by Jess Dee
Oh God. He was talking about his new haircut.
Looking at his face now, there was no sign of passion at all. Just a devilish smile and a sexy dimple playing on his cheek.
Feeling slightly foolish and very breathless, she stepped away and squeezed her thighs together. “It looks good.” Too good. “You look all grown up.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound as raw as she thought it did. On the pretense of a cough, she cleared her throat.
Her last statement brought a bit of reality screaming back. He was all grown up and still not interested in a serious relationship.
“I’ll take that as a compliment. C’mon, Lex will be wondering where we are.”
They climbed into Daniel’s four-wheel drive and set off for the beach. Amy took a close look at her friend. His gorgeous profile was etched with stress lines. “How’d your day go? You look tired.”
“I’ve been trying to get all the prints developed. It’s taking time, but I’ll get there.”
“I hate what this shoot’s doing to you. I’ve never seen you like this.”
“It hasn’t been easy.”
Daniel had come to terms with Sarah’s cancer years ago, but being on the children’s ward had dredged up awful memories for him, memories he hadn’t visited in a long time. Perhaps now, as an adult, he was processing a fact he hadn’t been able to comprehend as a child—that his older sister had come precariously close to death.
It wasn’t like Daniel to get involved with his subjects. Objectivity was the key to good photography, he always said. Identify, empathize, sympathize, but don’t get involved. This time, due to Sarah, he’d lost his neutrality.
“Do you have a lot left to do?”
“Most are done. Now I need to choose the ones I’m going to show and enlarge them.”
“It must be difficult, staring at sick children all day.”
“Especially when every kid reminds me of Sarah twenty years ago.”
His lips were pursed and his jaw locked in a tense grimace. She felt his pain as tangibly as if it were her own.
Daniel glanced at her and their eyes met and held. Before redirecting his attention to the road, he gave her a half smile.
They’d always been able to read each other’s expressions and unspoken thoughts. It came from years of shared experiences.
“Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. But, yeah, it gets to me sometimes.”
“You’re allowed to be sad.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “These children are babies. They’re bringing back all these memories of how useless I felt back then.”
“There’s a difference between now and then. This time you can help. You’re making things better.” She took his free hand and wound her fingers through his.
He caressed her palm with his thumb.
It was an intimate gesture, but he seemed unaware of his actions, so she didn’t stop him…despite the unexpected shiver that ran up her spine.
In fact, she enjoyed the subtle massage so much her eyes closed and her head dropped back against the seat. It was just as well Daniel parked then, because she was seriously considering moving his hand from her palm to her breast.
They made their way across the grass to a group of about fifty or so people gathered together. Some stood chatting in small groups while others sat on blankets scattered around the lawn. A table laden with drinks and food had been set up for the guests. Several people danced near a pair of portable speakers. Maroon 5 blared from the speakers, and the ocean roared behind them. The party was in full swing.
They helped themselves to wine, and Daniel scarfed down a chocolate as they searched for Lexi in the crowd.
A woman disengaged from a group and headed over to them. “Daniel, Amy, hi.”
She waited while Daniel hugged his sister happy birthday. She’d known Lexi as long as she’d known Daniel. She was two years younger than her brother and looked like a feminine version of him—tall and beautiful, with tumultuous blond curls that fell past her shoulders. She was as charismatic as Daniel, but while he was laid-back, Lexi was frenetic in her style. No wonder Daniel had succumbed so quickly to her request to do the exhibition. She was one tough woman to say no to.
Amy gave Lexi a kiss on her cheek and tipped her cup in her direction. “Here’s to a happy birthday and a great year.”
Lexi raised her own cup and smiled. “Thanks.” She winked at Daniel. “I hope we all have a great year.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Daniel answered, and they all sipped.
“Danno, you remember Jack, don’t you?” Lexi asked, pulling them into her group of friends.
Within minutes, Amy had been introduced to at least fifteen people. Her head boggled trying to remember their names. A chilly wind blew a strand of hair into her eyes. She pushed it away and nestled into her jacket.
“Cold?” Daniel slid his arm around her shoulder.
“A little.” She burrowed into her friend’s warmth.
Although she couldn’t put her finger on it, something about him seemed different. Something was way more…appealing than usual. It wasn’t just the hair, which the wind had now tousled, leaving it spiked at peculiar angles. Nor was it the dark blond bristles shadowing his jawline. It wasn’t his clothes, either, although no one filled a pair of jeans like Danny did. They hugged his ass, reinforcing Maggie’s assessment of how great it was. The navy jumper he wore set off the clear blue of his eyes to perfection.
Something about her friend was…different.
“You know, I’m not used to your hair like that, but I’ve got to say, you look pretty damn sexy.”
“I do?” He looked at her with a surprised grin.
“Yeah, you’ve got that look about you, like you’ve tumbled out of bed… Aha, that’s what you were doing before you came to fetch me. Who is she, then? When do I get to meet your latest conquest?” She joked as she fired the questions, but for some reason, jealousy tickled her ribs.
She’d never been jealous of Daniel’s girlfriends before. Never. So why now?
Maybe her earlier attack of lust had thrown her off balance. Maybe that same desire was skewing her thought processes. She didn’t give a shit if Daniel was sleeping with a new woman.
“I’ve been developing photos all day,” he said with exaggerated patience. “I’m allowed to look…unkempt. Doesn’t mean I had a little rough and tumble before collecting you.”
“Rough and tumble?”
“Whatever. Let me assure you, there is no new woman in my life.”
“My mistake, then.” Amy wasn’t fazed by her incorrect assumption. Nine times out of ten, she was right. She motioned with her eyes to someone behind him. “Lucky for that woman over there. She’s staring at you with definite interest.”
The gorgeous brunette was tall with short hair, a voluptuous mouth, and a killer body. Just Daniel’s type.
He cringed visibly. “Christ. She’s stalking me.” He edged Amy toward the speakers.
“Stalking you?” Anyone who looked like that didn’t need to stalk Daniel. All she had to do was send him a knowing glance and her friend would happily respond.
“Okay, bad choice of words, but I can’t get rid of her. Every time I turn around, she’s there.” He put his hands on her hips. “Dance with me? Maybe that’ll put her off.”
Amy let the music flow through her, trying to ignore the heat pulsating from Daniel’s hands. “You’re avoiding her? That’s so unlike you. She’s gorgeous.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not all she is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
He shifted. “It’s awkward.”
“Oh please. You don’t do awkward with gorgeous women. Come on, ’fess up. Who is she?”
He danced a little closer and spoke a little softer. “Promise not to make a big deal about it?”
Amy nodded.
“Her name’s Leona Ramsey. She’s a ped
iatrician at POWS. Ever since I walked into the ward, she’s been…flirting. At first I was flattered, but she’s getting pretty explicit.” He shook his head. “It’s bad, Morgan. She won’t give up.”
Amy wasn’t seeing the problem. “And this bothers you…why?”
“She’s married.”
“Ah, right. So tell her you’re not interested.”
He gave her a funny look. “I have. She won’t listen.”
“Was your message clear?”
“I said I don’t do married women and I won’t make an exception for her. Could I be any clearer?”
A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. “What are you going to do?”
“No idea. Any suggestions?”
“You’re the king of dumping women. Surely you have a plan.”
“Not a single one.”
They danced in silence for a while. Amy tried to keep her mind on Daniel’s problem, but she found herself distracted by the sensual way he moved to the music. The Script slowed the beat down, and Daniel pulled her into a loose embrace. They swayed comfortably together, although she began to feel a little too snug in her friend’s arms.
Hot liquid pooled between her legs, kindling an awareness that shouldn’t have been there.
“Leona’s still watching you.” The woman stood to the side. Her gaze hadn’t left Daniel.
“I can’t get rid of her.”
“You better come up with something quick. She’s headed over here as we speak.”
“Shit.”
“Think fast.”
“I have an idea.” Daniel nudged her backward until they stood slightly apart from the crowd. Then he touched her cheek and his eyes took on an odd glow. “I’m going to need your help.”
Amy didn’t like where this was heading. He caressed her face with seductive, tantalizing strokes, and her heart hammered with uncertainty. “Danny—”
“Shh. Just help me out. Okay?” He stared at her mouth with obvious intent.
Her eyes widened in alarm, but she didn’t have time to protest.
Daniel tilted his head and kissed her.
His lips were warm, soft, and exhilarating. They clung to hers with a promise of a thousand forbidden pleasures.
The man had done some crazy things in his time, but this was extreme. Friends didn’t kiss each other. Not like this. She pressed her hands against his chest, pushing him away.
“Stop.” The word was muffled against his lips.
He trailed a path of tiny kisses from her lips to her ear, leaving her cheek tingling. “Desperate situation here…” His whisper tickled her ear, and the erotic sensation shot straight to her belly. “Please?”
She quit struggling. How could she refuse to help a friend?
Daniel kissed her again, this time coaxing her lips apart and teasing her mouth with his tongue. Tossing her misgivings aside, Amy relaxed into the moment. It wasn’t difficult. Daniel kissed like a dream.
His mouth should have seemed familiar. Kissing him should have felt a bit like slipping on an old sweater on a chilly night, all snug and cozy. It didn’t. It felt so damn good, Amy sizzled. Hypnotic warmth seeped through her limbs and into her breasts.
As if sensing her capitulation, Daniel smiled, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close, intensifying the physical contact.
She didn’t mean to enjoy herself, but God help her, this was heaven. Her eyes lost their struggle to stay open, and she lost herself to the sensations Daniel’s mouth stirred in her.
He tasted of rich chocolate and expensive wine. He tasted good. Too good, considering the tempting flavor was that of her oldest friend.
He curved his body into hers so his muscled chest rubbed against her aching breasts, shooting sparks through her stomach. Prickles of awareness raced up her spine as he caressed her back. Every inch of her friend was hard and unmistakably male. His erection pressed against her stomach.
Heat flared with every stroke of his velvety tongue.
She wound her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his thick, short hair. It had been five months since she’d been held like this. Five months filled with enough hurt to last a lifetime. Simon had crushed her faith in the opposite sex and killed her desire for sexual intimacy.
Daniel’s kiss brought that desire back to life.
She moaned into his mouth, and he responded with a soft growl and held her tighter. The world around her ceased to exist. All she knew was this man, his invading mouth, his state of arousal and her own.
Daniel gave another low groan and pulled slowly away from her. The air between them chilled, and she instantly missed the warmth of his mouth.
“Morgan…it worked.” His voice was a husky growl in her ear. “Leona’s gone. But we’re not alone.”
With that reminder she came crashing down to earth.
Amy stepped back, escaping the circle of Daniel’s arms. They certainly weren’t alone. People stood all around. She stared at him, bewildered. What had she done?
“I…uh, we…that is, I…” Words failed her, as did logic.
Her chest closed, making breathing impossible. Claustrophobia threatened to choke her.
“Um…I need…” She held up a finger. “Need a, uh, minute.” No, a minute wouldn’t cut it. She needed space. Lots and lots of space. “Two minutes,” she amended, and before Daniel could respond, Amy spun around and strode off on shaky legs.
With no specific destination in mind, she headed where her legs took her, landing up on the beach.
At least she could breathe there.
Her feet sank into the cold sand, and she stopped a few meters short of the shoreline, struggling to harness her erratic heartbeat.
How on earth had one innocent kiss turned so hot so quickly?
“Morgan?”
Amy flinched when Daniel touched her shoulder.
“Hey. You okay?”
No. She was anything but okay, but she nodded anyway.
“Why’d you run off like that?”
She tried to breathe normally. “Why do you think?”
“You’re upset.”
“I am.” I’m also turned on and frustrated.
“By the kiss.”
Of course she was upset by the kiss.
He squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t be, babe. It worked. When Leona saw what was going on, she walked away.” He sounded so normal, so unaffected by everything.
“Uh, excuse me for sounding stupid, but shouldn’t we have walked away, too? Did you notice what happened between us up there?”
Daniel flashed her a crooked smile, his dimples creasing in his cheeks. “Yeah. Who would have thought we could burn up the air like that?” He plunked himself down on the dry sand, his legs bent and arms resting behind him, supporting his weight.
Amy gawked, astounded by his nonchalant behavior.
Was he not as blown away by their encounter as she was? “Don’t you think it went a bit far?”
He shrugged. “It had to go that far to seem real.”
“Well, then, did you have to make it so…intense?”
He grinned up at her. “I think you had a hand in that intensity.”
Her cheeks burned. She sat beside him, shaking her head. “You’re not in the least bit put out by any of this, are you?”
“I was in a predicament. You helped me out. It got a little hotter than it should have. No big deal.”
A little hotter? The grass where they’d stood still smoldered. “You don’t feel awkward now? Worried what this could do to our friendship?”
“Morgan, it was a kiss, that’s all. It shouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable. If anything, you should feel proud it worked.”
She gaped at him. He’d turned the whole situation around, making a fiery, sexy kiss into a nonissue.
Relief trickled through her. If he could deny the intensity of the moment, so could she. Happily.
A slow smile spread across her face. “It really worked?”
“Yep. L
eona left about a minute into the kiss.”
Time might have stood still while Daniel kissed her, but Amy was pretty sure it had lasted longer than a minute. “If she left so quickly, why didn’t you stop kissing me?”
He grinned and looked sheepish. “Didn’t want to. I was enjoying myself too much. You kiss well, Morgan. Real well.”
“Daniel!” Amy couldn’t say anything else. She’d enjoyed herself, too. And if she kissed well, Daniel kissed great. “Well, I’m glad I could help.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“No worries.” She stood, pulling him up with her. “That’s what friends are for.”
…
Daniel kept a close eye on Amy as they walked back up the beach together. With every step, the tension seemed to ease out of her body.
At least one of them was calm. His balls were so heavy and his dick so hard, if she so much as smiled at him, he’d lose it right there on the sand.
He ached to hold her again. He could still taste her sweet mouth and smell her subtle perfume. It played havoc with his libido. He had no doubt he’d have a semi hard-on for the next several hours at least.
While she’d been shocked by their embrace, he’d been blown away. She’d responded to him, come alive in his arms, and it hadn’t been an act. Her touch, kiss, and ardor had been very real.
He applauded his five-star performance afterward. He’d actually made her believe the kiss hadn’t affected him. But his casual stance belied his aroused state. He was half-mad with wanting her. What he wouldn’t give to grab her again, kiss away her relief, hear her moan into his mouth, crush her breasts against his chest. Grind his hips against hers.
What he wouldn’t give to make love to her.
He understood she’d grasped his fake reaction to their kiss like a lifeline. Her relief was visible now in every feature of her beautiful face. Smiling to himself, he allowed her the temporary reprieve. It wouldn’t last long.
Amy was wrapped up in her own thoughts as they neared the party, so Daniel knew she didn’t notice him scan the crowds through the dim light, catch Lexi’s eye, and give her a subtle thumbs-up. She also didn’t notice when Leona Ramsey turned around and smiled at him. And, much to Daniel’s satisfaction, Amy completely missed his answering wink.
