books, play computer games, stitch your…whatever…at the house…but you are not working until Wednesday,” he met the abruptly wide blue eyes with a matching glare. “Wednesday,” he repeated firmly.
“I…you do not have the right…”
“You really want to discuss that now?” Vlad demanded angrily. “You’re laying there bleeding because you can’t slow down for two days, Daphne! Two days…not a lifetime…not forever…just two days! When a child refuses to do what’s best for them, an adult takes over and makes it happen. That same rule applies to a friend or partner…or spouse,” he informed her flatly, watching the taut bow of her lips and the pale, narrowed lashes returning his glare.
Daphne closed her eyes tightly. Everything she had to say were words that would come back to haunt her or be thrown back into her face at that direct moment so she chose silence.
“Alright…but I’d like to go home, please. I need clean clothing and….and I won’t go in to work tomorrow,” she said quietly, using her hands to push behind her and sit upright, smiling wanly at Anca. “Thank you. I don’t mean to be a problem.”
“You’re not a problem, child. And as loathe as I am to admit it, listen to Vlad,” Anca told her, gathering the things she had been using and returning them to the bathroom.
“Okay…home. I have meetings all morning and they start early with some conference calls to the east coast,” Vlad told her, offering his palm to help her stand up. He stood patiently, watching to see if she was going to be alright before striding with her to the car.
“How is it you’re always around when I…” Daphne peeked over at him as they walked through the light mist.
“Get into trouble?”
“I was going to say when I need you,” she corrected softly. “Probably should have eaten more for breakfast…or had lunch,” she said with a sigh.
WindSwept Narrows: #14 Daphne Paddington Page 6