Playing for Hearts

by Debra Kayn

  “Come on,” he said.

  “Juan.” She dragged her feet. “Please, don’t. This is embarrassing.”

  “No, it’s normal and it’s time you realized that I don’t see you as anything but wonderful.” He continued into the main room. “Time to dish up,” he announced.

  “Oh my God,” Dana whispered.

  Maria jumped up from the couch. “I’m stuffed, but I never turn down dessert. What kind?”

  “French vanilla.” Juan passed her a spoon.

  Dana had a lot to learn about how a real family communicated and treated each other. He’d challenged his mom more times than he was proud of, but at the end of the day, he knew she’d have his back and he was loved. He wanted Dana to experience acceptance, even if she couldn’t cook and rather keep part of herself secret to them all.

  “Ah, ice cream. That brings back some good memories.” His mom squeezed his arm and smiled. “Remember the summer I bought the electronic ice cream mixer?”

  Juan laughed and turned to Dana, who stood back from everyone biting her lip. “When I was twelve — ” he pointed at Maria “ — and she was ten, Mom bought this ice cream maker at a garage sale down the street. Then she proceeded to turn Saturdays into a special family time by serving homemade ice cream to us.”

  Maria snorted. “Ugh. Don’t remind me. Too bad we couldn’t afford a therapist, because I needed one back then.”

  “Shush, Maria. You’re being melodramatic.” His mom licked her spoon and grinned at Dana. “That ice cream maker put our family on the map. In our neighborhood, Juan’s achievements make the news, but I’m the famous one among our friends.”

  Juan scooped a heaping spoonful of ice cream in a bowl and handed it to Dana. “At the end of the summer, Mom invited the neighbors to a get-together at our house … a backyard party. She served her famous ice cream.”

  He took a bite and swallowed. Dana stared at him. He waved his spoon. “Personally, I thought Mom’s ice cream was the best thing I’d ever tasted. I don’t know what the big deal was.”

  “It’s gross.” Maria stuck her tongue out.

  “You say that now, but you ate it all summer long.” His mom walked over and stood beside Dana.

  “What made you famous?” Dana pulled out a chair and sat.

  Juan took the seat beside her.

  “It turns out that the man I bought it from used the ice cream maker as a dog food dish for his St. Bernard for years.” Mom covered her mouth and laughed. “Of course, I had washed it before using it, but everyone on the block had seen the dog eat out of it on the porch. Anyway, I brought the machine out onto the picnic table, and the next thing I know, that St. Bernard knocked me down and ate up all our ice cream. There was nothing any of us could do, but stand and watch the dog eat all the ice cream.”

  “The dog ruined your party,” Dana said.

  His mom shook her head. “Oh no, not at all. I’d made extra ice cream and had twenty gallons in the freezer. I brought more out, but by that time everyone could picture the dog — with all that drool, eating out of the ice cream maker, and refused to eat any. For the next six months, we had a bowl of ice cream every night until it was gone.”

  “She became famous, and I was ridiculed.” Maria rolled her eyes and sat at the table. “When I went to school, kids would put doggy biscuits on my desk. I never lived it down.”

  Juan threw back his head and laughed. “I still think it was the best ice cream.”

  Dana smiled. He grinned at her, glad to see her relaxing. For several minutes, they all concentrated on finishing dessert.

  Finally, Dana cleared her throat. “I didn’t make the lasagna.”

  His mom set her spoon in her bowl. Juan reached under the table and laid his hand on Dana’s leg.

  “To tell you the truth, I can’t cook.” She looked at Juan. “I wanted to impress you, so you both would think Juan had a wife who could take care of him, but I’m afraid I’m the lucky one in our marriage. Juan has a wonderful family, and he’s done more for me in the short time we’ve been married than I can ever do in a lifetime. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, but I thought it would be better to buy already made food and ice cream from the store, and not give you food poisoning or embarrass Juan.”

  Maria rose from her spot, leaned over, and hugged Dana. Juan sat back, watching his wife in awe. Never had he been so humbled and proud. Dana had given him a gift that he’d hold close to him forever. She honored his family. What Dana didn’t understand was that he was the man he was today because of his mom.

  “My son has been blessed his whole life. But today, he is rich.” Mom held Dana’s face in her hands. “He has enough money to buy anything he wants, except you. You’re priceless and a gift to someone like him. Remember that, Dana. Cooking dinner … that’s unimportant when I can see how he looks at you, and know he’s truly happy and content, probably for the first time in his life.”

  Dana nodded. “Thank you.”

  “All right, it’s getting too crowded in here.” Maria picked up everyone’s empty bowls. “I’m going to put these in the sink, and then Mom and I are going to our room. I’m sure Juan has an early morning. He’d probably like to relax before he goes to sleep.”

  Maria glanced over her shoulder on her way to the door and whispered, “Mom will fall asleep after the ten o’clock news, and I’m hitting the lounge. If you two want to join me, the drinks are on me.”

  Juan winked at his sister, and stayed put. Nothing would drag him away from Dana tonight. He had plans to show Dana how much he appreciated her.

  Two beats after the front door closed, Dana leaned over and rested her head on his arm. “I want your family.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “I want you.”

  She raised her gaze. The same desire he was feeling reflected back in her eyes. He stood and scooped her out of the chair.

  Finally, he had his wife to himself. He had an early practice scheduled for the morning, and he wasn’t wasting a single minute.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Juan’s grunt of approval this morning pleased her. Dana planted her hands on his chest. Dinner last night had turned into a wonderful evening spent with his family because of him. Afterward, she’d shown him how grateful she was of his support.

  “Thank you.” Dana nibbled on Juan’s ear. “Again.”

  He’d shown her how appreciative he was of her skills in bed. Now it was her turn to show him how much having him appreciate her meant to her, and she wasn’t going to let him get away with going to practice until she was through with him.

  She slid down onto his erection. She caught her lip between her teeth as her body trembled in pleasure. It was always magical when they came together. He belonged in her, and she luxuriated in the contentment and excitement of having him again.

  She leaned forward and braced her hands on the mattress above his shoulders. Slow, steady, and spectacular, she indulged in having him all to herself. Nobody around to distract him or calling him for an interview, just him and her, enjoying their short-term marriage.

  Every nerve in her body hummed. Undulating her hips against him, she grew engrossed with how well their bodies matched. He had all the strength and power that she needed, and the understanding that she craved. Her breath left her with each of his thrusts.

  Her inner muscles squeezed and caressed him with each stroke. Her head fell forward and Juan cradled her head while his hips moved and his tongue entered her mouth. Overloaded on sensations, a scream built up deep inside of her, exciting her more.

  Juan gripped her hips. She arched her back and rode him hard.

  “That’s it, babe … ”

  She let the pulsating muscles explode, and sweet release washed over her. “God, yes!”

  Juan thrust one last time and shuddered underneath her. She sagged on top of him, chest to chest, and sighed as he ran his hands up and down her back. The way he touched her soul filled her with an overwhelming sense of belonging.


  Once they arrived in Germany and the Olympics were over, they’d go their separate ways. Then she’d straighten out her life. She swallowed hard. Then she’d lose Juan.

  “Hey.” He rolled to his side, taking her with him. “You shivered. Are you cold?”

  “I’m fine.” She stroked his face. “Although you need to shower and hit the slopes, and I need to make a phone call to my father.”

  He kissed her quickly. “Five minutes, and I’ll be ready.”

  She sat up and watched him walk into the bathroom naked. Proud and confident, he strutted and she couldn’t help melting a little. She could spend every day of her life with him, and never get tired of looking at him. His body, trained for the sport of skiing, had not an ounce of extra fat.

  When he hugged her, he was hard, tight, and secure. A boulder that remained steady and stable. His body matched his personality. He made her feel perfect, when she knew she had her faults.

  She worried too much. She was uptight about schedules. She convinced everyone in her life that she was unemotional like her father, but Juan saw past her shields. And even though he’d witnessed her vulnerabilities, he accepted her. Even more, he respected her more for opening up to him.

  He totally confused her.

  Not once since they’d had sex had he brought up what would happen after they went to Germany. She’d reminded him several times that they’d better enjoy themselves while they could, because their time together was short. He always changed the subject, or took her to bed.

  She sighed. His life was set on a different path than hers. He was Amante Español. She was Colton Reese’s daughter.

  Juan walked out of the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. He grinned. “Going in late?”

  “No.” She climbed out of bed. “I just wanted to kiss you goodbye for the day, before I jumped in the shower.”

  He tagged her waist and dragged her to his chest. His mouth came down, and she molded her body against his. He nudged her mouth open and she gasped, pushing against him.

  “Juan.” She covered her mouth. “You can’t kiss me now.”

  “What?” He stalked toward her.

  She backed away and ran around the bed. “You brushed your teeth. It was fine when we both had morning breath, but you can’t kiss me like that before I have my turn in the bathroom.”

  He plopped down on the edge of the mattress, laughing. “You’re cute.”

  “There’s nothing cute about — ” she stuck her tongue out, “ — ugh.” She hurried out of his room and into hers.

  While she waited for the shower to heat, she brushed her teeth. Once she lathered her hair, she was smiling. Juan’s playfulness endeared him to her.

  “Babe?” Juan said.

  She grabbed the towel hanging over the shower door, wiped her eyes, and peeked out. “Come here.”

  He stepped forward and she gave him a kiss. “Have a nice day, honey.”

  “Honey?” He ogled her body. “I like that.”

  “Me too.” She splashed him with water. “Now go break records, and be careful. I don’t want you worn out for later. I’m not done with you.”

  “I like hearing that even better.” He kissed her once more. “Later.”

  After he left, she finished showering. She hummed while she dressed, and completed her morning ritual with ten minutes to spare.

  Time to call her dad. She pushed the button on her phone while she stood in the middle of the room. From experience, she knew it was best to have lots of room to pace off her frustrations when she made her weekly call to inform him how business was going.

  The call always put her in a bad mood. Nothing she did ever impressed her father. There were always other employees who sold more, worked longer hours, and would kiss her dad’s ass. She wasn’t an ass kisser.

  Her plans went beyond Reese Enterprise and making her dad’s Employee of the Month list. Some day, she’d be his sole competition, and prove to everyone that she could make it on her own without her daddy’s help. In the meantime, she learned more about the business, made contacts, and waited for the right timing to put her dreams into action.

  Dad’s secretary answered.

  “Hi, Loralei. Is my dad around?”

  Of course he was. She called him every Thursday, and every Thursday he informed her she could do better with her life. She spotted one of Juan’s stocking caps on the arm of the couch, and scooped it up. Maybe she’d take an early lunch, sneak outside, and watch a few minutes of Juan’s practice.

  She held his hat up to her nose and inhaled when her dad came on the line. “Hi, Daddy.”

  While her father launched into an overview of the reports she’d faxed him last night, she stretched her arm above her head and leaned to the left. Then she switched the phone to the other hand, and repeated the motion. Why was she so stiff?

  She smiled to the empty room. Juan.

  The last several days they’d taken every spare moment to have sex. She widened her stance, and stretched her hamstring. An occasional “uh huh” spoken over the phone appeased Dad and she continued to recharge her body through her yoga moves.

  After five minutes, her dad ended his long list of suggestions on how she could be doing better with regards to sales and customer service. She inhaled a deep breath, prepared to agree with him, when he launched right into the Rainier account.

  “Unbelievable. I taught you better than to throw money away on a sure deal.” Dad exhaled loudly over the phone. “They were all set to buy, and you went ahead and threw away money by gifting a case of helmets.”

  “You’re kidding me.” She stopped moving. “You’re going to tell me that spending a thousand dollars’ worth of helmets to seal an almost three hundred thousand dollar order is hurting the company?”

  Her only enjoyment on Thursdays came when she bested her dad. Last Thursday, it was gaining the Shasta account. Today, she’d outsmarted him. Because victory was sweet, she let him lecture her until he thought he’d proven his point.

  Then she dropped the shocker.

  “Look on the invoice, and you’ll see that I used my own account to send the helmets. Besides the commission I made on the Rainier sales, I’m happy to report that yesterday I received an order from Bockman, triple the size of the Rainier order. Let me refresh your memory, Dad.” She paused to get his attention. “Reese has never been able to get a spot on the Bockman list of buyers in over twenty years.”

  Her father’s silence boosted her confidence. She danced a few steps and plopped down on the couch, no longer needing to pace.

  “So, besides the three hundred grand, I brought in almost a million from a new account, an account you drool over in your sleep, and all it cost you is the embarrassment of knowing your daughter used a grand of her own money. Money you know the commission will cover times twenty.” She crossed her legs and swung her foot. “Feel free to write me an early Christmas bonus, because I do believe I climbed the ladder right over all your wannabes, and I’m sitting in the Saleswoman of the Year seat.”

  A formal grunt of acceptance from her dad, and Dana changed the subject to one that made the dreaded Thursday phone call worth every minute of pain. “How are the boys?”

  “Max and Alex miss you. Jonathon has a new girlfriend — ” he said something to his secretary, “ — she’s from the Randolf family. The whole situation is causing undue stress to my wife, so I’m taking her to the Bahamas next month.”

  She sat up straighter. “Where are the boys staying?”

  “They’re in school, so — ”

  “I’ll come over and stay at the house.” She scratched the palm of her hand with her fingernail. “That way they won’t miss school, and I can work from your office. I’m closing the shop here a week early, because I’m going with Juan to Germany. I’ll be back in time to take care of them.”

  Her dad asked about Juan, and she covered with her pre-planned excuse. “You know he’ll be busy with all the interviews, sponsored events, and traveling around giving li
ve interviews. It’ll be the perfect time for me to stay with the boys while he’s busy.”

  Excited that she’d have a distraction for when she’d be dealing with having Juan gone from her life, she ended the call. She jumped to her feet, and shimmied around the room. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

  “Good news?” Juan said.

  She screamed and whirled around. “I thought you were gone.”

  “I came back for my hat.” He pointed to his stocking cap on the couch.

  She sagged in relief, her hand pressed to her chest. “You should learn to make noise when you come in the suite. I think I’m having a heart attack.”

  He chuckled. “Your dad’s phone call make you happy?”

  She waved her hand. “Regardless that I made him money and gained him more business, I’ve still disappointed him because I refuse to follow his example. Same ol’ thing, but I have good news.”

  “What?”

  “I get to take care of my brothers for a week next month while their mom and our dad go out of town.” She handed him his hat.

  He sat down beside her on the couch. “I can see that makes you happy.”

  Silence stretched between them. She inhaled deeply, her heartbeat slowing down after Juan scared her.

  “I’ll walk down with you. It’s time to open the shop,” she said.

  “Hang on a minute.” Juan ran his hands over his face. “Why do you let your father de-value what you put into his company? I’ve watched how much you do, and though you’re only in charge of one shop, you’re working in sales and distributing large orders outside the regular venue. Yet from the sound of it, your dad doesn’t give you the accolades you deserve. Why?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She moved to stand, but he stopped her. “Honestly, I could discover a new country, and he’d still find fault in how I accomplished to make history.”

  “You deserve the acknowledgement for all the work you do,” he said quietly.