He studied me for half of forever then smirked before bending down and taking my lips with his.
Yes, oh, yes. It was like sinking into perfection. The world made sense and there were no problems to overcome. His lips were tender, yet commanding. Demanding more. My arms snaked up around his neck to hold him in place as I moaned deep in the back of my throat.
Danny’s hands roamed down my back to rest just above my bottom. Holding me tight. What had started out as a goodnight kiss had become a passionate heated embrace that threatened to get out of hand very fast.
My body screamed for more. Screamed to take and never let go. Silently I let him know I wanted more. But Danny, being a Prince at heart, didn’t take. Instead, he pulled back and smiled down at me.
“I knew that shy persona hid pure fire,” he said with that smirk of his. The one that made my knees wobble. Only my knees and every other part of my body shivered with need.
All I could do was stare up at him with complete adoration. I knew I looked stupid but that was how I felt. This was the man of my dreams and he was going to walk out of my life.
“My grandfather was right,” he said. “You are special.”
I looked down, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
He gently lifted my chin and smiled. “You have a wonderful life, Miss Jessica Dunham. And next year, when you’re being chased by a dozen guys. Be sure to pick a good one. You deserve the best.”
My heart broke. Him. I wanted to pick him.
Danny smiled. Then, he leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead, gave me a strange smile before nodding to my door. “You better get inside or your dad will be coming out here with a shotgun.”
I gritted my teeth, then turned to run inside before he could see the pain in my eyes.
“You have a wonderful life, Jess,” he said, breaking my heart into a thousand pieces.
I gave him a weak smile then disappeared into my true life. The wonderful night was over and reality had returned.
When I got inside, I forced myself to hold it together. Mom and Dad were both looking at me, deeply curious as to how it went. I gave them my best smile and said, “I had a great time. Goodnight.”
I think Mom knew something was up. Dad slumped with relief and returned to reading a work file.
I’m not too embarrassed to admit that I cried myself to sleep that night. I had lost him before ever truly having him. Danny Parsons was no longer a part of my life and never would be.
Finally, after a long ugly cry, I fell into a fitful sleep only to wake and realize once again just how miserable I was. Oh, what a fool I had been. To have my dreams answered only to have them shattered. Needless to say, I spent Sunday in a deep funk. A depressive black cloud hung over me, shutting out any possibility of being normal.
I was like a zombie, going through the motions but unable to feel. Unable to think.
It was late afternoon before I realized I had school tomorrow. The sudden thought of running into Danny sent a cold terror through me. How would he act? If he ignored me it would be devastating. But really, what more could I expect? He had lived up to his obligations and then some.
A cold fear filled me. I honestly thought about faking being sick just so I could avoid the entire fiasco. But old habits die hard. Monday morning I forced myself to go to school. Deep down I think I was secretly hoping to run into Danny and have him look at me the way he had at the dance. That predatory look that made me go soft inside.
When I got off the bus, I studied the student parking lot but his old truck wasn’t there. So typical. He’d show up just as the bell was echoing down the hall.
Katie and Bella were waiting for me at my locker. Both of them as bubbly as fresh champagne. As they chattered like magpies, I scanned the hall, desperate to see Danny. Desperate for Danny to see me and learn how he would act. A simple smile would be enough to know that he didn’t resent the other night.
But, no Danny. I was surprised. First off, he is sort of hard to miss. Tall, dark, handsome. Usually with a gaggle of girls following. But, no Danny.
My heart sank. Was he okay? Had something gone wrong with his case and they’d pulled him back to jail. Or was he simply avoiding me? Too worried that I’d become a clingy woman latching onto him and refusing to let go?
His grandfather? My insides clenched with fear. No, he would have called me.
Tuesday was a repeat, still no Danny. I even asked my Dad at dinner, but he shook his head and said that Danny had talked to Margaret earlier that afternoon. Okay, that told me it was me he was avoiding. There was only ten more days of school. Most of the finals were done. Was he simply blowing off the rest of the school year?
As the days crept by, my sad numbness grew. The joy of the end of the school year seemed silly and useless. Didn’t people understand that my world had ended?
Should I call him? I wondered, as I looked down at his number in my phone. No. He had my number. I couldn’t make the first move. Not again. I would think asking him to the prom was enough.
No, I cursed as I exited out of his number.
Instead, I moped. For eleven miserable days, I walked through life in a stupor. It got so bad that I attended the Seniors’ graduation just in the hope I could see Danny. I just wanted to know he was okay. Mom shot me a curious stare when I asked to borrow her car, but she gave me the keys without a thousand questions.
Like I said, I think she knew something was wrong.
No Danny. A hundred and seventy-six graduates. But, no Danny. Instead, his name was read off at the end. A list of three students who were unable to attend. It was like he’d dropped off the face of the earth.
This was ridiculous. If he was avoiding me, he was taking it to the extreme and it had to end. I wasn’t going to be the reason he missed out on life.
I drove to his home. I pulled to the curb and looked down the long drive. The lights were on. In fact, a shadow passed before a light. His shadow, I was sure of it. I would know that profile anywhere. Was he taking care of his grandfather?
Face it, I told myself. It is over. There was never anything there. Just a silly girl’s dream.
Sighing, I drove away as tears once again ran down my cheeks. That was the moment when I started to put it behind me. Not well, but at least I started.
It was two weeks later that Dad informed me over dinner that the DA had dropped the case against Danny.
“I won’t say it was brilliant legal work. But it was,” he said with a smile. “Thirty minutes with those two idiots and I had them lying to cover each other’s lie.”
My heart soared. Danny wouldn’t be going to jail. I hadn’t really realized how much that had been sitting in the back of my mind. But the elation was tinged with the realization that it would mean no more daily calls with Margaret.
The last connection had been broken. Once again, I fell into that black cloud.
Six weeks later, Katie and I were walking down Main Street. I’d talked her into volunteering with me at the nursing home. It would look great on her college applications. Of course, our route took us by the pool hall.
My heart raced as I glanced in, but no Danny. Of course not. That would be too poetic. Instead, it was just a half-empty pool hall. Katie shot me a look of sympathy. We didn’t have to talk about it for her to know I was hurting.
“Really Jess,” she said. “You need to get over this.”
I looked at her and sighed. What did she think I had been trying to do since forever?
She gave me her I’m sorry look then took my arm and started us for home. A block later, a beat-up Chevy truck pulled to a stop in the middle of the road.
“You guys need a ride? Danny yelled to us.
Chapter Ten
Jess
My heart stopped. He … It was Danny and he looked like a dream. Katie shot me a quick quizzical look then pulled me to the truck. “Yes, that would be great,” she said as she opened the door then motioned for me to get in.
I shot her a pure lo
ok of hate. How could she betray me like this? She simply smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. I was going to kill her.
Danny smiled at me with sad eyes. Raising an eyebrow. My heart tore into two pieces as I tried to pretend I wasn’t there. Please, I thought.
He was stopped in the middle of the street. Cars were backing up behind him. I didn’t really have a choice. I swallowed hard and climbed up onto the long bench seat. Katie followed, not so subtly pushing me next to Danny.
My body quivered with excitement as my shoulder brushed his. No, I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t let my dreams come back alive. It would ruin me forever. Forcing myself to calm down, I tried to forget it was Danny next to me.
“Where do you live Katie?” he asked as he put the truck into gear and let out the clutch.
When she gave him her address he nodded and turned left at the next light. Again, my heart jumped. My house was closer. In fact, we almost passed right by it on the way to Katie’s. Why was he taking her home first? Katie shot me a quick smile. She was wondering the same thing.
Danny isn’t an idiot, I thought to myself. He knew what he was doing. But the question was why?
“I think I owe you,” Katie said. “You said something to Pete and Sammy, didn’t you? That night at the prom. Things changed.”
Danny laughed. “Just some big brotherly advice.”
Katie laughed, then smiled as she wiggled her eyebrows. “Well, Pete owes you even more.”
I gasped and looked at her, she smiled back at me and laughed. My stomach clenched. Why hadn’t she told me about this already? And how could we be having this conversation in front of Danny? My world was ending.
Of course, my mind was drawn back to that last kiss with Danny and what it could have led to if he hadn’t pulled away.
Katie, being Katie, talked almost all the way to her house. When Danny pulled to a stop she jumped out, leaned back in through the open window, and told him thanks for the ride, then gave me a meaningful look and a knowing smile.
Like I said, I was going to kill her. Then I remembered that I was still sitting next to Danny. Coughing, I quickly slid over to the normal passenger side.
He gave me a strange look then put the truck into gear and started for my home.
“Thank you for the ride,” I told him, determined to stop a wall of awkward silence building up between us.
He nodded then set his jaw. Obviously determined to get through with this good deed and move on with his life. I sighed internally and tried to stop my heart from breaking.
Oh well, it was only a few more minutes and I’d be home.
“You are looking good,” Danny said as he gave me a small smile. “Any of those idiots at school started chasing you yet?”
It took me a heartbeat to understand what he was talking about. Once I did, I could only shake my head.
“Give them time.”
I bit my lip and turned to look out the window.
He downshifted and turned onto my street. Another ending, I thought with sadness and finally began to accept the inevitable. As he pulled to a stop in front of my house I froze, unable to move. Finally, I made myself start to open the truck’s door.
Danny reached over to touch my arm. “Do you have a second to talk?”
I looked at him and saw the sadness behind his eyes, my heart went out to him. He desperately needed to talk to someone those eyes said.
“I owe you,” he said. “More than you will ever understand.”
I rocked back surprised. “Dad said they dropped your case.”
He shook his head. “Not that. My Grandfather.”
My brow furrowed as I tried to understand.
He took a deep breath and held it. “That night, when I got home. He was sick. Real sick. I had to take him to the hospital. He died three days later.”
I gasped as my heart broke again. Oh, what a terrible person I was. I hadn’t even thought about Danny’s grandfather. All this time I was moping around over a silly crush and Danny was going through all of this alone.
The pain in Danny’s eyes told me he still wasn’t over it.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I held his hand. I so wanted to take him into my arms and soothe his tortured soul, but even then, there was a barrier that could not be breached.
He sighed again. “Like I said, I had three years to get ready. But you made it easier for him. All he did was talk about you and how much you reminded him of my grandmother. I swear, you made his last few days better. Thank you.”
I couldn’t stop a tear from breaking free to run free down my cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have liked to go to the funeral.”
Danny shook his head. “He didn’t want any kind of ceremony. I promised him.”
That first tear was joined by several more as I thought about Danny all alone at the grave.
“I’m so sorry,” I said again. What else could I do?
Danny shrugged again. “You know I was going to call you. When I left you that night, I planned on getting in line with all the other guys that would soon be chasing after you. But … then the Yard just seemed to eat up all my time. Did I tell you? I own a lumber yard.”
“No. You didn’t.” I said as I tried to understand what he meant about getting in line.
He shrugged. “The lawyers and bankers think I should sell it. But I don’t want to. You know?”
I swallowed a croak of pain and nodded that I understood. “You have to do what you think is right. Don’t let anyone tell you no.”
He laughed as he remembered his grandfather’s words.
I sighed as I came to understand something. I had to tell him the truth.
“I need to be honest with you,” I said as I stared at my hands in my lap. I glanced over at him from under my brow and saw him frown. Here goes I told myself. Just get it out.
“I didn’t ask you to the prom because I wanted to raise my social standing.”
His frown deepened. “Then why?”
I took a deep breath. “Because I desperately wanted to go with you.”
Holding my breath, I waited until I couldn’t stand it any longer and glanced at him. His brow was creased in confusion for a moment. Then slowly, a smile twitched those perfectly kissable lips.
“My grandfather was right. You are special.”
My stomach fluttered as we stared into each other’s eyes. A thousand questions. A thousand messages flew between us as the heat inside the truck rose steadily. I will never know who moved first. All I know is that we came together, our lips joining in perfect harmony.
A ton of hurt was shared as we held onto each other. It was like two people trapped in a raging river. Only each other holding off pain and suffering.
“God, Girl” Danny said as we broke apart. “You are that most terrifying type of woman. The kind of woman a guy could fall in love with.”
My heart put itself back together as I looked into his eyes. “Danny, I’ve been in love with you since fourth grade. You’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
He didn’t freak when I said that. He didn’t frown or runaway. Instead, he smiled and said, “I am going to love learning to love you.”
My heart melted as I surrendered to this feeling of happiness. He was mine. Every dream I had ever had just came true. A girl could ask for no more.
Epilogue
Jess
I pulled into the yard to find Scott, our three-year-old son sitting on his father’s lap and helping to drive the forklift. The smile on his face was a mile wide. His father’s was even larger. Scott was supposed to be spending the day with his dad in his office not playing with real life Tonka toys.
Danny shouldn’t be driving a forklift. There was probably a stack of papers on his desk that needed his attention. But Scott had obviously begged and begged until he got his way. Thinking of Danny’s office, I thought of the two framed pictures he kept on his desk. Our wedding picture, and the picture I took of him and his grandfather.
My hea
rt melted. Our eight-year wedding anniversary was coming up next week and the man still made my toes curl. As I got Beth out of her baby seat, I thought back over the years and sighed with pure contentment. How had I ever gotten so lucky?
Smiling at my boys, I watched them tear around the yard until Danny brought the forklift to a halt in front of me. Beth recognized her daddy and reached for him.
“Okay, Cowboy,” Danny said to our son as he picked him up and set him down next to me. “It’s your sister’s turn.”
I laughed and passed him, Beth.
He cradled the baby and tickled her under the chin. A picture that made my heart ache. I fully realized she already had him wrapped around her little finger. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“To what do we owe this visit?” he asked me as he kissed Beth’s cheek.
I laughed and reach into my purse and pulled out the test stick.
His eyes grew big. “Already? I mean, I love you, and that’s great. But. already? How did that happen?”
I laughed as I gave him a knowing look.
He laughed and kissed Beth, then rustled Scott’s hair before leaning down and kissing me. His arm wrapped around me, holding me close. I sank into him as I always did. My friend, my husband, my children’s father. My soulmate.
The End
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading ‘Rebel of my Dreams’. I would love to know what you think of it. My readers make it possible for me to do what I love. I am always grateful and excited to hear from you. Please stop by my website GLSnodgrass.com or send me an Email at [email protected]. Feel free to sign up for my newsletter. I use my newsletter to announce new releases and give away free books.
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As always, I would like to thank my friends and family for their help. I also owe a great debt to Anya Monroe, Eryn Scott, Kristie Rose for their kind assistance. And of course, my great friend, Ms. Sheryl Turner.
Rebel of my Dreams Page 6