by Vanessa Jaye
“This latest decision of Daniel’s to leave the firm has made things so much tenser. It hasn’t been this bad since the wedding.”
A bout of dizziness hit her and Felicity braced herself against the trunk of a birch. “Daniel was married?”
Under the sun dappled shadows, pain flitted across the older woman’s face. “Almost. He called it off just days before. They’d been together ages, but—” she grimaced. “I’ve probably said enough if he hasn’t said anything himself.”
“Of course.”
“It was a long time ago.” Lise squeezed her arm reassuringly. “And he’s never gotten seriously involved since.” She made an impatient sound. “I talk too much. I’ve upset you.”
“No, you haven’t! It gives me a better understanding of him.” Felicity scraped together a smile.
Lise’s gaze was long and probing, before it softened. “I think you already understand him. He needs that.”
Felicity’s mouth trembled with the strain of appearing unconcerned. All she understood was the completeness of Daniel’s statement that he’d never been in love. And, now, how big a fool she might be in hoping she could change that.
The women walked on, their talk not so lighthearted as before, but soon the demands of hostessing pulled Lise away, at the same time Felicity’s bladder made demands of its own. Following directions she found the main floor powder room, but it was occupied.
Many minutes later, shifting from one foot to the other, she raised her fist to give the door a severe rapping. Hell, it wasn’t as if the chick had bought the bowl. Share!
“There’s another bathroom upstairs you could use.”
Felicity cringed at the voice that scuttled down her ear canal. Like all VD, this one arrived unannounced and was just as unwelcome.
Deirdra revealed a set of even white fangs. “The other one’s probably vacant. Come, I’ll show you. Besides, the one upstairs is much nicer,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper.
Felicity hesitated a moment longer, hoping to hear the flushing sounds of her salvation from beyond the powder-room door, but no such luck.
“I’m over here a lot. I’m sure Lise won’t mind if I show you the other bathroom.”
Okay I get it already: You. Are. Precious.
Frowning, she followed VD up the Scarlet O’Hara stairs and then down a hall strewn with oriental rugs over hardwood flooring. Deirdra opened a door and stepped through, but on the threshold of the very masculine room, done up in pale blue-grays and deep chocolaty browns, Felicity hesitated.
“This isn’t a bathroom.”
“No, this used to be Daniel’s bedroom…” Deirdra’s full pouty lips formed a smirk. “The bathroom’s right through here.” VD crossed the carpet, her shoes leaving little icy diamond-shaped imprints.
Felicity crossed the room after her, reminding herself that VD had probably been over here “lots of times” for other business get-togethers. They passed through an open dressing area, then entered a large airy room. Deirdra pointed one elegant finger towards a door on the opposite wall.
“Thanks,” Felicity gritted out, walking with as much dignity as one could muster while “holding it”.
Several minutes later, she exited the small exquisitely appointed cubicle, feeling like a new woman, but her relief was short lived when she saw that VD was still waiting for her.
“Can I ask you a question?”
Felicity turned on the tap and warily met Deirdra’s sapphire gaze in the mirror.
“How’s the house coming along?”
“The house?” Felicity’s hand stilled on the soap dispenser.
VD ran her hands through her hair, fluffing it. “I know I shouldn’t ask. Daniel made me promise not to drop by, but I’m dying of curiosity. You live there now, don’t you think it’s the perfect house to raise a family?”
“Family?” The numbness started at Felicity’s extremities, and made its slow journey up her limbs.
“Of course. Daniel told me all about his plans. The renovations and the evictions. He and I are very close.”
Mechanically, Felicity continued rubbing her hands together under the water.
“Working with him after the break-up was hell.” The other girl’s eyes suddenly became bright and watery. “But we’ve known each other forever, plus about hundred years ago, Michael and my dad went to Harvard together.” VD blinked several times, patting under each eye as she turned her face this way and that in the mirror.
“It almost killed me to let him walk away, but neither one of us was ready to make a big commitment. Daniel is…well, he’s very physical. I think you understand…for men like him, one woman isn’t enough.” Her hard dry gaze met Felicity’s.
Felicity looked down at her hands. Not a single soap bubble remained but she found the repetitive motions soothing. If she felt anything at all, it was an overwhelming need to be clean.
Deirdra leaned forward, carefully wiping a finger along the edge of her bottom lip to remove a slight smudge. “I realize now, that while he may have strayed from time to time, in the end it means nothing. Nothing at all.” Her gaze slithered to Felicity again, her expression becoming contrite.
“Oh, I’ve upset you. That wasn’t my intention. So sorry.” She tapped Felicity’s arm. “Ready?”
“I’ll—I’ll be down in a minute. You go ahead.”
“All right, see you downstairs.” Deirdra smiled brightly and fluffed up her hair one last time, before sashaying from of the room without a backwards glance.
Felicity stared hollow-eyed at her reflection. Thinking of weddings that had almost been and family connections. Thinking about the way Daniel made love to her. Like a man possessed. “He’s very physical…one woman isn’t enough.”
Numb, Felicity retraced her steps back out to the hall. Deirdra claimed that Daniel loved women. But he didn’t love them. He used them.
Hearing voices in the foyer downstairs, she paused as she looked over the banister to the foyer below. The last thing she needed was someone catching her up here.
It took a split second to recognize the couple at the foot of the curving staircase. The man’s back was towards her, but the brunette’s deep blue eyes flicked beyond his broad shoulders and met Felicity’s. Deirdra’s pause was infinitesimal, but long enough for her mouth to curl into a satisfied smile.
Moving even closer, she ran her fingers through Daniel’s hair and pulled his head down towards her. Daniel’s hands settled on Deirdra’s hips.
Their mouths met.
For Felicity it happened as if in torturous stop-action motions. She went back into the bedroom, closed the door, and somehow made it over to the bed, where she sat and waited for the world to right itself.
All too soon tendrils of sound came to her from the hall, feminine giggles and masculine murmurs that grew louder the closer they came.
The door swung open, revealing the writhing twosome. Mortified, Felicity watched as the man, his hand filled with the rounded swell of his partner’s ass, lifted the woman almost off her feet to press her closer. He maneuvered them a few steps into the room without breaking their embrace, then with a practiced motion, swung the door shut again with his foot.
Caught in this nightmare like a deer in the headlights, Felicity couldn’t tear her eyes away as one large tanned hand released the captured booty, and came up to bury itself in the woman’s mass of dark brown curls. His mouth was devouring as he bent his head further to place searching kisses in the girl’s cleavage. Then he shifted his face slightly to the side, and Felicity saw a flash of teeth just before he captured the protruding tip of his mate’s generous bosom. The brunette’s gasp of ecstasy caused Felicity’s womb to clench in stinging empathy.
Felicity must have made a sound because the man froze and looked up through the screen of dark hair that flopped over his brow. The glaze of lust cleared from his eyes when he saw her.
“Where the hell have you been?” he roared. His hands fell away from the object of his r
ecent attentions, sending her stumbling, unceremoniously on her ass.
“We’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Rob made to step forward, before coming to the belated realization he would have to step over his playmate to get to Felicity. He stopped and reached down to help her. “Geez, I’m sorry, uhm, Jacqueline?”
The girl glared at him, slapping his hand away. On her hands and knees, she struggled to pull down the hem of her dress that had ridden up past mid-thigh. “Just get away from me.”
“Please, let me—” His hand was slapped away again. “Listen, ah, Julie—”
“That is not my name, you big oaf.” Standing now, she shoved at the solid mass that was Rob’s chest and almost toppled over again. The irate female clawed at his arm to steady herself.
“Cripes!” He pried her off of him, then tried to cradle her hand. “Baby, I can explain.”
“I am not your baby.” The brunette pulled away from his grasp and stalked to the door, taking her goodies with her.
“Janice?”
“Jerk.” The door slammed.
He whipped around, finger pointing at Felicity. “You. Come with me.”
His expression was priceless. She lost it. Wracked with laughter and tears streaming down her face, she flopped back on the bed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew the situation hadn’t been funny at all. It was sad.
That girl could have been her with Daniel. Dropped on her ass like a hot potato. She stopped laughing and stared up at the ceiling but the tears still trickled down her face. At least Daniel knew her name. She hiccupped a few more giggles.
The mattress sank down a bit. She turned her head towards Rob. His earlier frustration was replaced with concern.
“Hey, you all right?”
She nodded.
“Daniel’s been looking for you. You have him worried.”
Right. “Take me home, Rob.”
“No offense; I know you’d like to make amends for what just happened, but you’re no consolation prize.”
It took a moment for his meaning to sink in. “Oh!” she grabbed a pillow and started clubbing him. “You really are an oaf. You should be so lucky, you—”
Laughing, Rob deflected her blows easily.
“Ugh.” With one more wallop, she flung herself back down.
“That’s more like it,” he said. “I like the fighter much better.” He wiped away a last tear that spilled from the corner of her eye.
“I really have to leave.”
“Now?”
She nodded.
“Want to talk about it?”
Felicity closed her eyes in silent refusal. After a minute, the bed shifted.
“Okay, come on.”
She opened her eyes to see Rob standing beside the bed; he took one of her hands and urged her up. “Anyone you want to say goodbye to?”
Lise. But she didn’t want to run into Daniel or Deirdra or Michael Mackenzie. Daniel she’d deal with later. “No. Let’s go.”
They left the room in silence, went down the stairs, through the foyer and swiftly out the front door.
“This way.” He guided her down the drive with a hand at her back. They passed Beemers, Benzes, any number of SUVs, and Daniel’s low-slung silver Porsche.
Finally they came up to a motorcycle. Tongues of fire were airbrushed onto the gleaming black finish and the chrome shone with mirror like intensity.
“A Harley,” she exclaimed, surprised.
“Nope. A Dakota Travis original. Nineteen seventy-seven model. S & S 113 cubic inch V-twin engine on a Daytec rigid frame.” Rob fondled the handlebars as if he were caressing a woman. And she had more than a fair idea of how he went about doing that.
“Hop on.” He handed her a helmet.
She put on the head gear and eagerly straddled the bike. A ride on this powerful machine was just what she needed to blow every care—except the sort related to crashing—from her mind.
“Ready?” Rob climbed on in front of her and patted himself down several times. “Damn!” He looked at her over his shoulder. “Looks like I left the keys somewhere.”
“Where?” She wanted to get away from here. From Daniel, his exclusive pedigree, and his VD.
Robert dismounted. “Don’t worry. I must’ve dropped them in the bedroom.” Grinning, he took the helmet off. “Just sit tight, I’ll be back in a flash.”
“Robert. Don’t tell Daniel.”
He winked as he held up one hand. “Scout’s honor.”
He strode quickly back to the house, disappearing through the double doors of the inner sanctum.
Minutes ticked by. Each opening of the door caused Felicity to catch her breath. She only relaxed when Rob appeared in the front doors again. Smiling, he held up his keys as he approached her.
“Okay, we’re all set to go. Except for one more thing.”
“What?”
“Did I mention that I never made the Scouts? It was a very small fire, but they kicked me out anyway.”
Felicity processed Rob’s gibberish, searching for a point of reference. She got it. “You rat.” She scrambled off the bike.
“One day you’ll thank me.”
“Rat.”
“If Rob’s a rat, what does that make you?” The question came from behind her.
Felicity bared her teeth at Rob. He winked back. She should have known rats would stick together.
He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll be over there while you guys hash this out.” With that he turned on his heel and walked back to the house.
Daniel perched on the motorcycle. “Did it occur to you to tell me you were leaving with my best friend?” he asked conversationally, his voice dripping ice.
“Did it occur to you that making out with your ex-girlfriend, where your current date could see, wasn’t such a hot idea?” she countered.
Daniel blinked, and flushed. “That was an accident.”
“What does that mean? She slipped and her tongue fell into your mouth?”
“It means she kissed me. I was distracted looking for you—”
“Yes, I could see how hard you were looking…for the right grip on her ass.”
“That wasn’t how it was. I’m not denying that Deirdra and I had something. But that was a long time ago.”
“Actually, it was only half an hour ago.”
“I promised you I would never lie to you. I’m not lying now.” His expression went all earnest. He’d probably practiced it in the mirror. Or on every girl he’d ever kissed by accident.
His fingers sought hers out, prying one hand away from the helmet she hugged to her belly. “The only woman I want to kiss accidentally, or otherwise, is you.” He leaned closer. “And I don’t care who catches me doing it.”
Then he was doing it. His tongue, lips and teeth doing it to hers.
She should know better, really she should. But try telling that to her heart. Or to her body that came alive at his touch.
“A room, people. Get one.” Rob interrupted.
“Best piece of advice I’ve heard all day.” Daniel straightened and pulled her towards the Porsche, barely giving her enough time to shove the helmet into his partner’s hands.
Ten minutes later Daniel pulled into the driveway of Southview. Five minutes after that they found a room.
He rolled over, skin slick with sweat, his mouth full of tasting her. “Do you like this?”
“Yesss.” She held on tighter, damn near out of her mind with liking. He slid in, touching deeper than flesh could go.
“Good,” he whispered, slowing. “Let’s make it last.”
And he did….
***
Cold dread seeped through the edges of her sleep. Something was wrong.
She struggled through smudgy layers of half-remembered dreams as Daniel’s voice penetrated her consciousness.
“Felicity, get up, c’mon wake up, baby. c’mon.”
“Don’t,” she mumbled as he shook her more forcefully; then the sh
rill of an alarm registered and wakefulness arrived like a runaway train. Heart slamming against her ribs, Felicity’s eyes sprang open and began to sting.
“D-Daniel?”
He yanked on his pants, then bent down, grabbed her clothes from the floor and shoved them at her. “Here, get dressed. Fast.”
Somehow her shaking hands cooperated and she dressed quickly, her watery gaze glued to Daniel as whispery shiftings, like dry leaves, crackled in her ear. She finished and just stood there, frozen, till he drew her into a brief hard hold.
“It’s okay.” He pressed a quick kiss on her forehead then hustled them towards the window. “Fire— I can’t tell where. But we need to get the hell out of here.”
His voice sounded calm and controlled, but she felt the racing beat of his heart.
Daniel wrenched open the window. He turned back to her just as a loud crash ripped through the interior of the house.
Felicity jumped, her screamed drowned out as the fire’s susurrations suddenly whooshed into a roar.
Daniel read the stark fear in her expression. Felt it score him to the bone. “This way. I’ll go first, then help you out.”
She nodded, but suddenly lunged into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. A feeling pierced his chest—sweet and clear, and wholly alien. Words trembled on his tongue, words he didn’t know, had never said before. Another crash shook the floors and walls, and the moment was lost.
He eased her away, swung both legs out the window and paused before jumping to the porch roof. He skittered down the steeply pitched slope, feet scrabbling for a hold against the shingles. Daniel twisted and grabbed the roof’s peak. A second away from tumbling down through the billowing smoke onto the lawn below.
He quickly found his balance and scrambled closer to the exterior wall, right beneath where Felicity sat on the sill.
“Come on, baby. It’s just a small jump.” He held his arms up to her. “Trust me.”
She shook her head. The air thick and swirling around the terror mask she wore. He fought the urge to use brute strength just as she turned on the ledge, shooting a look of terrified resolve at him over her shoulder. Her shaky limbs found toe-holds in the wall’s mortared ridges as she held onto the sill.