He hadn’t heard that name since college. “That dick who was always asking you out, even when I was standing right next to you?”
“That’s the one.”
“Dick.” Daniel took a swallow of soda and caught the pleased look on Justine’s face. She had always loved when he was jealous.
“Well that dick is now a major record producer. He’s had three clients go gold.”
Daniel scowled. “Well good for him. Maybe now when he asks women out they’ll actually say yes.”
Justine laughed, and Daniel did too, in spite of himself. The Chilaquiles Diablo arrived, an enticing plate of tortilla chips with melted cheeses and chilies and a scoop of guacamole. He pulled one off the plate and popped it into his mouth.
“Careful,” Justine said.
The heat hit him as he chewed. “Bloody hell.” He sputtered and grabbed for his Coke.
“Told you.” Justine grinned as he coughed. “Here.” She held out a forkful of guacamole. He quickly took it, sighing as the creamy avocado quieted the flames in his mouth.
“Jesus.” He wiped the sweat off his forehead. His eyes still watered.
“You’re so British.”
He was too flushed to come up with a clever retort.
“Can we get some more sour cream please?” Justine asked the waitress. “East coaster.” She shrugged and pointed to Daniel.
“Very funny.”
She grinned and shoved a chip into her mouth. No coughing ensued. “You know I’ve always liked things hot.” She batted her eyes.
“Don’t start.” He shook his head.
“I’ll be good.” She smiled and popped another chip into her mouth. “So, tell me about Drew. Is fatherhood all you hoped it would be? Do you have a picture?”
“It is. And I do. Do you actually want to see it? You’re not a fan of babies.”
“I’ll make an exception for this one. It’s not all the time your ex-husband has a child. I’m curious what your baby looks like.”
Daniel pulled out his wallet and opened it.
“Oh my God,” Justine said. “Is that Ella? She got so big. How does she feel about having a baby brother?”
“She adores him. She’s such a good big sister. Always helps care for him. She acts like he’s her baby half the time.”
“That’s sweet. He’s beautiful, Daniel. He has your eyes.” She handed him back his wallet. “I’m glad you got what you wanted.”
“Thank you.”
“And the success with your screenplay. That’s got to be an incredible rush.”
“I suppose. I’m not much for that type of rush as you know. But I’m glad it’s doing well.”
The waitress brought their burgers. “Is there anything else I can get you now?”
Daniel raised his eyebrows at Justine.
“No, we’re good thanks,” she said.
Daniel took a huge bite of burger. The fried egg and bacon complimented the flavor of the beef. “You’re right,” he said between chews. “These are fantastic burgers.”
“Told you.” Justine stole a fry off his plate.
He scowled. “Hey, get your own fries.”
“Why would I do that when I can just eat yours?”
“You haven’t changed a bit.” He chuckled but Justine’s brow furrowed.
“You have.” She paused, eyeing him as he continued to eat. “How is it that now that you’re married to Marienne you’ve managed to become everything I wanted you to be when you were married to me?”
The melancholy tone of her voice came as a surprise. She looked down.
“I’m sorry, Justine. I truly never meant to disappoint you.”
“I know.”
“We wanted such different lives.”
“I know. You’re right. It’s all worked out for the best. You’ve got your baby. And I certainly never would have moved to New Hampshire. I’m glad you’re happy with your life. I’m happy with mine, too. I just wonder sometimes what it’s going to take for me to be really satisfied. No matter how much I get it’s never enough, you know?”
Her eyes filled with sadness, and he reached for her hand. Her fingers closed around his, and for a moment he remembered how close they once were—how hopeful they’d been for a future together. Flashing lights at the next table caught his attention and he turned to see several people snapping shots of the couple who’d just been seated.
“Gotta love LA.” Justine laughed. She craned her neck to see who was being photographed. “Reality TV stars,” she announced, taking another sip of tea. “Maybe we’ll wind up on the cover of The Scoop.” Daniel looked down at their joined hands and yanked away from Justine. Oh good God. That’s all Marienne would need to see. He checked his watch. “I really want to get back to the airport soon. Maybe they’ve got some flights running by now.”
“As soon as we’re done eating we’ll go.” She plucked another fry off his plate and popped it into her mouth. Daniel took a deep breath and finished his burger.
They headed back to the airport in relative silence. Justine pulled into the terminal.
“You’re not really worried about that Bob character, right?” Justine asked.
Daniel remained quiet.
“Come on. Marienne knows how good she’s got it with you. She wouldn’t be that stupid.”
“I’m the one who’s got it good. I hate that he’s there for her in ways that I’m not.”
“So you’re jealous. Jealous isn’t always a bad thing.” She pulled into a parking spot and he saw a glint in her eye. “I know how you could make her jealous.” Justine put the car in park and leaned closer.
“I don’t want to make her jealous.” Daniel stared her down.
“Why not? Could be fun.” She put her hand on his leg.
“Stop it.”
“I kinda owe her you know. She did lure my husband away with her baking prowess and her willingness to use her uterus for practical purposes.”
Daniel laughed. “You know, you’re pretty funny when you’re not being a total bitch.”
Justine smiled. “I’m pretty funny then, too.” She ran her hand up his chest and played with his collar. “Just once, for old times’ sake.” She held her face inches away from his.
It was tempting. The old attraction was still there, now an enticing mix of forbidden and familiar, but he pulled away. “I love her,” he said.
And that said it all.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Daniel couldn’t believe how dark the streets were. Not a light on anywhere. It was the opposite of LA. Flickering candlelight glowed from windows here and there but otherwise there was only darkness.
“Bet you’re wishing you’d stayed in LA,” the driver said.
“No,” Daniel said, without hesitation. He puffed his breath into his hands. Even inside the cab it was cold. He wished he had his warmer coat. Marienne and the kids must have been freezing in the house. His leg bounced with impatience as the driver inched along the icy side roads.
“The wife and kids at home?”
“Neighbor’s house. Their power came back on already.”
“Want me to take you there or to your place?”
“Let’s go to my house and see if the lights are back. If not, I’ll go to the neighbor’s.”
The headlights from the cab showed the extent of damage to the power lines. Trees were bent into enormous ice-covered arches, pressing down on the wires. Street signs, mailboxes, lampposts, everything glittered with a thick coating of ice.
“Your street got hit wicked hard.” The driver pointed out the window. Three power poles lay like fallen dominoes along the road. “Bet you’ll be out ‘til sometime next week.”
Daniel took a deep breath. We can’t spend an entire week with Bob.
The driver pulled into Daniel’s driveway. Two trees were down in the front yard, one blocking the driveway. “Hope you weren’t planning on taking your car anywhere.”
Daniel let out a deep breath. “Fantastic.�
� He opened the car door.
“You want help with your bag? Or you just gonna bring it to your neighbor’s?”
“I don’t know.” Daniel stepped out onto the icy driveway, almost slipping as he slammed the door shut. He made his way to the front door, stepping over ice-crusted branches, the grass crunching beneath his feet with every step. He shuddered as he fumbled to get his keys in the lock. The doorknob was ice cold. His fingers stuck to it. Jesus.
The door was partially iced shut. Opening it sounded like the seal breaking on a fresh jar of nuts. Daniel walked into the cold silence of his house. He longed for the warmth of his home, his family, and all he had now was emptiness. He flipped the light switch but nothing happened. In the dark he couldn’t find a flashlight so there wasn’t really much he could accomplish. He’d have to go to Bob’s.
****
The lights blaring from Bob’s house were annoyingly bright, given the circumstances. Daniel asked the driver to wait while he went to the front door.
He rang the doorbell and waited, shivering again.
Bob answered, holding a cup of coffee. “Hey Daniel. We were wondering when you’d make it here. Phones have been out all day, but they’re working on them. Come on in.”
We were wondering. The thought of Bob and Marienne as ‘we’ made his blood boil.
He stepped into the house and heard Ella yell, “Daddy!” She ran from the living room and flung herself against him. He scooped her up and held her tight. “I missed you!”
“I missed you too, sweet girl.” He closed his eyes and kissed the side of her head. “Where are Drew and your mum?”
“Drew’s sleeping. I think mommy’s in the bathroom.”
No sooner did Ella speak than Daniel heard a door open, and Marienne stepped out into the upstairs hallway. Ella squirmed down from his arms as Marienne headed down the stairs. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“I heard the doorbell,” she said. “I was hoping it was you.” She flung her arms around him and he no longer cared that he was at Bob’s house or that he was still freezing, because for a moment everything felt right. He held her close, breathing in her sweet vanilla scent, letting her body warm him. He pulled away just enough to kiss her. Her mouth fit perfectly with his. Heat surged through him.
Bob cleared his throat. Daniel was tempted to ignore him and keep kissing Marienne.
“Sorry,” Marienne said, flushing.
Daniel kept his arm around her waist, and she leaned into him.
“No need to apologize.” Bob smiled. “Daniel. You want a cup of coffee?”
“Actually, I still have a taxi outside, I wasn’t sure what the plan was for tonight.”
Bob spoke before Marienne could get a word in. “You might as well stay here. Though someone should go to your house and get a fire going for a few hours so your pipes don’t freeze. I haven’t been able to run the generator since noon because there wasn’t any gas left. I’ll get more tomorrow.”
Daniel looked at Marienne. “I guess I’ll have the driver bring me back to our house then, and I’ll start up the fireplace.” His hand curled around Marienne’s hip. He didn’t want to let go of her.
“No need for a driver. You can borrow my truck. You won’t want to spend the night there in the dark anyway. Run the fireplace a while then come back here. There’s plenty of room.”
“Thanks,” Daniel said, wishing he could feel more grateful for Bob’s hospitality. “I’ll go pay the driver.” He kissed the side of Marienne’s head before he headed back into the cold night air.
Daniel carried his suitcase into the house. Bob was waiting in the kitchen, two flashlights and a set of car keys in his hand. Freaking Boy Scout. Daniel reached out and took them. “Thanks. I guess I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“I’ll go with you,” Marienne said.
The idea thrilled him, but he didn’t want to make her go back to the cold, dark house. It was his turn to sit there in the darkness and tend to things. “No. Stay here where it’s warm.”
“I’ll be fine.” She grabbed her coat and put it on. “Besides, you don’t know where I left the candles and the matches.” Her hand slid up his back, and he quickly rethought his answer.
“Okay. If you insist.”
Marienne turned to Bob. “You don’t mind watching the kids for a few hours, do you? Drew should stay asleep and Ella and Katie will probably nod off watching their movie….”
“Don’t mind at all.”
“You’re the best,” she said. Daniel bristled then remembered her arm was around him, not Bob.
“Let me pour you guys some coffee to take with you. You’ll freeze to death waiting for the fire to start up.”
“Thanks.” Marienne smiled.
Pleasant and practical. I hate him.
Daniel watched with annoyance while Bob got out two travel mugs and filled them with coffee. Marienne poured in cream and stirred in sugar. She looked disturbingly comfortable in his kitchen. Daniel fidgeted, running his hand through his hair. He wanted to get out of there.
Marienne peeked into the living room. “The girls are already fast asleep,” she whispered.
“Good. I’ll just let them sleep down here. Use the garage door opener to come in when you get back. Marienne can show you where everything is.”
Daniel smiled though his nostrils flared. Let’s go.
Bob’s Ford Expedition felt enormous compared to Daniel’s Jeep Cherokee. He backed out onto the icy driveway hoping he wouldn’t hit anything. He heard Marienne’s teeth chatter.
“You sure you want to come?” Daniel asked, hoping like mad she’d say yes.
“Absolutely.” She put her hand on his leg and squeezed his thigh.
He almost backed into the mailbox.
What should have been a five-minute ride took almost fifteen, but they arrived safe and sound. Daniel held Marienne’s hand to keep her from slipping as they navigated the icy walkway. The house was still freezing, but being there with Marienne made it feel warmer. He carried in wood from the garage while she scrunched up newspaper in the fireplace. In no time they had a roaring fire going.
Daniel placed the sofa cushions on the ground in front of the fire while Marienne grabbed blankets from the chair. He pulled her onto his lap. “That’s better.”
“Mmmmmm.” She snuggled closer then shifted her weight. “Uh, I thought the cold was supposed to cause shrinkage.” She rubbed her butt against the hard ridge in his pants.
“In most men, yes.” He held her tighter.
“Well you’re definitely not like most men.” She trailed her icy nose along his cheek.
Daniel closed his eyes as his mouth found hers. It could have been twenty below in the house, the walls could have fallen down around them, he wouldn’t have cared—all he could think about was Marienne.
****
For the first time in days, Marienne felt warm. She was so focused on kissing Daniel she had to remind herself to breathe. I could stay like this forever.
One strong hand massaged the back of her neck while the other went to work on her clothes, untangling her scarf, unzipping her coat. He ran his fingers over her breast as he kissed his way down her neck, his breath hot against her skin.
“I know it’s freezing,” he said, between kisses. “But you’re wearing entirely too much clothing. This sweater is enormous.”
“It ought to be—it’s yours.”
“Mmmmmmmm.” He moaned, running his lips over her ear. “I love it when you wear my clothes.” He worked his way through the layers of material until he reached her bare belly. His fingertips slipped beneath the edge of her waistband as he started to undo her jeans. She shivered, more from anticipation than from the temperature. His hand dipped down inside her panties.
“I missed you.” She kissed him as she stroked the bulge in his pants.
He twitched beneath her palm. “I missed you too.” His fingers thrummed against her.
She could scarcely breathe. “I can’
t wait anymore.”
Daniel wasted no time removing his pants. “Ughhh.” He trembled. “It’s freezing.” He pulled a blanket up around them as Marienne snuggled closer, their bare legs intertwined. “That’s better.” He nestled into place. With a shift of her hips, he was inside her.
“Oh God.” She closed her eyes, thoughts jumbled in her brain. His lips brushed her eyelids, then her nose, before coming to rest on her mouth. He kissed her hungrily. Her fingers sank into his hair.
I missed you so much. Don’t ever go away again.
She wrapped her legs around him as he moved faster.
Oh God. So good.
She shook from head to toe. The flames from the fireplace flickered behind her eyelids matching the heat Daniel created inside her. She felt her body tighten from deep within, contracting around him as the orgasm tumbled through her. “Daniel.” She breathed his name into his mouth.
He answered with a resounding groan, still moving inside her. She locked her ankles, drawing him closer then felt his body release. He shuddered, pulsating within her. She pressed her hand against the warmth of his back, kissing his chest through his shirt.
A loud beep and flash of light startled her. The power was back on.
Daniel opened his eyes and laughed. “I knew we were good, but I didn’t realize we were that good.”
Marienne giggled and he kissed her. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
****
They snuggled together in front of the fire, recuperating and waiting for the house to heat up now that the furnace was running. Daniel ran his hand up and down Marienne’s bare thigh, unable to keep from touching her. She rubbed her knuckles along his jaw.
“You look good—all stubbly.” She gazed up at him, her eyes sleepy but twinkling.
“You look good in my sweater.” He pressed against her.
“I’m glad to hear that, I’ve been wearing it most of the week.”
He pulled back to look at her.
She shrugged. “It’s silly but it made me feel like a part of you was with me.”
His heart beat unevenly. “That’s not silly at all. If I’d have had some of your clothes with me I’m sure I’d have worn them too.”
Holding On Page 18