by Carmen Green
“You’re a strong man. You can take it.”
“Yeah, but it’s getting harder and harder for me to take you, Dani.”
She stared at him, wondering what he meant by that. She parted her lips to ask, and as if he knew what her question would be, he placed his finger to her lips, smiled and said, “Remind me to tell you later.”
* * *
Danielle felt the elegance of the hotel the moment they walked through the front doors into the spacious atrium, with its marble floors and myriad, healthy-looking, potted plants. As she and Tristan stepped into the elevator, she said, “I hope you don’t mind that I got us a suite.”
He glanced at her. “Why should I mind? I’m getting used to having you around.”
She smiled. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“It depends, Dani. If you begin talking business it will become a bad thing.”
She laughed. “Okay, I promise not to talk business. I even promise not to be in the same room with you whenever you pull out your BlackBerry. But it seems to me that you’re the one who’s having a hard time remembering we’re here to relax.”
“I’ll relax once that huge Smithfield order leaves the warehouse. We promised them that entire shipment would arrive at its destination by Friday.”
“And it will, so chill,” she said, easing closer to him when another couple got on the elevator.
“Okay, I’ll chill, but I want you to do the same. And if you begin talking about Marc, I’ll throttle you. For the next five days I want you to rest and relax and only think of good things.”
“Considering how my life has gone lately, that will be hard.”
“Try doing so, anyway.”
Danielle decided this was not a good time to mention that she had made Alex and Renée promise to keep in touch and let her know if there were any new developments about the fourth woman. When she had told them she would be going to San Francisco for a few days and with whom, they’d seem overjoyed. It was a waste of time trying to convince them that they were barking up the wrong tree with their assumptions about her and Tristan, but she figured now that they had men in their lives they were desperately trying to find someone for her. She was genuinely happy for Alex and Renée and was glad what Marc had done hadn’t left any permanent scars.
And she did intend to get on with her new life once she brought closure to her past. Men had a tendency to hit on her all the time, and lately, since word had gotten around that she was a widow, they’d become a little bold. She was grateful that, thanks to Chris, the media hadn’t gotten wind of what Marc had done. The tabloids were always looking for a way to link her with someone, but after she’d married Marc they figured there was nothing new and exciting in her life and had pretty much left her alone for the past five years. If only they knew.
She glanced over at Tristan and knew that one of the reasons men weren’t hitting on her more was him. The two of them were always together, and a number of people had the same assumption as Alex and Renée that something was going on between them.
She had mentioned this to Tristan a few times, not wanting those rumors to ever ruin things between him and a woman. He’d told her not to worry about it and to let people think whatever they wanted.
She figured he wasn’t all that concerned because he wasn’t dating anyone exclusively now. As far as she knew, he wasn’t dating at all. She would probably be the first to know, since she hung out with him so much. At night he was at home with her and when he went out, it was with her. No wonder people thought something was going on between them.
Maybe, she thought now, it was a subject she should broach with him again. “Tristan?”
“Yes?”
Her gaze immediately latched on to his lips. They were full, inviting. She felt a sudden pull in her stomach. She wondered how they would feel if she were to press hers against them.
“Dani?”
She snatched her gaze from his lips and focused on his eyes. His probing eyes. “What?”
“You called me. What did you want?”
Frowning, Danielle compressed her lips, deciding for the moment to keep her mouth closed or else she might say the wrong thing. There was no way she would tell him that for a crazy moment she had been almost ready to ask if she could sample his lips. Almost.
“Dani? What’s wrong?”
If only he knew. She glanced up at him and at the other people on the elevator and leaned over and whispered, “It’s nothing major. We can talk about it later.”
He looked at her as if confused. “All right.”
And then she felt it. He had caught hold of her hand and lightly squeezed her fingers. As always, that was his way of letting her know that things would be fine. Of course, that was easy for him to convey—he hadn’t been privy to her thoughts. If he’d known what she was thinking he would probably run in the opposite direction.
Contrary to what some people wanted to believe, Tristan was not attracted to her. He thought of her as a kid sister and nothing more. She knew all about that promise he’d made to Paul to watch out for her. That had been why she’d eloped with Marc and hadn’t told Tristan until it was over. There was no doubt in her mind that he would have found a way to stop the wedding, convince her she was acting irrationally. Now, considering everything, she wished he had intervened. She wouldn’t be in this predicament.
The elevator door whooshed open, and she and Tristan stepped off. He continued to hold her hand as they walked down the long hallway.
“I was able to get tickets for that train ride through Napa Valley tomorrow,” he said.
She smiled at him. “That sounds wonderful. It’s a while since I’ve been in this area. I’d also like to cross the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
As they continued walking down the hall toward their suite, she couldn’t help but get excited about the next five days they would be spending together.
* * *
Tristan began unpacking his clothes and putting them away. The suite was even nicer than he’d thought it would be. Two bedrooms and a common living area, it was roomy, spacious and just what he and Dani needed. As much as he wanted to spend time with her, he didn’t want to cramp her space.
Actually he had been surprised that she had insisted he come along. He had wanted her to take time away, thinking she needed to be by herself. But then, almost too late, he’d realized that any man in his right mind wouldn’t send a woman who looked like Danielle off on a vacation alone. The moment they had walked into the hotel lobby it seemed that the eyes of every single male in the place were drawn to her.
When he heard a knock, he crossed the room to the door that connected to the suite’s living room. He opened it to find Danielle standing there in a printed, flyaway cover-up with a matching bikini underneath. He forced his gaze off the outfit, above her exposed stomach, and up to her face. “Going to the pool?”
She smiled. “Yes, and I wanted to see if you’d like to join me.”
“I’m still unpacking.”
“Boy, you’re slow. One of the first things you learn as a model is the correct way to pack so you can unpack easily. I’m going to have you show you how it works one of these days.”
She glanced around him to see his room. “It looks like mine.”
He opened the door wider. “Come on in. If you don’t mind waiting for minute, I’ll join you in that swim.”
“Sure,” she said, entering the room when he moved aside. She immediately crossed to the window.
Tristan’s gaze roamed over her and the outfit she was wearing. He was glad she had agreed to wait for him. There was no way he wanted her anywhere near the pool without him.
“Hey, wait a minute. You have a better view of the Bay. That’s not fair.”
He chuckled as he went about placing his shirts on hangers. “Stop whining. I’ll swap if you want,” he offered. Or you can just stay in this room with me if you prefer. He wanted to say i
t but he didn’t.
“That’s okay,” she said, grinning. “I’ll let you keep this one pleasure in life.”
He glanced over at her, saw her beauty against the backdrop of the view outside the window and thought there couldn’t be any pleasure greater than loving her. “Have you decided what we’re going to do for dinner?”
She left the window to sit on his bed. “The restaurant downstairs looks nice. Why don’t we eat there tonight?”
“That’s fine with me. I’m going to step into the bathroom to put on my swim trunks and will be back out in a second.”
“All right.”
And then he disappeared, putting a closed door between him and temptation.
* * *
“So, what were you going to ask me about earlier on the elevator?”
Danielle glanced over at Tristan. They were lying side by side on loungers by the pool. It was a beautiful July day and a bright sun was in the sky. She thought the swim trunks Tristan wore looked sexy on him. She’d always thought he had a nice body.
Earlier, when she’d gotten up to get drinks for them at the poolside bar, she’d noticed a woman trying to catch his eye. Danielle knew enough about women to know that although the woman had a nice body, she was probably in her fifties. She was definitely a cougar. And Danielle had no intention of letting her get her claws into Tristan. At first the thought of her being so overprotective gave her pause. Hadn’t she felt the same way about Karin Stokes? But then she realized Tristan was such a nice guy, someone had to look out for him. There were too many unscrupulous women out there, like the cougar in the lounger on the other side of the pool who was still trying to get his eye. Why didn’t the woman just give up?
“Um, I was just wondering,” she said, deciding to respond since he had inquired, “why you aren’t seriously dating anybody.”
He released her gaze to look out over the pool. “I don’t have the time.”
She grinned. “I thought that was one of the things in life that a man typically made time for. Paul usually did.”
Tristan chuckled. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he?”
Both of them knew her brother had been a ladies’ man. She and Tristan hadn’t been the only ones grieving over his death. A lot of the single ladies in Port St. Lucie had been grieving as well. “So, Tris, what’s the real deal?”
* * *
Tristan didn’t say anything at first, deciding to think about what response he would give Danielle. He could come right out and say he wasn’t dating anyone because she was the one and only woman for him. But he reconsidered. Given what she was going through right now and had gone through over the past two months, hearing that would be the last thing she needed. He made his head rule his heart and said, “I’ve been too busy.”
“And I guess I haven’t been helping matters.”
He frowned. “I thought we weren’t going there, Dani. Don’t bring him on this trip,” he said rather harshly and then regretted it.
For once he wanted her to relax and have a good time without thinking of what had been going on in her life for the past couple of months. He knew for her it would be hard to do, but he wanted her to try.
“Sorry.”
“You’re forgiven.”
A few silent moments passed and then she said, “Did I tell you I got a call from Jeri?”
His frown deepened. Jeri had been her agent. More than once the woman had tried luring Danielle back into the world of glitz and glamour. “No, you didn’t. What did she want?” he asked, trying to keep the irritation he felt out of his voice.
“A major designer is putting a project together for the holidays and wants me included.”
Alarm rammed through his nervous system. He couldn’t help wondering if this thing with Marc would be what sent her back to the world she’d left behind five years ago. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her there was no way I could participate. I have a full-time job at A&T.”
He appreciated her loyalty to the company and was grateful she wasn’t thinking about leaving A&T. To be open-minded and fair, he said, “You know, if you really want to do it, we could arrange things for you to take some time off. It might be a good opportunity for you.”
She shifted to her side on the lounger to face him. “Thanks but no thanks. I told you when I came back that I didn’t want that type of life anymore. I was burned out, and even if Paul had lived I think eventually I would have returned home.”
This was the first he’d heard that. “I thought you enjoyed your career as a model.”
“I did at first, but then the long hours, living out of my luggage and barely eating to stay thin ran its course. I had begun to get homesick and it took everything I had to get up each day and pose in front of the cameras.”
“Did Paul know how you felt?”
“No, I never told him. I came close to doing so one night when he called, but before I got the chance he told me about his orders to go to Iraq. Now I’m glad I never told him. You know Paul. He would have left worrying about me.”
Tristan didn’t want to tell her that Paul had worried about her, anyway. That was one of the reasons he’d asked Tristan to look after her if anything was to happen to him. Paul had also been proud of her. Tristan would never forget the time Dani made the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Paul had purchased all the magazines off the rack at one particular store to give copies to their customers.
“Are you really happy working at A&T, Dani?”
“Yes, that’s the only part of my life I’m enjoying right now. I feel close to Paul there. The business was his dream and when you told me he left his share of the business to me, I was deeply touched. I know how hard the two of you worked to make the company a success. I like handling new accounts and watching sales increase, and making sure we’re meeting those companies’ needs and doing whatever we can to better serve them.”
Tristan nodded. She was smart and did an excellent job; she’d become a real asset to the company. But then, he’d figured she would. He’d had no qualms about her taking over for Paul.
He saw her smother a yawn and knew she was probably tired. It had been a long flight, they were now in Pacific time but their bodies were still thinking Florida time.
“Do you want to take a nap before dinner?”
She smiled. “I think I will. Do we need to make reservations for dinner?”
“Yes. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.”
He watched as she stood and covered her bikini with the cover-up. “What time do you want me ready and dressed for dinner?”
“Um, how about around six?”
“That’ll work.”
He stood, as well, and together they began walking toward the door that led to a bank of elevators. When he placed his hand at the small of her back, he actually felt heat there. And he couldn’t help but look forward to dinner with her later.
CHAPTER 3
Once Danielle had changed out of her bathing suit and slipped on comfortable lounge wear, she contacted Alex and Renée.
Alex answered, seemingly more alert than she had been the last time they’d spoken. The same thing with Renée. When both women said they were alone and their men hadn’t come in from work, Danielle appreciated the difference in time zones.
“Has either of you discovered anything else?” she asked, dropping into the love seat in her room.
“Before we answer that, we want to know how things are going in San Francisco. How is Tristan?”
Danielle rolled her eyes, knowing why they were asking. “That’s not the issue here, ladies.”
“We think it is, Danielle,” she heard Renée say. “We’re worried about you. We care.”
She couldn’t help but be touched. Over the past two months, they had endured a lot together, had felt the same pain, had been cut by the same deceit. Only difference from her was that they had moved on and had lives.
But she mustn’t allow herself to dwell on
that right now. The most important issue, the most pressing issue was the fact that there was another person out there somewhere, another of Marc Foster’s victims. That was what she had to focus on.
“I’m fine, really. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m tough. I can hang. Tristan is a good friend. He’s always been there for me and I appreciate him.”
When neither women said anything, especially Alex, who was usually upbeat, Danielle got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. What were they trying to prepare her for? “You have found out something,” she said slowly, almost certain of it. “What is it?”
When neither said anything for a moment, her throat tightened, a sign of anxiety creeping in. “Hey, don’t hold back on me now.”
It was Renée who finally spoke. “We don’t want to ruin your vacation with Tristan.”
“You won’t. I feel relaxed.”
“What we’ll tell you won’t let you relax, Danielle. It’s going to make you mad. It made us mad.”
Her head began spinning, wondering what they knew. “Let me be the judge of that. I’m a big girl. Finding out that Marc was sterile came as a big blow. I’m thirty. Your biological clock hasn’t started ticking. Mine has. I hear it every day.”
“But you have Tristan,” Alex said.
Danielle felt her heart stir a little. Yes, she had Tristan, but not in the way they thought. And she knew it would be a waste of time trying to convince them of it yet again. She and Tristan were best friends, nothing more.
Still, she couldn’t help but think of a little girl with Tristan’s dimpled smile. She suddenly closed her eyes, as if to blink away the image, and felt annoyed with herself. How could she think such a thing? Then again, she knew Tristan was a giver. He would give her a baby if she asked him….
She felt the pulse beat erratically in her throat. No, she couldn’t do that. Tristan had given her too much of himself already. She couldn’t—she wouldn’t—ask him for more. It wouldn’t be fair.
“Yes, I have Tristan,” she said, although she knew their meaning of that was different from hers. “Now tell me what the two of you have found out.”