The next class was getting ready to start, and people were starting to come in and prepare. “Hey there, are you here for the workshop?” A middle-aged redhead in a dress suit asked him.
“No, I was getting ready to leave.”
“That’s a shame. We need more young, handsome male writers in our publishing house.”
“You’re an editor?”
“Did I change your mind about something?” she flirted.
Daniel looked at the folder he was holding in his hand. Maybe this was his chance to redeem himself, to try to make up for what he had done. “I do have a manuscript I would be interested in showing you.”
She smiled seductively. “How about we meet at the hotel bar after my session, and we can talk then.”
Daniel knew what her plan was, and it would mean signing a contract with the devil, but he was willing to go to hell himself to make things right, even though he knew Elena would never choose him. “Sure,” he agreed.
“See you then. My name is Chloe, by the way. Chloe Richter.” She extended her hand for it to be kissed.
Definitely not shy, he thought. He played the part and brought her hand to his lips. “Daniel,” he whispered back. This was a game he was very well versed in.
“Nice to meet you, Daniel.” She ran her finger along his arm. “I’ll see you later.”
He left the room feeling like a scumbag—a feeling that brought back too many memories from the past. But this is what he was best at, sabotaging any chance he had of happiness for himself. But if he could get Elena’s manuscript in front of that editor, then fuck it, it was worth it even if she did hate him for the rest of her life.
He walked around the hotel where the conference was being held; he had never seen so many women gathered in one place. Several times he had been approached by women carrying bags filled with books if he was one of the cover models that would be in the cover photo workshop later on. He politely said no, but that didn’t stop some photographer from asking him if he was interested in becoming one. He could just imagine the look on the Colonel’s face in his reserve unit if he found out Daniel was half-naked on the cover of a romance novel with his flight suit hanging about his waist. Daniel chuckled at the thought of it, but sadly enough, that wouldn’t come even close to some of the embarrassing things he had done in his life.
After about an hour of wandering around, he made his way to the bar. “Bourbon please,” he asked the bartender.
The bartender poured his drink and handed it over to Daniel. “So how are you faring out there today?” referring to the stampede of women running around from workshop to workshop.
“Pretty good, actually,” Daniel said.
The bartender smirked. “No surprise there.”
“I was afraid you weren’t going to come,” Chloe said, sitting in the seat next to Daniel. “A martini, please,” she motioned to the bartender.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said as he smirked at Daniel.
“And why would you think I would leave such a lovely lady waiting?” Daniel replied, not missing a beat.
“Well, sometimes people get cold feet when they have to pitch their book to an editor.”
“I never get cold feet; in fact, I feel very warm right now.”
Chloe looked at him up and down, devouring him with her eyes. “So what do you have for me?” she said, pointing at the folder he had lying in front of him.
“It’s a friend’s manuscript,” he said.
“And where is your friend?”
“She’s attending the classes. She doesn’t know I’m talking to you.”
She took a sip of the martini the bartender delivered. “You must be a very good friend then.”
Nothing could be further from the truth, Daniel thought. “We’ve known each other for a very long time.”
“Listen, I will be honest with you, I’m a very busy person, and I always get right down to the point of things. You’re a very handsome man and single from what I can tell,” she said referring to his bare wedding finger. “I’m only here for one night, and I want to have some fun. As for your friend’s manuscript, I’ll give it a look, and if I think it’s something I think worth pursuing, then I’ll give her a call.”
Daniel wasn’t surprised by her bold move, and it made things quite easy for him. “Well, I’m always open to having a good time with a beautiful woman.” He raised his glass to her, sealing the deal.
Early the next morning, Daniel left the hotel with the worst headache of his life, but most importantly, Chloe Richter’s business card. He promised to call her and meet with her the next time she was in town, and she promised to read Elena’s manuscript within the month. Everything else was out of his hands for the moment.
He made it back to his apartment around noon. He walked up the stairs half asleep, just wanting to throw himself on the bed and sleep until the following day. It had been a while since he had been up all night. After a several drinks, Daniel learned Chloe was all talk and no action. It turned out she was recently divorced and was going through an ugly custody battle for her kids, and all she needed was someone to talk to. Daniel was there to lend his ear and a chest for her to lie on as she vented her troubles. He had left her with a simple kiss and a wish for a happy life.
“God, for a second there, I thought you had moved away.”
Daniel was surprised to see his little sister sitting in front of his door. “Samantha, what are doing here?”
Samantha got up from the floor and gave him a big hug. “Can’t I visit my big brother?” she asked innocently.
“You can visit me anytime you want, but you’re supposed to be in college right now.”
Daniel opened the door to his apartment.
“So I don’t want to go to college anymore,” she confessed.
Daniel raised his eyebrow. “And does Mom know about this?”
“Of course not. Which is why I’m here.”
Daniel squared his shoulders. “So, this is your hideout?”
“Kind of.” Samantha threw her bag on the couch and headed straight to the fridge. “Dude, do you even eat? There is nothing in here but beer and…ew, some spoiled food.” She covered her nose as she threw a container into the trash.
Daniel threw his car keys on the table by the door and took off his jacket. “I eat out a lot. But stop deflecting. You can’t stay here.”
“What? You can’t turn me out. I need your help,” she pouted.
This was typical of his little sister. When things got a little hard, she would run to him as an escape from their mother and get him in trouble in the process for covering for her. “What you need to do is to talk to Mom.”
She sank down on the sofa. “She will kill me.”
“No, she won’t, but she will kill me if she finds out I’m covering for you.”
Samantha made an adorable sad puppy face. “Please…just let me stay for one month. I just need a break.”
“You just started school.” At her age, he was at the Air Force Academy with a strict schedule and military regiment—there was no time for mental breaks.
Her plea continued, “Please Daniel, just one month, and I swear I will either go back to school or talk to Mom after that.”
Daniel was a sucker for his sister. He had never been able to tell her no. “One month, Samantha,” he warned.
“One month, I promise. But you have to buy some food though because I got to eat.”
Daniel laughed. “Well, then I guess we better go shopping.” Daniel grabbed his car keys again and dragged his feet back out the door.
Samantha reached into the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt. “I grabbed your mail for you.” She handed him an envelope that had arrived.
He read the sender’s address—it was from his half-sister. This must be the letter his mother had written to him.
“Is everything okay?” Samantha asked, concerned.
Daniel placed the letter on the console table next to the door. “Everything is fine; let’s go.”
“So tell me again why you have to go to Vegas with Daniel?” Alex ran his fingers through Elena’s hair.
Elena rolled over and lay on top of Alex. “We’ve been through this already,” she said, nibbling on his earlobe.
“I know, I know. I’m just having a hard time getting used to the idea of having my girlfriend on a trip with a man who visibly has a thing for her.”
“Girlfriend?” Elena asked surprised. “That’s the first time you’ve said it out loud.”
Alex wrapped his arms around her waist. “Well, of course, you are my girlfriend,” he said. “Why did you think I’m over here every night?” he teased.
“I thought you liked my cooking.”
“I love your cooking.” He pinched the side of his stomach. “Maybe a little bit too much.” He laughed. He looked into her eyes and caressed the side of her face. Her curls were spilling over her face onto his. “I never knew I would have to move a world away to find you. I love you, Elena,” he said.
Elena was speechless. No one other than her parents had ever told her they loved her. Now this wonderful man lying beneath her was telling her he loved her, and as much as she had come to care for him, she wasn’t sure if she loved him yet. But she knew she didn’t want to hurt him.
“I—”
“Shhh…” He gently placed a finger on her lips. “Only when you’re ready.” He rubbed his thumb across her lips and gently brought her face down toward him and kissed her. His hand slowly trailed down her back, and he made love to her gently and kissed her with a tenderness that expressed the love he felt for her. All the while in the back of her head, Elena wondered if she would come to love him the way he loved her.
“He said he loved you?” Kat sat on Elena’s couch drinking a glass of red wine and chewing on a piece of chocolate.
Elena slumped her shoulders. “Yes, I tried to say it back, Kat, but he stopped me because he could tell it was forced.”
“How did he take it?”
Elena could still feel his gaze on her and the soft kiss of his lips. “He was amazing as always.”
Kat leaned over on the couch. “Okay, so seriously…no bullshit. What do you feel for him?”
Elena stared at the glass of wine she was nursing. “I care for him.” She knew that much was true. “I feel safe. I feel loved and comfortable with him. He’s a wonderful and caring person, and I know he will be a wonderful husband and father—”
“But?”
Elena started tearing up. “But when I look into his eyes. I…I don’t feel the passion that I thought I would feel. I feel a tender love toward him, something that is comfortable, and to be honest, predictable. Life with him would be peaceful.”
“But would you be at peace with yourself?” Kat questioned her.
Elena knew what her friend was trying to tell her and it had been a question she had been asking herself lately—would that be enough or would she be constantly looking for something else? “I don’t know, Kat, but how do I tell this wonderful man who God has put in my path—a man who meets every one of my needs, and then some—that he just isn’t enough? I could never hurt him. I don’t want to hurt him; he deserves more than that. At first, it was like a dream come true, but that faded and now I constantly find myself looking for something else.” Elena rubbed her hands on her face in frustration. “What do I do, Kat?”
“Sweetie, I don’t know. Only you know what’s in your heart. I have made some pretty bad choices in my life, and I count my lucky stars Charles fell in love with me.”
“How was it with him? I know how you guys met but how did you know he was the one?”
“All the men I had been with had put me down and had literally left me damaged and bruised. Charles saw me at my absolute worst and lifted me up. He loved me with all my flaws, even when I couldn’t love myself. He was my own personal hero.”
“Am I just a dreamer, Kat? Am I a fool to let this man slip through my fingers?”
“I think we are all dreamers, Elena, but you should never settle in life. If you don’t think this is right for you, maybe you should end it now before it goes any further. On the other hand, you might find that he is the one you are looking for. Good men are not easy to come by,” she warned. “It took me a couple of tries and almost my life to find the one I have now. Anyway, tell me how the conference went.”
Elena instantly smiled. The experience of being surrounded by a community of authors who supported one another in their craft had just served to enforce what she wanted to do with her life. “Oh my God, it was wonderful. I loved all the workshops and met so many great people. The only bad thing was I lost my folder with my manuscript; I’m just hoping no one steals my story.”
“So, did Daniel show up?” Kat asked.
Elena smiled. “Yes, he did, and as always, he saved me from making a fool out of myself.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Alex and Daniel started arguing at work and almost came to blows, so I told Daniel I didn’t need his help. I decided to teach the class myself and was improvising as best as I could when he showed up and took over the class for me.”
Kat smiled. “So it seems like you have your own personal hero too?”
Elena took a sip of her wine, pondering on what Kat had just said. “I guess I do.”
“Have you ever thought that you have been looking in the wrong place this whole time when what you needed was right in front of your eyes?”
Elena knew what her friend was trying to say, but she could never fall for Daniel; he was too dangerous. “Love is blind, but not that blind.”
Elena’s nose was stuck to the window of the taxi cab as they drove down the infamous Las Vegas strip. In all her years of travel with the Air Force, she had never seen such diverse entertainment on one long street. From pirate ships in front of Treasure Island to the light and water show in front of the Bellagio to an overweight Elvis on a scooter. She was thrilled to be there and take in this new experience.
They arrived at the MGM Grand shortly after eight at night. Las Vegas was just starting to come alive with people from all walks of life. “How do you like it so far?” Daniel asked, picking up her suitcase.
“It’s okay, I got it,” Elena said trying to get her suitcase out of his hand.
Daniel pushed her hand out of the way. “Please. I saw you dragging this beast through the airport; it looks like you have a dead body in here.”
“Well, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to wear, so I had to be prepared.”
“If the Air Force taught you one thing it should have been how to pack light,” he admonished.
“Well, even the military can’t break some habits.”
Daniel rolled their suitcases up to the reception desk. “Hi, we are checking in, last names Grant and Garcia.”
The receptionist quickly looked up their information on the computer. “I’m sorry, but I only have a room for Daniel Grant starting tonight. Mrs. Garcia’s reservation doesn’t start until tomorrow.”
“Do you have any other rooms available?” Elena asked.
“I’m sorry, but we are completely sold out; there are several big concerts this week and conferences going on, so most hotels are at max capacity.”
Elena looked at Daniel. “I’m going to have to start calling around to see if I can find a room for the night.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, my room probably has two beds in it so just take one of the beds,” he said brushing off Elena’s concern.
“Actually, sir, I have you down for one king-size bed,” the receptionist said apologetically.
“Well, then I’ll sleep on the couch.” He looked over at the receptionist. “I’m assuming there is a couch.”
“Yes, there is a couch.”
Elena cast Daniel a worried glance. She knew this was a bad idea and she should just go and try to find a hotel for the night, even if it meant walking the entire strip with her heavy-ass suitcase. Daniel pulled her
to the side. “Listen, it’s just for the night. No one will ever have to know. We will be up early tomorrow morning to get ready for the conference anyway. I will wake up early and get ready and leave the room to give you your privacy.”
Everything in Elena’s body was screaming that this would end badly, but she didn’t want to go searching for a room not knowing what she would find. “Okay,” she agreed.
“We’ll take it,” Daniel told the receptionist.
They grabbed their card keys for the room and graciously accepted a resort credit voucher and a gondola ride certificate for the Venetian as a gift for their inconvenience. The room was on the twenty-fifth floor and had a spectacular view of the city. Daniel placed Elena’s suitcase by the bed and rolled his to sit next to the sofa.
Elena looked around uncomfortably; she had never been alone in a hotel room with a man before.
“Do you want to go grab a bite to eat?” Daniel said, breaking the tense silence.
“Yes,” she replied, relieved. Anything to get her out of the room, she thought.
They walked to New York New York, where Daniel treated her to some long-awaited New York–style pizza.
“I like thick crust, personally,” Daniel confessed.
Elena’s eyes widened like he had just uttered a grave sin. “What? That’s a disgrace,” Elena replied. “This is the only way to enjoy a pizza.” She folded her oversized slice in half and shoved it into her mouth. Not very ladylike, she thought, but who cared; it was only Daniel.
He lay back in his chair. She looked over at him and caught him staring at her. “You’re not hungry?” she said, pointing at the pizza lying on his paper plate with a grease stain on it from all the cheese.
“I’m just enjoying the view.” His boldly handsome face smiled warmly at her.
Elena felt her face get as red as the tomato sauce dripping from her pizza. She grabbed a napkin and dabbed the sides of her mouth. “So, you never told me why you got out of the military?” she said.
“My father had a stroke, and things never got better for him. My re-enlistment was coming up, so I decided instead to leave active duty and come to Washington to take care of him and help my mother with everything. After he had passed, I moved to Colorado for a couple of years, but something inside of me was calling me back home.”
The Man of My Dreams Page 16