“But how could she have known what you said to me?”
“I have no idea, but I’m going to find out.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and after a few taps, held it to his ear.
“How dare you go to Daniella’s flat!” he snarled angrily into it, then paused and Danny could hear a shrill voice at the other end. “I’m with her now. She told me what you said. You lied to her and you lied to me.” Another pause while Vivienne screamed into her phone. “Did you spy on us last weekend? Overhear our conversation?” More unintelligible yelling. Brandon’s mouth set and he looked at Danny and nodded. “Well, it’s over, Vivienne. I want nothing further to do with you ever. I don’t want you anywhere near me and you are to stay away from Danny. If you come anywhere near her again, you will be very sorry. Do you hear? And you’re fired.”
Cutting the call off, Brandon shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“She followed us at Henry’s and eavesdropped.”
He grabbed Danny, wrapping his arms back around her and pulling her into him.
“Oh my sweet precious love. How ghastly. No wonder you’re so pale and thin. I feel sick thinking of you having to go through that. I knew Vivienne could be nasty, but I never imagined she would be that conniving, deceitful and cruel.”
Unable to fully take in all that was happening, Danny had a dreamlike feeling that none of this was real, that she was somehow in a movie. But Brandon’s muscular body against hers was solid and real, and his arms were tight around her, and his lips were pressing against hers.
She heard him groan as his tongue teased her lips, pressing against them, forcing them wider apart, and her arms instinctively went around his neck, pulling him to her, clinging onto him as though her very life depended on it. Real life, movie, fantasy, she didn’t care. Being in Brandon Carlisle’s arms, kissing him, was heaven.
“How did you know I was here?” she asked when he stopped kissing her long enough for her to recover her breath.
He grinned ruefully. “I went to your flat on Saturday, but you weren’t there, so I went back late yesterday. Your friend, Sara, saw me there and told me you were away and that I should go away, too, and never come back. I asked her if you’d come here and she denied it flatly, of course, but I thought she might be lying to protect you.
So, I called Henry. He said you were here but were not well and he was under strict instructions that you were not to be disturbed. He suggested I call you next week. I guess you haven’t told them anything?”
Danny shook her head.
“Well, I came last night anyway. I slept in the car on the side of the road outside waiting for a chance to talk to you. Hoping you would come out or something. I was so angry, I’m sorry, my darling. I was just about ready to break down the door this morning then Henry and Semina left, so I snuck in to find you. When you didn’t answer the door, I tried the stables and found Bella was missing and figured you’d gone for a ride. No one was around, so I saddled King and came to find you. I guess Henry is going to be pretty angry when he finds out.”
Danny stroked the frown creasing his brow. “I don’t think so,” she said gently. “He was only trying to protect me, and he had his orders from Sara, but once they know everything is okay, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“I hope you’re right, my love.” He nuzzled her hair and then kissed her again. “We’d best get the horses back, though. I’m sure they are sick of waiting.”
“Everything is okay, isn’t it?” Danny asked. “You’re not going to just up and disappear again, are you? I honestly don’t think I could take it if it all vanishes again.”
Pulling her to him, he kissed her slowly, then held her head against his chest.
“Everything is perfect, my darling,” he said. “I meant every word I’ve said to you. I really wasn’t sure I would ever find a woman I could truly love and want to marry, and then I met you. That’s how I feel about you, my love.”
“Oh.” Danny’s heart was pounding like a bongo drum.
Holding her away so he could bend down until his eyes were level with hers, he looked deep into them.
“I know we’ve only just met and it’s early days but tell me you feel the same. You do, don’t you, my beautiful Daniella? That this, whatever it is between us, is something special and precious and worth working at?”
Euphoria like she’d never experienced flooded her body. It wasn’t a movie, it wasn’t a dream, it was real. Brandon Carlisle, the most special, the most gorgeous, the most wonderful man on the planet did want her, could love her, might even want to marry her!
“Yes,” she breathed, her mouth parting in a joyous smile. “Oh, yes.” Her elation faded. “I’m sorry I wrote that blog. I’ll take it down as soon as we get back to the house.”
He laughed. “Whatever you want. I hope it isn’t an accurate description of me, but I reckon there might be some truth in there about some people, both famous and not so famous.”
“It would be rather hypocritical of me now to despise actors, though, wouldn’t it?”
Smiling gently at her, he ran one finger down the length of her nose, then bent and kissed its tip.
“While I was on location in the wilds last week, I thought a lot about you and how you feel about fame and public adoration for actors, and how much I really hate the paparazzi.
You don’t have to answer me straight away, but I was thinking. I actually prefer stage work, and I want to spend more time at my house in Wiltshire and be closer to Mum. If you think you’d like that too, you could stay there with me and write, and we could have horses. I can stop the television work as soon as my contract finishes and concentrate on theatre. No,” he stopped her as she went to speak. “You don’t have to say anything yet. I just want you to know that I will do that if that’s what we decide we want.”
“Poor, Vivienne. She must really love you,” Danny thought out loud, laying her head on his chest, the tension draining out of her as she started to fully believe the nightmare was really over.
“Don’t waste any pity on her, my love,” Brandon murmured, nuzzling her hair. “She doesn’t love me at all really. I’m useful is all. She’s a good publicist and I have paid her well for that, plus she wants fame and fortune and can’t get it for herself, so she’s been leeching off me. I’m probably not proud of the relationship we had, but believe me there was no love involved, nor any of the other things she said.”
“Then why did she want to split us up?”
“She didn’t want me to have another woman in my life because she wanted to be the one I took to parties, awards nights, industry events and stuff. And,” – he kissed her neck sending shivers skittering down her spine – “she knows how crazy I am about you.” Raising his head, he looked into her eyes. “That I really am serious about you, my love.” He shrugged. “She knew she’d lost her ticket to the red carpet. I’ll have to find another publicist, but that’s no big deal.”
As gently as if she were a tiny, fragile bird, he brushed his lips against hers.
“You’ve got so thin, my darling.” His strong arms seemed almost like they could go around her twice. “Oh, sweet girl, I can’t bear to think of you being so unhappy.” He tenderly outlined her cheekbone, more prominent than it had been the last time he’d seen her, and looked into her huge green eyes, so stark against her pale, drawn face.
“From now on, I’m going to take care of you. I never want to see you sad or unhappy again.”
But she wasn’t sad any more. If this was true, if Brandon wasn’t playing horrid tricks on her, if she really was his sweet girl, his darling, his love, then she was the happiest girl in the world.
She wanted to tell him, but her heart was full to bursting and she couldn’t speak, she could just make a tiny noise of happiness deep in her throat as she slipped her arms behind his head and hungrily pulled his mouth down onto hers.
“Let’s get back to the house,” he growled against her lips.
* * *<
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Thirty minutes later, the horses rubbed down and turned out into their paddock, the saddles and bridles put away, they stood by the back door as Danny turned the key to let them in. She went in and waited for Brandon to follow.
“Are you hungry?” she asked. “Can I get you some coffee or breakfast?”
Shaking his head, he pulled her into his arms.
“Danny, my love,” his voice was low and urgent.
“Yes?” Danny replied, nuzzling and kissing his ear.
“Look at me, please.”
“What?” She peppered him with more tiny kisses, rejoicing in the smell and taste of him.
“Look at me.” His voice was lower, his words measured.
Noting the change of tone, Danny looked up in surprise.
“There’s one more thing we have to make certain. This is the last chance either of us has to back out. And if you want to, I understand, but you have to say so now.”
“What?” Danny dropped her arms and wrapped them across her chest as a cold wind of apprehension blew over her.
Taking his arms from around her, he wrapped his big, warm hands gently around her small, soft ones.
“Don’t be afraid. I just want to make sure that you want what I want; you do, don’t you, Danny?”
Danny’s heart broke at the uncertainty in his eyes, but his meaning was clear. A ripple of electricity flowed up her body, awakening strange longings, exciting her imagination and stirring her secret desire.
“Yes,” she whispered, lowering her eyelids, the intensity of his gaze too much to bear.
But he had to make sure.
“You know I will cherish you and look after you and help you to be and have all you want?”
“Yes.”
“And you also know I will be in charge?”
“Yes.”
“And that I will expect you to obey me when I say so?”
Danny tried to speak, but no words came. She looked up at him and nodded silently.
“And you accept I will punish you when you don’t? It won’t always be a spanking, but there probably will be quite a few of those.”
Another silent nod, this time with a timid smile.
“That’s what you want too, though?” he pressed her. “What you really want? I won’t force you to do anything, but that’s what I want. You understand that? I want us to be a partnership, to talk things through and work things out together, but whenever a casting vote is needed, it will be mine. You understand that?”
He was so earnest, so concerned, she couldn’t bear it.
Drawing herself up, she faced him squarely and unflinchingly.
“It is what I want, my darling, with all my heart and soul. It’s what I’ve always wanted but never imagined I would actually find. But…” She felt his body tense. “But I’ve never been with anyone like that. You will have to teach me.” She looked up at him anxiously. “Is that all right? You won’t mind?”
“No, I won’t mind,” he muttered thickly, kissing her with so much tenderness she was melting in his arms.
When the kiss ended, he took her hand and led her upstairs.
“You staying in the same room?”
“Yes,” she said, stopping as they reached her bedroom. He opened the door and she followed him in. He shut the door and turned to her.
“You’re mine now, Danny. Really mine. I knew I wanted you from that first moment in the stables. When Vivienne and I went to the village the next day and I bought you the earrings, I also bought you this. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you, but I don’t want to wait any longer. I want the whole world to know that the most beautiful woman on the planet, Daniella Ravenshaw belongs to me.”
He reached into his pocket, took out a small box and opened it. Inside was a gold ring, set with an emerald the colour of Danny’s eyes surrounded by diamonds flashing each time they were caught by a glimmer of light.
Taking her right hand, he slipped it on. It fit perfectly. Danny stared at it, speechless.
“I don’t want to rush you, but maybe, soon,” he said, kissing her fingers, “you will swap it to your other hand. Will you do that, my beautiful girl, if I tell you to?”
“Yes,” she replied happily, her eyes shining with love. “Yes, Jones. I will.”
He pulled her to him, pressing his mouth on hers, and the time for talk ended and the time for loving began.
Epilogue
Standing with her nose pressed in the corner and holding her skirt up to display a rosy, freshly-spanked bottom, Danny didn’t move as Brandon came back into the bedroom.
It seemed like forever that she’d been standing there, surreptitiously rubbing her throbbing cheeks, listening to him moving around in the kitchen.
A year might have gone by, but she still had not been able to convince Brandon that she could get her work done on time even if she left it to the last minute, and her bottom had once again paid the price for her procrastination.
She hadn’t been able to wait until after she’d finished her work to watch the new episode of her serial, and Brandon had come home unexpectedly and caught her in front of the TV.
She’d known as soon as she’d heard him come through the door that she would soon be taking a trip to ‘lap land’, and she had also rightly guessed the hairbrush now laying on the bed would be called to action.
It had and Brandon had plied it with a good deal of vigour. Danny knew no amount of pleading and apologising would reduce the punishment, but as she squealed, wriggled and squirmed across his knee, she couldn’t help herself.
It was the second time in a week Brandon had caught her idling when she was supposed to be working, and there was no way he was letting her up until her bottom had been thoroughly and relentlessly spanked.
“Come here, please,” she heard him say now in that voice, deep and pure with a hint of a southern accent, which still thrilled her as much as the first time she’d heard it.
Keeping her eyes down, she shuffled across the room and stopped when she could see his feet. She’d thought the spanking was finished, but his voice sounded a bit tense, like it did when he was ordering her to bend over.
She scarcely dared to breathe while she waited for what was to come next. She would lie across his lap again if that was what he told her to do even if she didn’t really think it fair.
She knew he would have his reasons, however, and she trusted him. He would explain carefully if he thought she didn’t understand why she was being punished, and he never disciplined her for his own amusement, only for her own good.
It had taken a little while for them to work out together how their relationship would work, but Danny wanted it so desperately and loved him so much, she was prepared to forgive the occasional hiccup. And Brandon adored her and was as careful as he could be to always be just and fair and to not thoughtlessly take advantage of her or ignore her if she needed him.
Day by day, their love for each other had grown deeper and stronger. No one else knew their secret, and that forged an even more special intimacy between them.
“Pull your pants up, naughty girl. Your punishment is over,” he said, and held out his hand.
Danny breathed a silent sigh of relief as she adjusted her clothes, and then put her hand in his, tingling as she felt his strong hand close around it.
Something was going on, though, she could tell from the way he was behaving and the sound of his voice, but it didn’t seem to presage more spanking so she looked up at him.
She felt her chest constrict with love, as it did so often when her eyes locked with those deep blue eyes that had so mesmerised her the first time they met.
He smiled and raised her hand to kiss it.
“Bottom okay?” he asked with a grin.
She blushed and nodded.
“Well, don’t be such a naughty girl, and I won’t spank you, hey?”
Danny shrugged ruefully.
“I do try,” she said, but they both knew that she would never
be perfect so the spankings would continue, and that was what they both wanted anyway.
Slipping his free arm around her waist, he bent to kiss her gently on the lips.
“I know you do, beautiful,” he said, raising his head again. “Now come. I’ve cooked us a special dinner.”
They had officially moved into his house in Wiltshire on a permanent basis nearly four months ago, and Danny had never been happier as they had set about making it their long-term home.
Through the glass doors in the dining room to which he led her, Danny could see Ruby and Dynasty, their two horses, contentedly grazing in the paddock in the warm evening sunshine.
Brandon had clearly been busy while Danny had been studying the wall as a delicious aroma of cooking wafted from the kitchen, and the dining table was laid for a romantic dinner for two, complete with bottle of champagne and two glasses.
Brandon kissed her as he let go of her hand and set about opening the bottle and pouring her a drink. Then he turned to her.
Taking her right hand in his, he turned the emerald and diamond ring on her finger.
“It’s a year since I put this on you,” he said.
“And it’s been the best year of my life,” Danny replied simply and honestly.
“Do you remember,” Brandon asked, raising his eyes to look adoringly into hers, “when I gave it to you I said I hoped that one day you would agree to wear it on your other hand?”
Danny’s heart flip-flopped with such a thud she was sure he must have heard. She nodded.
“Yes,” she whispered, scarcely daring to breathe. Was her most cherished dream about to be realised?
“I want that day to be now,” he said as, still holding her hands, he slipped to the floor, kneeling in front of her.
“I love you, Daniella Ravenshaw,” he said earnestly. “You have made me so happy this past year, I can’t even envisage life without you by my side now. I want that for the rest of my life. Please, my beautiful darling Danny, please, will you marry me?”
Danny’s Secret Desire Page 19