by Ashlee Price
“Don’t worry. I was hoping that the trip wouldn’t be too much for you.”
“I can see why you stay in the city for the week. That would be an impossible commute every day.”
Marcel nodded and opened his door. Holding his hand out, he helped her out and up to the house. He left the bags to retrieve once he had her settled, but true to the form of his usual life, it didn’t work out the way it was supposed to. Leanna’s family was staying in town and they were using up the guest room. That left his room for Davina and Marcel had to find his own place to sleep. The couch was short and not very comfortable, but he was home and was asleep fairly soon after laying down.
When the morning came, his body had him awake before the sun came up. It was the way it had always been and now instead of coffee on the balcony as the city woke up, he was able to make a cup and go to the front porch. He wanted Davina to watch the sunrise with him. It was his favorite part of the day and Marcel wanted to share that with her.
As he made his way to his room, he knocked softly and waited for an answer. After a few moments of silence, he pushed it in slowly, calling her name out. He liked to see her first when she woke up, her face and expression still open. Those eyes are what made him want to stare. They were dark and mysterious, even before she had woken up fully. Marcel hadn’t wanted to see a woman so mussed before, wishing that he could wake up to Davina every morning. Instead of waking her from her bed alone, Marcel thought of a time when he would be beside her.
He tried to push the thoughts away, blaming Elna for putting them in his head to begin with. What he wanted now was he wanted it all. Marcel had never really wanted marriage and a family, until he had met Davina. When she opened her eyes and finally answered in a soft voice, that was all Marcel could think about was what it would be like to have it all with her.
“It’s time for the best part of the day.”
Davina’s eyes traveled down his body, the jeans she hadn’t seen before and the button-up shirt still undone, showing her his hard chest. “Um, what is that?” Her mind was on anything but the weather outside at that moment.
“Sunrise, remember?”
“Oh yeah. Just give me a second to get dressed.”
He seemed to notice then what she was wearing or the lack of cover on her bare shoulders. His face got a little hot as he excused himself, moving out of the room in a flash. Davina swallowed hard and got out of bed. It was still dark with the beginnings of light streaming through the slats in the blinds. She hadn’t seen much of the place the night before, being half asleep and the darkness.
Getting up, Davina got dressed and tried not to think of the hard body she had just seen. She had not seen that coming. Who would have known that he would be so hard underneath, his muscles not from working out, but real work that men used to do. Davina smiled to herself and checked her hair in the mirror. She looked tired, but hoped that he could look passed the lack of makeup. She really just couldn’t be bothered. That had to be one of the fine points in country living.
Marcel seemed to like the ensemble when she came out and he handed her a cup of coffee. “I think I almost like that look better than last night.”
“Really?”
His eyes swept down to her jean shorts and T-shirt tied at the bottom. The only thing that would have been better was if he was actually able to kiss her like he wanted to so badly in that moment. That was the only way that it could all somehow be better. “Definitely.”
He made her blush, becoming something of a pattern. “So are you ready?”
“Where are we going?”
“Just out front. You don’t have to go far for a view out here.”
She walked beside him and then behind as they made their way out to the front porch that wrapped around the front half of the house. He urged her over to the porch swing, lined up perfectly to watch the first rays come over the horizon. Davina was still sleepy and used that for a reason to put her head on his chest. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Marcel leaned back, loving the feel of her against him. “Not at all.” She felt right laying on him like that.
***
Davina didn’t know what she felt, but after their morning together and the moment she had thought he would kiss her, she was feeling some kind of way about her boss. There was no making it something that it wasn’t. She wanted him badly and though he didn’t seem to realize how much, she was going slightly mad with need.
Marcel was ever the gentlemen. Helping her whenever he could, but the touch would only last as long as needed. When he helped her up on the horse for their ride, his fingers only lingered long enough for him to get her squared away and then he had moved back, putting distance between their bodies. It drove her mad and the ride itself didn’t help when they stopped for a rest. He was hot and took his shirt off and not only was she jealous that she couldn’t do the same, but she was also dying to touch the bare skin revealed.
He had seemed to not realize the affect he had on her and she had tried her best not to show it. Davina didn’t know how good of a job she did, but she did know that he had driven her to the point of insanity and her body wanted him to stop being such a gentleman and take her like his eyes told her he would.
“Are you ready to go Davina?”
She looked up and smiled at the man on her mind. He was constantly there and she wondered how the week would be different now that they had spent so much time together, sharing so much about themselves to one another.
“Yeah, though I can see why you don’t want to leave this place.”
“It grows on you, doesn’t it?”
“It does. I wish we could stay longer, but it’s back to work in the morning.”
He sighed with her and then shrugged. “There is always next weekend. The way my mother is acting, she is already itching to get out of the bed and back to work.”
Davina nodded and packed the last few things in her bag. She was going slow, not wanting to admit that there time together was almost over. She didn’t want it to be over. She wanted to stay there with him forever, but that was not to be. Davina reminded herself that she was independent, had a good job and couldn’t throw everything away for a man, even one as wonderful as Marcel.
“Will you be leaving as soon as she is back?”
“Yes.” There was no hesitation from him. He couldn’t get out of the city fast enough and he was still convinced that he was going to lure her back home with him. The way the day had went, Marcel felt like he was on his way to making that happen. “I can’t wait till I don’t have to leave the ranch. This is where I grew up and where I want to raise my family one day.”
Davina liked when he talked about the future. She wanted her own family and the backdrop was idyllic there at the Callahan Ranch, but something held her back from even thinking of a life like that. “It would be a good place to grow up for children. I certainly wouldn’t want to raise a family in the city. That’s why I have waited till I am older and have fulfilled myself with my career first.”
“Your career means a lot to you?”
She nodded and didn’t catch the sadness that took over his eyes. Davina was still young and not ready to settle down. Marcel was. He was several years older and with renewed pressures for him to do just that, it almost made her off-limits. Marcel didn’t have ten years to wait for her to do what she wanted to do in the business world.
“It does mean a lot. I guess I always figured if you have kids early, that takes away chances of ever getting anywhere.”
He shrugged, not sure what to say. “I never had that drive, though I guess I didn’t have to. I will always have work here and it is what I like to do. It doesn’t get much better than that for me.”
Marcel grabbed her bag and started out of the room with a frown on his face. She wasn’t ready yet and he couldn’t get over that disappointment. He cursed Elna for putting the hurriedness into him. Marcel hadn’t worried about women and marriage before, but now it was all he could think ab
out. Maybe he was just projecting and the feelings he felt were just him trying to feel something.
As soon as he thought it though, his mind rejected the idea. Davina was someone special and maybe he just had to learn to be patient.
Chapter 7
“Davina, I just want to talk to you.”
She played with her hair, the side effect of her nervousness. She was always nervous when it came to Donnie and now that they were split up and hadn’t talked in weeks, it was strange that he was calling then. Davina had always suspected that men like him had a radar. It was like he somehow knew that she had moved on and he was there to spoil it and make her wonder if there was a chance for them.
“What is there to talk about Donnie? I think everything or enough was said before.”
“I miss you.”
Davina closed her eyes and sighed. She missed him to, until she had met Marcel and he had made her almost completely forget about him and the very reason they weren’t together anymore. “I just got in from the weekend and I am tired. I just want to have a glass of wine and relax before work tomorrow.
“Well how about we go out for lunch tomorrow? That is unless you want to get together tonight.”
She shook her head to an empty room, more to herself to solidify her no. Her body was jacked up with need because of the closeness with Marcel. It was tempting to have him come over, love her and take her like she needed. But it wasn’t Marcel and would not be what she truly wanted. She didn’t truly want Donnie anymore. She was over him and that very fact told her that he had never been the one to begin with.
“I will see you for lunch. Where do you want to meet?”
“Anywhere. How about Tony’s?”
It was there place naturally, the place they had had their first date, as well as the couple of anniversaries after that. Of course he would pick that place, she thought to herself. Of course he would want to flaunt all of their memories and feelings, making it hard for her to forget him.
“Tony’s is fine Donnie. But I just want you to know, this is not going to work.”
“What? I am just trying to talk. We used to be best friends and I just miss you.”
Davina agreed to meet him and when she hung up the phone, there was a moment of question as to why he was really calling. She assumed that he had just broken up with his girlfriend and was feeling lonely. Davina knew if he had come over then, they both would have regretted what happened. She would have anyways and even though her body screamed at her for saying no, Davina went to sleep fairly easy.
***
“I was wondering if you wanted to go get a sandwich for lunch.”
Davina looked up from the papers she was looking at on her desk, contracts for a new deal that Elna had started before her heart issue. She had been watching the clock all day and every couple of minutes since ten. While the offer was one that she should have expected, Davina hadn’t thought of what she would say to Marcel. She didn’t want him thinking that she was back with Donnie, though when she thought about it, from an outside perspective she would wonder what she was going to meet him for, if not to get back together.
So instead, she stuttered through a lie that she had plans with an old college friend. Marcel didn’t believe her, she could see by the way he looked at her for a moment, but like the gentleman that he was, he didn’t call her out on it. Instead he just nodded his head, “Maybe tomorrow then.”
Davina watched the back of him and her heart slumped. She didn’t like having to lie to him and it was the last thing that she had wanted to do. “Yes, I would love to tomorrow Marcel. And I wanted to thank you again for this weekend. I had a really good time and I hope that we will get to do it again soon.”
He turned back and smiled, but there was something else in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. Something akin to disappointment and she almost stopped him to tell him the truth, but it was already too late. If she said anything then, he would think she was just a liar or that there was more going on then there was.
She left for lunch at exactly twelve o clock and she fought the urge to look towards Marcel’s office. It was strange them not going together, especially since they had went every day since he had come in to take Elna’s place. While she missed her friend and mentor, Davina was getting used to having Marcel around and she didn’t even want to think about how much of a bummer it was going to be when he was gone. But to lie to him in the little bit of time that they had together, and for Donnie, Davina wished that she hadn’t agreed to the date.
But she went as she promised and met him at the small Italian place on the other side of town. There was bread on the table, as well as wine. He knew hew weakness, carbs and alcohol and she made mention to that. “I will use whatever I have to Davina. I told you that I missed you and I meant it. You know that I haven’t dated anyone since we split up. I took the time to really think about everything.”
When he stopped she waited, only half hearing him as she took a drink of wine. She was more concerned with the guilt of being there, feeling like she was somehow betraying Marcel. “So what conclusion did you come to Donnie?”
“That I messed up and I am sorry if I felt like you were pressuring me. I am ready if you are because I would rather be pushed into something that I didn’t want to do with you, than to be with anyone else. I can’t even think about it.”
She stopped and set the glass down. It was not what she had expected, but even in true fashion, he was doing it wrong. He couldn’t even ask her back the right way. “Did you hear what you just said? You would rather be pushed into something that you didn’t want to do. Am I to take it you are talking about marriage?”
“Yes, I will marry you if that is what you want. I will do anything if that is what it takes for you to come back to me, then so be it.”
“So be it, huh? Wow, how could I say no to such an offer?”
“It wasn’t meant to be a bad thing.”
“I know and to you it isn’t. That just makes it even clearer that it will never work. How can it when the very idea of getting married is some worst case scenario for you? I don’t want to be some one’s worst case scenario.”
“You’re not. I swear you are taking this the wrong way. I have really thought about what you said and you are right, it is time to take it to the next level. This is what I meant. I just can’t seem to get it out right. You know how I feel about marriage? This is a big step Davina.”
It was. He was terrified of marriage as most women were afraid of spiders. At first, she had taken it as a challenge, sure that if their love was strong enough, he would change his mind and want to. But as the years had went by, that just simply wasn’t the case and she was left wishing that she had chosen someone else. Now she had a chance and she wanted to take that chance with Marcel. Davina wasn’t even sure that he wanted her in that way, but it was worth the risk for her. She wanted him more than she wanted to try again with Donnie. It had stopped working and ended for a reason. It was silly of her to think that it would be different.
“I know it is a big thing for you Donnie, but you are missing the point. I want someone who wants to marry me. He will ask and I won’t even have to say anything because he will want to. I love you and I always will, but I am not in love with you anymore.” Davina could hear the conviction in her voice and so could Donnie.
He pushed his thick hand through his blonde hair, wishing that he hadn’t waited so long to go to her. “Is there someone else?”
She paused, not sure how to answer. Davina didn’t know what was going on between her and Marcel, but she wanted to find out. Did that count?
“No, not really. I just can’t go back to this, to us. You broke up with me and if you would have come to me a week or a couple of days after it happened, I would have taken you back, but not now. You will find the one you are supposed to be with and when you do, you will want to marry her. I am sure not the one.”
She failed to mention that he was no longer the one for her, trying to mak
e it an easier pill to swallow. There was something that she had always loved about Donnie, but she knew now that there was more and Davina wanted more. How could she not?
Davina put him down as easily as she could and when they left, he wasn’t happy, but he wasn’t really that upset either. He knew that he had waited too long and Donnie would have to deal with the what-ifs. Davina was moving on.
“Can I have one last kiss, for old times?”
She nodded that he could. Closing her eyes, she leaned in slowly and felt his lips touch her. It was a goodbye kiss, but still intimate. Everything had always been intimate with Donnie. What she didn’t expect was for him to be yanked back and away from her.
Chapter 8
“Stop Marcel, what are you doing?”
Marcel had followed her and he wasn’t proud of the fact, but he knew that something was wrong, something was off with Davina. He just hadn’t expected to find her in the arms of another man. He hadn’t thought, just acted when he had seen them locking lips. An anger had gone over him and he felt like he was too late. While trying to give her time to get used to the idea of them being together, someone else had come in and swooped her up. That was what angered him so. That someone else got to touch her and it wasn’t him.
“Marcel, stop it!”
Marcel hit the man when Donnie got his footing and the two men were fighting in front of her. She grabbed Marcel and he stopped suddenly, realizing what he was doing. Donnie sucker punched him while Davina had him sidetracked. It was a mess and Davina just stared up at him with those blue eyes and he hurt inside.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sorry, I…I don’t know what I was thinking.”
And with that, Marcel walked away from the two on the sidewalk. People seeing what had happened stared at him as he walked away. His pressed white shirt had speckles of red and blood coming out of the corner of his mouth. What the hell had he been doing? Marcel couldn’t answer that.
***
Marcel went back to work because he had nothing else to do. He didn’t expect Davina to come back in and she didn’t. He was left to deal with the phones and the scheduling and he really needed her. He wanted badly to tell her that he was sorry and he had lost his head. He was jealous and stupid, but she never came back to hear it. Through it all, he still wondered who the blonde-headed man was and why he had been kissing her. Had Davina so quickly forgotten him and if she had, Marcel knew it was because he had not given her more to remember.
