She’d said it as nastily as she could, but to her surprise he just grinned, that same cheeky, boyish grin that seemed to spring so readily to his lips, particularly, she thought bitterly, when he found something about her amusing.
“You’re right,” he said with mock gravity. “There are plenty of other men around, but,” he paused for effect and brushed her nose with his, “you are not interested in any of them.”
She stared at him indignantly. How could he state that with such absolute conviction? Despite the obvious shudder that had just shot through her when their noses touched, how could he be so sure what she was and wasn’t interested in? How dare he claim to be an expert on her feelings.
“Who I am or am not interested in,” she began haughtily, “in fact, anything to do with me is none of your business.”
“Ah but you’re wrong there, missy,” he rejoined, the grin fading and the telltale tic beginning at his left temple again. With a start, Danny realised that beneath the facade of casual nonchalance, he was as tight and tense as a coiled spring. “Of course it is my business if it concerns me.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. It has nothing to do with you,” clipped Danny but, even to her, her protest sounded lame. Greatly needing to reassert herself and save whatever dignity she had left to salvage, she turned aside as if to go but instantly his arm shot out preventing her from leaving.
Taking an almost imperceptible step, he was now as close as he could be without being pressed hard against her. She could feel the heat coming from his body, smell the sweetness of his breath mingled with his cologne, and see the moistness of his lips in contrast to her own horribly dry mouth. He smiled at her again. This time, though, it was not a playful grin, but one of triumph as he revelled in his supremacy.
“You want me as much as I want you,” he stated matter-of-factly. “And that is a very, very great deal.”
“How can you be so sure?” she whimpered, trembling as he lay his hand against her cheek.
“Everything about you tells me,” he explained simply as, without taking his eyes from hers, he ran his hand tantalisingly slowly down her face and across her chin, down her neck and then fanned it out over her undulating chest.
“Stop,” she begged him fearfully, unsure whether she’d even said it out loud.
But he didn’t stop. Instead, still holding her eyes with his, he slid his hand down provocatively over her left breast, a surge of pleasure evident on his face. Provocatively, he dropped his eyes to watch his hand gently squeeze the luscious prize causing it to bulge further out over the neckline of her dress as though trying to escape.
Entranced, Danny followed his eyes down, a quick breath escaping her lips at the sight of him holding her breast. He looked up, and her eyes followed. Looking deep into them, he gently squeezed her breast again. She breathed a small involuntary sigh of surrender as her eyelids slowly closed.
Watching her reaction, he ran his hand ever so gently and slowly over her ribs, resting for a moment on her waist, then moving down and sliding around behind to cup her bottom. He squeezed her cheek and pulled her up on to her toes and in toward him so she could feel the hardness of his erection pressed against her.
She moaned and trembled at the pressure, and he had to hold her fast to prevent her legs from crumbling.
“You see, my beauty,” he crooned to her, “your heart is beating way too fast. Your hands,” he slipped his left hand down to capture her right, raised it palm up to his mouth and gently kissed it, “are trembling. Your lips,” releasing her hand, his fingers moved up to trace the outline of her mouth, “are dry. Lick them,” he urged her seductively, and lulled hypnotically by his voice she was totally unable to resist his command.
She wet her lips and felt a thrill as she witnessed the erotic effect it had on him. Using his left hand, he leant against the bench next to her to support himself, instinctively sensing she no longer wanted to escape.
His other hand held her chin while his fingers brushed over her glistening lips. For a second, his gaze flickered from her mouth up to her eyes, seeking the answer to his unspoken question. Happy with what he found, he moved his fingers and gently tilted her face up towards his so that he could more easily gain access to her mouth.
Danny knew that he was about to take possession of her lips, and perhaps there was a part of her that wanted to deny him, but if there was, it was too faint a voice to be heard over her desire to feel his hard mouth on hers.
With a tiny sound of urgency in her throat, she parted her lips as her eyelids drooped shut. Time stopped, the world vanished, nothing existed but him and the sweet anticipation of their kiss.
It never came.
As her eyes closed, he leaned toward her, but instead of the taste of his lips she was startled back into reality by a venomous sneer.
“And what the hell is going on here?”
Danny felt, rather than heard, Brandon groan. Her eyes flew open and she leapt sideways away from him. He shrugged resignedly, whispered, “Hold that thought,” and turned to the angry woman who had entered the kitchen and was standing less than two metres away looking as though, for tuppence, she would cheerfully use any one of the large sharp kitchen knives on Danny.
“Ah, Vivienne.” Brandon began soothingly moving quickly to her and, catching her around the waist, ushered her back out of the kitchen leaving Danny still pressed against the bench.
“Well, we got that fixed,” Semina said brightly returning to the kitchen at that moment, a flicker of surprise flitting across her face as she took in Danny’s present state.
“All okay here?” she asked diplomatically, pretending not to hear Vivienne’s shrill voice arguing a little too loudly in the hall.
“Of course I remember the deal,” she was all but screeching. “You don’t ever let me forget it, do you? But I didn’t know it meant every two-bit tramp you come across.”
Danny winced at the obvious reference to her and blushed deeply with shame. She deserved it. Sara had told her right from the start that Brandon was spoken for, and she could hardly blame Vivienne for her anger after having just caught them together in an obviously compromised position.
Danny’s behaviour had been just as blameworthy as Brandon’s; Vivienne had been wronged and it was understandable she was so upset. Danny resolved to seek her out later, and no matter how unpleasant the task, apologise. She further vowed she would make it perfectly plain, once and for all, to Mr. Brandon Carlisle that his advances were not welcome.
“This is the next lot of food then,” Semina said opening another four Styrofoam boxes. “I’ll send the waiters in for these now, I think. It’s like a plague of locusts out there,” she joked to lighten the tension in the room.
“Ah,” Henry cleared his throat uncomfortably as he joined his fiancée and a rather pale Danny in the kitchen. The bickering was still going on in the hallway, and although Brandon had managed to keep his voice low enough not to be overheard, Vivienne was showing no such restraint.
“What about me? What choice have I got?” They couldn’t help but overhear her anger.
“I was going to ask Brandon if he could give me a hand with the speakers, but is this a good time do you think?” Henry explained his mission and turned to Semina for advice.
“I think it’s a perfect time,” Semina assured him with a nod. “Danny and I are going to join the others and send the waiters in to replenish their trays.”
“Good oh, then.” Henry rallied his courage and went back out into the hall.
“I say, Brandon old man,” he began apologetically. “I don’t suppose you could give us a hand for a minute, could you? Could you spare him just for a tick, please, Vivienne?”
“Of course,” Danny and Semina heard Brandon reply.
“Come on then.” Semina held her hand out to Danny. “Let’s go get a drink and some delicious horses doovers.”
Smiling gratefully, Danny took her hand and, when they emerged from the kitchen, th
e
hallway was clear.
Semina was far too polite to show any curiosity as to what had taken place in the kitchen whilst she and Henry had been away. Danny knew, though, that she must have been able to guess at the truth without too much difficulty, and the fact that she had been caught out in a grubby flirtation with another woman’s man mortified her to the depths of her soul.
Was it really only twenty-four hours ago that she was lamenting that she’d never experienced the kind of heart-stopping, mind-numbing attraction for a man that she’d heard so much about?
Now that she had, it had brought her nothing but pain and humiliation, and an understanding of how such an attraction could fail to bow to rationality.
Brandon Carlisle was off limits to her for many reasons. Vivienne, for a start. And he was a TV idol, her least favourite breed of men. Nor could she trust him; he’d deceived her, and being an actor was well able to fake any emotion.
How could she ever know what he was really thinking? Or feeling?
And she also couldn’t deny how vulnerable he made her, how easily his presence could excite and ensnare her. She shuddered so violently she stumbled.
“All right, love?” Semina asked concerned.
“Yes, fine, thanks,” Danny stammered, her face hot and red. “Just clumsy.”
But it hadn’t been clumsiness that had just turned her legs to jelly; it was the final reason she had to stay well away from Brandon Carlisle—his power over her and how he chose to exercise it.
As clear as if it were happening right in front of her, she pictured herself bent over with her hands on the branch of the tree, Brandon’s arm holding her in place, him taking down her knickers and admiring the perfect globes of her waiting, submissive bottom, him running his hand over each cheek, enjoying the firmness and bounce, then pulling his hand back and bringing it down with a firm crack.
And she hadn’t moved! Under his spell, she had done something she could never have imagined herself ever doing, except maybe in her most secret fantasies – presenting her naked bottom to a man for him to chastise because he had ordered her to do so.
To her dismay, as shocking as the memory was, her body responded to it with a deep carnal ache.
She knew with a certainty that shook her, if she didn’t take care, he could easily cast such a spell over her again. Whenever he came close, looked into her eyes, touched her, commanded her, her own will melted in the white-hot fire that ignited within her, and no amount of reasoning could protect her from him.
Having never experienced anything like this previously, Danny would have been scathing of any suggestion that she would so easily relinquish her will to a man. She had always believed deeply in her own strength of character and it was disconcerting to discover that she could be so susceptible to the force of another.
But she couldn’t use that excuse any longer. She must be vigilant and strong, avoiding Brandon at all costs, not allowing him to seduce her with his potent presence, gentle caresses and hypnotic voice.
As if sensing Danny’s torment and wanting to reassure her she wasn’t being judged, Semina said with a chuckle, “Well, a party isn’t a real party without a little bit of drama, is it?”
Danny smiled gratefully at her. “No, I guess not.”
But how, Danny wondered to herself about Vivienne, could any woman stay with a man who showed so little respect for her that he would flirt with another woman right under her nose. Judging from the snatches of conversation she couldn’t help overhearing, it wasn’t the first time; it was apparently a regular occurrence.
She felt sick with disgust, both for his behaviour and her own complicity in it. Her opinion of him, already unfavourable, sank without a trace.
Despite her own unhappiness, it was a beautiful party. The presents were opened and displayed on a table, the happy couple were toasted and first Henry then William made speeches accompanied by jests and affectionate teasing from their friends, an enormous quantity of delicious food was consumed and many a guest was facing a heavy head the next morning as the number of empty champagne bottles grew steadily bigger.
After the formalities, a string quartet played romantic waltzes, and the guests happily took to the floor to dance the night away.
The summer twilight seemed to linger longer than usual as if it too were enjoying the celebrations and was loath to leave, but leave it finally did and then the partygoers were joined by a million twinkling stars all striving to outdo the fairy lights bedecking the trees and creepers around the patio.
Although Danny had planned to sneak off after the toast and speeches, she was quickly snapped up by a young man eager for a dance, and when she politely disentangled herself from him lest he be confused about her interest, she immediately had another invitation. It was so lovely dancing to a real orchestra under the stars that she accepted each invitation with grace and managed on the surface and despite her deeply conflicted soul to have a pleasant evening.
“Isn’t it a magic night?” Sara, wrapped in George’s arms, had whispered to her when they’d passed on the dance floor, and Danny noted once again how radiant she seemed.
Forgetting her own woes, she felt a surge of happiness for her friend. Perhaps, she like Semina and Henry, had found that one special romance which would last a lifetime. Danny had seen her with many other men in the past, but this was different, Danny was sure; tonight Sara seemed softer, more contented and definitely more glowing with happiness.
Danny was thrilled for her and glad also to have something to think about which took her mind off herself. She had managed to avoid Brandon all evening. Once when she’d caught his eye and he’d moved towards her, she’d scuttled away and lost him among the other guests.
The rest of the evening, however, whenever she caught sight of him, he was with Vivienne. Danny told herself she was glad he was, but that didn’t stop a painful thud in her midriff each time she saw them together.
Although she didn’t have a chance to speak to Vivienne alone and assure her nothing was going on between her and Brandon, Danny was still adamant that if she got the opportunity, she would endeavour to make this as clear as possible.
But would she be telling the truth? She put the thought from her mind. What good would it do for Vivienne to find out about the incident at the lake? That was best buried under the sands of time, and as she had no intention of having anything further to do with Brandon Carlisle, Danny felt she would not really be lying if she denied there was anything going on.
“I hope you don’t mind me saying this,” William whispered conspiratorially in her ear, soon after the clock had chimed eleven, as she leaned against a wisteria-covered pole idly watching the dancers and thinking this would be a good time to head upstairs, “but as beautiful as you are tonight, you’re also starting to look as though you could cheerfully crawl into your bed.”
Dear William. “It shows that much, does it?” Danny pointedly stifled a yawn and smiled at him.
“Do you want the truth?” William teased. “The truth is you look fresh as a daisy to me, but Henry and Semina asked me to check if I bumped into you. I think Semina was worried you might be tired after so long a day. You went riding at the crack of dawn, didn’t you? And then the cricket. I think she wanted me to make sure you didn’t feel obliged to stick it out to the bitter end.”
“I did have a nap earlier, thank goodness, but I am probably just about ready for a good night’s sleep. It has been a long day.” And a deeply disturbing one, she added to herself.
“Before you do, though, I will be disappointed if I don’t get to have a dance with you.” Will held out his hand. “What do you say? Can you stand one more quick turn around the floor?”
Danny linked her arm through William’s and smiled at him.
“I would like that very much indeed.”
The dance floor was still quite crowded although the tempo of the music had slowed considerably. Tired but happy couples wrapped together swayed rhythmically to the mu
sic. Finding a vacant space, William stopped and took her in his arms. He was an excellent dancer, guiding her expertly through the other couples.
On the second time around, she saw to her horror that Brandon and Vivienne had also taken to the dance floor. Having not seen either of them for a while, Danny had assumed they had left the party. Her stomach lurched as he caught her eye.
Arranging her features into the chilliest expression she could muster, she steeled herself for the next time she would waltz past, but it seemed she needn’t have concerned herself because when she got there, they had disappeared.
Sighing with relief, she closed her eyes and relaxed back into the soothing rhythm of the music only to be immediately jolted back into reality by the low sound of that now familiar voice.
Chapter 8
“Hey, Will,” the voice was saying. “Vivienne has just about had enough of my clod-hopping and is hoping you might rescue her for a while. That’s if Miss Ravenshaw will agree to release you and put up with an inferior partner.”
Danny’s eyes flew open in shock to see him in front of her, the corner of his mouth twisted slightly in a mocking grin, his eyes dark and unreadable.
But it was too late to object. William, having no idea that Danny found the suggestion horrifying, had already agreed.
“My pleasure,” he said holding out Danny’s hand so Brandon could take it, giving her a peck on the cheek, and then joining Vivienne who was scowling at them from a short distance away.
“Very clever,” Danny spat angrily. “Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble already this weekend. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.”
“Not quite yet,” Brandon corrected, taking hold of her in a much tighter embrace than William’s and firmly forcing her to follow his lead in time to the music. “You’ve had all evening to yourself, but now I have hold of you and I’m not letting you go. Not without a dance and a talk.”
Danny’s Secret Desire Page 11