by Anthology
"I will always take care of you Francesca."
I closed my eyes, both wanting to hear what he would say next, and afraid. He made me think crazy, impossible thoughts. He made me want to hear words of love. But that wasn't my cowboy's style.
Or mine. Not anymore. Still I felt a rush of emotion when he whispered in my ear.
"I want you to be mine. Permanently."
I couldn't look at him. I knew the words were heartfelt. I also knew I was about to hurt him. But I had to say it.
"Daniel, I will stay for four weeks. But I don't want to talk about the future. Promise me."
He was silent as I stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my body.
I didn't look back.
Chapter Eleven
Daniel
It was another beautiful, perfect spring day. In a series of amazing days. As usual, we started out the day riding.
Today we were racing. Francesca was winning. I grinned. She had no idea that I was letting her win.
Not that she couldn't give me a run for my money. She could. It's just that I preferred riding behind her.
The view was fucking amazing.
She was galloping now, determined to beat me. She was so competitive. It was one of her most endearing qualities.
Her many, many endearing qualities.
Two of them bouncing deliciously against the saddle as she rode vigorously across the estate.
The past two weeks had been the best of my life. Hell, even the weeks before that when I had found her and almost lost her had been amazing.
I'd never felt more alive.
Who would have thought that a wild eyed European Countess would be the one to unlock my heart after all these years?
We were opposites on the outside. She was so refined. I was rough and country.
But we suited each other perfectly.
She was nearing the path into the woods. We hadn't gone that way yet. It was not good for galloping. I pressed my heels into Black Jack and caught up with her. It wasn't easy.
Francesca could ride.
She barely glanced at me, a challenging smile on her face. She dug her heels in and her mare went even faster. She had been holding back too.
I was impressed at the same time I was terrified.
"Francesca! Slow down!"
She didn't hear me. I had no choice but to chase after her. I reached her just as we were entering the woods. The path was too narrow to ride along side her.
I had to shout.
"Francesca! Look out!"
She heard me just in time, ducking to avoid a low hanging branch. I cursed. That was close.
Too close.
I was furious that this path wasn't better kept. Then again, only a headstrong idiot would go racing at that speed into an unknown path in the woods. She obviously got the point because she pulled back on her reigns, riding at a much more sedate pace.
I cursed, slowly bringing my horse to a walk. I followed her as we rode in silence through the woods. By the time we were back at the stables, the horses had cooled down.
I hadn't.
Not by a long shot.
The moment she dismounted I pulled her into an empty stall and pressed her against the wall.
"You deserve a spanking for that."
"For what? Beating you?"
She smiled sensuously, looking like the cat who ate the canary.
"I'm surprised Daniel. You don't seem like the insecure type..."
I growled at her.
"You could have been killed! I won't allow you to take risks like that!"
"Allow me?"
Her eyes glittered dangerously. I knew she didn't like being told what to do. I didn't care. I scooped her up and carried her kicking and screaming into the house. Jake and Elle were in the dining room having lunch. They stared open mouthed at me carrying Francesca while she hissed like a cat. She fought me the whole way up the stairs to my bedroom.
I lowered her to the floor and locked the door. Her eyes were wide as I sat down in the easy chair, yanking her facedown over my lap. I had not been joking about spanking her. She was a spoiled brat and I was going to treat her like one.
I brought my hand down once.
"That's for being reckless and rebellious!"
SMACK.
"That's for scaring me half to death!"
SMACK.
"That's so you never do that to me again!"
Her eyes were dry as I lifted her to face me. She didn't even look angry. She looked as if... she felt sorry for me.
"Daniel... I... "
I cursed, crashing my mouth down on top of hers.
"I didn't mean to scare you! I won't die!"
I held her, staring deeply into her eyes. I didn't tell her about Karen, the only other girl I had ever loved. It was so many years ago. We had just been kids, still in prep school. I didn't tell her how she died. Or that it was my fault. As an adult all these years later, I knew I couldn't be blamed for what Karen had done. But it still felt that way to me.
We'd argued one night. She'd gone home and taken a whole bottle of pills. I'd never seen her alive again.
It was the main reason I didn't let anyone inside anymore. I was afraid I would break them. Or lose them. It didn't matter that Karen already had issues. I still blamed myself for her suicide.
But I didn't tell Francesca any of that.
I didn't tell her because I didn't have to tell her. She just pulled me into her arms and cradled my head against her. Then she took me to bed and made love to me until it was dark out.
I told her I loved her with my hands.
I told her I loved her with my tongue.
I told her I loved her with my arms and chest and cock.
The only way I didn't tell her was to say the words.
She didn't want love words. She told me time and time again. No talk of the future. No sad sappy words that didn't mean anything. So I didn't give them to her. Each time she made me explode though, I had to bite the words back.
Each time it got harder and harder.
Instead of telling her I was falling in love with her, each night I said the same thing. The same thing I said tonight, after we'd worn each other out all day, never once leaving the room.
"Sleep tight darling."
Then I wrapped the chain holding the room key around my cock. There was no way she could get it without waking me up. I always grinned at the outraged expression on her face.
I wasn't letting her out of my sight for a minute.
Francesca
I sighed, rolling to my side. My body was sore, but in a good way. A 'making love to Daniel all day and night' sort of way. I smiled to myself as I stared at the sunlight streaming in the window.
There was nothing else like it.
My stomach rumbled. We'd been in here since the spanking incident. Now I was hungry. Ravenous really. And the stubborn, gorgeous, bare ass naked man sleeping beside me insisted on locking me in with him each night. I didn't want to wake him though. He'd been furious yesterday. Furious and something else. Devastated. Terrified of losing me.
He wasn't play acting. He wasn't trying to tie me down. He needed me.
The irony of the situation was not lost on me.
So I wanted to let him sleep. But I also wanted breakfast. And coffee.
I really, really wanted coffee.
I frowned, lifting the covers to see if the key had slipped from his cock as he slept. No such luck. The silver chain shone against the soft peach skin of his perfect shaft. I watched as the key slid to the side.
Daniel was getting hard.
I looked up to see him grinning at me. His hands were behind his head, looking supremely arrogant. His cock actually twitched when I looked back at it.
"Going somewhere?"
"I'm hungry, Daniel."
"Me too."
He reached for me but I swatted him away.
"For food."
He sighed deeply. Then he brightene
d as if he'd had a genius idea.
"Breakfast in bed?"
I shook my head.
"I'm too hungry to wait. Starving. Let's go eat."
His eyes slid down my body.
"That's exactly what I had in mind."
I laughed and rolled out of bed. I knew he wasn't going to keep me locked in here all day. Right?
He scowled but followed me into the shower, washing my back but nothing else. I washed his for him too. He kissed me deeply. I knew he wanted more. I could tell every time his cock brushed against me. It was pointing straight for the sky. But I shook my head at him. He was incorrigible.
I got out and wrapped myself in a soft towel. I heard him yelp as he turned the water on cold. I grinned as I slid into my jodhpurs and a silk blouse.
Any man who would take a cold shower for you was worth keeping.
Keeping...
I didn't want to think like that. But lately my thoughts had wandered in that direction more and more. Daniel made me laugh. He made me feel safe. He cared about my opinions and my well being.
I rubbed my bottom where he'd smacked it. It wasn't sore. He hadn't spanked me hard enough for that. But I could still feel the sting of his sharp smacks.
Maybe he cared a little too much about my well being...
I dressed and used the key he'd left on the dresser. All my clothes were in here now. He'd even emptied half of his closet for me. He definitely was not looking for a fling. It was touching. And terrifying at the same time.
The smell of breakfast led me down the stairs to the dining room. Breakfast was always served buffet style at the Delancey Estate. And now that Jake and Elle were back, there was always someone to eat with other than Daniel or Jackson.
Today we had a full house. I glanced around, realizing that maybe they had all waited here to see if we would ever come out of Daniel's bedroom. I smiled at them nonchalantly. I never kissed and told.
I poured myself a cup of hot coffee first, adding a half a spoonful of sugar. Hot, black and sweet. It wasn't Italian coffee, but it was still damn good.
I giggled. I was even thinking like Daniel. He was always saying damn this or that. Or hell. Or fuck.
My father would fall on his ass if he heard me talking that way. I decided that I didn't care what he thought anymore. I piled my plate high before sitting down to eat my overdue breakfast.
Daniel joined us soon after and smiled at me from across the table as I put away sausage, roasted potatoes and eggs. It was delicious and filling. I liked their chef and the plain but hearty food they served.
I like everything about being here.
Well, except that pesky key Daniel used to keep me inside at night.
A loud knocking at the front door had Jackson on his feet. All of us turned, looking to see who was rude enough to use their fist to pound on the door. The butler opened the door.
I slowly stood as I heard the familiar sound of an Italian accent. Daniel was watching me, confusion written all over his handsome, wholesome face.
"I demand to see my fiancé!"
I stared at the intruder standing in the open doorway.
Philipe was here.
Chapter Twelve
Daniel
"What the fuck?"
Francesca was frozen in place, a look of shock on her beautiful face. Worse than that, she looked hurt. And humbled. I looked at the man who just pushed his way into my house and sneered.
"Is that him?"
She glanced at me and nodded. I was right. She looked devastated. Did she still love this piece of garbage? Just because he was wearing Armani did not make him less of a shit heel.
Slowly, she walked out of the dining room. I followed her. I noticed that my brothers and Elle all stood around Francesca protectively. Just as they should.
She was already one of us.
"Enough of this petulant nonsense Francesca. You will come home with me now."
I was so proud of her as she lifted her chin to stare down at him.
"No, Philipe I will not. You wasted your time coming here. Now run home with your tail between your legs."
He sneered at her. He didn't look handsome now. He looked enraged. He reached out and grabbed her arm.
"You stupid bitch! You dare to leave me? I am the richest man in Europe! I could have anyone. I chose you."
I stepped in front of her, knocking his manicured hand off of her. It wasn't hard. Just like I thought. The guy was all show. I smirked. I was going to make this guy taste his own blood in about two minutes.
"Yes, she fucking dares. Touch her again and you will draw back a stump. Want to try that?"
I cracked my knuckles. I was ready to tear this fucker limb from limb. Nobody messes with my woman,
Nobody.
"Daniel, I will handle this."
"Like hell you will!"
Philipe was staring at me with disdain. The kind that could only be summoned up by the upper, upper class. The kind I'd never once seen on Francesca's face, thank God.
"You come here after what you did to her? You threw away the most incredible woman on Earth for what? A cheap thrill? You are the cheap piece of shit here. And I don't care how much that suit cost. I'm going to take you outside and knock your dick in the dirt."
It was dead silent in the entryway. I looked over my shoulder at Francesca to see what she was making of this. The last thing I wanted to do was make her upset but enough was e-fucking-nough.
Francesca was staring at me with a look of... admiration. And not a small amount of lust. Maybe something else too. Something that might even be love. I winked at her and went back to berating her ex fiancé. EX. She was mine now. And he might as well know it.
Philipe looked surprised as fuck though. I grinned. Obviously he didn't know she had a new man.
I stepped forward. He stepped back. He kept going until he was nearly out the door.
"Francesca! Stop this right now!"
She didn't say a word. Nobody did. Philipe was definitely sweating as he backed out of the house.
Right where I wanted him.
He looked around and then back at me. He knew what was about to happen. He lifted his hands and opened his mouth. To reason with me probably.
He didn't get one word out.
My fist made sure of that.
Mr. Asshole, meet Mr. Fist.
His head snapped back and he staggered, bringing his hand to his now bloody nose. I held my fists up, waiting for him to recover. He looked at me then and I saw it. The crazy, sneaky, lower than low look in his eyes.
The bastard was meaner than a rattlesnake.
And he was going to fight dirty.
He lunged at me sloppily. But he was fast. I was ready. I knew he was going to try something tricky. I dogged out of his way as he landed a punch to my side.
Fuck me that hurt.
I spun to face him again. He came at me and I hit him, hard. But he kept coming, knocking me off my feet. We were on the ground, both of us throwing punches. He hit my face twice before I realized why it fucking hurt so much.
The bastard was wearing a ring. A big one too.
I threw him off of me and we both got to our feet, catching our breath. We circled, staring at each other. A trickle of blood was leaking out his mouth now, adding to the blood from his nose. He looked like shit.
I probably did too. Then he grinned at me.
"She's a good little fuck isn't she? Nice and tight."
I roared and ran at him. He tried to fight back but I ignored his hits, leaving myself wide open. I was all offense and no defense. He was giving it to me good but I was so angry I didn't even feel it. I slammed my fist into his smarmy face again and again as he punched my gut. I recognized that it was going to hurt like hell but it didn't stop me. I didn't stop hitting him until he fell to his knees. His eyes were dazed and unfocused as he swayed there, looking like road kill.
I pulled back my arm and threw one last punch.
Philipe slumped to the
ground, laying in the gravel driveway like the piece of garbage that he was. I took a closer look. I am pretty sure he was drooling.
I spat on the ground near his head. It was red. Whoops. I realized I might be in worse shape than I thought. The pain started to set in. Wrenching, twisting pain. I could hear Francesca saying my name over and over again. She sounded so far away. I started to tilt. But I didn't fall. Strong arms held me up. I knew my brothers had caught me.
The next thing I knew I was lying in my bed, staring up at Francesca.
"Welcome back Cowboy."
Francesca
I held the ice pack against his cheek again. He was starting to come around. Daniel had scared the hell out of me when he'd nearly fallen like that.
He'd gotten the hell beaten out of him.
All because he'd been defending my honor.
I couldn't lie. It had made my heart race to see him like that. He was more than strong. He was a ferocious protector.
Even better, he was protecting me.
I liked it. A lot more than I would have imagined. I liked having my own knight in shining armor. Even if he was wearing beaten up old jeans and a cowboy hat. Actually, I was growing rather attached to that look...
"Hello beautiful."
Daniel's stunning golden eyes stared up at me. I smiled at him, holding a glass of water to his lips.
"Here, have a sip."
He drank, staring hungrily at me the whole time. When I put the glass aside he was still staring at me. There was a look of awe on his face.
"You're still here."
"Of course I am. Where else would I be?"
He shrugged, looking away. My breath caught in my throat. He'd thought I'd left him. That I would go with Philipe after everything that had passed between us these past few weeks. That I would abandon him.
I smiled, trying to make light of it. But it hurt.
"You thought I would leave with him? Really Daniel, credit me with better taste."
"No. I thought you might have left again though. I know you don't like being tied down."
I brushed his hair off his forehead.