by Unknown
“No wall moving,” he said. “Painting, window coverings and new furniture.”
She smiled. “The fun stuff.”
“You might think so.”
“Come on. You get to decorate your own house. That’s—” she searched for the right words “—a dream come true for many people. I’d love to have a house to do that with. I remember…”
“What?” Bryce asked.
“Nothing.” She stared into her wineglass, feeling self-conscious. “It’s silly.”
“No holding back,” Bryce urged. “Please tell me what you were going to say.”
“When I was younger, I used to draw floor plans for houses. There would be tons of scrap paper with my scribbles on them everywhere. One Christmas, I got a book, one of those thick magazines really, of house plans. It was my favorite present. I still have it somewhere.”
“Did you want to be an architect?” he asked.
She watched the flames dancing in the fireplace. “No, I just wanted to have my own house.”
“If you have any ideas for mine, I’m open to suggestions.”
“Be careful,” she warned. “I share my suggestions as much as my opinions.”
“I don’t mind.” Bryce refilled her wineglass. “That will be better than my mother having interior designers call to set up appointments I don’t want.”
“Echoes of your dancing lessons?”
“Yep.” He grinned. “She can’t understand why I’m not in any hurry to get the house done right away.”
“I’d think you’d want to live here a while and get a feel for the place first.”
“That’s exactly what I told her, but I’m not holding my breath she’ll listen.” He leaned back on his elbows. “My mother likes getting her way, but now that Caitlin and I are older that doesn’t always happen.”
“Most people prefer getting their way,” Dani said. “I know I do.”
“What would you like right now?” Bryce asked.
A kiss. No, that wouldn’t be smart, considering the circumstances. She’d go for second best. “How about dessert?”
“This brownie is the most decadent I’ve ever tasted and, no doubt, going straight to my hips.” Dani’s pink tongue darted out and licked her lips. “These have to be homemade, but I thought you said you couldn’t cook.”
Busted. Bryce couldn’t lie. “I never said I made them. Just that I was bringing dessert.”
“So the question is, who baked them?” She studied the small piece that remained on her plate as if she were a jeweler examining a flawless diamond. “Let me guess. Either your mother, your mother’s cook, your sister or an old nanny baked them.”
“Nope.”
“Then who?” she asked.
“I have a hot-shot programmer on my team named Christopher. He’s a real rock star, but his hobby is baking.”
“No way.” She straightened. “I can’t believe a computer geek baked these tasty morsels.”
“It’s true.”
She snagged another brownie. “You’d better give the guy a raise or some restaurant is going to steal him away.”
“I’d set him up with his own bakery before I let that happen.”
She sighed.
“The brownies?” Bryce asked.
“No, you.” She studied him with observant eyes. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
“Well, I’ve never met anyone like you, either.” He appreciated her quick thinking and sense of humor. Not to mention her beauty. “I’m happy you’re here.”
“Me, too.”
Bryce kissed her quickly, tasting chocolate and Dani.
The corners of her mouth curved. “Now that’s the perfect end to this dinner.”
“I suppose it’s getting late.”
She glanced out the window. “The rain is still coming down pretty hard out there.”
“Do you want to wait it out by watching a movie?” he suggested. “There’s a home theater and media room upstairs. That’s the other room I had redone. Nothing better than playing video games on a large screen.”
“Video games?” Interest flashed on her face. “Can we play instead of watching a movie?”
“You like games?”
“I love them.”
The more time he spent with Dani, the more perfect she got. She was definitely a woman worth making time in his life for.
“I’d rather play video games than watch a movie any day,” she added. “What platform do you have?”
“A Nintendo Wii and Xbox.”
She shimmied her shoulders and stood. “I think I’m in heaven.”
So was he. The lighting provided an alluring silhouette of her breasts. Bryce swallowed.
“A man after my own heart,” she said.
Well, maybe not her heart, but he wouldn’t mind a few of her other parts. Except he wasn’t just after her body. He wanted Dani.
“So are you ready?” she asked.
Her question jerked his gaze away from her chest.
She squared her shoulders and gave him a pointed look.
Okay, he deserved it. She’d caught him ogling her. But, hey, he was a guy. Men only had so much self-control. “Ready?”
For an apology, another brownie, a kiss…
Dani winked. “Ready to lose.”
CHAPTER NINE
WEAPONS blasted. Targets exploded. Pulse-pounding music blared. The button of the game controller toggled beneath Bryce’s fingertip. “I am not going to lose.”
Dani fired back. “Yes, you are.”
He shot her a sideways glance.
Her breasts bounced. Her butt wiggled.
So hot. No wonder he kept losing with those sweet things to distract him. He needed to focus on the game instead.
“How did you get so good at video games?” he asked.
“The break room at my old job had all the different platforms for us to play.”
Bryce launched one of his missiles, nearly wiping out Dani.
She sent a challenging look his way. “You are going down, Delaney.”
“Think again, Bennett.” A surge of adrenaline sent Bryce jumping to his feet. Frustrated, yes. Defeated, no. He tapped faster, trying to fire shots in rapid succession. “You’re the one who’s going to be history.”
“In your dreams.” She fired a shot. Direct hit. His character exploded into red, orange and yellow flames. “Yes!”
“Nooooo!” he cried.
She raised her hands in the air. “I am officially the undefeated master—make that mistress—of the galaxies.”
The title fit her, in more ways than one. Bryce tossed his controller onto one of the leather game chairs. “If you’re expecting me to bow down before you—”
“I wasn’t.” Mischief gleamed in her eyes. “But now that you mention it…”
“You’re a worthy opponent, but I don’t get on my knees for anyone.”
She winked. “We’ll have to work on that.”
Desire rocketed through him. “We could start now.”
“I…” Dani glanced around the room, her eyes avoiding his. “It might be a little late for that.”
Her coyness added to her sex appeal.
“Late is a relative term.” He glanced at his watch and did a double take. “Though one o’clock in the morning is late by anyone’s standards.”
“It can’t be that late.”
“It is.” He turned off the game console and sound system, ready for whatever would come next. “We totally lost track of time. Do you know what this means?”
“Yes.” She plopped into a chair and buried her face in her hands. “I’ve turned into a gamer geek.”
“Then what does that make me?” he asked.
A grin replaced her look of despair. “With a choice setup like this, you’re a gaming guru.”
“I kind of like that, but not as much as I like having you here.”
Dani blushed. Not exactly the reaction he was expecting from a gaming goddess but, then ag
ain, he never knew what to expect from her. At first that had bugged him, but now he could accept her unpredictable nature as just part of who she was.
She stood, lifted one of the blackout shades and peeked out. “It’s still raining.”
Bryce noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the wary lines around her mouth. He wanted her to stay, but only if she wanted to. “You’re tired. I’ll drive you home.”
“Not in this rain. This late.” She wrung her hands. “I’ll call a cab.”
“No cab,” he said. “I drive you home or you spend the night.”
She bit her lip.
“You don’t have to sleep in my room. Unless you want.” No way would Bryce rush things. Her. She should know that by now. He dragged his hand through his hair. “There’s a guest room. You can borrow a pair of my pajamas. Heck, you can lock the door if that makes you more comfortable.”
The corners of her mouth curved. “I don’t mean to be difficult.”
“And I’m not going to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”
Even if he might be ready for more.
The gratitude in her eyes made Dani’s decision clear and, honestly, he was okay with that. Disappointed, but okay. He could see the two of them being together…a while.
“Not that I could make the mistress of the galaxies do anything she didn’t want to do.”
Dani laughed; the sound floated on the air and smacked him right in the gut.
“Smart man.” Her tone sounded less tense. “So where’s this guest room of yours?”
Bryce led her down the hall, making a quick stop at his room to grab her a pair of pajamas. “These are brand-new. Washed, never worn. I sleep in shorts and a T-shirt, but no matter how many times I tell my mother this she always buys me a pair of pajamas every Christmas.”
“Thanks.” Dani rubbed her fingers over the flannel fabric. “I usually wear a T-shirt to bed, but these are so soft they’ll be a treat to sleep in.”
The image of her wearing only a T-shirt sent his temperature up and made him wish she’d opted to sleep in his room instead.
“So which door…?” she asked.
Her words jostled him from the fantasy forming in his head.
“Right here.” Bryce motioned to the closed door across from his. “In the bathroom drawer, you’ll find toothbrushes and other stuff.”
“Get a lot of overnight visitors?” she asked, her tone icy.
“Nope.” He liked the idea she might be concerned about female visitors. And jealous. “I get a lot of freebies.”
Her eyebrows raised.
He grinned. “From hotels and airlines. Help yourself to whatever you need.”
“Thank you.” She placed her hand on the doorknob. “Tonight has been so much fun.”
Too bad the fun had to end. “Sleep well.”
“You, too.” She stared up through her lashes at him, her eyes full of affection. “Sweet dreams.”
Bryce really wanted to kiss her goodnight, but she didn’t want to rush things and he didn’t trust himself not to. If she would only open the door and get away from him…
“Goodnight, Dani.”
She rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. A chaste peck, really.
Not at all close to what Bryce wanted, but he’d take it.
Dani opened the door and stepped into the guest room. “Goodnight.”
The shy, sweet smile on her face hit him like an arrow to his heart. He almost stumbled back.
She closed the door.
A good thing. Bryce leaned against the wall in the hallway. He blew out the breath he’d been holding.
Another second with her and he would have been on his knees.
Sunlight stole through cracks in the wooden blinds. Dani stretched her arms over her head. She couldn’t believe how rested she felt. No doubt sleeping on a real mattress, complete with a pillow top, and not her hard futon, made the difference. She’d never known what sleeping on a cloud would feel like until last night. She could get used to this.
And Bryce.
Thinking about him brought a smile to her face. Dani owed him a home-cooked breakfast this morning for his hospitality. She was sure Bryce would have preferred a different sleeping arrangement last night. Yet he hadn’t pushed her into something she wasn’t comfortable with or ready for. She appreciated that. And him.
For all her talk of not wanting a boyfriend, she had to admit Bryce had quickly changed her mind. Funny, the thought of not being with him bothered her more than the realization she was dating someone.
Dani threw back the duvet-covered comforter. She wanted to see Bryce.
A quick stop in the bathroom, and she headed out of the room. Seeing Bryce’s bedroom door closed, Dani walked softly down the stairs and into the kitchen. She didn’t want to wake him.
“Good morning,” a female voice greeted her.
Dani looked over at the kitchen table and saw a pretty young woman sitting there. She had dark hair and green eyes like Bryce. “Caitlin?”
“You know who I am, but I haven’t a clue about you.” A smile, complete with dimples on either side of her mouth, lit up the woman’s face. “My brother is good at keeping secrets.”
The word secret prickled the hair at the back of Dani’s neck, but only warmth flowed from Caitlin.
“Not really a secret,” Dani said. “I’m Dani Bennett.”
An older woman with the same green eyes as Caitlin and Bryce but lighter hair strode into the kitchen with a cloud of expensive-smelling perfume in her wake. She carried a bag of frozen French fries. “His car is in the garage. He must have forgotten and slept…”
The woman’s surprised gaze flicked over Dani with curiosity. “Who are you?”
“This is Dani Bennett,” Caitlin said. “Dani, this is my mother, Maeve.”
With expertly highlighted hair, porcelain skin and designer clothing, Bryce’s mother radiated beauty and wealth. She studied Dani with sharp eyes, as if she were trying to decide if she’d found a masterpiece or a forgery.
Talk about intimidating. Awkward. Humiliating.
But Dani wasn’t about to let nerves get the best of her. She owed it to Bryce and herself not to act overwhelmed. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Delaney.”
“I haven’t been a Delaney in decades.” The woman’s friendly smile caught Dani off guard and made her seem more like a mother than a matriarch. She placed the bag of fries in the freezer. “Call me Maeve, please.”
“Thanks, Maeve,” Dani said, trying out the name. “I’m a friend of Bryce’s.”
Maeve raised a finely arched brow. “More than a friend, I’d say, since you’re wearing the pajamas I gave him for Christmas.”
Embarrassed, Dani cringed. She could only imagine what Bryce’s family thought she was doing here on a Saturday morning, wearing his pajamas. “This isn’t what you think. I mean, Bryce and I aren’t…We didn’t…”
Maeve laughed. “Then my son’s not as smart a man as I thought he was. You’re absolutely gorgeous.”
An unwelcome heat crept into Dani’s cheeks. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her. “Thank you.”
“And modest, too,” Caitlin said.
“Wherever did he find you, Dani?” Maeve asked.
Dani shifted her weight between her feet. “Blinddatebrides.com.”
The two Delaney women smiled like a pair of Cheshire cats. They seemed happy over what they’d learned, not concerned.
Caitlin clapped her hands together. “Well, it’s about time.”
“I’ll have to give Joelle a call,” Maeve added.
Dani stood there, feeling as if they were speaking a foreign language.
“We’ve been telling Bryce to use his own site for dating since he founded it,” Maeve explained. “But he says he’s always working too much.”
“Bryce does work hard,” Dani said.
“We know,” Caitlin said. “But he’s always looking out for everyone else. It’s nice to see tha
t he’s finally doing something for himself.”
Maeve walked to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. “Come over here and sit down for a little chat, Dani. I want to hear all about you and my son.”
“Uh…sure.” Dani sat, making a silent cry for help. She might have handled Gymguy on her own and the mimes on the bus, but the two Delaney women, who looked as if they’d stepped from a window display at Neiman Marcus, absolutely terrified her.
Where was her backup when she really needed him?
Bryce hopped out of bed. Dani was in his house, in his guest bedroom. No reason to stay in his room alone. Not when he could see her and maybe snag a good-morning kiss.
He opened the door to his bedroom. Her door was ajar.
Bryce peeked inside. “Dani?”
No reply. Just an empty bed with the covers turned back. He made a beeline for the stairs.
Halfway down the steps, the sound of feminine laughter drifted up. Not just Dani, either.
His heart plummeted to his feet.
Today was Saturday. He was supposed to go out to breakfast with Caitlin and…
His mother.
Bryce sprinted down the stairs, taking them three at a time. Poor Dani. He loved his mother, but she wasn’t known for her subtlety. He skidded into the kitchen.
The three women sat at the kitchen table with steaming coffee cups in front of them. Uh-oh, they’d been there a while.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said.
Three heads turned toward him at the exact same time like a trio of synchronized swimmers. But one person wasn’t wearing the same uniform as the other two.
His gaze focused on Dani, trying to assess any damage already afflicted upon her. At least she was smiling. And he didn’t see any blood or bruises. Though her cheeks had more of a pink tinge than normal.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“I did. Thanks.” She looked into her coffee cup as if she could see the secrets to the universe inside. “I was coming down to get my clothes out of the dryer—”
“And she found us,” Caitlin interrupted.
“I used my key,” Maeve added. “I see you forgot about our breakfast date this morning.”
The warmth in Dani’s gaze made his senses reel. “I’ve been busy.”
“I can see that.” Maeve smiled. “But, this time, I understand why. We’ve enjoyed chatting with your…friend.”
