Dani shut the door and waved as Liz pulled away. On her way home, Liz replayed the coffee date in her head. She’d give Dani one more chance to ask her out. Then she’d take the initiative. Liz nodded once.
“You get one more try, Dani.”
Chapter 22
“So, how’s our nephew?” Tina asked as Dani entered the store, back from her lunchtime visit.
“Pampered.” Which wasn’t an exaggeration. Barb bought a new dog bed with memory foam. Hell, it looked more comfortable than Dani’s bed. He also had his choice of treats whenever he wanted them. When Dani had asked Barb to show a little restraint to how much she fed him, Barb told her she needed to quit fussing.
“Hell, yes, he’s pampered. He’s Frodo, and he’s had a traumatic injury.”
“He’s getting around better now. Not as tentative.” Dani waved toward the office. “I’m going to get some paperwork done. Let me know when that shipment of new books comes in. We had some moms order a couple of the best-selling children’s books.”
“You got it.”
Dani settled in behind her desk and dove into the mail that had stacked up in her absence. Tina freely admitted that she “hated doing that paperwork shit,” which worked out fine. While Dani could rifle through the mail and check on any bills they received, Tina could tend to customers out front.
An hour later, Tina hollered to Dani that the UPS truck had pulled up. Dani was ready to take a break. She directed the delivery man where he could wheel the boxes of books and signed off on the shipment.
She sat on the floor as she pushed books to one side of the shelf. The front door jingled open. When she reached back and grabbed another stack of books, she felt someone standing over her. Dani instantly fixated on a pair of familiar, gorgeous legs. Her gaze slowly traveled up to find Liz who looked down on her with a smile.
Dani jumped to her feet.
“I was headed back to the clinic after a short break, but I wanted to see how Frodo’s doing,” Liz said.
“He’s doing great. Pampered like all get out, though.”
“He deserves it!” Tina shouted from the counter.
“Barb and Tina must think I torture him at home.” At Liz’s upraised eyebrows, Dani added, “I’m kidding.”
A lock of hair had fallen onto Liz’s forehead. Dani had an overwhelming urge to reach out and push it off her face. Her face warmed as she realized she was staring at Liz’s lips.
“Thanks for checking on him, Liz. I appreciate that you stopped in.” Dani almost asked her if she’d like to have dinner, but a part of her was still gun-shy over her C.J. James experience.
“I won’t keep you.” Liz lingered for a few seconds and turned to leave.
“Liz.” Dani walked up behind her.
Liz spun around.
“You’ll never know how much your kindness with Frodo has meant to me.”
Dani wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw disappointment in Liz’s eyes.
“You don’t need to thank me. I care about you, and I care about Frodo.”
Dani caught the emotion on her face. She reached out and impulsively gave Liz a hug. She felt a surge of desire fire through her body. Liz relaxed in her arms and uttered a soft sigh. Dani reluctantly ended the embrace, and Liz left the shop.
Tina came up behind her as they watched Liz walk to her car.
“I’m not a femme, and I’m not the best at reading them,” Tina said. “But even I could tell she was waiting for you to ask her out.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.” Tina shifted her weight. “Maybe I was. But when she said she didn’t want to keep you and stood there waiting for you to say something? That was a big clue.”
“Damn it. I’m so dense. I’m so fucking worried about doing or saying the wrong thing that I make it worse by saying nothing.”
“You’ve already had that coffee date.”
“Yeah. I didn’t count that as a date date, though.”
“As opposed to a date.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“After watching you not ask her for a date date, I think we need to send you to a Reading Femmes 101 course.”
“Ha-ha.”
Tina craned her neck around Dani to look out the window. Dani followed her gaze. Liz had her purse on the hood of the car, rummaging through it in an obvious search for her keys.
“You still have time to catch the doctor before she drives off,” Tina said.
“Do you think—”
“Damn, woman. What more do you need me to do? Shove you out the door?” Tina grabbed Dani’s arm, dragged her to the door, and opened it. Then she pushed Dani outside. “There. Now go.”
Dani stumbled leaving the store but righted herself and crossed the street. She approached Liz.
“Liz,” Dani said, but she didn’t think Liz had heard her. She grabbed Liz’s shoulder. Liz wheeled around and, in one swift motion, whacked Dani in the face. Dani staggered sideways into the SUV parked in front of Liz’s car.
“Oh, my God, Dani. I didn’t know it was you. It was a self-defense reflex. I’m so sorry.”
Dani felt a little woozy, so she sat down on the bumper of the SUV. She moved her jaw around and checked for damage. Liz gingerly pulled Dani’s hand away from her face. She looked like she was about to cry.
“Don’t,” Dani said.
Liz dropped her hand. “I was trying to see—”
“No, you can touch me. Just don’t cry. If you cry, I might lose it here. You have no idea what your eyes look like when you cry.”
Liz lightly brushed her thumb along Dani’s cheek. “It’s red here, but I don’t think I bruised you. Thank God. You don’t need another black eye, and you sure don’t need one coming from me.”
“You got your money’s worth wherever you took those self-defense classes.”
Liz seemed uncertain of what to say. She relaxed when she must have caught on that Dani was teasing her. She laughed and sat down beside Dani on the bumper.
Dani took Liz’s hand. “I’d like to ask you out. On a proper date. Not that going to the coffee shop wasn’t nice. I mean it was.” Dani closed her eyes. “God. I’m such a klutz at this.”
Liz squeezed her arm. “Yes.”
“Yeah?”
“I’d love to go out on a proper date.” Liz’s eyes twinkled in the sunlight. She lifted her hand and softly caressed Dani’s cheek. “But I promise I’ll no longer abuse you.” She stood up and brushed off the back of her skirt. “I really need to get to the clinic. My afternoon appointments start in half an hour.” She didn’t look up when she spoke as she continued to brush her skirt. When she raised her head, she caught the full brunt of Dani’s stare.
Dani’s gaze dropped to Liz’s mouth. A flicker of uncertainty passed over Liz’s face, but she gave a slight nod. Dani cradled Liz’s face in her hands as their lips touched for the first time. It started as a soft kiss, but it deepened with each passing second. Dani dropped her hands to Liz’s hips and pulled her in tight. She parted Liz’s lips with her tongue. Liz responded by pressing her tongue into Dani’s and went limp in Dani’s arms. Dani didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, but it felt like it was over too soon.
When they pulled apart, they were both breathing heavily. Liz swallowed hard. She cleared her throat. “Call me?”
“I’ll call you tonight.”
Liz turned around and fumbled in her purse again that sat on the hood of her car. She raised the keys in the air. “I’m such a ninny sometimes,” she said with a goofy grin as she jingled the keys. Her face flushed as she backed up and bumped into the side mirror of her car. She groped behind her, pulled the handle, and hurried to get inside. In her haste, she dropped the keys to the floor. She bent over, held them up in triumph, and started the engine. She merged into traffic and waved at Dani before driving away.
No one could’ve wiped the smile off Dani’s face no matter how hard they tried. Her cheek still h
urt a little where Liz struck her, but it didn’t matter. She’d managed to fluster Dr. Liz Springer with a kiss. Dani started to whistle but winced with the effort. So she hummed “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific, silently changing it to “Girl” in her mind as she headed back to the store. She pictured Mitzi Gaynor dancing in the sand by the ocean. And that cartwheel Mitzi did in the middle of the song? Yeah, she could pull it off. She might fall on her ass in the middle of the street, but it would be worth it.
When she walked into the shop, Dani heard a noise behind the counter. She didn’t see Tina until she reached the back. Then she spotted her. She was crouched behind the counter, doubled over in laughter.
“I guess you saw the WWE Smackdown, huh?” Dani asked.
Tina laughed harder and fell on the floor to rest against the wall.
“Oh, my God. I wish I had a video of that. You have no idea how funny it was.”
“Shut up.” Dani sat down on the stool and moved the mouse to take the PC out of sleep mode.
“How’s your face?” Tina snickered as she stood up. She touched Dani’s cheek. “Eh. No black eye this time. Liz sure seems capable of taking care of herself.”
“Tell me about it.”
Tina’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I do have to say that your kiss was one for the movies.”
“Jesus Christ, Tina. Did you watch everything?”
“Um, yeah. Damn. You can kiss when your heart’s in it. I mean, I’ve seen you kiss Katie before, but this was different. It was...”
“Magic,” Dani finished for her.
“I was going to say ‘fucking awesome,’ but I guess ‘magic’ will do.”
“You’re too much.”
“Yeah, I am, huh?”
Dani remembered she had been in the middle of stocking new books when Liz entered the store. That kiss did an even bigger number on her than she thought. “I need to finish stocking those books.” While she sat on the floor and slid books into place, she heard Tina on the phone.
“God, Barb, you should’ve seen it. It was so damn funny. What’s that? No, she’s okay. What? I’m pretty sure it went fine considering it ended in a kiss.” Tina laughed. “Yeah, it’s about time, huh?”
Dani smiled. They were right—it was about time.
“‘I’m such a ninny’? God, Liz. And you hit her. You’re lucky she still wants to go out with you.” Liz turned into the clinic’s parking lot. When she got out of the car, she leaned against the door and relived the kiss. The out-of-this-world, mind-blowing kiss. She brushed her fingertips across her lips. If she felt this way after one kiss, she couldn’t wait for another preview of coming attractions.
Chapter 23
Dani spun Liz on the dance floor at Carl’s and tugged her back into her arms. Liz giggled.
“Having fun?” Dani asked.
Liz couldn’t remember the last time she enjoyed herself this much. Maybe it was the music. Maybe it was the dancing. Dani winked at her as she spun her again. Who was she kidding? It was definitely the woman.
They’d gone out on three dates now. Each one left Liz wanting more. She’d felt herself falling for Dani a little the first time they’d met at Frodo’s exam. The more she got to know Dani, the closer she wanted to be to her. Everything led up to this time in her life. Their walks with Melanie and Frodo. The night of Dani’s accident with the mutual understanding they needed to give each other time.
The caring side of Dani melted Liz’s heart. Dani was the opposite of Therese. Not dangerous. Or risky. Yet, Liz held back a little when Dani would take her home. Each time, she could tell Dani waited for her to ask her inside. With what Liz was feeling tonight, her reluctance was breaking down like a fifteen-year-old used car.
The music slowed, and Dani pulled Liz close. Liz loved the way they fit together. She would say like a hand in a glove, but it was too much of a cliché. She tried to come up with something else.
Dani leaned back and searched Liz’s eyes. “What are you thinking so hard about? You’re having fun, right?”
“I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a night like this.” Liz stroked the hair at the nape of Dani’s neck. “It’s because of you, Dani. As for what I was thinking so hard about, I was trying to come up with something other than we fit like a hand in a glove. Too much of a cliché?”
Dani caressed Liz’s cheek and gave her a gentle kiss. “How about we fit together like two hearts beating as one?” She raised her eyebrow.
Liz laughed and slapped Dani lightly on the shoulder. “You’re a smooth talker.”
“Is it working?”
“Kiss me again, and I’ll tell you.”
* * *
Dani was in the kitchen microwaving more popcorn. After she and Liz dated for a while, they decided to stay in on Saturday night to watch a DVD. Dani left on the stereo radio while she was out of the room. She hummed to the tune she heard playing and waited for the popcorn to settle down in the microwave.
Liz shouted to her, “How many times have you seen this movie?”
“I don’t know,” Dani said in a loud voice from around the wall. “Enough to where if I wanted to, I could irritate the hell out of you and recite each line.” Liz laughed. “Do you need another Coke?”
“No. I’m good.”
Dani poured the popcorn into one big bowl. She reached for a Coke from the back of the refrigerator. When she walked around the corner, she stopped short. Liz didn’t notice she was watching. Liz sat on the couch in her shorts and tank top with her legs curled up under her. With one hand, she was reading the back of the DVD box. Her other elbow rested on the back of the couch while she ran her fingers through her dark hair.
God, she’s beautiful, Dani thought. And she doesn’t even have to try. Dani felt her breath catch. Liz must have heard her. She turned her head to where Dani stood in the dining room.
“Are you okay?” Liz looked genuinely worried.
“Ye-yeah. I’m fine.” She sat down next to Liz and set the bowl of popcorn onto the coffee table in front of them.
Frodo raised his head from his bed next to the couch. He sniffed the air but settled back into the bed cushion.
“The music’s so beautiful in this movie,” Dani said as she picked up the remote to the stereo, ready to turn off the radio.
Dani’s stomach erupted in flutters. Not from fear, like she felt deep in her gut with C.J. It was a feeling from her past. It was like the anticipation she’d get in the backyard in Peabody with her dad and brother as they waited for a falling star. She remembered being on edge as she scanned the black starlit sky above her. Then, there it would be, out of the corner of her eye, and her heart would pound harder as she watched the star begin its quick descent.
Her heart pounded now in anticipation of what this night held. She realized she still had the remote in her hand but hadn’t turned off the radio. She got ready to hit the button, but Liz placed her hand on her arm.
“What were you thinking about? You were far away, but you were smiling.”
“It was a memory from my childhood.” Dani cleared her throat. “But the same happiness I felt then? I feel it now.” She set the remote down and reached up to brush Liz’s hair back. It was so thick and sensual. She ran her fingers through the strands until she entwined her fingers at the nape of Liz’s neck. “It’s you, Liz.” She lowered her lips to Liz’s and whispered against her mouth, “It’s you.” She parted Liz’s lips with her tongue and waited for Liz’s tongue to meet hers. Then she opened her mouth wide to bring Liz inside. Heat surged deep in her core as she pushed Liz back onto the couch. Dani trailed kisses to Liz’s throat and felt the vibration on her own lips when Liz let out a soft moan.
Liz cradled Dani’s face in her hands. Liz’s eyes answered the question that Dani was about to ask. She pulled Dani close so she pressed against her full length. Liz was the one who pushed her tongue hungrily into Dani’s. Liz was the one who brushed her thumb against Dani’s nipple until it harde
ned. Liz was the one... It was Liz.
The music playing on the radio swirled into Dani’s brain. She was lost in the kiss and in Liz’s touch, but the words to the song prickled Dani’s ears, not unlike trying to understand a foreign language. Then Dani knew. The words rang in her head like clashing cymbals:
Your eyes to me were like a pool of light,
They shimmered and took me to another world.
Where I knew everything would be all right,
’Cause you opened my heart to let my love unfurl.
Liz tensed underneath her. She lifted her hand away from Dani’s breast, and she pulled her mouth away. Her eyes met Dani’s, but they didn’t reflect hurt. They reflected resignation. Those damn words.
Dani wanted to shout that Liz was wrong as Dani slowly sat up. She wanted to shout that it was just a song. But it was more than that. The song was a reminder. And Dani sure as hell didn’t need that image in her head when she was trying to make love to Liz.
Liz joined Dani in sitting up. Dani snatched the remote from the table and flipped off the stereo before the song reached the chorus where C.J. spoke Dani’s name. She tossed the remote onto the table where it rattled against a coaster. Dani stared straight ahead for a long moment. She turned to Liz to find her staring at the far wall, too.
Dani reached for Liz’s hand.
“Look, Liz, I’m sor—”
Liz entwined her fingers with Dani’s and squeezed. “Dani, please don’t say you’re sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry about.” She turned so that their eyes met. Dani attempted to swallow the lump in her throat when she saw the regret etched on Liz’s face.
“She means nothing to me. You know that, right?”
Liz brushed her fingertips alongside Dani’s cheek. “Yes. I do know that.”
Dani wanted so much to pull Liz close and kiss away what had happened, but the moment and the mood were gone. “We can still watch the movie,” she said hopefully.
“I think I’m going to head home. It’s getting late.”
More Than a Song Page 18
