Hollywood Princess

by Dana Aynn Levin

  CHAPTER 13 - ELIZABETH

  What was with Danny today? I examined the clothing he had handed me. His kindness and caring, touches that lingered, calling me ‘Sweetheart.’ I was baffled.

  Did Danny want something more? Possibly? Maybe yes.

  I blushed at the bra and panty set he had brought. Made of the finest white silk lace, I was goaded into the purchase by Steff and Emma.

  Before parting for college, we were shopping in Beverly Hills. Steff spotted the set on a mannequin in the window of a boutique on Rodeo Drive. The ultra-feminine bra was a revealing push-up. Its matching panty was a revealing thong. The girls insisted I buy them.

  Steff and Emma had each had boyfriends in high school. My friends were obsessed with my lack of experience and aimed to change it.

  “The perfect ensemble for the big night,” Emma had declared.

  That was disappointing. The big night should be more spontaneous. I shouldn’t know hours earlier to select the right underwear.

  Steff had clinched the sale. “You will want these,” she had insisted, because, “Someday you will meet a guy who makes you get over Danny.”

  I smirked at the memory less than two months earlier, and hugged Danny’s shirt close to me. His scent on the cotton was intoxicating and left me grinning like a fool. I had yet to tell either Steff or Emma that Danny was at Donnelly.

  In spite of my ankle, I was gleeful. Steff and Emma would die if they knew I was sitting on Danny’s bed wearing nothing but his shirt ready to put on the white lace ensemble. The girls wouldn’t believe I had him waiting on me hand and foot either.

  What was he thinking? The set had been near the bottom of the drawer. Danny had obviously been looking for what pleased him. Did Danny want me to model? The thought sent a shiver through me as I struggled to pull on the thong. Perhaps Danny was hoping I’d ask for his assistance. I blushed.

  After slipping the dress over my head, I hobbled to the bureau to use Danny’s hairbrush. My ponytail, sweat dampened from dance class would have to do.

  I opened the door. “Hi!” I called out.

  Danny was speaking with Shane. His eyes opened wide, enjoying the body-skimming shape of the short dress. I smiled with satisfaction.

  “Eli,” he gasped, “You look great. Doesn’t she look great, Shane?”

  Shane smirked, enjoying Danny’s reaction.

  “Whatever. Except for an ankle the size of an orange, your girlfriend looks great.”

  “I’m not his girlfriend,” I protested.

  “Whatever. Live in whatever alternate reality you want,” Shane muttered.

  “Can we go to dinner? I’m starving.”

  “Of course you are,” Shane teased.

  “Elizabeth never ate lunch,” Danny growled. Then he was at my side. “Let me help you, Sweetheart.”

  I let go of the doorframe and grasped Danny’s shoulder for support. With his hand holding my waist, I felt safer.

  “Can you please bring me my crutches?” I asked.

  Danny lifted me up and sat me on the chair. Shane rolled his eyes. “You’re such a couple,” he taunted. Danny and I glared at him.

  Then Danny entered his room and brought the crutches. “Thanks,” I said, letting Danny help me to my feet.

  “I’ll drive if you want. The health center gave you a handicapped pass.”

  “It’s nice to know that at least in room 313 chivalry is not dead,” Shane said.

  Danny and I chose to ignore his lame attempt at humor.

  “Let’s walk. I need to get used to these.”

  “This, I want to see. Can I come too?” Shane asked. “Unless I’d be intruding.”

  It was slow going to the dining hall. I stopped frequently. My frustration increased.

  “I’ve got to master this,” I complained when I stopped yet again.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s your first time. I’ll help you, hon,” Danny said with kindness filling his eyes. His words melted my heart.

  Danny skimmed my jaw with his fingertips and smiled. My knees weakened.

  Once we arrived at the dining hall, Danny led me to our table. He helped me to the chair at the end and placed my crutches on the floor. Then Danny gently lifted my right foot and set it down on a chair he had moved into place for that purpose.

  Danny’s eyes were twinkling like fine gems, his electric smile lighting up both his face and mine. I beamed while meeting his gaze.

  “I’ll get your dinner.” As Danny straightened, he brushed his lips against mine. We exchanged smiles again and Danny squeezed my shoulder as he passed.

  My eyes followed Danny as he walked away. Before he left my line of sight, Danny turned back and grinned. The warmth from his smile radiated throughout me and I knew my smile and glow were here to stay.

  “What’s going on?” Rachel interrupted my reverie. I turned to see her amused expression.

  “Nothing,” I abruptly answered. The color rose in my cheeks.

  “Right,” she said in disbelief. Rachel seated herself two chairs down.

  Soon Danny returned and set our dinners down. From his vantage sitting beside me, Danny studied my every movement. Later, he caught me trying to hide a spasm of pain when a fleeting grimace crossed my face.

  “Eli?” Danny raised an eyebrow, concerned.

  “Just a little throbbing,” I answered, though it was more than a little. I didn’t want Danny to worry, or worse, insist that I take more painkillers.

  Using caution, I lifted my foot an inch. I sucked in, holding my breath in anticipation of an increase in the pain that didn’t come. This might actually help.

  “Hey, Elizabeth,” Cam joked from across the table, “Get your stinky foot out of my face. I’m trying to eat.”

  Then Cam tickled the bottom of my foot. Reflexively, my foot pointed sending a spasm of pain through me.

  “My ankle!” I cried.

  “Eli!” Danny exclaimed.

  Everyone stopped and starred. I couldn’t hold back. Pain tore through me. Tears spilled down my face. Danny cradled me to his chest for comfort. I cried into his shirt, his thumb stroked my shoulder.

  “Cam, what the hell did you do that for?” Danny snapped, his anger showing through narrow, dark sapphires. “Eli’s ankle is shot.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was so bad,” Cam answered contritely.

  “It’s almost broken, dickhead,” Danny shot back.

  Aiming to lower the tension, I lifted my head and lied. “The pain’s subsiding,” I said slowly and Danny relaxed.

  Later, everyone was going to The Cellar except for Danny and I. I felt miserable ruining his evening.

  “You don’t have to stay with me,” I told Danny as we slowly walked back to Berkeley Hall after dinner.

  “I want to, Eli,” Danny insisted. “I won’t enjoy myself if you’re not there.”

  “I mean it, Danny. I’ll feel guilty if you’re stuck in with me.”

  “And I’ll feel guilty if I’m not with you.”

  CHAPTER 14 - ELIZABETH

  While I leaned against the pillows, Danny applied ice to my ankle. I received the most loving smile a girl could ever hope to receive from a man and I reflected that I had the most attentive boyfriend. Except that I didn’t. Danny belonged to Juliette.

  Now he snuggled with me while the ice sat on my ankle for twenty more minutes. His arm wrapped around my shoulders. Danny caressed my hands. His were warm and soft. The attention filled me with love.

  Danny gave my shoulder an affectionate squeeze. Those damned sapphire eyes twinkled at me, the happiest smile on his full lips. It was infectious. Despite the throbbing pain, I smiled back. I had no choice.

  Relaxed and content, Danny kissed my forehead. I snuggled closer, my head leaning against him as Danny held me close. We were a picture-perfect couple; except that we weren’t.

  “Time’s up!” Danny’s gentle voice jarred me.

  “One more minute?” I pleaded.

 
“Cozy, Elizabeth?”

  “Yes,” I smiled, dreamy-eyed.

  “Me, too,” Danny agreed, and he kissed my head.

  I was in serious danger of getting used to this.

  Soon, Danny removed the ice pack and patted my ankle dry.

  “How does it look?” I asked. I feared looking at my ankle.

  Danny playfully examined my limb. “It’s as beautiful as the leg it’s attached to,” he said giving me a wicked smile that sent a spasm of pleasure through me.

  Surprising me, Danny kissed my ankle, and I giggled. If only Danny were my boyfriend. I sighed. Wishful thinking, for now.

  Danny flashed another killer smile as he finished wrapping the brace around my ankle. “It looks the same as before.”

  Impatient, I wanted an instant recovery.

  “Maybe by the morning?” I asked, disappointed by the lack of progress.

  “Possibly,” Danny answered. “Let’s go watch a DVD.”

  It felt good to get out of Danny’s small room. The spacious dorm lounge, all overstuffed couches and chairs, with a large flat-screen television affixed to the wall, was empty. It was our own private oasis.

  Wearing pajamas, reminded me of when Danny and I were kids hanging out at home while our parents were out for the evening. Flora prepared the snacks then. Danny would set the television to Nickelodeon or some other parent-approved channel. Then he would pop in an R-rated DVD. Keeping an ear out for Flora and his finger on the remote, Danny would flip back to Nick whenever he heard her. Flora never caught on.

  Tonight Danny did the honors. After placing cans of Diet Coke on the side table, he eased me on to the sofa and took the crutches, leaning them against a wall. Then he carefully placed my foot on a sofa pillow he’d placed on the coffee table.

  Danny handed me the remote. “I’ll go pop some corn,” he said.

  With a kiss to my forehead Danny disappeared into the adjacent kitchen. I could get used to this.

  Danny soon returned with two large bags of butter-flavored microwave popcorn. He dimmed the room lights and settled in next to me. I continued flipping channels.

  “There’s your mother!” Danny exclaimed. We laughed, having stumbled across the latest Miranda Jordan film airing on HBO.

  “Sorry, Mom,” I shrugged and changed the channel to Showtime.

  “Or we can watch this,” Danny pulled out a DVD in a plain cardboard case distinguished by it’s lack of artwork.

  “What’s that?” I never thought we were going to watch Mom.

  “Dad sent it. I can keep it until Monday.”

  Right away I understood as I read the title printed in a plain black font.

  “The new Ryan Gosling! I’m dying to see this. It doesn’t open until next month,” I exclaimed. “Pays to have the right Dad, Mr. N.” I smiled at Danny.

  “Pays to have the right girl to watch it with, Miss J,” Danny returned my grin, and he rose to insert the DVD into the player.

  Then Danny sat back down to start the movie. “Have some popcorn, Eli.”

  Danny lifted a few buttery pieces from his bag and placed them in my mouth. His fingertips lingered on my lips. My pulse quickened and our eyes locked. Danny waited, and I sucked the butter off his fingertips. Then the film began.

  Once the popcorn bags lay empty on the table, I became aware of Danny’s every motion, his every breath. The electricity radiating between us was undeniable. It was a fantasy high school first date I’d never experienced. The cool guys never asked out Elizabeth Jacobs.

  Like an inexperienced fifteen year-old, Danny tentatively lifted his arm and carefully unfolded it across my shoulders. I inched even closer to him than I already was. In response he gave my shoulder an affectionate squeeze, and I smiled at him. In the dimness of the room, the pleasure registering on Danny’s face lit the space.

  Emboldened, his other arm wrapped around my collarbone, enveloping me, warming me, both inside and out. I leaned into Danny and my hand pressed his arm telegraphing the enjoyment his closeness brought me.

  After the film, returning to Danny’s room didn’t take long. I was getting the hang of using crutches. My strides were more fluent and under control. Still it was tiring and the renewed pain was causing me stress.

  “Let me take those, baby,” Danny said as we entered the suite.

  “You must be a mind-reader.” I leaned against his strong body for support.

  “Nope. I’m a face-reader. You look exhausted, Eli.”

  I hopped into his bedroom, both arms around Danny’s waist for support. Inside, he leaned the crutches against the desk while I continued to hold him.

  “Time to take your meds and go to sleep, young lady.”

  “You sound like Dad.”

  “I’m definitely not Mike.”

  “Good,” I said, and I wrapped my hands around his neck.

  Danny’s arms were instantly around my back pulling me closer. His power gave me the strength to go up on my left toe, my weight supported by him. I brought Danny’s face down to mine for our lips to meet in the kiss I had been waiting all night for.

  Anticipation lit a fire inside me. My heart raced. I tingled all over from his magnetism. But just as Danny’s lips touched mine, he jerked his head back, not far, but out of range.

  “Not tonight, Eli,” he whispered. Danny’s expression turned downcast.

  Throughout the movie Danny held me in his arms. Now that we were in the privacy of his room, it seemed the natural next step. Was it Juliette?

  “We’re alone now,” I pointed out. “I thought you’d want to.”

  “I do, but not tonight,” he said firmly.

  Disappointed, I came down from my pointe and turned away.

  “E,” Danny said as he turned me to his chest, “This is not a rejection. Making love to you would be amazing. Just not tonight.”

  He wanted to! Danny thought making love to me would be amazing! My pulse quickened. I had been waiting all my life to hear Danny admit that!

  I glanced up at sad, molten cobalt eyes. Nothing left to lose, I said, “I want you, Daniel.”

  He smiled. “I feel the same. But we have to wait.”

  I stared at Danny, bewildered. He felt the same! “You can’t say that and not tell me what you mean,” I stammered.

  “You’re right.” Danny carried me over to the bed. In one fluid motion he was sitting beside me holding my hands.

  “E, your ankle,” he pointed out. “You’re in pain.”

  “I’ll take my meds.”

  Danny smirked. “I don’t want you loopy your first time.”

  “I don’t care,” I protested.

  “You won’t give up, will you?”

  “I’m a spoiled princess and I want my way,” I teased.

  Danny sighed. “Princess, we need to talk.”

  Shit! Nothing positive ever began with the phrase, “we need to talk.”

  “Is it Juliette?” I asked, afraid of the answer. The truth could ruin my evening.

  Danny smiled warmly. “No, it’s not Juliette. We broke up.”

  “You did! When?” Total glee. Then I tamped it down for show.

  “A few hours ago. She didn’t believe there was nothing going on between us.” Danny laughed and so did I. How quickly things had changed, sort of.

  “Eli, I need you to understand where my head is at.” I nodded. “Elizabeth, what happens tomorrow if we make love tonight?”

  “We wake up and do it again?” I shrugged with an impish grin.

  “That might have been the wrong question.” Then Danny sighed. “We have a very special relationship. I don’t want to ruin it. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

  Danny glanced down at our joined hands, and them back up to my eyes.

  “Mom was right when she said I’d never had a girlfriend. I’ve dated girls, including Juliette, but I’ve never had the emotional commitment. Then there’s you. Eli, it’s only since this morning that I began to realize we might be more than friends
. When you hobbled out of the doctor’s office, my heart broke. I felt your pain. It was unbearable. I’d have done anything to make it go away.”

  “And you did,” I assured him. “You’ve been amazing.”

  Danny took a deep breath, crafting his next words with precision. His brow creased. He was troubled.

  “Eli, I woke up happy and single this morning. If we make love, tomorrow I wake up in the most committed relationship I could ever imagine being in. I’ll go overnight from having a casual girlfriend in Juliette to being practically married. It’s overwhelming. I need to decide if I want that. I need time. Do I make any sense?”

  Yes, yes, yes! I tried not to grin. If the end game was Danny and I together, he could have as much time as he wanted. Instead I kept my exterior calm and answered,

  “I understand. I’ve thought about it before. You haven’t.”

  Danny took my face in his hands. His devilish smile set my head to spinning.

  “Time to take your meds, young lady.” Then Danny chastely kissed my lips.

  It was not a deep or passionate kiss, but it was a kiss nonetheless.

  CHAPTER 15 - ELIZABETH

  Pulsating ankle spasms woke me and I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I should take something, but the powerful medication frightened me.

  After I swallowed the pills last night, Danny tucked me in. I hadn’t felt sleepy at first, but then wham! It was as though I’d been hit on the head.

  Danny had held me against his chest and comforted me by stroking my back. My trust that he would not let anything bad happen was all that calmed me. Soon I stopped fighting the sedative effect of the drugs and I succumbed to sleep.

  Rain was falling. In the distance a low rumble of thunder rudely announced the official end of summer. A cold front pushing in from Canada was arriving later today to visit the Donnelly campus until spring.

  Danny’s arms folded around me, holding me close. His unspoken love enveloped me. Danny may not be ready to be my boyfriend, but the way he held me contradicted his words.

  The thunder was getting louder. Thunderstorms were rare at home. Years passed between storms. The loud claps startled me. I snuggled even closer.

  Danny’s room was cloaked in darkness. A flash of lightning startled me. My heart jumped. I clenched Danny’s t-shirt. I marveled that he was sleeping through the storm, but Danny’s ankle wasn’t throbbing and he had experienced similar storms at Bromley Hall.