Fringe Benefits

by Sandy James

  None of this argument even mattered to Nate, nor did he care about the noise. He was getting ready to stomp out. If Kat got kicked out to sleep on the streets, it would be nothing but pure karma. He narrowed his eyes at her. “You can really be a bitch when you want to be.”

  Her mouth formed a shocked O before she started shaking her finger at him. “Don’t you dare call me a bitch, Nathaniel Ryan!”

  “Then quit acting like one,” Jackie said before lying down on the rumpled bed. “You’re such a great girl, and you can be so nice and so caring when you want to be. But you’re tormenting people I love, and that I can’t allow. Why can’t you move on?”

  “I’m fighting for the man I love,” Kat insisted. “You’d do the same.”

  “No, I wouldn’t,” Jackie said. “No matter how much I love Mark, if he didn’t love me anymore, I’d never do something underhanded to get him back. Hell, my pride wouldn’t allow it. If he didn’t want me, I wouldn’t beg, nor would I try to sabotage a relationship that clearly made him happy.”

  “I have pride.”

  “Could’ve fooled me. All I see is a pretty young woman who’s chasing after a man who doesn’t want her.”

  Kat shook her head. “I can make him want me again. You’ll see.”

  No way Nate would let that misunderstanding persist. “You think submarining Dani will make me want you again?”

  She nodded.

  “You know what, Kat?”

  She cocked a dark eyebrow.

  “If there were a plague that wiped out billions of people and the only humans left to repopulate the planet were you and me, I still wouldn’t have anything to do with you. Got it?” He shoved the last of the stuff he’d just unpacked back into his duffel.

  “Where are you going, Nate?” Jackie asked.

  “The airport. I’m catching the first flight back to Indy.”

  “No, you’re not,” his mother ordered before softening her tone. “Stay. Please. You’re exhausted. Get some sleep. I just now texted Mark to get you a ticket ASAP. He’ll let us know when he’s got a flight booked.”

  “I’ll go home, too,” Kat said.

  Jackie shook her head. “You came here to help, so help you will. We’re going to Mom and Dad’s place tomorrow to clean the whole condo and catch up on all their laundry. Then we can go visit Dad at the hospital before we hit the grocery to get the stuff we need to cook and freeze a bunch of meals for them.”

  Although he should feel bad for leaving Grandpa Delgado, now that he knew his grandfather was out of danger, all Nate wanted to do was get back to Dani. He needed to talk to her, to explain why Kat had ended up in Orlando, but he wasn’t going to call at four in the morning. As light a sleeper as Dani was, even a text would wake her. She’d obviously been up most of the night, and she needed her rest. An hour and a half from now, she’d probably be awake, getting ready to run.

  Jabbing a finger at Kat, who was now pouting like a pro, he shouted one more time. “Stay out of my life, Kat. I mean it. Stay the hell away from me, and stay the hell away from Dani.”

  “But, Nate”—she reached out to him—“you know I love you.”

  “Love?” He snorted. “You love one person. You. If you really ever loved me, you’d want me to be happy. You don’t love, Kat. You try to own. And I’m done.” He flopped onto one of the beds, crossed his arms over his chest, and closed his eyes.

  Dani will understand. He kept telling himself that, hoping it would be true. His phone was charging, and he wanted so much to talk to her, to try to soothe away any hurt Kat’s selfishness had inflicted. His fervent hope was that Kat’s shenanigans hadn’t shattered Dani’s fragile trust.

  Grandpa Delgado’s advice swam in Nate’s head, making him think he should act boldly, especially in light of Kat trying to destroy his relationship. Once he talked to Dani and assured her everything was fine, he’d reach out to Robert and the guys and make some serious plans.

  Maybe a surprise engagement and quick wedding were exactly what he and Dani needed.

  * * *

  Seven miles. Seven whole miles, and Dani’s body still felt as tight as a knot.

  Nate had called right after she woke up, and he’d given her a very logical explanation for everything that had happened—from his not calling all the way to Kat being such a manipulative bitch. He’d ended the call professing his love and asking her to forgive him.

  What was there to forgive? He hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d been every bit as much Kat’s victim as Dani was.

  Then why did she still hurt so damned much?

  Walking to cool down, Dani habitually reached for her smartphone before realizing she’d purposefully left it behind. She had no desire to rehash any of what had happened the last few days if Nate called again. Besides, he’d be on a flight back this afternoon. They could talk more in person.

  Would Beth be awake yet?

  Probably not. Nor would Jules. Not this early unless she had a client appointment. Dani and Mallory were the early birds of the Ladies.

  Mallory. Perhaps Mallory would like a breakfast invitation. Dani sure as hell needed someone to talk to. She’d done so little sharing with the Ladies about her relationship with Nate, and that had been a mistake. The Ladies were her support group, the people who loved her and understood her life even better than her family. Even better than Nate.

  She didn’t even kick off her shoes when she went inside, heading straight for her phone. There were two missed texts from Nate.

  Hope you had a nice run.

  Flight is scheduled to leave at 3. Will let you know if it’s late.

  She texted back a quick response.

  Run was good. See you soon.

  Then she called Mallory.

  A shower and an hour later, Dani sat with her at Yia Yia’s Pancake House.

  The waitress filled their coffee cups and took their orders. Once she’d left them in peace, Dani opened up. “Kat went to Orlando with Nate and his mom.”

  Mallory rolled her eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? I take it Nate didn’t know until he got to the airport.”

  “That’s what he told me.”

  “Why would he lie?”

  “I didn’t say he did,” Dani insisted.

  “You implied it,” Mallory retorted.

  “I most certainly did not.”

  Mallory nodded. “By saying that’s what he told you instead of that’s what happened, you’re hinting that he might not be telling the truth. Don’t you trust him, Dani?”

  “I do. I really do…”

  “There’s an unspoken but at the end of that sentence.” After spilling a couple of packets of sugar in her coffee, Mallory stirred the drink as she stared at Dani. “What has you so worried? Nate obviously didn’t want Kat on the trip, right?”

  Dani nodded.

  “Then why all this angst? He loves you.”

  So he says. “I know. I just… Kat’s not gonna go away.”

  “She will. Eventually. She’ll move on. And Nate probably read her the riot act for going uninvited.”

  “He said he did once he figured out she’d called me.”

  Mallory set her spoon down harder than necessary. “She called you?”

  “I left a message at his hotel since he wasn’t answering his phone and asked him to call me.”

  “Did the hospital make him turn off the ringer or something?” Mallory asked.

  With a shake of her head, Dani replied, “His battery died. He wasn’t sure what plugs were safe to use at the hospital, so he couldn’t charge it until he got back to the hotel.”

  “So she called you back, probably to let you know about her scheming and implying Nate asked her to go with him.”

  “Exactly.” Dani sipped her coffee before finally asking the question that was gnawing at her. “Is there anything I can do to get Kat to just… disappear?”

  Mallory shook her head. “Women like that are pit bulls, especially women after a man who’s resisting.
They don’t give up.”

  Dani let out a heavy sigh. “Great. Just great.”

  “But what you can do is not let her bother you. Look, Dani, I understand what you’re going through. Remember Ben and me? We had trust problems, too. At least I did. I know how hard it is to open up to someone, to make yourself vulnerable. But that’s love. It’s not easy, and you leave yourself without defenses. If you truly love Nate, then you’ve got to learn to trust him.”

  “I do. I just—”

  “There’s no ‘just,’ Dani. You either trust him or you don’t. And until you decide that, Kat isn’t the biggest problem in your relationship. Promise me one thing, okay?”

  “Promise you what?”

  “I jumped to all kinds of conclusions about Ben before he had a chance to explain. At least give Nate that same chance. Let him convince you that Kat doesn’t mean anything to him anymore. And remember, he said he loves you.”

  Dani bowed her head. “That’s because he doesn’t know.”

  Mallory’s brows knit. “Doesn’t know what?”

  “That I don’t want to have kids.”

  That statement left Mallory temporarily speechless. Slow minutes passed and the waitress brought their food. Although it smelled delicious, Dani’s appetite had fled. She picked at her eggs while Mallory buttered her toast.

  “You two really haven’t known each other long, have you?” Mallory finally asked.

  “Since August. Almost four months.”

  “It was a rhetorical question, but do you see my point?”

  “I know,” Dani replied. “We barely know each other.”

  “You two need to sit down and have a long talk about a lot of things.”

  “Easier said than done. What if he wants a family?”

  “Then isn’t it better to know now than five years down the road?”

  * * *

  Nate kept an eye on the boarding gate while he waited to talk to Robert. Although he’d spoken with Dani again when he hit the airport, she sounded so distant and said something about the two of them sitting down to have a chat when he got home. That sounded too ominous for Nate’s peace of mind.

  His mind was whirling with ideas of ways to show Dani exactly how much he loved her. A surprise wedding would be difficult but not impossible. A quick Google search told him that both he and Dani needed to be there in person to obtain an Illinois marriage license. Vegas was out of the question simply from a financial standpoint. So now his ideas centered on Indiana, a state that allowed same-day marriages. Then during the surprise engagement party, he’d get her to set the date.

  Maybe then he’d quit worrying.

  While he wanted to scream at Kat for all her ridiculous plots and plans, he knew this crisis wasn’t all her fault. Had he truly helped Dani learn to trust him, she would never have bought into Kat’s lies. He only hoped their “chat” wouldn’t be Dani trying to find a way to break up with him.

  He couldn’t lose her, not now that he knew she was the love of his life.

  His phone vibrated, so Nate plucked it out of his pocket. “Hey, Robert. Thanks for calling me back.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I need you and the guys to help me plan a party.”

  “A party?” Robert’s voice held a smile. “And what exactly will we be celebrating?”

  “My engagement to Dani. I want it to be a surprise, okay? Make sure the Ladies know that.”

  “Seriously?”

  The incredulity in Robert’s voice made Nate breathe an exasperated sigh. “Seriously. I want to sweep her off her feet, to give her such a romantic moment that she’ll remember it the rest of her life.”

  “Nate, are you sure?”

  “More than sure.”

  “You’re not afraid it’ll all blow up in your face?”

  Nate dragged his fingers through his hair. “There’s only one thing I’m afraid of—losing Dani.”

  “If you’re sure…”

  “I can’t lose her, Robert. I can’t.”

  “All righty, then,” Robert said. “I’ll give the guys a call, and we’ll get the ball rolling.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “Dani! I’m home!”

  Nate dropped his duffel in the mudroom and hurried into the kitchen. No matter how many times Dani told him she didn’t blame him for Kat’s attempt to sabotage their relationship, he needed to see her with his own eyes and to hold her again. Instead of his girlfriend, he found a note propped against a scented candle.

  Had she left strictly to avoid him? She’d known he was on his way. After making the mistake of staying out of touch on the trip down to Orlando, he’d overcompensated. He’d texted her when he got to the airport, when he’d boarded the plane, when the plane had landed, even after he got to his car in the long-term parking back forty and from the rest area when he stopped to take a leak.

  Why would she go and leave nothing but a note behind?

  He plucked the paper from its perch and read her precise, feminine cursive.

  I’m happy you’re back. I have a special surprise for you upstairs.

  Her words hit him straight in the groin, which was probably what she’d intended.

  Nate jerked off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Then he took the stairs two at a time. He didn’t skid to a stop until he was inside the master bedroom and got a good look at the seductive scene that had been set.

  The curtains had been drawn, the bed was turned down, and several burning candles littered the dresser and chest of drawers. Leaning back on pillows propped against the headboard, Dani wore a black lace teddy that revealed a lot more than it hid. She set aside her e-reader, rose to a kneel, and gave him a smile that made his already stiffening cock swell even further. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  He said something, but the words had to be incoherent. His brain just wouldn’t function, and he’d lapsed into a primitive sexual need he had no desire to even try to fight.

  Plucking a clip from her hair, she shook her head to let the long tresses fall around her shoulders in a blanket of sunshine.

  Somehow, he got undressed. There was no memory of taking off his clothes, but he didn’t waste time worrying about how. Instead, he got onto the bed and knelt in front of her, his erection bobbing with each movement, pointing right at her.

  A purr rose from Dani’s throat as she wrapped her fingers around him and stroked. Her mouth found his, her lips touching him as light as a whisper. Once. Twice.

  Nate couldn’t take the teasing. He brushed her hand away, embraced her, and kissed her deeply, sliding his tongue over hers and loving how she moaned against his lips. His hands caressed her back, settling against her backside and pulling her hips hard against his.

  She wouldn’t let him run the show, not this time. Her hand slipped between them, and she grabbed his cock again, rubbing her thumb against the crown. Then she cupped his neck and pulled him back into a wild kiss.

  He tangled his fingers in her long hair, loving the feel of the silky strands sliding over his skin. Somewhere in his scattered thoughts, he wondered why she chose to greet him this way. Despite her reassurances she wasn’t angry, he’d feared a cold reception. Instead, Dani acted as though she were starved for him. Heaven knew he was every bit as hungry for her.

  “Lie down, lover,” she ordered before releasing him.

  She wanted to be on top? “Fine.” He dropped to his back.

  But she didn’t move to straddle his hips. Instead, she took his cock in her hand and licked him from tip to root and back again.

  Nate let out a hiss, fisting his hands in the sheets when she took him deep into her hot, moist mouth. After several deep breaths, he regained some fragile self-control and rose up on his elbows to watch her, loving the image of her licking and sucking him. A couple of times she had to brush her hair back, so he lifted the heavy mass aside, not only to help her, but also to get a more tantalizing view.

  “I don’t know how much of this I can take,” he adm
itted.

  Dani released him and sat back on her heels. “Well, then… since I want you to make love to me, I think that’s what you should do. Now.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Anything the lady wants.” He held his cock. “Wanna be on top?”

  She shook her head. “Nope.”

  “Fine, I’ll be on top.”

  When she shook her head this time, a saucy smile bloomed on her face. “Nope.”

  Already near fever-pitch, Nate couldn’t wait much longer to be inside her. “Then what exactly do you want, sweetheart? Name it.”

  Instead of replying, she maneuvered around until her back was to him. As he watched in surprise, she got on all fours and wiggled her sweet ass. “From behind, lover.”

  Only by closing his eyes and taking a few more deep breaths could he find enough strength to keep from coming right then and there. The view was exquisite. The pale globes of her shapely behind were barely covered in black lace. Before he could ask if he should undress her, she spread her thighs a little wider to reveal that the teddy had a rather convenient opening, exposing all of her to his gaze.

  Nate moved behind her, smoothing his hands over her derriere and up her back. Lost in passion, he rubbed his cock between her folds before plunging deep inside her. He twisted her long hair around his fist, pulled her head back, and kissed her with all the love inside him.

  Dani let out a gasp that he captured with another kiss. He let go of her hair, slid his hands around, and cupped her breasts. The nipples were tight pebbles straining against the teddy. He pinched them as he moved inside her, thrusting deep, again and again.

  The feel of her tight heat overwhelmed him. His body was demanding release. Nate rose, holding tightly to her hips as he tried to postpone his own climax long enough for Dani to join him.

  * * *

  Sex with Nate had always been good. But this time? The way he pulled her hair and slammed into her again and again made the sensual heat inside Dani flare to an inferno.