I knew I was tired, but I was certain I hadn’t forgotten the layout of the house. It couldn’t have changed since January. I yawned. This was confusing.
Danny wrapped me in his protective arms. “Poor, sleepyhead. Our bedroom is this way.” Danny’s nose touched mine, and he gently kissed me.
Only one room was to the right of the stairs. “Isn’t that the master?” I mumbled.
Danny smirked. “Not anymore.”
“Are you kidding me?” I asked, momentarily awake again.
“Mom wanted us to feel at home. She thought we’d enjoy waking to the ocean view.”
“Won’t we be in the way?” I didn’t want to live out of our suitcases.
Danny laughed at my interpretation. “Mom had Graciela move their stuff to a guest room. The master is ours, baby.”
“This is what you meant when you said it was our house.”
“Yes. So let’s get to OUR room and take a nap.”
Danny led me into the sizable master suite with its sidewall of glass leading to a private balcony and the ocean beyond.
The impressive king-sized bed faced a fireplace. The headboard was covered in tufted white silk and the linens were white Pratesi eyelet. Several light blue throw pillows contrasted.
The furniture, including a club chair with ottoman, and a settee, was either covered in white fabric or painted white. Even the floors were pickled hardwood partially covered by a white shag area rug. Open white wooden vertical blinds revealed the Pacific in the distance.
Despite being a vacation home, the bedroom had a large custom outfitted walk-in closet and a spa-sized bathroom. The over-sized bathroom was decorated with white wood cabinetry, white Carrera marble counters and tiles, and white plantation shutters covered the window beside the two-person spa-tub. The plush towels were naturally also white.
Both rooms were painted a cool light blue that matched the bed’s accent pillows.
I almost didn’t notice the small white table by the settee in front of the fireplace. On it’s surface, a crystal vase contained two-dozen white roses with delicate long, green stems. They, like the red ones downstairs, were so fresh the buds were still tightly closed.
The rose in the center stood taller than the others. In contrast, it was in full bloom. I took a closer look. This rose wasn’t in the water. It was made of silk!
I removed the silk rose from the vase and fingered its petals. How curious!
I looked at Danny who had come up beside me. He understood my confusion.
“Danny, they’re beautiful,” I said. “I can’t believe how many roses you bought.”
“Eli, this is it,” he grinned.
Danny was pleased with himself, and why shouldn’t he be? He saw how happy he’d made me.
I held up the silk flower. “What’s with this one?”
“It’s symbolic.” Danny grinned again, and he clasped my hand. “Our love will last as long as that rose.”
“It’s silk,” I said, “It will…”
“Never die,” Danny completed my sentence.
Tears filled my eyes. I threw my arms around Danny’s neck. I couldn’t help crying. Danny held me tightly and let me. Then I smiled and gently touched his face.
“Danny, you’re amazing! You’re such a romantic.”
“Don’t tell anyone.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Everyone would hate me. It’ll be our little secret.”
It wasn’t until Danny loosened his hold on me that I noticed a square blue box, unmistakably from Tiffany’s, beside the vase.
“That’s for you,” Danny said and he handed me the box.
I smiled as I untied the white satin ribbon. The cube-shaped box was too large to contain jewelry. Opening the lid, I found …a box! A small, square crystal box cut to resemble a gift box with a crystal ribbon bow as the lid.
“It’s lovely.”
“I wanted you to have something of your own. You can put your earrings in it.”
I was speechless. I understood the symbolism of this gift. Far from being merely an expensive box for trinkets, this was Danny’s way of saying this was my home too.
CHAPTER 97 - ELIZABETH
A warm hand on my shoulder roused me. Hair tickled my face as Danny leaned over me to kiss my cheek. I stretched my arms in an exaggerated feline-like motion, reaching behind to capture him.
There was no better way to wake up. I hoped Danny agreed. Yeah, I knew he did. I smiled, satisfied with the turn of events since leaving Donnelly. I was now mistress of the Newman beach house. Unbelievable!
Well-rested and content, Danny rolled me onto my back. Propped on his elbow, his lips skimmed mine for a sweet kiss. Danny’s heart beat against mine, strong and slow. His happiness pleased me immensely.
Before Danny left for Canada, he needed to believe that no other girl could fulfill his desires like I could. There was precious little time for me to work the magic to ensure his faithfulness. The calendar was not my friend.
Danny had repeatedly referred to this as our first night in our first home. The ultimate romantic, he had to have planned a celebration for later! But first, off to downtown Malibu for a light bite at Marmalade Café. Danny was starving. I wasn’t. Still, he insisted I eat something. His plans must require me not to have an empty stomach.
Upon returning from dinner, Danny and I went upstairs to unpack. Six suitcases later, the walk-in closet had little room for future purchases.
“We’ll need more closets when we live here permanently,” Danny gripped as he appraised the situation.
“We can put non-essentials in the other bedrooms,” I suggested.
“What about guests? There just isn’t enough room to live here full-time, Eli.”
I looked around the bedroom, taking in its sizeable dimensions. “This room is so large. Danny, we could build up that back wall and turn it into closet space.”
Danny studied the wall. “That might help. It’s an idea.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed, frustrated. “Why don’t we just level the house and start from scratch,” I said sarcastically.
“Eli! That’s a great idea! We’ll hire an architect.”
“Daniel!” I exclaimed, appalled. “I was being sarcastic. We love this house. I will not knock it down just to get closets.”
“Baby, we’ll remodel. An architect can rearrange the rooms. I’ll call Mom for a name.”
Danny was so enthusiastic I wanted to kill him. There was no way I was letting him near the phone.
“Stop!” I cried to get his attention. “Daniel, you will do no such thing!”
Danny stopped still, starring at me, stunned by my assertiveness.
“I thought you’d like that,” Danny said quietly, hurt apparent in his voice.
“It’s a little premature. Danny, we don’t even own this house.”
“Baby, we will.” he answered with confidence. “My parents always give me what I want. I’ll ask them. Mom and Dad can buy a new one.”
I put down the sweater I was folding and approached him. Danny looked up from the underwear he was putting away and I hugged him tight.
“I love you very much,” I said. “And I’m touched that you want to make everything perfect, but I have to draw the line. Danny, let’s get a grip on reality. Steve and Ellen are very generous parents, and you’re right, they do give you whatever you ask for. Danny, you will not ask for this house. If you do, I’m out of here. It’s the end of us.”
“Eli, you’re serious?” Danny trembled, visibly shaken.
I had never threatened to leave him before. Danny knew I meant it.
“A house isn’t a trinket or tickets to a concert. It’s a big deal. Asking for this house would show me that you are more spoiled and immature than I ever imagined. That’s not what I want. And they’ll assume I was behind your request. That would humiliate me. I could never ask anyone to give me a house.”
“Then where will we live?”
“Here, as planned. But we don�
��t own this house unless it’s offered. If it’s not, we can buy another. There’s no rush. We aren’t even engaged.”
I couldn’t help thinking with some hostility, “Hell! You won’t even promise to stop cheating. Who knows if we’ll ever permanently live together in this or any other house.”
I realized I remained bitter about Amelia and Reggie. I’d better get over it and fast. Danny had a special evening waiting, and I didn’t want to spoil it. He needed to learn how amazing I would make life in this house be for him.
“There!” I declared as I closed the cabinet beneath the white marble sink. Finally. I had finished unpacking everything. So much stuff for only one week!
By the end of next week I’d have to pack it all up again. Not really have to, but I would. Danny, insisting that this was now our home, had made it clear that I could live here all summer. But I couldn’t. This house didn’t feel like home. It was Steve and Ellen’s, not mine. Santa Monica was my home.
I turned to leave the bathroom and there was Danny, standing in the doorway.
“Will you ever be finished?” he asked. Danny’s grin gave away his pleasure.
I held up my empty hands. “I’m done,” I said, and I tried slipping passed him.
Blocking my way, Danny reached for my shoulder and pulled me into his arms.
“Playtime?” I grinned.
Then I reached my hands around his neck, and Danny lifted me up, his hands gripping beneath my skirt. While Danny held me securely, I wrapped my legs around his waist, purposely rubbing against him, lace silk to khaki. I pulled Danny’s face to mine. His hands kneading my bottom left me gasping as our lips met. I reached for the hem of my polo shirt, and pulled it over my head, dropping it to the floor.
“Let’s move this party to the hot tub,” Danny whispered.
“Now?” I was disappointed by the interruption. Then I flashed back to him keeping me from the refrigerator before. Danny obviously had his reasons for moving downstairs.
Still. “In a little?” I asked hopefully.
Danny kissed my chest, then my shoulder, my lips and my neck. My back arched in response. I leaned deeply into his hands, pressing my breasts into them.
“Now,” Danny ordered, “before we never get there.” He was hard against me, probing.
“Too bad. Daniel, I’m not leaving this room until we make love.”
Danny laughed at my boldness. Feathery soft, he ran his fingertips up my spine requiring me to unwrap my legs from around his hips or be dropped. Danny set me down, a soft landing. As he did so, he unhooked my bra and I pulled him down to me.
“Daniel, I want you now,” I ordered.
“Eli, you’re a demanding woman,” Danny teased.
“I sure am. Now, let me make you a happy man.”
“Skinny dip?” I asked after our playful quickie concluded.
Danny starred at my naked body with a triumphant smirk.
“No. Navy bikini.”
“Nobody’s here but us,” I reminded him.
“Navy bikini. It drives me crazy.”
“Danny, you’re insatiable tonight.”
“I hope so babe, ‘cause you’re an animal.”
When I stepped out of the bathroom in my navy bikini, I zipped a gray hoodie halfway up before going down stairs.
Danny was already on the patio where he’d turned up the heated floor tiles and switched on the hot tub. He had also turned on a heating lamp by the nearby dining table, and had laid out large, fluffy turquoise beach towels, one for each of us.
“There’s my Sweetheart,” Danny said as I stepped out through the sliding glass door. “Kill the house lights, hon,” he grinned.
There was a switch on the outside wall that controlled the lights in the great room. Once off, the only illumination on the patio was from the heating lamp and the stars.
I sauntered over to my smiling love and eased into his welcoming arms. A crystal clear evening, the moon sat low on the horizon. A bright orange orb glowing over the Pacific, craters so clearly delineated, the man in the moon was truly smiling down on us. In the distance, the lights of Santa Monica and further south, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, added a shimmer to the sky.
“It’s so beautiful tonight,” I whispered.
Danny’s arms enveloped me. Our lips met, sealing our love. My heart pounded and Danny unzipped my hoodie. He slipped it off my shoulders and tossed it on a nearby chair. I stood shivering, even while Danny held me for another kiss.
Danny took my hand and led me to the in-ground hot tub. The warmth of the water and the power of the bubbles playfully encapsulated me. This was so much better than another round of love making in bed. We’d have time for that later.
Settled on the tiled seat with the jets on our backs, an errant bubble splashed my eye and tickled. I giggled and Danny gently wiped it away with his thumb. His hand lingered on my cheek as his eyes locked on mine.
“Do you realize, for once we are absolutely, completely alone?”
“Steve won’t interrupt?” I giggled, alluding to our aborted hot tub romp in Aspen.
“Not tonight. I promise.”
“Good. That was too weird.”
“Now, what were we doing that evening?” Danny grinned.
“I think I remember,” I flirted.
Danny’s nose gently touched mine. I felt his sweet, warm breath on my face. My arms wrapped around his strong, wet back and our lips crushed together. The power of his kiss made me tremble.
Danny broke into the warmest, most pleased smile I’d ever seen. I slid on to his lap, straddling his hips to sit even closer than I already was. Danny’s magnificent sapphire eyes bored into my soul as he took my face in his hands.
“E, I love you so much. Even more than in Aspen,” Danny whispered.
Tears filled my eyes. I blinked hard to keep contained. Danny spoke with such sincerity. I felt so full.
“And I the same. Danny, I love you more than anything.” I quivered.
Maybe I could trust Danny. At this moment I believed any and all things were possible. Danny’s heart beat rapidly against mine that was beating equally fast. Our lips, our bodies, even our souls, joined together, pure powerful heat.
My head was spinning and I gripped his muscular back for support. I barely noticed when Danny removed my bikini top, but suddenly his hands, his lips; they were all over me. Like an expert musician, he played me perfectly while the crashing waves of the Pacific provided our own personal soundtrack.
My hands twined in Danny’s hair. His wet skin against mine filled me with desire. Danny reached down to my bikini bottom, swiftly removed it and flung it on the deck, all the while grinning. I laughed, flashed him my own saucy grin, and removed his swim shorts that I tossed near the bikini.
“E, you’re incredible,” Danny murmured as I threw my arms around his neck.
“Danny, I love you,” I whispered.
Never had I felt this free and uninhibited. I loved having our own home!
As our lips devoured each other amid the pulsating bubbles, I eagerly welcomed Danny entrance. Moving to the accelerating rhythm of music we could only feel in our souls, Danny and I exploded together, and then celebrated our love with more kisses, tender ones now.
Tenderly holding each other while our pulses returned to restful speed, I remained on Danny’s lap while we silently celebrated our love on this magnificent evening.
“I need some water,” Danny announced after a long while. The heat of the hot tub was getting to us.
Watching Danny climb out of the hot tub was a treat. My eyes were riveted to his perfection. “Behold Adonis,” I thought. With his shaggy hair dripping rivulets down his muscular back, the Greek god would have been jealous.
Danny’s back to me, I studied him toweling off. His broad shoulders perfectly tapered to his narrow hips and firm buttocks atop muscular athletic legs. I was completely infatuated. He was gorgeous. He was mine. Lucky me!
Danny abruptly turned back around. C
aught! There was no getting around that I’d been starring! I shrugged my confession. Danny grinned, pleased with my enjoyment, and he tied the towel around his waist. Then he donned his hoodie and zippered it halfway up.
I swam to the side of the hot tub where Danny stood unfolding the other towel. He held it open for me and I climbed out. In the unlikely event that I had developed a case of modesty, Danny averted his gaze toward the ocean.
When I stood enveloped by plush terry, Danny rubbed me down. Then he wrapped the towel around me and tucked in the end creating a bandeau dress. Danny took me in his arms and I reached up, guiding his lips to mine. His tenderness sent sparks pulsating throughout me. How we enjoyed this close intimate moment.
“Oh, babe.” Danny spoke softly, yet emotionally. “How will I make it through the summer without you?”
“Shhh.” I placed my forefinger against his lips. “Don’t think about that.”
I reached my arms around Danny’s neck and pressed against him. His strong arms lifted me off the hard tile floor. I tenderly kissed him and my movements loosened my towel dress.
“Baby, you’ll be up every weekend, right?” Danny asked desperately.
“You know I will. Nothing can keep us apart.”
“I need you, Eli.”
“Danny, don’t. I want to enjoy tonight.” My towel came undone and fell to the ground. “Let’s enjoy the moment.”
Our lips crushed together, mine parting for his tongue to explore. Danny ran his hands down my back and held them on my bottom to support me. I gasped, feeling his hands on my bare skin. As we kissed, Danny became hard beneath his towel. In one fluid motion, I reached down and removed it.
“Eli?” Danny playfully admonished.
I took Danny’s face in my hands, and while I devoured his lips he carried me to a lounge chair where we made love again.
After, Danny ran his fingertip up my side from my hip to my shoulder in feathery strokes causing a powerful, shiver to run through me. We were lying on the lounge facing each other. Danny’s hand rested on my hip and I held his shoulder.
Danny moved to cover me as much as possible with the sweatshirt he was still wearing. My hands inside the hoodie laced behind his neck. I tilted my head up to his for a kiss.
Hollywood Princess Page 38
