by Melissa Beck
If she had to agree to chastity around him, her body would burn and have no relief. But she would have him, for three more days.
"Okay."
He smiled slowly, his mouth curving. “One kiss. To seal the deal."
One kiss. The devil on her shoulder whispered, “He hurt you. Now's your chance to make him burn, too."
"One chaste kiss,” she promised sweetly. “Over there. Behind the apple tree."
She went around the tree to the side that faced the house, so they had privacy from the road. He came to her, and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his mouth to hers, and she pushed her body against him. He became hard almost immediately.
Good. Suffer, Daniel.
She moved her hips, and his erection shifted.
He groaned, and parted her teeth to grind his tongue into her willing mouth.
She tilted her head to allow him complete access, and thrust her tongue into his mouth, to play with him. To rouse him to the point where she was, that hot, sexual pivotal point.
With his hand, he molded her sweater to her breast, pushing its rough wool back and forth over her sensitive nipple. Damn. She'd thrown the sweater on without her bra to go to the bus stop. This was heavenly torture.
She'd had some game in mind. What was it? Fog had slipped into her brain, this incredible blindness that intensified her sense of smell, so that her nostrils filled with Daniel's warm, soapy scent. Daniel pressed her against the tree, his strong, hard body pinning her there, but the rough bark only heightened her pleasure.
She reached between them and cupped her palm over his crotch, and as he groaned and pushed himself against her fingers, she had no idea what it was she'd started out to do to him.
Sex. All she wanted right now was him inside her. To stop this pounding, throbbing swirl of—
Wait a minute. Air. Nothing but air there.
He'd stepped away.
Slowly, she came back to awareness of the world, and opened her eyes to see him standing back a step, gaping at her with the strangest expression.
"I—I'm sorry.” He stared at her mouth. “I don't know what got into me. I've never—"
"It's okay.” Struggling against the dizzying thrill distorting her vision and her thinking, she managed, “It's me. I was trying to get back at you."
He just kept looking at her. Frowning. Finally, he murmured, “Yeah. It's you, all right. Definitely you.” Holding out his hand, he pulled her off the tree so she stood in front of him. “Come on. Let's go in the house and try to act civilized."
He walked so fast toward the house, she stumbled to keep up with him. But he wouldn't let go of her hand.
Behind his back, she smiled. Nice work, Devil.
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Chapter Twelve
Inside the house, Daniel wandered over and stood by the kitchen table. Gretchen grabbed the sponge at the sink and began diligently wiping the counter, trying not to appear knocked off her feet by his continued presence. That danged seductive move had sure backfired in her face.
Out of her peripheral vision, she watched him rap his knuckles on the table a few times, shift his feet, and stare at her.
What he was thinking? Was he bored with her? Frustrated, like she was? Sad at all, because he'd be leaving?
He flicked the cereal box around and examined the puzzle game on back for all of two seconds. Catching Gretchen's sideways glance, he growled, “Tell me again why you kissed me like that?"
Good. Verbal proof that he was frustrated, too. That or angry. “It was stupid. Forget it."
"I wouldn't call it stupid.” Picking up Amy's bowl and spoon, he carried them over to the sink. When he turned to Gretchen, his gaze searched hers. Raw emotion seemed to flash there for an instant, before he closed his expression. “I should be going."
Clunk. Clunk.
They glanced toward the hallway where Scooby sprawled and was gnawing the huge bone she'd given him earlier. It banged against the floor as he repositioned it between his paws.
Daniel caught her gaze. His eyes twinkled.
She chuckled, silently thanking the dog for the comic relief.
Daniel's pupils darkened. “I want to stay here today.” His husky tone reminded her of their kiss. “Stay with you."
Her heart beat like a warning drum as she stared at his mouth, desire for him bubbling to the surface again. “I—I have to get to the shop."
"I know. I know your schedule now."
A nervous laugh escaped her. “You should. It doesn't change much from day to day.” Yesterday's sex in the afternoon being the obvious exception. Remembering it left her a little breathless as she said, “By the way, how was Cincinnati?"
His gaze drifted downward, to linger on her mouth again. “Boring."
"Really?"
"Really.” He touched her arm, and smoothed his fingers down from her shoulder to her wrist. He slid it back up again, stirring the warm embers of sexual energy inside her. “I've got to get to Wally's to wrap up his marketing plans. And you've got to get to the shop.” He squeezed her shoulder, and regret seemed to shimmer in his gaze before he released her. Turning to the steps, he said, “Meet you and Amy at the park when school's out?"
"Okay.” She remembered something. “Oh, I can't!"
He turned back to her, a question in his eyes.
"I told Cile I'd help her take in peoples’ baked goods for the sale table at the festival. It's usually Eula's job, but since she's not well, a bunch of us volunteered to pull it together."
His mouth tightened, and he looked down.
"Why don't you join us there for dinner?” she said, sensing he felt left out. “We're doing a barbeque on the property, our kickoff party for the locals. It starts at six-thirty."
"I'll be there.” He flashed her a grin, and left.
Gretchen sat at the table a while after he'd gone, thinking about that grin. Watching him smile was like watching Amy smile, and brought her that same sense that things were right with the world.
It was weird how at first she couldn't believe he'd come to Marydale and found them. Now she couldn't believe he'd be leaving in a few days. She wasn't sure how things had changed so quickly. But when she and Daniel were together, things always happened fast.
She wished she could throw away the clocks and calendars, close down the airport and hide all other forms of transportation.
Maybe then, Daniel would stay.
* * * *
"Think the banner and fliers'll be enough of a lure?” Wally asked Sam. “Whadda ya think people will say about the caves museum? Will they like my collection of antique coffins and urns? And how about my replica of the catacombs? Think it looked real?"
Sam glanced over his shoulder at the casket warehouse they'd just exited, and croaked, “Not sure I'm the one to ask at the moment. My breakfast isn't sitting too well."
Wally clapped him on the back. “Not scared of death, are ya?"
"Uh ... no?"
"Come on, now. It's part of the circle of life. Anyway, you'll get over it. You'll live."
"Coming from you that means a lot,” Sam cracked, and turned and stalked to Wally's car. He climbed into the passenger seat, and as Wally opened the driver's door, said, “Make it snappy. I have to talk to my brother. I need to find out what happened to him in Cincinnati last night. That was not the Daniel I know."
"I know what happened.” Wally pulled a pair of aviator sunglasses out from under the window visor and shoved them into place on his nose. “And it happened before last night."
"Fill me in, then,” Sam said as they headed away from the warehouse and back toward town. “Tell me what I need to know to get the boy back to Chicago. Don't keep me in the dark."
"It's my job to keep people in the dark,” Wally drawled.
"Oh, brother.” Sam expelled the words like a sigh. “How can Daniel work with someone with your sense of humor?"
"Work with me?” Wally glanced at him. “What about the way you try to
micromanage him? Just the other day, Daniel said to me, ‘It's different here. Nobody's breathing down my neck, expecting me to jump through hoops to make them happy.’”
"That doesn't sound like something Daniel would say. He's not the type to expound on his feelings."
"So maybe he didn't exactly say all that,” Wally conceded. “All I'm saying is, maybe he's been concentrating on what makes him happy."
"Daniel thrives on his work. The tougher the deals, the better, as far as he's concerned."
Wally snorted but didn't say anything else.
Sam stared out his window. He wanted Daniel to be happy, and he was convinced he'd be happiest if he bagged Toyco. They needed it. They deserved it. No small-time guy in a small-town place would make him question his business savvy.
When they reached town, they parked near the square and strolled toward the diner where they were to hook up with Daniel.
As they approached their rendezvous spot, Sam saw his brother sauntering toward them with a slight, attractive woman and a little girl by his side. That had to be Gretchen Parks, and the child, Amy. Daniel held the little girl's hand. Every so often, he'd stop their procession to twirl her around under his arm. Each time, her smile widened and she laughed, a jiggling, happy sound.
"Check it out,” Wally murmured. “They look like a family."
"Yeah,” Sam grated.
A kid in the park square let out a shrill whoop, distracting him, and he watched two boys chase each other around the bushes.
Wait a minute. What was that guy doing standing there with his camera pointed straight at Daniel?
Eddie Artis. Daniel had said he was stalking him.
But why?
He left Wally and started toward the park. Artis didn't notice, he was so busy snapping shots of Daniel, Gretchen and Amy. He almost reached the photographer before the leech looked up and happened to catch sight of him.
"What the hell are you doing?” Sam ground out between clenched teeth.
A woman sitting on a nearby bench glared at him.
He shrugged apologetically, and muttered to Artis, “Get out of here before I call the cops."
"What cops?” Eddie took his time looking around. “I've only met one around here. They call him Junior, and this time of day, he ventures into the bakery for an apple fritter."
Furious, Sam glanced back toward the sidewalk, where Wally had met up with Daniel. They were busy talking, and weren't looking his way.
"Who sent you here, Artis?” he hissed, kicking at his oversized camera bag. “Who's signing your paycheck?"
"Take a guess."
"Chroma Agency."
Eddie grinned. “You win the prize."
"Why?” Sam ground out between his teeth, while nodding to a mother who passed by with her toddler in a stroller. “Didn't they get their money's worth out of the councilman's daughter? What could they possibly find of interest here? What exactly are you setting up this time for that irreverent rag of a paper you sell to?"
Eddie shrugged. “Y'ask me, it's child abandonment."
So that was John Chroma's new plan of attack. He was using everything in his bag of tricks to garner negative press for Daniel. A smooth move, since they were in talks for a toy company's business, as in good moral values for children and families. The councilman's daughter issue had been swept under the carpet. But how could they run interference on child abandonment? He began to feel sick again as he visualized the photos and captions beneath them. Something like that could even hit the Tribune's more respectable pages. And that would spell disaster for Daniel's reputation.
With a last, threatening glare in Eddie's direction, he turned and marched back across the street.
"Sam!” As he reached his group, Daniel greeted him with a grin that quickly turned into a frown of concern. “You look a little green about the gills. You should've stuck to your one beer policy last night."
"It's the unusual flora and fauna around here.” Sam glanced meaningfully in Eddie's direction. “I think I'm allergic."
Daniel followed his glance, but immediately flipped his attention back to Sam, his eyes communicating, “Ignore him."
"Gretchen and Amy have been excited about meeting you,” he said, as if no cues had passed between them.
Sam met Gretchen's blue-black gaze. Very pretty. Nice smile she flashed at Daniel when he looked her way, too. Huh. He sure seemed different with this one. Because of her, though, Daniel had put the brakes on the Toyco deal, and that stung. “Nice to meet you,” he murmured solemnly.
He looked down at the little girl.
When she tilted her heart-shaped face toward him, dark brows swooped down in a familiar, assessing move.
He flashed back to when he'd first held each of his boys. Even then, he'd noticed the definition of brows on their tiny new faces.
Did Daniel and Gretchen realize she had exactly half of each of them in her? No wonder his brother had nixed the need for a paternity test.
"Hi,” he said softly.
She didn't say anything. She simply swung her hand in Daniel's and with those big eyes seemed to gauge Sam's value to the planet.
Gretchen took up Amy's other hand. Nodding at Wally and Sam, she said, “Sorry, but we have to run. Amy has a play date at her friend's, and I'm off to meet Cile for some marathon shopping for bake sale ingredients.” To Sam, she added, “Nice meeting you."
He nodded.
Daniel sent her a tender look. “See you later."
She beamed back at him.
He watched them walk away.
Sam looked at Wally, whose expression clearly read, “See? I told you so."
Sam's gaze narrowed on Daniel. “You did it, didn't you? You slept with her again."
"Is that any business of yours?"
Sam smacked a fist into his palm. “I knew this would happen. I knew I should've come here earlier."
"You slept with Gretchen?” Wally sent Daniel a look of exaggerated shock. “How dare you not allow your brother to orchestrate it? You've really ticked him off now.” The chuckle lines at the outer corners of his eyes proved he was teasing.
Sam shot him a stony look, and turned back to Daniel. “I hope you understand you've put a severe kink in your custody case."
"Custody of what?” Now Wally's shock seemed genuine as he stared from Sam to Daniel.
"Sam, don't—"
"Custody of Amy."
"Dammit, Sam!” Daniel glared. Gretchen would eventually get wind of this and have his head. But right now, Wally's darkening expression meant he required an explanation. “She's my daughter, Wally."
"No way."
"Of course she is,” Sam snapped. “Can't you tell? You said yourself they looked like a family."
Wally scratched his head, before spearing Daniel with an accusing look. “Then why'd you let Gretchen get away, back in Chicago? I told you, we all said whoever did that was a bastard."
"I didn't let Gretchen get away. She ran away from me. I didn't know she was pregnant."
"What was so bad about you that she didn't want to stay? She doesn't have a problem with you now."
"Yes, she does. She's afraid I'll run out on her."
Arms crossed, Sam leaned toward Wally. “I told you he was a player. Anyway, I'd like to believe in the two of them, too. But I'm afraid what's happening here isn't reality. Daniel's overwhelmed, so he's falling into something Gretchen wants from him. It's happened before, and it never works out for Daniel. He needs to get back to the city and into his routines."
Ignoring him, Daniel turned to Wally. “Can you keep this to yourself?"
"Why?"
"It's just between Gretchen and me. Amy doesn't even know. She thinks I'm a friend of her mother's."
"That's ridiculous. Why can't you tell her you're—” Wally stopped short. “Oh, I get it. Gretch doesn't want you to tell her you're gonna leave."
Daniel's mouth tightened. “Can you keep the secret or not?"
"Yeah. Sure."
Wally nodded. “But if you hurt her..."
Daniel snorted. “Get in line behind Joel. I believe he mentioned something about ripping my arm off."
"I'll rip your arm off, if it'll work some sense into you.” Sam checked his watch. “We've got a plane to catch. Are you coming or not?"
He shook his head. “I'm staying put until after the festival. I'll leave first thing Sunday morning."
"Kiss Toyco goodbye, then. Eddie's on Chroma's payroll. They're planning something to bring you down, and you're playing right into their trap."
"Eddie's followed me for years,” Daniel shot back. “If he helped make me known, it's only fair that he could knock me down a notch or two as well."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"Sure it does. But I never planned for that aspect of fame. I never thought reporters would come along and keep me in the papers as the agency gained success. It just happened, and for a while it was fun. But maybe its un-happening now is the natural course of things."
"Well, as your attorney, I say—"
Daniel held up a hand. “Tell me what you say as my brother and as a father. Should I spend a few more days with my daughter or not?"
Sam sighed, and with a last disapproving look, turned and walked away.
In the car on the way to the airport, he decided he'd try his best to save the deal, for Daniel and for him. His brother had been generous toward him with a percentage in the company, so he was heavily invested in The Nicholson Agency, planning for the boys’ colleges and Beth's and his retirement. Daniel would be taking all of them down with him, though, if he continued on this crazy quest to lose major deals. Why wasn't he just getting out of Ohio while he could? He should leave Gretchen and Amy to their own lives.
He pictured the three of them again, strolling down the sidewalk toward Wally and him, with that happy aura surrounding them.
What was he thinking, saying Daniel should leave them? When had he gotten so jaded? He rubbed his knuckles against his sternum, trying to soothe burning indigestion, and murmured, “Beth.” In a way, saying his wife's name was cleansing. Reminded him of what was good in him.