by Angelo, Judy
“So Danny, you’re a school teacher, huh?” Storm asked.
She nodded but she didn’t turn her head. “Yes. I teach preschool.”
“So you teach in the daytime and moonlight as a chauffeur at nights and on weekends.” He grunted. “When do you have time for fun? A young kid like you should be out partying with your friends.”
Dani almost laughed out loud. What friends? She hardly even had time for herself let alone to socialize with friends. She didn’t say any of that, though. “I get by,” she said and left it at that.
For some time there was silence and Dani had begun to wonder if Storm had succumbed to his sleepiness when she heard his voice again.
“So, do you have a girlfriend?”
“Um, no…not right now.” He'd caught her off guard. Where in the world was he going with this?
“I don’t blame you, fellow. It’s good to take a break from women sometimes. They're something else, aren’t they?” He laughed softly, as if they were co-conspirators of some sort. “They're the most confusing creatures on the planet. Today they love you like you’re the only man in the world and tomorrow they can’t stand a bone in your body.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” she said, trying to sound like she knew what she was talking about.
“Trust me, don’t be fooled by all the glitz and glamour that some of them bring to the table,” Storm said with a snort of disgust. “The best thing you can do is find one who’s honest and real. If you find a woman like that, hold on to her for dear life. That kind of woman is precious and rare.”
Dani didn’t have an answer for that one so she said nothing. Thank goodness he didn’t press her. He fell back into silence and a glance in the rear view mirror told her that he’d leaned his head back and closed his eyes. To her relief he remained like that for the rest of the journey.
Now what had come over Mr. Billionaire to make him confide in her like that? He’d practically presented his life philosophy on the female sex. She chuckled to herself. If he only knew…
Storm did not open his eyes again until they arrived at the airport. He probably hadn’t been sleeping as she’d thought because he knew exactly when to sit up and he seemed fresh and alert. At his instructions she drove through a separate gate and then was directed to a ramp at the end of which sat an impressive private jet. There were a couple of immigration officers in the area ready to process Storm so that he could head out.
He hopped out of the car and while he was speaking to the agents Dani popped open the trunk to get his luggage. The carry-on bag and the smaller of the two suitcases came out easily enough. Then it was time for the one with the dead body. Using all her strength she hauled it toward her then she bent her knees as she’d been taught, grabbed the handles and lifted the massive weight out of the trunk.
And that was when it happened.
The suitcase tumbled out and fell to the ground with a thump, dragging her down with it. She started to pitch forward and only had time to let out a yelp before she was falling, face first, toward the tarmac.
In a microsecond Storm was there grabbing hold of her before her face slammed into the ground. He’d grabbed her by the collar and the back of her jacket and as he hauled her back upright her chauffeur's hat fell off and her mass of dark brown hair tumbled down her back and covered her face, hiding it from view.
“What the-” Storm’s hold on her slackened and she almost fell back to the ground. Then his hands tightened on her and he dragged her to her feet.
“Who are you?” His voice was full of outrage.
She pulled out of his grasp and pushed the hair away from her face. And found herself staring into the flashing, dark eyes of a very angry man.
“You’re not a guy. You’re a girl,” he said, his voice incredulous.
“I think I know that,” she said, deliberately keeping her voice light. Maybe they could both laugh this off. The situation was actually quite funny.
“Yeah, but I didn’t,” he bit out as he glared down at her. “Why didn’t you tell me? Was this supposed to be some kind of joke on me?”
Now she realized there was no hope that he’d laugh it off. Where was his sense of humor? “Look, I’m sorry I deceived you but it was for a good reason.”
“Like?” he demanded then he glanced at the men who were staring at them. Storm grabbed her elbow. “Come over here. You have some explaining to do.”
He marched her over to the far end of the limousine where they were partially hidden from view and only then did he let her go. “Now talk.”
Okay, so it was like that, was it? He was going to play rough. Well, she could be tough, too. Dani folded her arms across her chest, lifted her face and looked him straight in the eyes. “There’s no need for you to fly off the handle. I told you, I had a very good reason to conceal my true identity.”
“So spill it,” he said tersely.
“I had a scare my first week on the job. One of my passengers tried to grope me. I had to fight him off. I decided right then that I wouldn’t put myself at risk again.” Her voice was bold and unapologetic. If Storm Hunter didn’t get it, then tough. “Ever since that night I’ve concealed the fact that I’m a woman. It’s a whole lot safer, especially during late night pick-ups.”
There was a flicker in Storm’s eye then the tightness in his jaws slackened - just barely. “Well you could have told me. I wasn’t going to grope you. And I talked to you like you were a guy.”
So that was it. It wasn’t just that she had deceived him, it was that she'd deceived him so well that he’d shared some private thoughts with her, thoughts he’d probably only have shared with a man.
“I know and I’m sorry. But I’d already started being Danny the guy when I met you.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t very well just abandon that. And anyway, Tony asked me to maintain the disguise. He thought it was safer for me and his business.”
Storm was still frowning at her, seeming unconvinced with her line of reasoning. Then he expelled his breath and shook his head. “So what’s your real name, anyway?”
“It’s Dani.”
“Yeah, right.”
“No, it is. Really. I’m Dani with an I. It’s short for Danielle.”
He looked at her through narrowed eyes. “And are you really a school teacher?”
She nodded. “Everything I’ve said to you is true. Except for the being a guy part, which I never said. You were the one who assumed I was a guy so I never lied to you.”
“No, but you let me go on believing a false assumption.”
“Listen, I’ve already apologized to you and I’m not going to do it again. If you can’t understand the reason for my disguise then I can't help you.” She set her mouth in a rebellious pout and refused to back down. Billionaire or not, she was not about to let any man intimidate her.
That seemed to take him by surprise. He was probably not used to a woman standing up to him. He stared at her for several seconds then slowly, almost imperceptibly, he nodded. “Alright, I take your point. But from here on don’t even think of deceiving me again.”
And with that he turned on his heel and stalked off, leaving Dani staring after him.
CHAPTER FOUR
An hour had passed since the grand revelation and Storm still could not believe it. He'd been duped. Danny, or Dani as he would now have to think of her, had made a sucker out of him. Jeez, was he so easily fooled?
The signs had all been there but he’d been too stupid to see them. Now, in hindsight, he didn’t know how he could have missed the clues - the fullness of her lips, the softness of her cheeks, the silky smooth skin of her face. And each time he’d gone near her there’d been that faint fragrance of rose petals.
More than anything, though, he should have known something was wrong when the hair on his arms stood up each time she got close to him. He’d noticed it and thought it strange but then he dismissed it. But now he knew why.
Dani. She was different from any woman he knew. She was
bold and confident and she’d actually stood up to him when he tried to intimidate her. He couldn’t recall that ever happening to him except for his run-ins with his mother and mothers didn’t count.
He began to smile as he thought about Dani and then his smile turned into a chuckle. He was actually beginning to admire her spunk. She’d certainly taken him for a ride and she refused to apologize for it.
Then a thought came to him and he frowned. She was practical, down-to-earth and she did what she had to do to survive. She might actually be the answer to a whole lot of his problems, the primary one being how to get his father off his back.
What would Dani the chauffeur think about ditching that job to come work for him - as his fake fiancée? His smile widened into a grin. He was sure he could convince her to come on board with his plan. She looked like she needed the money. Why else would she have taken on the chauffeur job on top of her teaching career? This could be the solution to both their problems. She needed money and he had lots of it. He needed a female buffer for his annoying family and she looked like the kind of woman who, once the job was over, would cut loose - no strings attached. She didn’t strike him as the clinging vine type and that suited him perfectly.
Satisfied, Storm leaned back to enjoy the rest of the plane ride. When he returned Dani would be hearing from him.
What he’d hand her on a silver platter was an offer she would not be able to refuse.
******
“You want me to do what?” Dani stared across the table at Storm, not believing what she’d just heard.
“I want you to be my fiancée for hire." A mischievous grin tickled his lips.
“Are you serious?” she asked, and for some reason her heartbeat accelerated as she awaited his response. “You’re joking, right?”
“I’m very serious,” he said with a smile. “I find myself in a bit of a dilemma. My father insists that I find a wife and settle down. He’s decided that he’ll be dead in the very near future and is determined that he should see the face of his grandchild before he departs. My child.”
Dani sucked in her breath and glared at him. “You want to pay me to have your child?”
“Hold on, not so fast,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not going there. No way. All I want is to give my family the impression that I’m moving in the right direction. You see, he’s got them all on his side. I just need a break from all the pressure.”
“And you think having a fake fiancée is the answer?”
"It’s the perfect solution,” he said with a smug grin. “I get them off my back and you - if you agree - get enough money so you won’t need to be on the road at all hours of the night.” He leaned back in the chair and gave her a look of total confidence, as if she’d be crazy to turn him down.
Dani lifted her glass and took a long sip of her ginger ale. He was certainly full of it, thinking she couldn’t refuse him. She had a good mind to give him a flat out no just to wipe that satisfied smile off his face.
To her surprise, on his return to Chicago he’d invited her to lunch, telling her he had a proposal for her, one that would be mutually beneficial. She’d been more than curious and had eagerly accepted his invitation, thinking he was going to offer her a permanent job as his chauffeur. She’d anticipated that he would offer her a salary that would exceed what she was earning with Tony. After all, if he expected her to give up her current employment he’d have to be offering her an increase. A position like that would suit her well, not only for the potential increase in pay, but also for the fact that she wouldn’t have to worry about lecherous passengers. She’d looked forward to meeting with him to discuss the new arrangement.
And then he’d gone and sprung this mad hatter plan on her. He wanted to pay her to engage in yet another deception, this one far more dangerous than the first.
But she was nothing if not practical. She’d been racking her brains, trying to find ways to make more money, and here Storm had dumped a solution right in her lap. She would love to turn him down just to have the satisfaction of teaching him not to take her acceptance for granted but she didn’t have that luxury. She needed the money.
She gave him a challenging stare. “I want at least double what I’m making with Tony.”
He’d been tapping his fingers against his glass but when she spoke he stopped and gave her a nod. “So you’re accepting. Wise decision. One you won’t regret, I’m sure.”
“And you’ll pay me what I asked?” she pressed.
Storm gave a laugh. “Honey, your services are worth far more to me than that measly sum. You’d be closer to the mark if you aim for ten times your pay.”
Dani’s heart hopped in shocked pleasure. Could this really be happening? Then she narrowed her gaze. “You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”
He looked amused. “Now why would I do something like that? What? You think I can’t afford it?”
Dani remained silent. He had a point. That kind of money was nothing to a man like him.
“I want you to be comfortable when we go out,” he was saying. “You’ll want to dress nicely. You’ll need money to do that.”
It was then that she realized he wasn’t being overly generous just for the heck of it. He’d clearly calculated her needs and that was how he had come up with his figure.
“I’ll take it,” she blurted out before she could change her mind. “When do I start?”
“I’d like to announce you to my family in the next few weeks,” he said, “so our first order of business is to advise Tony that you won’t be coming back and your second,” he reached over and took her hand in his, “is to get to know me better.”
Dani almost snatched her hand back, she was so surprised. She wasn’t on the job yet so why was he holding her?
He must have seen her discomfort because he let her slide her hand from his. “You have to start pretending to like me, Dani. And that means touching sometimes.”
She could feel the heat rising in her face. Shoot. She hardly ever blushed so why now? All he’d mentioned was touching and she was turning red. What if he’d mentioned sex? She would have probably looked like a lobster.
Not that she intended to hop into bed with him. Delicious as he looked a girl had to draw the line somewhere.
“We’ll spend the next few days in each other’s company. I’ll show you some of the things I like to do and you can bring me up to speed on your interests. We can’t be total strangers when we go to meet my family.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, “that makes sense.”
“And I’ll only monopolize your evenings. I know you’ll be busy at the preschool until, what, four o’clock?”
“I get off at three,” she said, “but you can pick me up at four. I only live five minutes drive from the school.”
“That’s convenient. Can you be ready by five tomorrow? I’ll be free by then and can pick you up.”
“Five o’clock is fine,” she said with a shrug.
“Wear jeans and a comfortable top. We’re not going anywhere fancy.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”
Next evening Storm showed up at her apartment right on time. The buzzer sounded at exactly five o’clock.
“I’ll be right down,” she yelled into the intercom. She was wearing jeans and a white shirt and she grabbed a light jacket on the way out the door. As she exited the elevator and entered the lobby of the apartment building she saw Storm. He had his back to her, his cell phone to his ear. Unobserved, she took the opportunity to admire his strong masculine frame, the breadth of his shoulders in his black leather jacket and the tightness of his butt in faded jeans. Talk about delicious. She would never say this to him but he looked good.
At that moment he turned and when he saw her his lips curled into a crooked smile. He said something into his phone, effectively ending the call, then turned his full attention on her.
“Very nice,” he said, his look approvi
ng. “This beats you in a chauffeur's uniform any day.”
“And…you look good, too.” She might as well practice complimenting him. Most likely she’d have to do a lot of that in her future role as fiancée. And it wasn’t like she’d be lying. He’d looked handsome each time she’d seen him in formal wear but now in jeans and leather jacket with just a hint of shadow on his chin he looked so much younger and a whole lot sexier.
He seemed to like the compliment because he threw her a boyish grin then gave her his arm. “Let’s hit the road.”
Dani got the surprise of her life when they walked out into the parking lot and headed toward a big black motorcycle. When they stopped in front of it she looked up at Storm in uncertainty. “Are we going riding on this?”
“Yes, we are. This is my baby,” he said, his voice full of pride. “We’ve been together for three years now and she’s never let me down.”
“Well you just continue to have good times with your baby. Alone. I’m not going on that thing.” Dani folded her arms across her chest.
“Oh, come on, don’t tell me you’re a scaredy-cat,” Storm teased. “You’ve been such a tough cookie since I met you. Don’t tell me you’re turning chicken now.”
“I’m not chicken,” she retorted. “But I’m not stupid, either. Motorcycles are dangerous.”
“What if I promise to go real slow and only on the local road, no highways?”
“Still dangerous,” she insisted.
He stepped closer to her, so close she could smell the earthy fragrance of his cologne. Her eyes wandered up his torso and the expanse of his chest, over the square jaw with its barely-there stubble and up to his eyes that twinkled with undisguised amusement.
“Would you come if I told you I have two helmets?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “Not even then,” she said but this time she was smiling. She’d meant to stand her ground with him but who could resist that crooked smile and the surprising dimple in his left cheek? And the fact that he’d let his hair grow a little longer until it curled at the collar of his jacket did not make things any easier.