Discovering Dani

by N. J. Walters

  Burke stopped her in her tracks with his roar. “Damn it, woman! I want to marry you. God only knows why, you jump to conclusions so fast. But there’s no accounting for taste is there?” Burke thrust his hands through his hair in frustration, even as he took several deep breaths to calm himself.

  “Marry me?” Dani asked in a small voice, almost afraid to repeat the question.

  “Yes,” he answered in exasperation. “I said so, didn’t I?”

  He only had a second to brace himself before she launched herself at him. Catching her in his strong arms, he held her close as she covered his face with kisses. His mouth, his cheeks, his nose, and everywhere else she could reach. He started to laugh. It was a deep rumble in his chest that she felt all the way to her heart.

  “I take it this is a yes.”

  “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” She punctuated each answer with a kiss.

  Burke whirled her around and around in circles until they were both dizzy. Then he collapsed on the floor, never once loosening his hold on her. She fell on top of him, and they rolled around on the floor, kissing and laughing until they were both out of breath. Dani ended up in the more comfortable position. Burke was on the hard floor, but she was lying on top of him. It was a position she could easily get used to.

  She lay there, content to just be in his arms until she had her breath back. Levering herself up, she rubbed her nose against his. “I’ll have to remember to tell our children what a romantic proposal you made.”

  He sat up suddenly and plunked her on the floor next to him. Before she had a chance to complain about losing her soft bed, he reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. “Well, I did have a different scenario in mind.”

  “Is it too late to get your version?” she asked shyly, feeling the heat creep up her cheeks and knowing she was blushing. It surprised her, and she tried to cover it by brushing her hair out of her face and straightening her clothing that had gone askew as they rolled around the floor.

  Shifting his position so that he was kneeling in front of her, he laid the box in his lap, and then he took her left hand in his and brought it to his mouth. She felt his lips, warm and soft, on her fingers as he kissed them one by one. With his other hand, he tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes. His eyes were so dark and solemn as he held her gaze.

  “Miss O’Rourke. You have my heart. I never thought I could ever love a woman, but you taught me I was wrong. I want you in my life forever. I want to share my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  Dani’s eye’s widened. “You love me?”

  “Yes,” Burke answered.

  “I love you, too. So very much.” Framing his face with her hands, she held his gaze. “I never want to lose you. And I would be honored to marry you.”

  Burke wiped away a tear that clung to the corner of her eye as he bent down and touched his lips to hers. Slowly and softly at first and then harder as she kissed him back. Tumbling her onto her back, he kissed her urgently.

  “I missed you so much,” he muttered as he ran frantic kisses over her face and down her neck.

  “I never want to be without you again.” Running her fingers through his hair, she held him tighter.

  His hands moved lovingly over her, touching her, as if reassuring himself that she was real and that she was his. His fingers quickly undid the buttons on her denim blouse and he flicked open the front clasp on her bra.

  “So beautiful.” Burke looked at her exposed flesh, and she could feel her breasts grow heavier under his heated gaze. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered and her nipples tightened into dusky pink rosebuds, which ached with growing need.

  Burke bent his head and ran his tongue around and around her nipple. His other hand was busy caressing and gently squeezing the other.

  Dani moaned and gripped his shoulders tighter. She knew she wouldn’t stop him this time. She loved him, and he loved her, and that was all that mattered.

  Burke lapped at her nipple with his tongue and then began suckling on her. His mouth devoured her and she reveled in it. His hands roamed all over her body, over her back and down her thighs. He ran his palm up the front of her legs and gently inserted his hand between her legs in an unspoken plea.

  Past all rational thought, she eagerly parted her legs. All she knew was that she wanted this man with every fiber of her being. She pulled his shirt out of his jeans and ran her hands over his chest, and when she found his nipples hidden in the thicket of male chest hair, she teased them with her fingers.

  He stiffened and then suckled even harder at her breast. His hand continued to stroke between her legs, and Dani started to move her hips to the rhythm of his hand.

  Shivering uncontrollably, she moaned and arched her hips toward him. She’d never felt anything like this in her life. She was burning with need, reaching for something she’d never experienced before.

  “Burke, help me,” she cried out, hardly knowing what she was saying.

  Pulling his hand away, he quickly yanked open the button of her jeans and pulled down the zipper, before slipping his hand inside the opening. The minute his fingers touched her woman’s softness, the feelings became even more intense.

  Dani hardly knew what was happening to her. She cried out again as Burke touched her, stroking her heated flesh. All the feelings inside her exploded, and she held onto Burke for dear life, knowing instinctively he would keep her safe.

  …

  Burke held Dani as she shivered in his arms. He was so aroused it hurt to even breathe. But this was for Dani. For once in his life, someone else’s satisfaction was more important than his own was. In fact, he found he took pleasure in her pleasure.

  When Dani came back to her senses she moaned in embarrassment. “What are we doing? Anyone could come in and see us here. We’re on the floor, for heaven’s sake.”

  The blush that covered her face and slowly worked its way down over her breasts fascinated Burke. He hadn’t known such a thing was even possible. “Lord, but you’re precious,” he said as he hugged her to him.

  Dani was trying to straighten out her bra when she suddenly stopped. “But, you didn’t…I mean…” she stammered.

  Burke gently moved her hands and fastened her bra for her. “That’s all right, love. I want our first time to be on our wedding night. You deserve it to be special. I just wanted to give you pleasure.”

  “You gave me great pleasure.” Her sensual smile made his body throb and her words pleased him.

  “I know,” He returned her smile with a smug one of his own.

  “Beast.” She kissed him softly on the cheek.

  “But you love me anyway,” he replied. Her eyes were filled with love, and it was all for him as he fastened the buttons on her blouse and then he helped her to stand. “I still have a lot of money, you know.”

  “That was never really the problem,” Dani answered. She toyed with the tail end of her shirt for a moment before dropping it and straightening it. She stood tall and proud as she met his questioning gaze. “It was the way I found out. Cynthia was smart enough to play on my insecurities, and I was foolish enough to let her. Once I’d had time to think about everything, I realized that you wouldn’t have lied to me. But by then, you were gone.”

  Burke crossed his arms over his chest to keep from reaching for her to comfort her. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you myself.” He wanted her to understand his perspective. “You know why I didn’t tell you at first.” He raised his hand to stop her before she could speak. “But I should have told you later. For that I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  Bending down, he snagged the small box that had gotten lost in the midst of their passion. He turned to Dani and flipped open the lid, holding it out to her. In the box was a large solitary diamond that glittered in its golden setting.

  “Do you like it? It reminded me of you, beautiful but without pretense.” She stared at it for so long he began to get uncomfortable. “If you don’t like it, w
e can exchange it.”

  “Not like it?” Her eyes were filled with longing when she finally looked at him. “It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.” She held out her hand and waited.

  Burke removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto Dani’s finger before raising her hand to his mouth and kissing it to seal their vow. “I want the wedding next weekend. I can’t wait any longer than that to make you mine.”

  “Next weekend,” Dani squeaked. “How can we get so much done by next weekend? We need furniture. I need to rework some of my work schedule. What about the boys?” Dani tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t relinquish his hold on her hand.

  “The boys can come and live with us. You can keep the house on Peach Street for them or you can sell it to pay for their education. Whatever you want. We can buy furniture this week, and you can reschedule your customers.” Burke wanted this all settled now. “Have I missed anything?”

  “I need a dress and what about the minister and the church?” Dani’s mind was obviously spinning with all the details. She looked a little dazed, but that was fine with him, because she had him to help her now. And he was very good with details. But seeing the look on her face, he relented, but only slightly.

  “Two weeks, then. But that’s it, I can’t wait any longer than that.” He knew he had to stand firm on this. He’d go mad if he had to wait any longer than that to make Dani his.

  Seeing the frustration on his face, she finally took pity on him. “Two weeks. I promise I can do it in two weeks.” Reaching up, she tugged his face down to receive her kiss. And what a kiss. Long and slow, it was filled with love and promise. “I don’t want to wait either,” she whispered when she finally released him.

  “Good.” He swallowed hard, trying to regain his equilibrium and ignore the pounding need of his body. Desperate for distraction, he changed the subject. “What do you think of the house? I bought it for us and for our family.”

  “I love this house. I was daydreaming about how I would furnish it when you came in.” Dani laughed and spun around. “This will be our room and, Burke, I have so many ideas for the kitchen and living room.”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs. “Come and tell me what you think of the living room arrangement that I have in mind.”

  Burke followed her down the stairs knowing that he would remember this moment for as long as he lived. Dani had given him his heart’s desire and he would love and cherish her forever.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Burke held open the door of Jessie’s Diner and ushered Dani inside. They had been busy all morning trying to make arrangements for their wedding, which was now only one week away. He’d made multimillion-dollar deals with less work then this event. But he didn’t mind. Truth be told, he was having as much fun as Dani with the preparations, maybe even more.

  Dani shot him a questioning look as they entered the warmth of the diner. “What’s that smile for? You look incredibly smug about something.”

  “I was just thinking how much I enjoyed our morning.”

  Taking off her coat, she slipped into a booth next to the window. She waited until Burke had settled into the seat across from her before she spoke. “Thank you for taking such an active role in the wedding plans. I know that the groom is not usually expected to take such a large part in the planning. I guess it’s just been harder on me than I expected it would be.”

  “What’s been harder? What’s wrong, Dani?” He was relieved that Dani had finally admitted that something was wrong. All week, he had sensed moments of sadness in her. Reaching across the table, he clasped her hand in his, holding it securely in his grasp. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but it fell flat. He was afraid that maybe she was having second thoughts about their marriage.

  “Oh, no, Burke. Never that.” She squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I want to marry you more than anything else in the world.”

  “I figured that you did,” he answered gruffly. “Then what is it, honey? What’s been making you so sad?”

  Sighing, she tugged her hand from his grasp and held out her left hand, staring at her engagement ring. “Sad. Yes, that’s exactly what it is.” She placed her hand flat on the table between them as she met his worried gaze. “It’s just that when I pictured myself getting married, I always imagined my parents would be here too. I always dreamed that my mother would make my wedding dress and help me plan the reception. My father would walk me down the aisle and give me away. I never dreamed that they would both be gone.” Her voice faded away, and her eyes had taken on a far-away look.

  “I should have known you’d be thinking about your parents at a time like this.” He placed his much larger hand over hers, hoping to give her some comfort. “But you’ve got Shamus and Patrick to give you away, and the three of us love you very much. We can’t replace your parents, but everything will be okay. I promise.”

  “I know you’re right. Most of the time I don’t think about it, just sometimes.” She pushed back the sleeves of her sweater and sat back in her seat. “Anyway, enough sadness. This is the happiest time in my life, and I intend to enjoy it.”

  “I don’t mean to interrupt, but can I get you some coffee?”

  They both looked up and saw Shannon, in her waitress uniform, standing next to their booth with menus in hand.

  “You’ll have to forgive us, Shannon.” A smile grew on Dani’s face as she spoke. “We were immersed in wedding plans.”

  “No problem.” Shannon placed menus in front of them both and then slipped her order pad out of her uniform pocket. “Who’s getting married?”

  “Dani has agreed to marry me. Can you believe that a woman like Dani would agree to marry a guy like me? Some guys have all the luck.” He no longer tried to hide his feelings for Dani. Instead, he wanted to shout to the world that she was his.

  “Congratulations! When is the wedding?” Shannon reached over to hug Dani. She looked at Burke for a moment and then muttered, “what the heck”, and leaned over and hugged him as well.

  “Next Saturday,” Dani replied. “We’ve been so busy this week, and I expect we’ll be even busier next week.” Scooping up the menus, she handed them back to Shannon who tucked them under her arm. “So you better bring me a large cup of coffee to keep up my strength. I’ll also have the soup and sandwich special, please.”

  The waitress scribbled the order on her pad and then turned to Burke. “I’ll have the same and a slice of apple pie if you have it. And Shannon, thanks for the congratulations and the hug.”

  “You’re welcome.” The other woman’s face was covered in a bright red blush and a smile as she walked away.

  They waited until they had their coffee in front of them before they resumed talking. “Okay.” Dani pulled a large notebook from her purse as she spoke, laid it on the table, and opened it to where she had marked the page. Rummaging back in her purse, she hauled out a pen and then settled down to check her notes.

  “We’ve invited a few close family friends to the ceremony. I’ve got my dress, and Patrick and Shamus have their tuxedos rented.” She checked off the items as she listed them. “We’ve got to pick yours up at the cleaners this afternoon. I don’t know anyone else who actually owns their own tuxedo,” she teased.

  Burke accepted the banter in good humor. Dani had taken every opportunity to tease him ever since she’d found out he had his own formal wear. “It’s cost effective since I always had to attend some formal business function or another. Just be glad that I didn’t donate it to charity when I moved.”

  “Yes, I’m sure it’s very economical indeed. Not to mention that you look very dashing in it.” Dani tried to keep a straight face and failed miserably. Her smile was wide as she went back to work on her list. “The church and license have been arranged. Flowers have been ordered. Work has been rescheduled.” Stopping, she chewed on the end of her pen as she studied her list. “Can you think of anything we might have
forgotten?”

  “You’re not sorry we’re not having a reception, are you?” Burke asked.

  “No, I’d rather wait until we get moved into our new home and have a house-warming party in a month or so instead.” Dani flipped a page to consult yet another list. “If the wedding is under control, we need to worry about the house this week.”

  “We’ll head to the paint shop after lunch and pick out the colors for the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. I think we should concentrate on those three rooms first. We can worry about the other rooms when we get moved in.” Burke knew he had to keep a rein on Dani or she would be worn out by the time he got her to the altar. And that definitely wouldn’t be good for the wedding night.

  “I think you’re probably right about that. We need to get some furniture for those rooms as well or we might end up sleeping on the floor on our wedding night.” A pretty pink blush covered Dani’s face as she finished speaking.

  Burke knew she was remembering what happened on the bedroom floor the night he proposed to her. No, being on the floor wouldn’t present too much of a problem at all. He knew what was running through Dani’s mind because he had been having very similar thoughts. This last week had been murder on him. She was so beautiful, and he wanted her so badly. One more week, he consoled himself. One more week and she was his forever.

  Shannon brought their lunch to the table, and they spent the next few minutes just eating. The homemade chicken noodle soup was steaming hot and delicious, and they devoured the meal in no time. Planning a wedding was hard work, and they were both starving. He had just finished his pie, and they were both sipping on their second cup of coffee when the door to the diner slammed open in a dramatic fashion.

  There in the doorway stood Cynthia James, her face grim. She paused and looked around, homing in on Burke and Dani’s table immediately. She sauntered forward.