by Kelly, D.
It’s nice to see them all so young and happy. True friends are hard to come by and it looks like they have it in spades. All the pictures seem to end around the time of Jake and Daniel’s graduation so there isn’t anything recent. Of course, in typical bachelor house style there’s not one picture of any girl. Not even April. Maybe only pictures of those three are allowed since I didn’t see any of Mike, either. I wonder how often Jake and April come out to visit, or his other friend Mike. It might be nice for all of us to get together and barbecue or something one day. Shaking my head, I start walking toward the guestroom. You would think we were already coupled up and in love. Come on, Kate, get with it. One thing at a time. I open the door to the guestroom and walk in on Connor, Jess, and Daniel. Daniel’s digging in the closet and Jess and Connor are sitting on the bed, looking a little disheveled. Three guesses what they were just doing.
“Well, I didn’t think I would run into all of you in here. I guess it’s my lucky night. Now I don’t have to search for you in the masses. Why are you guys in here and not in Connor’s room?”
“I forgot to lock my door and some lucky couple is getting lucky in my bed.”
I start laughing and it makes me really have to pee. “You sound so upset about it. Why didn’t you just kick them out? Please don’t make me laugh because I really have to pee.”
“Well, considering that I was hoping to get lucky, I’m a little mad, but who am I to stop someone else from having a good night? That’s why we have extra sheets. I told them they had an hour before I kicked them out, so we came in here to pass the time. I’m not letting their good time wreck mine. Although, from what Daniel says, we should be able to just stay in here since you two are romancing it out under the stars tonight. Care to comment, Kate?”
I roll my eyes at him. “I wouldn’t call it romancing. It’s just two people getting to know each other in a quieter setting. I was coming in to tell Jess but someone beat me to it. You two are fine. Stay here and enjoy yourselves, just let me pee first.”
I can still hear them laughing from the bathroom. I also hear Jess talking; she’s a little loud when she drinks or maybe it’s her way of letting me know she’s got my back. “Daniel, you better not try any smooth moves on my girl tonight. It has taken me forever to get her to agree to come out again, and if you screw it up then YOU.WILL.BE.ON.MY.LIST. Got it?” She’s so overly dramatic sometimes, but I totally love her for it. I take my time washing my hands so I can hear Daniel’s reply.
“Jess, I swear you don’t have to worry about any smooth moves—only honesty and my irresistible sex appeal. I’ll be a boy scout, but if your girl makes a move you can’t really expect me to keep my hands to myself. I mean, I wouldn’t want to give the pretty girl a complex thinking she isn’t wanted just because I made you a promise, would I?”
As I come out of the bathroom I catch Daniel winking at Jess. “Fine, you have my permission, but only if she makes the first move. You hear that, Kate? He isn’t allowed to touch you unless you touch him first, so text me when he screws up so I can come down there and kick his ass. Unless, of course, you want him touching you…” I don’t even answer her question. Daniel has two blankets and two pillows in his arms. I take one set from him and grab his hand so Jess can see.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Jess. As you can see, I have no problem touching him.” With a wink over my shoulder, I flash them a smile and both she and Connor look happily surprised. “See you guys in the morning.”
Daniel and I walk hand in hand back to the garden. He goes to the shed and takes out a zipper bag with a sleeping bag and a pillow. After unzipping the sleeping bag and laying it out in the grass, he spreads the pillows out and takes off his shoes and jacket. He motions for me to join him and lies down, putting his hands behind his head, and looks up at the stars. As he lifts his hands, his shirt inches up a little and I see incredible six-pack abs that ignite my raging hormones even more. His jeans ride a little low and I see he’s got the V leading down and suddenly I’m feeling a little flushed. Tonight is going to be harder to get through than I thought.
Everything he does seems to be turning me on, whether he’s trying to or not. After taking off my shoes, I lie down next to him and he covers us with the first blanket.
“Kate, let me know if you get cold and I’ll cover us with the second blanket. Right now I don’t think we need it, do you?”
“No, I’m fine, especially with both of us under here. It’s a little warm already.” Turning onto my side, I snuggle into the crook of his arm. His muscles are well-defined and he pulls me closer into him. I fit perfectly in his arms. It feels like home, somewhere I’ve always belonged, and it’s unsettling but in a good way. I put my other arm across his chest and start asking questions.
“First question, what did you really say to Jess and Connor upstairs?”
“Nothing bad, I promise,” he says and lightly kisses my forehead. “They asked where you were, and I told them you were looking for a bathroom and that I came up for blankets. Of course, nosey as they both are, they wanted to know why. I told them we decided to have a night under the stars to get to know each other. The romance part was all Connor, but I didn’t correct him because I hope he’s right.
“My turn now. Kate, this is a deal breaker, so you have a fifty- fifty shot of getting it right. Dogs or cats?”
Great, a deal breaker over animals. Cats are creepy and I have a phobia about growing into that little old cat lady.
“Dogs, Daniel, only dogs, cats seriously creep me out.” I’m rewarded with another kiss on the forehead. I love this game.
“Me, too. I can’t stand cats. When I was a kid, our neighbor had a bunch of cats. One morning, my mom started the car to take me to school and we heard screeching and crying. Turns out one of the neighbor’s cats had crawled into the engine to get warm and when we started the car it killed it. My mom never started the car again without thumping on the hood. It was traumatic. I was only about nine, but remember thinking to myself if an animal is dumb enough to get itself killed like that then I never wanted one.”
“That’s an awful story! Now I’m going to have to bang on the hood of my car just to be sure that never happens to me! I’m glad we agree dogs are the way to go. Let’s see, do you have any brothers or sisters? I don’t have either. When I was little I wished for one, but as I got older I was really glad that I never got my wish.”
“No, I never had any siblings, either. My parents had me a little late. My mom was thirty-seven when she got pregnant. It was a tough road for her, and when she delivered me she hemorrhaged pretty badly and had to have a hysterectomy. She never seemed upset by it, though. I think it’s part of the reason we’re so close, although she’ll tell you it’s because I’m the only person that has ever heard what her heart sounds like from the inside.”
Oh. My. God. Could that be any sweeter? Maybe he is for real; all his kindness and sweetness must come from his mom. I would love to meet her someday. I wish mine was still around.
“Daniel, that’s so sweet. Your mom sounds like such an amazing woman.”
“She is one of my all-time favorite people. Hopefully, someday you’ll get to meet her. What about your mom? What is she like?”
I know I should be prepared for this question, and it shouldn’t bother me anymore, but it still hurts. I know he can see the unshed tears in my eyes.
“My mom died when I was ten years old. We were in her room and she was getting ready to go to a charity dinner with my dad. She was complaining of a headache but said she wasn’t going to let a silly headache keep her from a good cause. She took some Advil and tried to push through it. She made it down the stairs, grabbed her coat and purse, and just fell to the ground. They did what they could, but the doctor’s couldn’t save her. She had a massive brain aneurysm and died, just like that—right in front of me and my dad, Michael and his family, and Jess and her aunt Maryanne. Jess’s mom is always traveling for work, so Maryanne pret
ty much raised us both after my mom passed.” I feel the tears running down my cheeks but Daniel tenderly wipes them away. I don’t know why I still cry when I talk about her, I just miss her so much and it all happened so fast.
“I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry, sweetheart, or bring up sad memories for you. I had no idea you lost your mom. I’ve been rambling on about mine all night. I feel like such an ass.” Daniel is still wiping my cheek and kissing my forehead. It’s so loving, so intimate—I can’t imagine a more perfect reaction to my overreaction.
“It’s okay. You couldn’t have known. Sometimes I just miss her more than others. I can tell how much you love your mom and I love that you do and don’t take her for granted. So many people don’t appreciate the things that their parents do for them, but I can tell you aren’t one of those people at all. I respect you for that. Your parents should be very proud of who you turned into. Most people would think when one parent passes away the other parent would pick up the slack and become closer to the child, but that wasn’t the case with me. I was never really close with my dad, and the older I got, the more manipulative he became. Not just with me, but with everyone. I used to try and give him the benefit of the doubt, but that all stopped my freshman year of college. He did some very unforgivable things that year. We rarely talk now, and when we do it’s very superficial, but I don’t think he even notices there’s a problem. He’s always been very self-centered—very me, me, me—so when I don’t really talk I don’t think he even notices. Most of the time, talking to him literally makes me sick to my stomach, but he’s my dad so I continue to try. I just don’t know how much longer I will. When I graduate, I want to go to graduate school to get a degree in child psychology. My dad wants me to start working in his company so that someday I can run it. I have zero interest in running a computer software company. My family is wealthy, and when I turn twenty-five I’ll inherit a trust fund from my mom. Once I have access to that money I can tell my dad that I’m not working for him… ever. I just don’t do it now because part of me wishes he will let me pursue what makes me happy and not what makes sense to him. At the end of the day, he’s my dad and I love him, I just don’t like him very much.”
I let out a sigh. This discussion is emotional for me. My dad does not put me in a good mood and I feel like I’ve made this night a big downer. Daniel seems genuinely interested, though. He’s still holding me, sprinkling my forehead with kisses, and has started running his hands through my hair. It’s relaxing and feels really good, but beyond that it feels right being here with him. I’m so glad I came tonight. I can’t wait to get to know more about him. I’m beginning to think he’s the real deal. I’m not sure how to process that, I don’t often let people into my world. My trust issues run deep, and it terrifies me how easily I seem to be letting my guard down around him.
Chapter 5 – Daniel
Wow. That is the one word that keeps running through my head while I’m lying here with Kate. It sounds like she’s had a very hard life. Listening to her pour her heart out, the old saying ‘money can’t buy happiness’ runs through my head. My family is well off. I’ve never wanted for anything, but I was always raised to work hard for my money. Physical labor, it’s how my dad was raised and his dad before him. Construction is a pretty lucrative business, especially when you have a good reputation and a long-term history in the areas you are building in.
My dad is always worried I’m going to meet some money-hungry girl who thinks she’ll be able to take advantage of us, and with Vanessa he was right. I still hear his voice in my head, ‘I told you, Son, that girl is nothing but a money-grubbing whore.’ It used to make me so angry because he would say that while we were together and it would always start a huge fight. He still says that any girl I marry will have to sign a pre-nup or she won’t be welcomed into the family. I don’t expect any girl I choose to be my wife to sign anything. I know it’s all about protection and such, but I only want to be married once, and I’m sure I’ll pick the right girl. Besides, if for some reason I pick a girl that doesn’t want to stay with me, I’m sure my heart will be so broken that I won’t care what she takes when she goes.
“My dad and I haven’t had the best relationship lately, but I know he’s got my back. He’s just rough on the exterior and doesn’t sugarcoat anything, although there are times when it would be nice if he would. The only exception to that is my mom; he loves her with all his heart and soul. He can have the worst day but he always comes home with a smile for my mom. The first thing he says when he walks in is ‘There’s my girl, come and give me some sugar’ after which my mom will give him a hug and a kiss. When I was a kid it used to really gross me out, but now that I’m older, I hope that someday I’ll have that with someone. They’re both vocal people, and you’ll know when they have a disagreement. My mom has rules we all live by. There are three of them. Never leave mad, never go to sleep angry, and never say goodbye without telling people you love them.” Lying here with Kate—wiping away her tears, kissing her, running my fingers through her hair, and just holding her close to me—I realize how much I want that. I want what my parents have, a love that withstands all else.
Looking into Kate’s eyes, I wish I could take away how much hurt emanates from the most beautiful green eyes I’ve ever seen. “I’m sorry you have so much hurt in your relationship with your dad, Kate. I have a rough relationship with mine, too, but I know when push comes to shove, he has my back. He has his own ideals about business, money, and what he considers money-grubbing women. My dad’s a worker; he believes in an honest day’s work and does not slack off. He’s very well off but lives very modestly in comparison. My dad has never flaunted his money and dislikes that people know he has it. He feels like it brings out the ones that just want a handout. He believes in chances, though. If you need help getting on your feet he’ll give you a job, but what you do with the opportunity he gives you is up to you. ‘Sink or swim’ in his words; there are no second chances in the world of McCormick Construction. My friend Mike that I told you about earlier was really in a hard place when I met him—mad at the world, mad at his parents, reeling from a bad break up with his girlfriend, and didn’t know how he was going to make it. My dad took him in, gave him a job, and had some of the guys train him. Mike has worked his way up to a supervisor in just three years, which is pretty impressive considering all he had to learn. I guess if I had to describe my dad I would say he’s a fair man that loves his wife more than anything in the world but his people skills need some work.”
I give her another kiss on the forehead, she seems to really respond to them, and gently rub her back. I love the way her body feels against mine, the way I can feel her heart beating against my chest in rhythm with my own. “One of the things I love about life is that we can make our own families. Sometimes we are given a family that doesn’t appreciate us or the lives they were given. There’s a reason those people are in our lives; maybe we can change them, or maybe their attitudes and lack of love for the things and people they should cherish will actually change us. I figure it this way, one of two things happens as you grow. You either A— grow up exactly like the people and environment you were raised in. Or B—you move in a completely opposite direction and grow into a better person—one who has learned from the things that devastated and disappointed you in your childhood, and you strive to become better. Family will always be your family, but the best thing about life is that you get to pick your mate, or maybe they pick you, and you build your own family. You can surround yourself with amazing friends—ones you love as if they were your own siblings. Eventually, when you have kids, they’ll open up a whole new dimension of love, one that is completely pure and untainted. I don’t dwell on what I feel like I don’t have, I just look forward to what life is going to bring. Right now, I’m extremely grateful that life has brought me here, to this moment, with you.”
When I lean in close to her she closes her eyes. I kiss her forehead and begin trailing kisse
s down her face, soft gentle kisses, making my way slowly to her mouth. God, her mouth is so sensual. She has perfect lips; her bottom lip is just a little pouty and I grab it lightly between my teeth. I feel her suck in her breath, and I slowly take her lip and suck on it while running my hands through her hair. I pull her in closer by the back of her head and slowly slide my tongue into her mouth, tasting her, claiming her as mine. She moans lightly, giving me an instant hard on.
This girl does things to me that I don’t understand, but my body does, and I definitely don’t want it to stop. She repositions herself on top of me. Part of me is embarrassed because it’s really obvious that I’m hard. The other part of me, the part that craves her touch, is imagining how good she would feel wrapped around my cock. She wraps her hands behind my head and kisses me hard, taking me deep into her mouth while she grinds on top of me. This is so fucking erotic I can’t stand it. I’m not sure what moved her to want to do this; I was really okay just kissing her and being with her, but this is incredible. I decide to hold back and take my cues from her but it’s not easy.
We’re both exploring each other’s bodies; she’s running her hands through my hair, continuously kissing me, moaning into my mouth as we kiss. I’m putty in her hands, moaning just as much as she is. I can’t help it; I have to have more of her. I run my hands down her hips and over her perfect ass, pulling her into me even harder. I have no clue how long we’ve been going at it but this is by far the best make out session I’ve ever had, even though I know I’ll have blue balls for days. Eventually, she’s the one to pull back from our erotic haven. She rolls off to the side and back into the crook of my arm. I pull her back into me while lying on my side and just hold her; I don’t know that I’ve ever felt more at peace.