by Rhavensfyre
“I don’t think I’ll have a choice. How the hell do you do this all the time and still walk normally?”
“Think of it as a sport. The more you do it the easier it gets.”
“I’m not sure that will ever happen.” Allyse accepted the offered arm Dani graciously held out for her. It was all quite gallant, and Allyse found she quite enjoyed the illusion of being the country gentlewoman out on a stroll after a romantic ride. Too bad all those pulp novels ignored the fact that you were stiff and sore and probably not up to the bedroom calisthenics that usually followed after that romantic ride, even if your companion is one of the most gorgeous creatures you would want to fall into bed with.
She examined Dani’s face, looking past the high cheekbones and full lips and focusing on the little imperfections that made her unique. Until that moment, Allyse didn’t think she really understood the overused proverb, but it was true. Beauty truly was in the eye of the beholder. A perfect body and perfect complexion wasn’t the measure of it, either. It was the ability to fascinate you with the shadow of a laugh line, to capture your attention with a single glance—a glance that could contain an entire conversation and only required a kiss to say goodnight. Allyse shook her head at the romantic musings floating about in her head. This wasn’t a fairytale, she wasn’t a teenager anymore, and Dani certainly wasn’t some sort of lesbian Prince-or rather Princess Charming in cowboy boots and a country drawl.
“What were you thinking about just now?” Allyse inquired, taking advantage of their slow stroll towards the house to ask a few more questions.
“Just everything I need to get done.”
Even at their slow pace, their walk ended too soon. Dani took the steps two at a time while Allyse slowly eased herself up with a good amount of assist from the handrail.
If this is what getting old feels like, I’m boycotting aging, she thought.
Dani opened the door and let Allyse and Callie enter first, then stooped and picked up a package that had been left there. A ghost of a smile flitted across her face. Oh good, I can finally have my Kindle back.
Her smile broadened when she caught up with Callie in the kitchen. Callie had gone straight for her bowl, drank what sounded like a gallon of water, and then carefully went over to inspect her doggie bed before flopping down with a satisfied groan. She didn’t even bother with the requisite three turns. Dani rolled her eyes at the dramatic display. It had been a long jog for the collie but Callie was acting like she had carried one of them on her back instead of the horse. “Lazy bones, where’s our guest hiding, hmm?”
She didn’t think Allyse’s legs were ready to try the stairs up to the second floor yet, so she made an educated guess and headed for the living room.
She found Allyse on the couch, gingerly trying to find a comfortable way to sit. Dani dropped the box off on the coffee table and went back for her industrial size bottle of Tylenol and a fresh bottle of water. Callie was snoring already and didn’t even notice her, coming or going. Allyse, on the other hand, still looked quite uncomfortable, perched on the edge of the couch. All prim and proper looking with her straight back and serious frown, she reminded Dani of one of her meaner grade school teachers—except she was a lot hotter looking than the ones she remembered. Dani grinned at the ridiculous comparison then blamed Allyse’s earlier comments for bringing out the brat in her.
“The box is for you. I also brought you some Tylenol but you need to open it yourself. You’re still my official pill bottle opener for a little while longer.” She wagged her injured hand up in the air to make her point.
“I don’t mind,” Allyse said, picking up the small box and hefting it curiously. “You didn’t have to buy me anything.”
“It’s okay. I wanted to,” Dani said. “Take your time. I need to make a phone call real quick, then I’ll be back to see how you like it.”
***
It was a beautiful day so Dani headed back outside to make her call. She shut the door behind her and tried sitting in one of the old rocking chairs dotting the porch but she was too nervous to sit still for long. Leaning against the rail wasn’t much better and pacing only made a bunch of noise that sounded like someone rapping a picket fence with a stick inside her head. The fake ringing noise from her cell phone was bad enough, but thankfully it didn’t last that long. Erick sounded surprised to hear from her again so soon, but she didn’t give him any time to gush over the unusual occurrence.
“Erick, I need your help.”
“What? Is everything okay?”
“No, it’s not. Allyse asked me out on a date and told me to dress appropriately and I don’t know what that even means.” She hated sounding so whiney, but she was really freaking out about going out on a date with Allyse.
“Oh, my God, you scared the shit out of me, Dani. I thought something was really wrong.” Erick’s voice actually went up another octave.
Dani’s frustration escalated in equal increments, even though they were on two totally different wavelengths. Erick was not getting it. She hadn’t been out on a date for years. Her last girlfriend hadn’t lasted very long, and the woman ended it just before Uncle Jay’s death. Finding out that Val’s real interest in her had more to do with getting her claws on the family farm was a huge blow when Dani hadn’t had much left in her to fight. That mess had really pulled the plug on any desire she had for anything close to a real relationship. Allyse was different. She didn’t need or want the farm and as a status symbol, Saxon Farms wasn’t exactly a step up from CEO of a major New York agency. Somehow, that made her request for a date seem even more frightening.
“There is something wrong. Were you not listening to me?”
“This isn’t a crisis, Dani. You have plenty of clothes.” Dani could practically hear Erick laughing at her through the phone.
“But are any of them good enough for a date with her?” When she said her, it came out in big capital letters.
Dani was so busy pacing that she never noticed Allyse leaning in the doorway, watching the whole scene play out like some cowboy dramedy. The screen door creaked loudly when Allyse pushed it open, giving her presence away. Dani spun around to find Allyse standing directly behind her, blocking her way. Allyse reached up and cupped Dani’s cheek, her eyes glowing with amusement and pleasure when that simple touch instantly stopped Dani’s frenetic pacing. With her other hand she slipped Dani’s phone away from slack fingers. Allyse ran her thumb across her lower lip, the blunt nail dragging across the sensitive flesh just enough to make her gasp. Dani’s eyes widened. Her body trembled beneath Allyse’s soft caress and she felt herself tensing beneath the emotional onslaught.
“Erick, I’ll take care of this.” Ear to phone, Allyse released Dani’s face and stepped back a pace. Something told her that the she would bolt if she pressed too hard or too soon. First, they needed to get through this date.
“Thank you, Allyse. I really didn’t want to come up there and rummage through her closet.” Erick sounded so relieved she was almost embarrassed for him. Allyse hung up on him soon after that and immediately noticed that Dani had taken advantage and escaped into the house. At least she hadn’t run for the barn again. Allyse sighed and headed back inside, grateful for small favors. She had enough barn time for the day.
Dani must have retreated further into the rambling house because she was nowhere to be found on the first floor. Allyse eyed the stairs suspiciously. Tonight she had a feeling they were going to be a little more daunting than usual. Not one to give in easily, she headed upstairs to Dani's room, ignoring the tightness in her thighs and butt that made each stair feel like she was climbing boulders. Her slow ascent gave her time to think. She was starting to wonder just how much experience Dani had dating. She remembered her saying she didn’t go out much, but now she was starting to think that “not much” might have meant rarely to never. She sighed a breath of relief when her climb ended, muscles she didn’t know she had quivered weakly and her legs felt like Jell-O. Another small vi
ctory greeted her at the top of the stairs—Dani’s bedroom door stood wide open. Allyse walked into the apparently empty room and followed the noise and the light coming from a huge closet tucked into the corner of the room.
“Incredible, this is almost as big as mine!” She wasn’t an easy woman to surprise or impress, but the well apportioned closet managed to do both. She had assumed that Dani pretty much only wore jeans and t-shirts, maybe a flannel or two, but she was rummaging through what looked like rack after rack of dress slacks, very nice button down shirts, dress shirts, and tons of other items she couldn’t identify unless she started tearing into unopened packages. The names on the boxes, those she recognized. None of them were inexpensive. Presents from Erick?
“A lot of these are show clothes. Some of them are gifts from Erick,” Dani said, fingering a shiny silver vest. Something black and suede and heavy hung next to that. Are those chaps?
“Show clothes?” Allyse asked. She doubted Dani meant something along the lines of Las Vegas or pulling rabbits out of top hats. “What kind of shows?”
“Horse shows. Western Pleasure competitions, that sort of thing. The judges love this stuff, the flashier the better,” Dani said, tossing a box down onto a semi-neat pile in front of her. “Nothing I would wear out in public.”
From the embarrassed grimace on Dani’s face Allyse had a feeling she was talking about the contents of the whole closet, not just the show clothes.
“I am sorry if I upset you by taking over that phone call.” Allyse repeated her bold move from earlier, turning Dani's face towards her with gentle fingertips. “But you seemed so upset and I knew I could help. Thank you for the Kindle, by the way, that was very sweet.” She placed a quick kiss on Dani's lips before releasing her.
The poor woman looked stunned and so out of place, surrounded by enough designer clothes to stock a small shop. Allyse felt like she was standing in a little piece of home. She took a deep breath and just inhaled the subtle scent of silk and high fashion. Circling in place, she took in all the wonderful items filling Dani's closet. “I can work with this,” she murmured, rubbing her hands together in glee. “You don’t have a thing to worry about.”
***
It was late, and despite having to keep one arm elevated out of the water, Dani was happily relaxing in her tub. She needed to soak the last few hours out of her mind and a shower was not going to cut it. She had tried to escape her closet several times tonight but Allyse just wouldn’t let her go. Arguing that she didn’t need to be there while Allyse chose something appropriate for her to wear hadn’t worked, trying to get her to choose something for her didn’t work either. She was saved from modeling potential outfits only because it would have bothered her hand. Dani smiled in that lazy way only soaking in a hot tub of scented bath water could make you smile. When she was in her element, Allyse could be very bossy.
In retrospect, it hadn’t been that bad. Allyse had found an amazing number of combinations for outfits she had never even thought of and Dani had been spared from working on the books. By the time she escaped her closet it was too late, and she was too tired to start on a new project. She didn’t mind putting them off for another day or two, or more if possible. She hated paperwork with a purple passion.
Allyse had finally given in and left Dani to her own devices, but not until she had a look at her hand again. There was a little blood on the gauze and her palm was swollen but she hadn’t popped any stitches, so it was just a matter of reinforcing the dressing and letting it be. By that time Dani was getting tired and cranky. She claimed the bathroom off limits and Allyse had fled down stairs. She was sure the workaholic was busy pouring over her emails and following up behind Erick, still babysitting her business even though she was supposed to be on vacation.
That was about an hour ago. Her fingers and toes were turning into prunes and the water was getting cold but she was loath to move. She had just about convinced herself to crawl out of the tub when Allyse walked in, dressed in only her underwear and bra. Holy shit. She obviously had no idea Dani was still in the bath, not with the lighting dialed down low to simulate candlelight. When Allyse reached behind her to release her bra, Dani figured it might be a good idea to make her presence known before things got out of hand.
“Is this going to be a habit with you?”
Allyse whipped around to face Dani with a stunned look on her face.
“Please, don’t stop on my account. I do enjoy a good show,” Dani drawled, unable to look away. The woman was beautiful, there was no doubt.
“I was just going to take a bath,” Allyse spluttered, lunging for a towel to cover herself with.
“Sure, I was just getting out anyways. Hey, did you want to watch a movie again tonight?” Dani asked while pulling herself out of the deep tub. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. She wasn't exceptionally modest on the best of days, but since Allyse had basically announced her intentions to date her, simple things like nudity had taken on a decidedly more intimate feel. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Sex was one thing, but dating implied romance, and romance meant dealing with emotions.
“No, not tonight.”
Dani winced at the sharp response and wrapped the towel around her even tighter. She hadn’t expected a refusal, nor the sense of disappointment and hurt that followed. “Oh, Okay. Have a good night then.”
“Wait, Dani, you don’t have to…” Allyse reached out her hand, but the retreating woman was too quick. The door slamming shut between them pushed cool air inside the small room. It felt like a blast of arctic wind invading the steam filled room and made her shiver. She collapsed against the door and stared at the wall across from her hard enough to bore a hole through it. Christ, the woman was difficult to keep tabs on, she thought. Dani’s moods were as volatile as a summer storm, running hot and cold quicker than she could keep up with tonight.
Her entire body ached after the ride this morning. As much as she wanted to take Dani up on her offer, she was too sore and tired to even care about television. All she wanted was a hot bath, a pain pill, and to curl up in a little ball and fall asleep.
After her bath, Allyse felt a bit more human so she found herself back at Dani’s door. A lady has the right to change her mind, right?—except Dani wasn't in her room. Her bed was still made and Callie wasn’t in her spot at the foot of the bed so Allyse wandered downstairs to look for her. She found Callie at the back door, her mournful expression easy to read. Dani had gone out and left her dog behind, leaving the house empty except for the two of them.
It seemed like a futile attempt but she did it anyway, straining to see anything through the pitch black window panes. The faintest bit of moonlight illuminated newly familiar hills and forests but only in base relief, there weren’t enough details to tell her if anything or anyone moved in the shadows. Callie whined softly and pressed her wet nose into Allyse’s hand, her need for affection simple and unassuming. She reached down and stroked the troubled dog’s soft fur until she stopped whining.
“I know, Callie, I know,” she murmured, then headed back upstairs to her room. She would just have to wait to talk to Dani in the morning.
Chapter Twelve
Dani never returned that night.
Allyse sat at the kitchen table early the next morning, trying to concentrate on reading the New York Times. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep and they felt bruised, probably from her rubbing them every time they blurred out of focus. She finally gave up and put the Kindle down on the table, pinching the bridge of her nose to try and ease the tension there. It was useless to try and read. The words just flowed together into an unreadable jumble and never reached her brain.
When she first realized that Dani wasn’t in the house, Allyse had just assumed she had run out to the barn to check on something. When over an hour passed by and Dani still didn’t return, she really started to worry. Allyse finally let her nerves get the better of her and she called Dani’s cell phone. When Dani didn’t
answer, she grabbed a flashlight and braved the walk out to the barn herself. Except for the horses, it was empty and dark. Curious faces peeked at her from over the stall gates, all surprisingly awake but definitely sans any human company. When she walked in they had all turned and stared at her in unison and it was eerily quiet except for a few small unidentifiable scratching noises she hoped to God weren’t rats. It was a little creepy. It felt like she had wandered into some secret horsey conclave and had disturbed their conversation. She slipped back out without a word and hurried back to the house. She hadn’t heard a motor start, so she knew Dani was on the farm somewhere, she just didn’t know where.
“Dammit, why does she make everything so very difficult?” Allyse cursed inside the empty house. Part of her wondered why she was worried at all. That part was telling her to just go to bed and leave it alone. Dani was a grown woman, not one of her children. Besides, this was Dani’s home, not a strange and unfamiliar place, and it wasn’t Allyse’s job to look after her. “Yeah, so why am I still worried?” she grumbled, wincing at the time even as she hit speed dial. It was almost midnight. “Erick is going to kill me for this.”
After a fitful and very short night of sleep, the first thing she did this morning was peek into Dani's room, expecting to find her sleeping soundly. Instead, she found a bed that was cold and partially made, exactly the way it looked last night. There was no way she had come in and slept, then crept out early. Allyse was sure she would have heard her. It was obvious that the younger woman hadn’t returned.
When she called Erick last night he had reassured her that Dani was okay and would be back in a few hours. “She does this sometimes, Allyse, when she needs to be alone. She could be anywhere on the farm. There’s several workshops and outbuildings around. She could be in any of those, but I wouldn’t suggest looking for her. She must have something she’s trying to work through and needs the privacy.”