Your One True Love Page 14

  “Let me guess, you already know everything?”

  “No, I’m going to need a girls’ night out and some alcohol to lure out details. Of course, you could spare me the trouble and just tell me.”

  “Where would the fun be in that?” I pace up and down the room, taking immense delight in teasing my sister.

  “True. Plus, men don’t understand the meaning of details. But Daniel? Don’t let a good thing go a second time, okay?”

  “I don’t plan to,” I assure her.

  “Good. We all work hard, and we’re ambitious, but there’s nothing like going home to people you love at the end of the day.”

  “Pippa, are you okay?” I ask in alarm. My sister does love her heart-to-heart talks, but she sounds off.

  “Long day at the office. Half the things didn’t go my way.”

  “Ah, I can sympathize.”

  “And now these two have started bombarding me with their carriage idea. Please promise me I won’t find two horses and a carriage on Saturday at Mom and Dad’s house.”

  “I promise. That’s a hard line, even for me.”

  “Well, it’s good to know you have one. I’ll keep my phone close. I bet they’ll try cornering Blake next.”

  I laugh. “I’m sure they will.”

  “I need to go back to watching the little devils. Enjoy your evening, brother.”

  My mood is considerably better after I click off. Logan once said something similar, that no matter the shit-show going on at work, knowing he’d go home to Nadine and their son put everything into perspective. I grunted and nodded, not really getting it, but now I understand the sentiment.

  As I finish signing the stack of papers on my desk, my phone chimes again.

  Caroline: I heard back from the preschool closest to the bookstore! They scheduled their first reading next month. Woohoo! And I had an early dinner with Dad. Made him fried chicken. Thought I’d save him (and myself) from his cooking today. There’s plenty left over. I can bring you some by if you want. I can make donuts too.

  Instead of messaging back, I call her. I need to hear her voice.

  She answers right away. “I knew mentioning donuts would earn me a phone call.”

  “You had me at fried chicken already. How come you’re not trying to rope me into coming to your place?”

  “Well, I might have bought a bath bomb I’m dying to try in your Jacuzzi.”

  The thought of Caroline naked in my arms while we’re surrounded by bubbles is enough to sell me on anything.

  “What smell?”

  “Cherries.”

  I groan. “Don’t they have any masculine scents?”

  “You’re such a man. This is their newest stuff.”

  “Here’s a compromise. You’ll try it out. I’ll eat the chicken, the donuts, and then I’ll have you for dessert. Out of the Jacuzzi.”

  “Can we sneak in a glass of wine on the terrace too in between?”

  “Watch it, or I’ll think you only want me for the terrace and Jacuzzi.”

  “Don’t be silly. I want your mad shmexy skills too. I fully expect my mind to be blown tonight.”

  “I promise I’ll up my game. I love exceeding your expectations.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Caroline

  On Halloween morning, I decide to kick off the day with an early run and manage to rope Daniel into joining me.

  “Whoa, I didn’t know your physical condition is this good,” Daniel complains. We’re both sweating and panting when we enter his apartment, but this was a fantastic run. I love the boost of energy after a thorough cardio training.

  I finish stretching in his living room, but Daniel grabs his smartphone, leaning against the bar counter separating the living room from the kitchen area, slipping into what I like to call his “business mode.” Despite it being Saturday, he’ll be caught up in a meeting the entire day, and we’ll meet directly at his parents’ house this afternoon.

  His expression turns grim the longer he looks at the screen.

  “Nope, you’re not allowed to frown this early in the morning. What can possibly have gone wrong already?”

  He scowls. “Remember I said I’m putting all celebrity events on hold? Well, it’s proving to be more difficult than I anticipated. Managed to either cancel or pass on to other companies, but Beatrix won’t let me off the hook. She doesn’t want someone else handling her bachelorette party. It’s in two weekends, in LA.”

  Sitting on the floor, I pause in the act of stretching one calf, feeling suddenly cold. “Beatrix Mercier? Your ex?”

  Ouch. Beatrix used to be one of the lead models in the Bennett Show, and she and Daniel had an on-again, off-again relationship for some time, at least if the tabloids are to be believed.

  Daniel unhitches himself from the counter, joins me on the floor. “I wouldn’t call her that.”

  I cock a brow. “What would you call her?”

  “A friend. We had a one-night stand when we first met, but afterward, we were just friends.”

  “Really?”

  He rubs little circles on the back of my right hand, kissing my shoulder. “Really. The rest of it was the media making things up.”

  “Probably because the two of you looked incredibly good together in pictures.” Fiddling with my thumbs in my lap, I fight the jealousy bug with all my might, but there’s no escaping it. Beatrix is the type of beauty that can’t be achieved through healthy eating or exercising alone. She has a genetic predisposition to perfection, and she’s engaged to one of the hottest A-list actors.

  “So, how will you handle this?”

  “Depends on you.”

  My stomach jolts. “What do you mean?”

  “I can tell her to bugger off, which is going to cost me some future business. Or I can go forward with the whole thing, but I’d be handling it myself because I don’t trust my team at this point.”

  “Don’t cancel on my behalf,” I say, still fiddling with thumbs. “I don’t want to cost you your business.”

  Daniel cups the side of my face, tilting my head up until I’m looking at him. “We’re building something here. I won’t jeopardize what we have for a deal. If you aren’t comfortable with this, say the word and I’ll cancel.”

  Oh, this sweet man. My chest rises and falls quickly as I shift on the floor until I’m almost straddling him. “Don’t cancel, Dan. Anyway, she’s getting married, so I assume she’s not going to spend her bachelorette party tempting you.”

  “Exactly. But Caroline? Even if she would, I wouldn’t be tempted.” He points with his finger between us. “This, here, is all I want. Us.”

  “See? No reason to cancel.”

  He laughs, pulling both of us to our feet, which is when I realize I’m a hot mess. My hair and my clothes cling to me, and there are rings of perspiration under my arms. Yikes. I need to hop in the shower right away. Daniel on the other hand isn’t a hot mess, he’s just hot. His clothes cling to him, highlighting the strength of his biceps, the defined lines of his abs. I can even make out the V-shaped lines under the fabric of his shirt. It’s almost as if he’s naked. The operative word being almost. Ah, what I wouldn’t give for a peek at his sweaty skin. I drink him in as discreetly as possible.

  “You’re insatiable, aren’t you?”

  Whoops. I guess I wasn’t that discreet after all. I could try to dispute the accusation, but why deny?

  “Can’t help it. Not when I know what’s under your clothes. Makes me want to take them off, jump your bones. It’s been a while.”

  “We made love before our run.”

  I laugh at how indignant he sounds, almost offended. His hands are in the air, his jaw slack.

  “Yeah, but see, I was half asleep when you climbed over me,” I explain, stifling yet another laugh because his expression becomes more incredulous by the second. “Now, I am in no way complaining about wake-up sex—best way to start a day if you ask me. But it can’t count as a full lovemaking session if half my sen
ses are still dormant.”

  Daniel bursts out laughing, and hot damn, the sound is contagious. Seconds later, I join him and laugh until my belly hurts. Then he pulls me flush against him, tipping my chin up and kissing me. He tastes a little salty from the sweat on his upper lip, but the sheer masculinity rolling off him—holy hotness. His irises are dilated with lust when he pulls back.

  “Let’s take a shower,” I suggest.

  “Sure, you go first.” His eyes twinkle. The bastard. I’m hot for him, and this is how he treats me? Teasing me?

  “It’d be more efficient if we showered at the same time. Water conservation and all that.”

  He focuses his gaze on one of my cheeks and then the other. I’m pretty sure I’m flushing tomato red. His face breaks into a grin.

  “That’s what we’re calling it? Water conservation?”

  Before I have a chance to reply, he scoops me up in his arms, carrying me to the bathroom. I can’t help myself, and pepper his face and neck with kisses.

  “I’m sweaty,” he remarks.

  “You’re mine, sweaty or not, and I plan to take advantage of it every chance I get.”

  ***

  I dress at top speed after hopping out of the shower and run off to prepare some toast while Daniel shaves.

  “You can leave some of your stuff here,” Daniel’s voice resounds from the bathroom. “So you don’t have to carry that huge bag with you all the time.”

  “Thanks,” I call out, smiling to myself. Warmth spreads through me as I smear the toast with a thick layer of butter, the way he likes it, then put ham and thinly sliced tomatoes over it. I also find olives in the fridge, slice two in half, and add them on top. Stepping back, I assess my work of art. This isn’t just a sandwich, it’s a sandwich with love.

  “I’ll empty a shelf for you. Or do you need two? For all your lady stuff?”

  I freeze. Will he put two and two together when he realizes I don’t have any lady stuff? Did he realize I haven’t gotten my period since we began dating?

  He joins me in the kitchen by the time I finish his sandwich, looking harassed.

  “Fuck, I’m gonna be late. No time to eat now, I’ll take the sandwich and coffee with me.” He points to the dark blue cup filled to the brim with coffee. “You can go out whenever you’re ready. The doorman will come and lock up.”

  “Okay.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Damn, how can he tell? Then again, my entire body is tense, which might have tipped him off.

  “Nothing,” I say evasively, avoiding his gaze.

  “Did you change your mind about Beatrix?”

  “No, Dan, not at all.”

  “Was the business with the shelf too much? Too soon?”

  I shake my head.

  “Something has you out of sorts, I can tell. And you weren’t ten minutes ago.” His voice is harder now. He won’t let it go. “You used to tell me everything.”

  He’s right. I used to talk his ear off about everything. In fact, I often thought I was sharing more than he needed to know, but I wasn’t able to stop myself.

  Daniel was my opposite, keeping any problems to himself. Eventually, I realized it’s a man thing, not wanting to show the weak spots. For me, it was a relief to talk everything out, to hear his opinion, his advice. But in retrospect, I realize that, at twenty-one, I didn’t have any real problems. A bad grade or the failure to secure an internship was the worst back then. It was easy to be open when you had no ghosts, nothing to be ashamed of. Ten years later, with some fair baggage under my belt, opening up doesn’t come as easy.

  “You’ll be late for your meeting,” I murmur.

  “Fuck the meeting. I don’t care. I care about you. Tell me.”

  “I’ll tell you tonight.”

  I turn around, intending to hand him the cup of coffee, when I feel his arms around me, his chest pressed against my back. “I want you to share with me what bothers you, so I fix what I can, commiserate about the rest. I want you to trust me again like you used to.”

  Oh, he says all the right things, and I feel so safe and warm in his arms that I’m tempted to persuade him to spend the entire day with me. But no matter what he says, I know this meeting is important. I won’t let him show up late on my account. It isn’t right.

  So, I turn around, rise on the tip of my toes, and press my lips to his.

  “I do trust you. We’ll talk about this tonight, I promise. Now go.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Caroline

  Jenna and Richard Bennett’s home has long been one of my favorite places to hang out. Spanning two stories with a red roof on top, you can always count on having a hell of a lot of fun within its walls, or outside on the enormous property. In spring and summer, it’s a sea of green, between the grass and the tall oak trees lining the property. Now the crowns of the trees are a mix of gold and copper, with a tinge of green here and there, though the ground remains a vibrant green. Mercifully, it’s been dry today, because the property can turn into quite a muddy affair after a heavy rain.

  Jenna Bennett is shuffling around in the white gazebo on the right side of the house, and I head straight there.

  She’s wearing a fairy godmother costume, complimenting my Cinderella costume just right. The sight cracks me up.

  “Jenna, your costume is fabulous.” A delicious smell reaches me as I step inside the gazebo, and my mouth almost waters when I notice the giant outdoor pizza oven is on.

  “Oooh, I didn’t know pizza was on the menu.”

  Jenna smiles. “Easiest way to feed so many people. And it’s a hit with the kids. The first batch should be done in a few minutes. Just waiting to get that crunchy crust.”

  “I’ll help you get them inside.”

  “Wonderful. I was about to call for reinforcements. By the way, your dad will stop by later too.”

  “Really? Wow.”

  “Talked to him a few days ago, wasn’t sure I was going to convince him.”

  “Jenna, when was the last time you failed to convince someone?”

  She gives me a wicked smile, which resembles Pippa’s very much.

  “He’s been lonely since Mom passed away. I go to dinner once a week and help him at the bookstore on weekends, but....”

  “It’s hard to be alone after you’ve shared your entire adult life with someone. Must feel like half of you is missing. He’s always welcome here. I can imagine he gets lonely on Christmas and such, whereas here it’s a....”

  “Full house,” I finish for her.

  “Sometimes I think madhouse is the better word, but I love every mad minute.” There is a beat of silence, and then Jenna adds, “I’m so happy you and Daniel found your way back to each other again.”

  “We’re having a lot of fun rediscovering each other. We’re taking it slow,” I say quickly, hoping this will keep the conversation from spiraling into a heart-to-heart. When Daniel and I first went out together, it wasn’t uncommon for Jenna and me to talk about our future as if it was a given. This time, I’m determined to live our love one day at a time.

  “As you should,” Jenna says. “Even though you have history, it’s important to take the time to discover the people you are now, build a foundation. You never fall in love the same way twice, not even with the same person.”

  “That’s excellent advice.”

  Jenna is a wise woman. I’ve always been close to her, almost as close as to my mother. In some instances, I even shared more with her than with my own mom, because I didn’t want to worry Mom, and because Jenna isn’t as judgmental.

  When the timer of the oven buzzes, Jenna opens the door, pulling one pizza to her, inspecting it. Oh God, it smells delicious. I hope Jenna is happy with the level of crunchiness, or I might have to resort to underhanded tactics to convince her to let me have a slice right now.

  “They’re perfect,” she announces, taking out the two pizzas and shoving in two more, setting the timer again. We each carry one inside.
Predictably, they’re gone within minutes, and everyone is still hungry.

  Daniel arrives when the second batch is ready. He’s drop-dead sexy. I mean, he generally has an air of rebellion about him, even when he wears a suit, but with the cotton shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and belt with a large skull in the center, he’s downright delicious. I’m about to shower him with compliments when a distraction arrives in the form of Will, Sebastian’s son, and Elena, Pippa’s daughter.

  “Uncle Daniel, Will says there are no fairies, that I’m stupid.”

  Will nods and grins.

  “Will, you’re not allowed to call your cousin—or anyone else—stupid. It’s rude,” Daniel admonishes.

  “But there are no fairies,” Will says stubbornly, stomping his foot.

  Elena’s eyes widen. “Yes there are. Uncle Daniel told me so. Tell him, Uncle Daniel. Tell him.”

  I mask my laughter with a fake fit of coughing. Ah, my imagination will have a field day trying to visualize how that conversation went between him and Elena. Daniel looks at me for help, but I’m quite curious how he’ll find his way out of this on his own. Both Elena and Will are looking at him expectantly. Elena folds her arms over her chest in a Pippa-like fashion. Will copies her stance a few seconds later.

  Daniel lowers himself on his haunches, until he’s at their level, and then he wraps his right arm around Elena, his left one around Will. Warmth flashes through me as I watch him. Goodness, there is so much tenderness and love in the way he holds and talks to them. I’ve never seen this side of him, and I’m surprised at how strongly it impacts me. No matter how much I tell myself, or Jenna, that we’re taking it slow, I can’t help imagining our future.

  Belatedly, I realize I’ve been so lost in my thoughts that I missed Daniel’s explanation, and it must have been a good one because both Will and Elena are smiling ear to ear, already moved on to the next topic.

  “Uncle Daniel, can you bring me more fairy dust? Pleaaaaaaase.” Elena’s body language is spot-on. Wide, pleading eyes, hands joined in prayer, not to mention the way she says, “Uncle Daniel,” with the sweetest inflection.