by Vanessa Jaye
“What about the shower? Are you going to deal with that?”
“Someone will look at it tomorrow.” He grabbed the dishrag hanging over the faucet and lobbed it at her. “Let’s clean up this mess then grab something to eat.” With that he turned away and reached for the mop again.
Felicity bristled at his command, but she came back to the kitchen. Starting on the counter, she surreptitiously watched Daniel’s hypnotic mopping technique—swing to the right, right butt-cheek clench, swing to the left, left butt-cheek clench.
The cheesy culinary disaster got dumped into the garbage as she counted all the reasons for not going out with him. She snuck another look at his clench-clench prowess. Suddenly there didn’t seem nearly enough reasons not to go.
A part of him wished she’d turned him down flat.
His head told him that anything beyond dinner would be more trouble than the temptation was worth. He should evict any other thoughts. Evict being the operative word.
His other head said, “Back that thang up.”
Daniel looked around the restaurant she’d suggested, taking in the rustic wood floors, the vibrant murals on the walls and the few dancers making energetic use of a small cleared section in front of the bar. At first, the place gave an impression of friendly neighborhood warmth.
But twenty minutes later, seated at a tiny candlelit corner table and cocooned by the sultry Latin beats playing, that initial feeling had morphed into hazy intimacy.
He refocused on Felicity—or at least what he could see of her bent head from behind her menu. When she made no move to come up for air, he reached across the table and slowly tilted back the menu she’d been hiding behind for the past five minutes.
He couldn’t help smiling at her obvious reluctance to put the thing down. The lady was nervous, and with good reason. Nothing on the menu looked as good to him as she did.
“You eat here often?”
When she bit down on her bottom lip, he shifted in his seat. She had the most kissable mouth.
“I came here once with my ex,” she said, some indefinable emotion lightly dusting her words.
“Ahh.” He slid his beer bottle back and forth on the table a couple of times between his hands. “Bad memories?”
She shrugged. “Not all of them.”
Not the answer he was looking for, but he checked the impulse to investigate his vague sense of dissatisfaction.
“We came here when we were trying to work things out.” Her luscious mouth pruned up.
“And did you?” If she was still pissed off at her ex, it meant she still had some pretty strong feelings about the guy.
“Stuart and I are best off as just friends.”
Daniel snorted and her eyes became slits.
“What?”
“Men and women can’t be just friends.”
“Where’d they find you? In a cave somewhere surrounded by the scattered bones from your last meal?”
He chuckled, retreating in his seat. Man, she was touchy. But all that passion would be so interesting in so many other ways.
“If your ex agreed to that, he’s only biding his time till he gets you back.” As soon as that little truth fell from his lips, his mood soured again.
“Maybe. But it’s a wasted effort if he is.” Her expression grew somber as she traced a finger round the lip of her glass.
Daniel wanted to grab her hand. Pull her attention back to him and away from memories of the other guy. He was searching for the words to recapture her attention when she asked, “So you really don’t think men and women can be just friends?”
“Nope. The sex thing is always there. The curiosity, the need, never goes away.” He pushed aside his beer and leaned forward, pitching his voice lower as her cheeks colored in the candlelight. “Once they both admit it, give into it, everyone’s happy.”
Daniel straightened. “Unfortunately, usually the woman wants more. Then everyone’s unhappy.”
“You know not every woman wants to get a man. Some of us have dreams and goals of our own.”
“And more power to you and your friend. But my personal experience has been that when a woman wants more, it usually involves carats.”
“Gee, it must be a real pain in the neck—”
“It is.”
“—carrying around a head that size.”
He laughed again. He’d been doing a lot of it this evening. He liked her sharp tongue, when it wasn’t complaining about repairs, that is.
He’d like her tongue soft too. Soft and flickering against his. He took big swallow of beer.
“I’m just saying, I don’t want a serious relationship, don’t want the responsibility. I’ve got enough demands in my life. Don’t crucify me for being honest.”
She stared at him for several seconds, her color even higher than before. “Well, I’m so glad you got that all off your chest.”
His gaze fell a few vital inches to where her bright pink top molded her chest like a candy coating.
Daniel felt an ache; it wasn’t in his sweet tooth.
“They don’t do tricks, so you can stop staring.” Her menu—and her hackles—went back up.
“Sorry.” And he meant it. He was very sorry she was blocking his view with that menu, but he smiled truce, not wanting to argue with her tonight. Which brought up the question: what he did want to do?
All evening he’d wavered between the need to push this thing between them and knowledge he mustn’t.
Reminding himself that he’d be a monumental asshole to pursue a fling with Felicity, considering his plans for Southview, cooled his ardor. Somewhat. He signaled the waiter over.
“You guys ready to order?” the server prompted.
Daniel looked across the table, deferring to Felicity, who was frowning at the menu.
One slender finger traced down the laminated page then curled into her palm. “Why don’t you order for both of us?”
“If you’re not ready—” he squinted at the waiter’s nametag, “—Alejandro here can come back.”
“No, that’s fine; you order.”
“Are you sure? You’ve been studying the menu—”
“I’m sure. Just order.”
This date was going south fast. And maybe that was a good thing, what with the ex-boyfriend and all. It was on the tip of Daniel’s tongue to tell the waiter to get lost, then give Felicity the option of leaving. Which she obviously wanted to do. But his stomach interjected with a vociferous rumble. Screw it. He was hungry. At least one of his appetites would be satisfied tonight.
As Daniel and the waiter discussed the preparation of a dish, Felicity eased back in her seat. Her relief was so solid she could have reached over and scratched behind its ear. Instead she pressed a hand to her belly, not sure she could stomach any of the food coming.
Daniel made her nervous. And her nervousness made the words on the menu look more jumbled than ever. She’d stared at the menu till her eyes practically crossed. Running her fingers down the list, pretending to consider her choices, when as far as she was concerned, the whole thing could have been written in Sanskrit. Why hadn’t she picked some place that served burgers?
She watched Daniel across the table. Something drew her to him. Okay, it wasn’t just something—it was lust, pure and simple. When he was near, she wanted him closer. In every way. And he seemed to feel the same, if the episode by the fridge was anything to go by.
They reacted to each other like two characters out of some novel. He threw a series of searing glances her way and she supplied the heaving bosoms. In short, Daniel tempted Felicity to throw caution—and her panties—to the wind.
She sunk a little lower in her chair. Had she been so obvious? All that talk about not wanting a relationship? Translation: Gee, Felicity, you look like you would not only jump my bones, but suck out the marrow and use it as lubricant. Is that what he meant?
Right on cue, he chose that exact moment to glance at her. Felicity grabbed her wine glass and g
ulped half of it down, almost choking in the process.
“You all right?”
She sputtered the affirmative.
“Is there anything else you want?” He tapped the menu.
You.
Yearning spiked between her shoulder blades. Saliva pooled in her mouth. Oh my god: drool.
She swallowed. “No, thank you.”
When Alejandro left, Felicity watched him walk away like the last plane out of Baghdad. Now what?
She strummed her fingers on the tabletop and smiled at Daniel. He smiled back, the way a lion smiles at an antelope.
Her pool of drool headed south, morphing into wet heat between her thighs. Oh, mama, where was the rest of the herd?
Daniel was a double-barrel threat, both as the landlord who held control of the roof over her head, leaky though that roof may be, and as a man. So what was she doing here?
Tenants shouldn’t get involved with lions, and antelope shouldn’t have dinner with landlords. She shook her head. It was hard to make sense with Daniel so close.
“Everything all right?”
“No.” It slipped out. “I mean, yes.” She meant no.
Daniel inhaled deeply. “Forget this,” he muttered and pushed his chair away from the table. “I’ll see if we can cancel the order or get it to go.”
Felicity immediately felt contrite. He was only trying to be nice and here she was being an ungrateful horny toad.
“No. Wait.” She grasped his hand, stopping him.
His fingers curled around her own and Felicity’s breath did a pop-fly catch in her throat. Her mouth parted but no words came out as her brain weaved through a minefield of thoughts and impulses.
“I want to stay. Really.” Two short sentences and she was barely panting—a real accomplishment in light of the way her heart was pounding.
The bass of the music marked the passing time, but Daniel made no move back to his seat. Instead he just stood there staring down at her in a way that was becoming far too familiar.
“Dance with me.”
“What?” She almost choked on the word.
He jerked his head towards the dance floor, his gaze challenging.
Her pulse started to mambo. Gyrating, sweaty, hands on bodies—that kind of dancing?
“Sure.” She stood and moved past him, her body barely brushing against his. I can handle this. They could do gyrating, sweaty, hands-free dancing, right?
That comforting thought was given the heave-ho when Daniel reached for her. I can’t do this! She panicked as his hand slid around her waist. Her body, however, had ideas of its own—traitor!—as it slipped into the rhythm of music and fell in sync with his. She went dizzy with want, weak-kneed with desire.
Daniel rocked back, his hand bearing light pressure on her as she willingly followed, her body wedged tightly against his as they turned several times. One last turn thrust his groin against hers and Felicity’s existence came jerkily back into focus. He was hard. She pressed forward and heat flared in his eyes. Daniel came to a standstill.
“We should go back,” she said huskily, pushing against his solid chest.
A pulse beat rapidly at the base of his neck, and his breathing came hard and fast. Not for a second did she think any of it was from the dancing. Not with the way he was looking at her.
Chapter Three
How she made it back to their table Felicity wasn’t sure; her mind was focused on how she’d get through the rest of the evening. Without jumping his bones and sucking out the marrow.
Finally, their meal was done, and they were out on the sidewalk facing each other.
“So…” she said.
“So…” He shoved his hands into his pockets.
“That was nice.” Oh yeah, bowl him over with your wit why don’t you?
“It was…interesting.” He turned in the direction of Southview Drive, a few blocks away. “C’mon, let’s get you home.”
Interesting? As in “you’re not my type after all” interesting? “What do you mean interesting?”
He glanced at her sideways. “Didn’t you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t have used ‘interesting’.”
“No, the word you used was ‘nice’. You could always just admit I turn you on.”
Right.
“And you could always admit you have a big ego,” she said sweetly.
As they turned down the street, Daniel’s hand settled lightly on the small of her back making her hyper-aware of him. They chit-chatted for the rest of the walk to the house and her nervousness grew. Then all too soon they arrived at her front door.
Daniel stared down at her. “Do you still want to hear what I thought of tonight?”
“Yes—”
His mouth locked onto hers.
Felicity grasped his jacket as his fingers twined into her hair and he backed up to the wooden rail where he settled and pulled her between his thighs. The night air touched her with cool sighs, but Daniel’s mouth was pure hungry heat.
Then his kiss turned to soft enticement, reeling her in as he nibbled and licked at her in tiny teasing flicks that beckoned her lips to part and her tongue to seek his. Felicity gave in and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders as little mewling sounds escaped her.
“I know, baby, I know.” He soothed and captured her bottom lip gently between his teeth. Then suddenly the hands that swept caresses along her back were crushing her to him as he stroked his tongue deeper, forcing her to open wider for him.
White-hot yearning rolled through Felicity and she shifted eagerly against his arousal then swallowed the agonized groans that he emptied into her throat.
His hands were everywhere—kneading her ass and pressing her hard against the ridge of his erection, then up to cradle her head, fingers spread as he held her immobile for the scorching path of kisses he traced over her jaw and neck.
She was lightheaded, her mind in a fog of sensations from his kisses, his scent, the deep rumble of his pleasure, the hard length of his cock. Things were happening too fast. With a soft moan, she hunched her shoulders and pulled away.
“Felicity?” he rasped.
She pressed her head against his heaving chest and rubbed her head slowly from side to side. No.
After a few moments she felt some of the tension drain from him, and he played his fingertips lightly along her spine. Afraid to move, not sure if she’d made the right decision, Felicity picked at a loose thread on his shirt.
They stayed that way for a while, neither saying a word, until Daniel eased her away. Because she didn’t know what else to do, she fumbled for the key in her pocket, turned, and then lurched across the short distance to the door. She managed to push the key in the lock, and a second later felt the heat of him behind her.
“Maybe you should go now,” she said.
There was an awkward silence.
“Okay. I’ll have someone in here to work on the roof tomorrow. Call me if you need…anything.”
Without answering, she eased the door shut in his face.
***
“C’mon, ya pantywaist. Look at this.” Rob turned, jogging in reverse to face Daniel. “Backwards, with one hand behind my back.”
When Rob inevitably stumbled, Daniel ran around him, burning rubber.
“Hey, no fair.”
He kept the brutal pace until Rob caught up to him, panting, “Mercy, mercy, I take it back. I take it back. We still have another three miles to run.”
Lungs burning, Daniel slowed his pace. “Sissy.”
Rob gave him the finger and they ran for the next minutes with only the caws of seagulls over the lake and the sounds of their own exertions breaking the silence.
“So are you speaking at all this morning?”
“What’s there to say?” Daniel countered. “It’s a beautiful day.” He waved towards Lake Ontario, where the sun gilded the waters in pale gold and tangerine. “I’m just enjoying it.”
“You co
ulda fooled me with that scowl you’ve been wearing for the past hour.”
Daniel wiped away the sweat that gathered at his neck under his ponytail. Yeah, he was in a bad mood this morning. It was a sequel to his foul mood from last night. All because of one particular female who’d gotten under his skin.
He told himself he should be thanking his lucky stars for the close escape last night. He’d almost let his libido override his rational thought. It was only supposed to be a kiss. But at the first taste of Felicity beneath his lips and the feel of her response to his touch, “supposed to be” became a thing of the past. He moved aside onto the grass, allowing a couple of in-line skaters to speed by, then fell back in step on the paved walkway.
“You were over at Felicity’s place yesterday, weren’t you?”
“So?”
“I’m just surprised you found the time, considering your busy schedule.”
“Just say it.”
“You shouldn’t be shitting in your own backyard, pal. You’re the one who taught me that.” Rob took a couple of deep breaths. “Keeps things on the non-messy side, right? No emotional demands. No nesting.”
Daniel suppressed a shudder. Nesting. He rarely let anyone stay over two nights in a row. Much less leave any orphaned belongings to be fostered in his condo. In his experience, you gave a woman an inch and she’d hang two suitcases and a toothbrush on it.
“Nothing’s messy. I just took her out for dinner to make up for delays. We had an interesting time.” Again, Daniel felt a twinge of conscience.
“I just bet you did. ‘Interesting time’ my ass.” Rob shoved him. “Save the crap, please.”
Daniel grinned, but he wasn’t copping to anything. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t sleep with every beautiful woman I meet. Besides, there has to be more…” He frowned. When had he started to want more?
“That’s foolish talk, my man.”
“You’re hopeless.”
“But I can be reformed with the love of a good woman.”
“Yeah, right. Your track record is worse than mine.”
“Those weren’t good women. They were bad. Every last one of them. Good luvin’. Bad women.” Rob waggled his eyebrows.
Daniel chuckled as he made a detour around some early morning canine offering. Rob wasn’t so lucky and he let those in the vicinity know it with a string of curses.
