Wicked Flower

by Carlene Love Flores

  If she only knew how wanting that had driven him insane, because now there was no chance of it happening. “Not yet. I was still trying to figure that part out. Like I said, she takes care of my mom. So…” His mom who wouldn’t be coming back with him either.

  Before he could go any further, Tris chimed in. “You know, Lucky and I were just driving home the other day and there’s a large ranch style house, it’s pretty big, between us and the dress shop, that just went up for sale. It’s got its own little running creek with the cutest little bridge. Lots of trees. Not too far from the studio. It made me think of you since I hear from Jaxon every other day that you still haven’t gotten off your ass and bought a place yet. His words, not mine, sweetie. It’s huge. Has to be at least five bedrooms. Guess what else?”

  “What?” As long as he was torturing himself.

  “It’s white.”

  Stefan chuckled for the first time in a few days it seemed. She was persistent. “What do I need with such a big ass house, Tris? Huh?” he was mostly teasing her. He’d already planned to find a place big enough to fit at least him and Will. The dream of including his mom and Dani popped like he’d just shot a bubble with a mean ass sharp little needle. His head throbbed. Rubbing his temples did nothing.

  “Well, a nice big house solves your lady problem. Mrs. Gina and Miss Dani.”

  She paused but not long enough for him to stutter through anything more coherent than, “Whoa.”

  “Don’t whoa me. I’ll text you the realtor’s number. You do need a place, after all. In the meantime, I have one more question about this someone special.”

  “Okay, shoot.” Why the hell not? His heart couldn’t hurt any worse at this point and Tris was like the big sister he’d never had who found all kinds of crazy joy planning out his fairy tale life. Yeah, he’d pay like hell for it when they hung up but he’d give her this much.

  “Does she make you happy, Stef?”

  “Fuck. Yes she does.” His heart may as well have flat lined. His fucking eyes thought he’d let them get away with tears but he wiped that shit away. “She doesn’t close her eyes when we kiss.”

  Tris cooed quietly on the other end, this time he was sure it was for his pathetic, soppy ass and not her baby. Stefan knew exactly what her face would look like with that big ass smile and turquoise eyes. Yeah, it was no secret, he’d crushed on Tris back when she’d finally hit twenty and had been working for the band a few years. But both he and Jaxon had declared her off limits. No matter what. She was their adopted little sister. If Lucky ever broke her heart, Stefan would hurt him. Bad.

  “Lucky doesn’t either. They’re not ashamed of us. No matter how much we’ve screwed up in the past. It’s freaking precious.”

  “Tris, I want it to work with her. But there’s more to it than me being happy.” It was like he physically couldn’t keep the damn truth to himself.

  “I understand, Stef. I do. Trust me on this because I speak from experience. If it’s meant to be, it doesn’t matter how much the two of you, or the world for that matter, tries to fuck it up. Eventually, love gets us all, babe. Even your hot, horny little ass.”

  “I love you, Trista.”

  “I know. Glad you called, aren’t ya?”

  “Smart ass. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Go get our girl. Bye, Hon.”

  They hung up. Stefan took a few minutes and a lazy stroll through the bottom level of the house to get a grip on all the shit the call with Tris had just stirred up. His mom’s words were still stuck in the back of his mind, mostly because he cared about Dani and knew he wanted the best for her and her baby. But fuck if he didn’t know with everything he was that he could be good for her. For them, he amended. He punched the wall. Property management had a hole to fix.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Dani was lost.

  Will had sent her off with the address programmed into the GPS and the cryptic message that if Stefan screwed things up, to give him another chance. Actually Will had asked Dani to give Stefan several chances because he would most surely screw up more ways than one. Guy thing, he’d said and hugged her.

  Finally, she pulled the Buick through a thick section of tree line and found the private driveway that led to the biggest home she’d ever seen. Mansion came to mind.

  She parked alongside Stefan’s Mercedes and walked up to the front door.

  With as much Will Cordero as she could muster, she knocked loudly.

  It took a minute, time she used to scope out the several A-frame levels and windows and garages of the home, but eventually the door opened.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Chance number one used and now onto number two. He wasn’t going to make this easy but she was determined to get inside. Yes, to the house, but more importantly, his heart.

  “The least you could say is ‘Please come inside.’”

  “No, the best thing I could say is go away, Dani.”

  Okay, so she had two choices here, if this was how he was going to play. She could either slam him with the L word which would surely leave him stunned enough to let her pass inside or she could go this route.

  “You owe me dinner and amazing sex, Hon. I’m not leaving until I get both. Unless you’re incapable of providing those things for a woman.”

  Bingo. He stepped out of the doorway and let her pass.

  Yes, that had been a clever little intro of hers because Stefan wasn’t the only one who knew how to get what he wanted when he really wanted his way. With the way he still stood there taking her in right now, her Superman, she envisioned at least a few more chances in his future. But she had to make sure they also took a moment to talk. Her little black and white print out was in her purse on the breakfast bar in the dining room. She’d probably need help getting back to it. First things first, pregnant lady and all.

  “Stefan, am I close to a restroom?”

  His jaw flexed and she found that the light stubble growing in was the hottest look she’d seen on him.

  “Take your pick,” he said. He sounded distracted.

  The way he had yet to sit down on any of the luxurious furniture, Stefan seemed uncomfortable, too. Maybe he was still thinking about the rose garden fiasco. It had taken a couple hours of talking but apparently, she was in love with Stefan and when she talked about him, it was clear. She’d earned Gina’s blessing to be here and some very good news that Dani couldn’t wait to share with Stefan. After she peed.

  Dani wandered around some more, thinking she’d found a bathroom only to be wrong. She continued checking doors while her bladder squeezed. Their morning had started out so scattered. Coming here to find Stefan felt right on the drive over. Landing at his doorstep to a stiffer than usual bad boy had given her doubts but who wouldn’t have felt that way after the way Gina had unintentionally hurt him? That was the other reason Dani had to be here. To share good news and to make sure Stefan knew he wasn’t the bad guy. Bad boy, yes. Bad guy, no way.

  How hard had it been to hold in the good news she’d received from her OB doctor? Incredibly so. Especially after last night where she’d not just broken her own rule but smashed it to pieces by going to him in the back yard. The thrill still sent little reminders throughout her body. She’d been letting thoughts of Stefan turn her insides to goo the whole way over here since she didn’t have to fight his effect on her body anymore.

  And now here they were at this castle. It was filled with elegant furniture but empty of life. Regardless, it was the most breathtaking home Dani had ever stepped foot in.

  She and Stefan might make love here tonight. Her breath dropped out of her lungs.

  Looking around, she couldn’t believe this gorgeous home had gone unlived in for years. Wandering down a hallway not too far from the grand staircase, she began trying more doors.

  That’s when she heard him call up to her. “Come back to the stairs. It’s on the other side, third door down. You went the wrong way at the top.” His voice lac
ked its usual warmth but she’d just find a way to combat that.

  “Thanks,” she called down.

  Clearly she’d gone the wrong way, in many ways, but that was the danger and wonder of Stefan. How appropriate that her favorite country song summed him up so perfectly. He was a real bad boy but such a good man. All Dani knew was that when she was around him, she smiled. She laughed. He challenged her like nobody’s business but that was good. Her coming life change wasn’t so scary when she pictured him involved. And it had nothing to do with the fact he could afford a house like this. A spare house, she corrected. If he’d only just let her in.

  Holy cow. She pushed open what should be the bathroom door only to spot a fireplace. She backed out and tried the next door but that was a bedroom, furnished like the rest of the home with model quality décor. The bed was easily the size of all the beds at Gina’s put together.

  She tried the next door and that was an office. Painted dark and with sections of padded walls. What in the world?

  His deep baritone voice caught her off guard when he was inches behind her, still more raw than warm but an instant shot of heat through her weary bones nonetheless.

  “You passed it again,” he said, hiking one eyebrow higher than the other like a kindergartner could have found it so why couldn’t she. Then he laid his hand on her shoulder and turned her around. “Back here.”

  “Hold on, what in the world are the padded walls for in that one I just opened?”

  His handsome face brightened, washing away some of that leery vibe coming off him. They took a few steps back and peered into the room in question together. “This is where I bring my innocent victims. What, your last boyfriend didn’t have a sex chamber at his home?”

  Dani’s eyes popped wide. “Very funny. I uh, I assumed I was the first person you’d brought here.” She wasn’t letting him get away with this terrible teasing, glad his innate charm was back but aware it still felt like his heart wasn’t exactly in it. “And, I didn’t realize you were my boyfriend now.”

  Not thinking, she pulled part of her lip through her teeth and held it there. That was a dangerous word to attach to him, especially after this morning. But she’d taken Will’s warning that Stefan wouldn’t make it easy now that he was convinced he had to let her go to figure things out with Thom. She’d do whatever she could to keep that from happening. There were things to figure out which was why she would do the right thing and see Thom in person. To discuss things like the role he’d play in the baby’s life. But that was it. She had to make Stefan see that. She felt none of the things for Thom that she felt for Stefan. Not one.

  His look darkened and she wished she hadn’t said anything. He’d been playful for a split second and now she couldn’t judge his mood at all.

  “You are. The first. And this is a home studio. The padding is for the sound. When I bought this place for Mom, I wanted one room where I could do music when I visited.” A somber shadow fell back over him and he took on more of the dark Superman she’d felt so a part of when she’d been hurting so badly at the truck stop that morning. He’d brought her out of that, in a matter of minutes.

  She sensed she needed to tread lightly on the subject of this house and his mom. “That’s a really nice thought, Stefan. I talked to her before I came over here.”

  “Yep. Well, the bathroom is…” He passed over the subject and she didn’t want to bring him back to it, but she couldn’t help it.

  “You bought this place for your mom. What happened?”

  “She said no thank you. No big deal.”

  Clearly that wasn’t true. His eyes said he was as baffled speaking about it now as he probably had been the day he’d offered it and had his gift rejected. “I’m sorry, Stefan. It is rather big. Maybe she just worried about being able to take care of this beautiful home on her own.” Dani had to admit she was confused too. Whatever the reason for Gina’s rejection of Stefan, she’d had a change of heart and Dani couldn’t wait to tell him his mom would consider moving.

  “I guess. Hey, I thought you needed to use the bathroom,” he said, shoving his hands down into his pockets.

  When she didn’t move, he brought his hand out and skimmed the small of her back as he guided her to the door with the fireplace. He pushed the door open with his other hand and stretched it out, ushering her in. Yes she had to pee like a mad woman but she was more concerned about the hurt she saw on his handsome face and why he wasn’t insisting on coming in with her. Bathrooms were kind of their thing. She must have been just as easy to read.

  “Dani, do your business and then we’ll talk.” He smiled softly for her but it didn’t reach his chocolate eyes.

  “I do have some good news to share with you,” she said.

  “Okay.”

  Dani stepped inside, closed the door behind her and nearly passed out. Fireplace, double sinks, a Jacuzzi tub that took up one whole corner and spanned two walls. The shower was attached so you could walk right into it through a crystal clean glass door, straight from the tub. A white fluffy rug laid on the floor that looked more inviting than her bed and the outward facing walls where the tub was lined up weren’t walls at all. They were giant windows that looked out into the wooded back yard. There wasn’t another house anywhere in sight. The blinds were hiked all the way up. Dani set her purse on the ultra-clean floor at her feet, pulled her dress up and flopped onto the toilet, looking out at the amazing view, unbelieving. As she relieved her aching bladder, she felt him kick. She wished Stefan was in there with her so she could have let him feel it too.

  ****

  Stefan was busy setting out the dinner he’d gone ahead and ordered in for them. It was early, but she had a healthy appetite and without a meal, he didn’t know what he’d do. Even though he’d decided he had to back off, she still called to him. All the women who he’d thought had been drop dead gorgeous, none compared to her. He knew now that the call went deeper than looks and sex. Shit, he hadn’t even been with Dani. Not really.

  “Dinner’s ready,” he said, trying to keep himself in check when all he wanted was to stake his claim on her. Thom was a lucky man. And a dead man if he ever hurt her.

  Dani walked in from the deck out back and his mouth watered. She was truly an amazing woman. He hadn’t seen her wear pants in a while, not even her yellow stretchy track suit he was so fond of. Right now he could barely tear his gaze away from the halter dress she had on. The white was stunning on her, making her look even more tanned. Her black hair was only half pulled up, the rest fell in loose curls, over her shoulders.

  “Here.” He offered her a seat as he dried a serving dish he’d used but she held something in her hands that brought out the most exquisite smile he’d ever seen. “What’s that?” he couldn’t help but ask.

  “It’s a picture of my baby,” she beamed and held it out to him. “You’re the first person I wanted to show it to.”

  He stopped what he was doing, speechless. The plate he was holding crashed to the counter which knocked something else in its path into the sink. Dani’s dark eyes popped wide when he met her halfway between the kitchen and deck and took the black and white photo into his hands. The print out was already wrinkled.

  “I’ve probably taken it in and out of my purse about a million times already. I’ll probably ruin it but I can’t stop looking at it. He’s so beautiful.”

  “He? You know it’s a boy?”

  “Yep. See there,” she pointed to a blurry white shadow. Stefan couldn’t believe he could actually make out fingers, toes, a nose. It was the creepiest yet the coolest thing he’d ever seen. It was impossible not to feel her joy.

  “Your son,” was all he could get out.

  Now she was speechless and shook her head. When she did that, tears fell onto her cheeks.

  Stefan held her tight in his arms. Knowing he had to let her go. Knowing he couldn’t get in the way.

  Dani’s tears continued to fall so they just stood there in the kitchen. Finally Stefan had
to say something.

  “Dani, you’re gonna be a wonderful mom. You love your baby so much, sweetheart.” Could he say the rest? He had to. “Trust me, you don’t want me around. Staying here, going back to school, for real, that’s the right path for you. Not me.”

  “Don’t say that,” she said through sniffles.

  “Come here, sit down.” He helped her into the stool. “Hey, my mom was right to jump to the conclusion she did earlier. She was only going on the way I’ve acted my whole life.”

  “No, she just didn’t understand. She thought somehow you’d gotten me pregnant and thought Thom and I were still together. She told me at the house that she loves you and will miss you when you go. And—”

  “No Dani. Stop. When I go. It’s what I do. I leave.”

  Just like his dad. No better. No worse. No different.

  ****

  Wow. Had Will pegged this perfectly or what? Stefan was determined not to hear her. What hurt Dani most was how his confidence had been shattered by a ten minute conversation in a silly rose garden.

  She didn’t even remember that she’d just been crying and the wetness on her cheeks surprised her when she wiped a piece of hair from her face. “But you come back. And when you do, you bring the best laughs and joy with you. You bring yourself.”

  “No, don’t do that. Don’t make me out to be some good guy, Dani. It’ll only hurt you in the end.” He paused and then stabbed her with a look sharper than steel. “You sucked my cock good last night, but that doesn’t mean you own me. I don’t owe you anything.”

  Her face flamed with sheer anger. She nearly spit the word asshole right back in his face but remembered Will’s warning. She could be just as stubborn. “Try again. I did suck your cock good and no, you don’t owe me anything. But you will hear me out. You know who else leaves their loved ones behind? How about soldiers?”