Layers

by Sigal Ehrlich

  “My bed. There is work to be done. Now haul that mighty fine ass of yours this way,” he chuckles, as his eyes solicit me with rebellious glee.

  My handsome prince charming on his most refined manners.

  “Hey, Daniel,” I call, ridiculously dragging myself behind his firm grip.

  “What?” he replies, still looking ahead.

  “Ever consider teaching some etiquette classes?”

  He glances over his shoulder and as our eyes connect we both crack up.

  “I will be teaching you etiquette, Miss Grace, very soon,” he murmurs and from the side of his face I can see his lips broaden. “C’mon, this has been on my mind since I saw you this morning.”

  Now, with that reasoning I can’t argue …

  Daniel opens the unlocked front door calling for someone named Rafael.

  “What are you smiling about?” he looks at me with an amused pull of his lips.

  “You really don’t want to know.” I titter.

  “Now, Hayley.”

  “Just thought, Rafael, christening … is this going to be a threesome?” Wow, holy hell. In a fraction of a second his entire posture changes, becoming ominous.

  “Don’t ever say or insinuate something like that again. Ever.” His look could kill.

  Oh no, lesson learned, no joking with Mr. Hyde with this sort of thing. Guess he’s not into sharing. I nod, pressing my lips tight, controlling a strong urge to laugh. Talk about overreacting …

  “Hey boss.” A shirtless, tanned twenty-something hottie slaps Daniel’s back.

  That’s Rafael? Mmm …

  “Rafa,” Daniel slaps him back in a friendly way.

  “Flight okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, everything’s settled,” Rafael says.

  “Great, thanks. This is my Hayley.” Daniel gestures my way with a proud grin.

  My Hayley …

  “Hello Hayley,” Rafael addresses me with a thick Spanish accent; he shakes my hand then sends Daniel a reputable wink. Hey, I’m right here.

  “Will you join us surfing? We’ll all be at the south beach in an hour.”

  Us?

  “Not this time. I’m going surfing with Hayley.”

  “Oh, she also surfs?”

  Also? What else do I do that he knows about? Rafael runs his eyes over me, taking his time to scrutinize me appreciatively as though I were some kind of worthy merchandise at an auction. I fidget uncomfortably under his unsettling lingering gaze.

  “Yes.” Daniel’s abrupt, intolerant voice forces Rafael to stop immediately and turn to look at him. “Yes. She is insanely beautiful. And she surfs,” Daniel concludes.

  Insanely beautiful? Don’t hold back, D, keep going. I can just imagine the smirk stretching across my face.

  “Now stop eye-fucking my girl, please.”

  What! I fidget again, with gratitude for my protective, “well-mannered” boyfriend this time.

  Rafael chuckles, utterly embarrassed, scratching his forehead awkwardly, his eyes wandering from Daniel to some other point in the room.

  “My mom will come tomorrow, say around twelve?” He quickly changes the subject. Rafael’s mom’s is coming? What the hell?

  “Twelve will be fine,” Daniel confirms, moving his arm possessively around my waist.

  “Later, boss.”

  “Later,” Daniel says dryly.

  “Hayley.” Rafael nods, barely glimpsing my way this time. Wonder why.

  “Hey you,” Daniel says in a feathery tone, pulling me closer as soon as Rafael leaves, allowing an almost invisible gap between us. His breath is so near, air kissing my face; I inhale deeply, closing my eyes, wallowing on the nourishing sensation of him. Opening my eyes I meet his shiny hazel eyes staring at me from his slightly inclined face. Our eyes instantly latch in an absorbed connection.

  Lacing his fingers in my hair, he shifts it back behind my shoulder, granting his mouth easy access to the tender area below my ear, making my skin prickle and my heart to distinctly thud. He swiftly lifts me by my thighs, and in one step I am with my back against the panoramic windows, against the view of the hypnotic ocean. His mouth is engaged in savoring the nape of my neck as he pins his pelvis to mine, his firmness causing an intense tightening in my groin. As a reaction I wrap my legs around him, letting him inch closer into me. My eyes are closed and my head tilted backward as I indulge in his incredible touch.

  “Look at me Hayley. I want to see you,” he demands in a husky, low voice. I raise my head to look at him, finding his eyes burning into mine with wild, raw desire.

  “Hug me tight,” he says throatily.

  I obediently comply. I would do literally anything he asked of me right now. Securing me firmly in his embrace, he walks away from the living room till we reach a vast bedroom, one that closely resembles his room back at home. He slowly lays me on the bed and rests himself on top of me. He reaches toward the nightstand and I sink deeper into the mattress. Having his entire mass on me feels so good. He grabs a remote and music is funneled to the room, music that just perfectly fits the moment with its ambient, chill-out melody.

  Shifting back to face me, Daniel presses his warm lips to my eager mouth. I breathe him in deeply, his scent and his breath inside my throat, my lungs, making my heart expand at the emotions that twirl deep inside, at my core.

  I love you.

  His tongue now fervent, pressing firmer, demanding to completely unite with mine. I can feel his heartbeat through my dress; noticing his desire instigates a fireball at my middle. I shiver with bodily craving, feeling my want for him in every part of my body.

  “Wait, baby.” He stops and rolls from on top of me to unzip his Bermudas and pulls them off together with his boxers. I turn to unbutton his shirt, burning inside out. As soon as his shirt finds its way to the floor he settles on me again parting my legs with his.

  “Lift up a little.”

  As I do he helps me take off my jacket, working his upper body to help me, his lower in balance, pressing deeper into me. Feeling him pulsing and hard, I can barely mask a moan of need. Untying the waist tie of my dress, he pulls the wrap open and halts to look in admiration at my exposed body.

  Soon his hand is stroking me between my thighs; I arch my back at his touch. Moving my thong to the side, he sinks into the depth of me and my body, which was already at a verge of aching for him, immediately synchs with his, countering to fully absorb each and every thrust. I reach for his face and hold it closely, urging him to dissolve into me.

  “Look at me, Hayley,” he asks in a deep, hoarse voice. I look into his hypnotic hazel eyes that turn my insides into boiling liquid. The deeper his gaze the deeper his thrusts are, rhythmic and dominant. His eyes and his fullness make me shiver as I build up to trembling combustion.

  Every inch of my body is pulsing in sweet pain of blessed relief when he stiffens and then collapses over me. As I rest, slowly coming back to the present, I notice that the track playing had been on repeat the whole time. “I love the music,” I breathe in an exhausted yet fulfilled voice.

  “Cafe del Mar,” he says in low tone next to my ear.

  “Never heard of them before.”

  “Well, now you have.” He raises his head, his body still covering mine. He looks at me with an unfathomable gaze and mutters, “‘I Love You,’ is the name of the track.” We trade tense, meaningful stares as his words hang thick between us.

  ~~~

  “Check,” he draws with his finger what feels like a checkmark on my forearm.

  “Christening mission accomplished beyond expectations,” I giggle, still in a serene mood.

  “You never had someone in this bed?” I question, combing my fingers in his soft tousled hair.

  “I’ve never had someone in this house, if you mean female company.”

  Really? I’m surprised at how elated I am to hear this piece of information. “Why is that?”

  “No one was significant enough to share my haven,
” he says casually.

  I sigh in sheer delight.

  “You never had anyone you cared for?” I question, finding it unusual. Being, well, Daniel Stark, he must have had ladies constantly seeking his company. Yet, I am completely empathetic since I have never felt strong emotions toward anyone before either, not as an adult, anyway.

  “Well, there was someone who I got close to, but I stopped it at a very early stage.”

  “Why?” I ask, hating the fact that he’d had feelings toward someone else. Even if it was in the past it still makes me absurdly jealous.

  “She broke my trust.” His expression is emotionless.

  “How?” I continue. Am I crossing the fine line between welcomed curiosity and privacy invasion?

  Daniel, seeming not to mind, runs his fingers across my collarbone as he responds, “She talked to some tabloid journalist.”

  Musing the information he just shared with me, I mutter, “But there was nothing about you in terms of relationships in the media.” Oopsie.

  He raises a questioning eyebrow and a small, crooked smile appears on his face that had been blank a moment ago. “You searched information about me, Hales?”

  I blush. Why do I blush?

  “You look super sweet when you blush, baby.” He grins and I wince, letting it go as soon as he brings his lips to mine.

  “Well, you know, there were a lot of pictures of you and the flawless mannequins you used to appear with in public, but that’s it.”

  “You can’t even imagine how quickly money can make unwanted information disappear,” he murmurs, then chuckles.

  “That was a nice diplomatic way to describe call girls.” I giggle, though disturbed. The thought of him being with them in private crosses my mind and I need to fight to keep it out.

  “Why did you do that?” I further inquire.

  He observes me inquisitively.

  “You could have dated anyone you wanted,” I add, clarifying my question.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He kisses me. “As soon as the money and successes reared their ugly heads all sorts of parasites appeared, wearing seductive clothes and air in their heads and like I just told you, as soon as I thought I’d finally found someone worthy she went and sold information about our relationship to the press. So I gave up the relationship thing for a very long time.”

  His mouth coils up as he continues, “Well, that is till you came along, bashing the hell out of me in the privacy of my kitchen at my own fucking building.” A low rough laugh rises from his throat; his face lights with amusement.

  “Why me then?” I ask in a small voice.

  “Because it’s you.” He smiles, his eyes narrowing tenderly as he kisses me again, more profoundly. “Because you’re simply you, and there’s no one else I want.”

  Our breathing blends as he murmurs the words into my mouth.

  Chapter 26: Tidal

  “Hales, we need to get going if we want to catch some waves before it gets dark.” Daniel kisses me, cups my cheek and gently rubs it with his thumb. “There’s a wetsuit in the closet. You should get dressed while I get the gear.” He kisses me again and walks toward the door. I sigh in pleasure, following his tan, wide back with my gaze till he disappears in the corridor.

  With my white bikini on I go to Daniel’s walkthrough wardrobe, searching through the casual menswear, which I am not at all convinced would be Daniel’s style or size. I wonder idly whose clothes they are if they aren’t Daniel’s. At the next set of hanged clothes I find a dark gray full-body Billabong wetsuit that fits me perfectly. I am engrossed with the thought of who actually bought this suit.

  “Need some help?” I ask as I enter the mahogany and beige kitchen. Just like the exterior, the interior of the house is simply though tastefully furnished. Nothing too extravagant, yet everything seems high quality.

  “I’m almost done,” he declares with his back to me, holding a picnic cooler. “I’ll just drop this in the car, one minute Hales,” he mutters, already on his way out.

  “Why, you look hot,” Daniel announces a moment later as he comes back, appraising me in the suit.

  “Thanks,” I smirk. “Who bought it?”

  “That would be Rafael,” he responds idly.

  “I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about him. Does he live here?”

  “Yeah, he watches the house for me and restocks it before my visits. His mom does the housekeeping.”

  “Oh, and where does he go when you’re around?” I observe him as he fetches a round new surf wax from one of the top drawers of the wide kitchen island. “I think his parents, I’m not sure. We can call and ask him,” he responds with a lazy smile.

  Got you, D, bored of the topic?

  “Okay, that should be everything.” He throws the surf wax up and catches it as it falls down. “Let’s go, baby.” He appraises me yet again with a lavish smirk plastered on his face. Shaking his head from side to side, he murmurs, “A work of art.”

  I copy his smug, infectious grin. And you should talk …

  He opens the door for me so I can get in the graphite-gray BMW SUV parked in the driveway, two surfboards secured on top. He pats my butt as I climb in, in a mood that seems too cheerful, not like his usual self.

  “The X6 is my favorite car,” I say, admiring the interior.

  “It’s a nice car, though I’d much rather drive the Viper or the Spider … but I’m glad you like it.” He smiles at me. “Too bad I don’t have one of these back in the city, we could have exchanged it with the Beemer you’re driving,” he murmurs, as though to himself.

  As simple as that. Change one insanely luxurious car for another.

  He adds, “If you like you can drive it on the way back.” I reciprocate by smiling.

  “It’s a short drive down the beach but we have some stuff in the back I didn’t want to carry around.” He answers my unspoken question over Ellie Lawson’s energetic voice playing in the background. He glances at me, that same smirk from earlier still dancing on the sides of his mouth. I could easily get used to this.

  Suit peeled down to his waist, bent over my new ivory surfboard, Daniel rubs wax in long skillful strokes over the center to top of the board leaving a thin, lumpy layer. I watch him, fascinated at his long muscles flexing under his tight, tanned skin. His tattoo adds the last touch to his gorgeous, awe-inspiring bad-boy self. I sigh, not able to stop staring at him.

  “Like the sight?” He tilts his head my way with a mischievous, crooked smirk; eyes slightly narrow, avoiding the still-blinding sun.

  “Beyond like.” I beam.

  “Shall we?” he asks rhetorically, as he zips up his suit by pulling a long string at the back. I grin at him nodding, thrilled. I hold my waxed board under my arm as we walk side by side toward the water.

  “We have a couple of hours before sunset,” he says as our feet touch the clear, revitalizing water.

  “Enjoy, baby,” he says, letting go of my hand. I nod, proceeding through the water. Inhaling the fresh sea air I mimic him, wading deeper in.

  I paddle toward mid-ocean, water splashing against my sides, shuddering in small, clear drops. I glance Daniel’s way. At the same instant he looks at me and our eyes interlock for a brief moment of unspoken connection. Breaking it, he nods toward a coming wave. I nod back and start paddling faster, getting the momentum for the wave to launch me forward. I put my hands on the rails of the board under my chest, waiting.

  As the board unites with the wave, I forcefully push up in a quick snap, jumping to my feet. For a fraction of a second I find myself stabilizing my posture and soon I am standing firm riding the wave, utterly ecstatic. How I have missed this. I take a step forward and balance again riding the fast swaying wave back and forth in singular foot movement to synchronize with the motion of the water, maximizing the velocity of the ride. The feeling is ultimate, this sense of being one with the ocean. I feel like I’m riding the top of the world.

  Paddling back to catch
my next wave, I watch Daniel from afar, how he gracefully owns the board with the pace of his own wave. Locks of his golden hair are tousled over his handsome face, and the wetsuit warps his toned tall body in a way that makes my heart skip a beat.

  We surf, each in our own solitary state of mind, becoming united with the water for as long as the day’s light allows us. When the sun starts melting into the sea, coloring it a scenic blend of red and auburn, I notice Daniel paddling toward me. He smiles as he approaches; I echo him, content to have him by my side again.

  Halting next to me he lifts himself to sit upright at the middle of the board, his legs to the sides resting in the water. “Come.” He sends his hand to help me climb and settle astride facing him. Our knees touch with tiny electrical currents passing through our suits.

  “Here, give me your leash,” he asks, and as I do he ties it around his ankle. He stares at me for a long moment studying my face.

  “You amaze me, Hayley,” he says in a low voice, his eyes sincere and affectionate. “You do,” he repeats as though to himself, brushing my wet hair to the sides. He holds my face, gently inclining it toward his; he tilts his head slightly to align his lips to precisely reach mine. First, with a fluff brush, then a shift up to press more intently, pulling my face deeper to him, drawing me into a breathtaking kiss. He tastes so good: of salt, sea and Daniel. There is a warm wave beginning at my throat, trailing along every corner of my body, slowly heating my blood. D, you tantalize the very heart of me.

  He brushes his finger along the side of my face from my temple to my jawline, tracing my lips with his thumb, molten hazel eyes not leaving mine. He has on a new expression that I haven’t seen before and it both makes my heart pang and unnerves me at the same time.

  “Scoot closer to me,” he asks in a thick voice, his eyes still fixed on mine. As I slide closer he lifts me by my thighs to sit astride him. He pulls my hair back again, holding it in one hand at the nape of my neck and leans in to plant a gentle kiss on my lips. We’re rocked slightly by small waves as he tips my chin up so my eyes can meet his unreadable, deep gaze. His other arm wraps around me, his hand spread flat on my lower back. His gaze softens as his hold on me firms.