by Leigh, Jo
She turned to look at him. Alex had the same stunned expression on his face as Chloe. He hadn’t tasted the soup yet, either, thank goodness.
She finished the water, then took Chloe’s glass of milk and drank that. Finally she could speak again. Calmly she sat back in her chair, and tried to smile at Alex.
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “That good, eh?”
She felt her cheeks get warmer still. “Um, it’s a little...spicy.”
“Yeah?” He brought the spoon up and tasted the soup, but just a tiny bit with the tip of his tongue. Dani waited. Two seconds later, she saw him swallow, hard. He sort of gasped, then got his water and downed the drink. When he finished, he put the glass down slowly, then turned back to face her. “Oops.”
“What did you put in there?”
He shrugged. “Just what the recipe called for. Except for the pepper.”
“The pepper?”
“You were out of black pepper, so I used red.”
“Did the bottle say Cayenne?”
He nodded.
“How much?”
“A couple of tablespoons, I think.”
She nodded. That would explain it. “Ah. Tablespoons. I think that’s the problem. Cayenne pepper can go a long way.”
“So I see.”
She felt just terrible for him. If there’d been any way to eat the soup, she would have done it in a heartbeat. But as it was, they would have had to call the fire department to revive her if she tried. “Let’s start on the chicken. That smells wonderful .”
Alex’s happy confidence was clearly shaken. He frowned as he went to the bird and started carving. After a couple of slices, he paused. “Maybe I should try this one, first, huh?”
Dani held out her plate. “Don’t be silly. It looks perfect.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded. He gave her the chicken, then scooped up some stuffing and doled out some green beans. Dani took her full plate and smiled. “Fit for a queen,” she said.
“Uh-huh,” Alex said as he fixed a meal for Chloe.
“Did you use cayenne on the chicken?” Dani asked.
“Nope.”
He handed Chloe her plate, then fixed his own. He sat, watching Dani as she prepared to taste the food. Actually both of them watched her. She cut a small piece, brought it to her mouth and ate it.
He’d been right. No fires started. She could taste the chicken, but only slightly. What she really tasted was garlic. Lots and lots and lots of garlic. She smiled as she chewed, and then swallowed. “Mmm,” she said, trying really hard to sound sincere. “This is great, Alex.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“No, really. I like garlic.”
He stared down at his own plate, then took a bite. He chewed slowly, the doubt on his face turning to a grimace. “You like this?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. “It’s...different.”
“It’s awful.”
“The stuffing is good,” Chloe said.
Just then, the doorbell rang. As Dani got up, Alex turned to Chloe. “It’s okay, kiddo. You don’t have to lie. We’ll go out and get something else for dinner.”
Chloe put her fork down a little too quickly. Dani’s heart sank. She’d wanted this meal to be perfect. The doorbell rang again, and she went to answer it. Two of the women from the weekend steering committee stood before her. Their cheerful smiles faded when they saw her instead of Alex.
“Hi, hon,” Brenda Holt said. The woman was a casual acquaintance, someone she knew from Chloe’s school. Although Dani had never seen her dressed quite like this before. The black dress she wore had clearly been painted on. Not to mention her makeup.
“Is he here?” Katie Elders whispered, leaning in conspiratorially. She was another woman from the school, but Dani knew her better than Brenda. Katie was normally a very sensible woman. They’d often met for lunch, or at the park. Only the great Alex disease had stricken her, too, it seemed, as she was wearing a pair of skintight jeans and a very snug sweater. Not her usual attire at all.
“We’re having dinner,” Dani said, wanting them both to leave now. Her ire surprised her. It was stronger than ever, too strong for the situation, really. The thought that it might actually be jealousy came and fled quickly. She couldn’t be jealous. She wasn’t the type.
“We just need him for a few minutes,” Brenda said. “Honest. We just need to go over some of the details about tomorrow.”
“But...”
“Don’t mind about dinner,” Katie interrupted. “It won’t bother us.”
With that, the women entered. They didn’t exactly bowl her over, or push her aside, but it was damn close. She doubted they heard her close the door as they walked quickly toward the dining room. Dani hurried after them, determined to get them out ASAP.
Alex was just standing as she rounded the corner. His smile was gracious, but cool. That made her feel a bit better.
“Mr. Bradley?” Brenda said breathlessly. “I’m the head of the steering committee for tomorrow’s festivities. Brenda Holt.”
“I’m Katie. I’m on the committee, too.”
“We won’t take but a minute of your time,” Brenda said, moving a little bit in front of Katie. “So please, go on with your dinner. We just wanted to give you the details about your appearance.”
Katie wasn’t happy with her position, and stepped a little closer to the man of the hour, half blocking Brenda. Brenda didn’t seem to like that, and she stepped in front of Katie. Dani figured at this rate, there would be bloodshed in a few minutes. Time for an intervention. She wanted these two out of here, but that didn’t seem likely without a court order. Then she got an idea. A doozy.
“Well, we were just sitting down,” she said. “You know, Alex fixed this meal himself.”
“Oh!” Katie said.
“Really!” Brenda echoed.
“Yes. Maybe you’d like to join us? I can start you out with a little soup.”
“But, Mom,” Chloe said. Dani quickly put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder and squeezed.
“I know you’re not hungry, honey,” she said, as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “So you can be excused.”
“But...”
“Go on, now.”
Chloe got up slowly, looked at her with a very grown-up frown and left. Dani didn’t dare look at Alex.
In the meantime, Katie and Brenda had found seats. Near Alex, of course. They both sat so straight in their chairs, were so atwitter at dining on Alex’s meal, that she could barely contain her laughter. “I’ll be right back with the first course.”
She hurried into the kitchen. Brenda started telling Alex what time and where they had to be in the afternoon. Katie tried to get a word in edgewise, but that wasn’t very successful. Dani got down two bowls, knowing she was going to hell for this little dirty deed, but not caring a whole heck of a lot. Then she heard Alex excuse himself.
He came up behind her just as she was ladling the first bowl. His hand touched her shoulder. “What are you doing?”
She realized then that she couldn’t go through with it, and put the bowl and spoon down. “Okay. I won’t. But you’d think they’d have enough sense not to barge in on someone’s dinner.”
“I don’t think they meant any harm.”
“No? Then why are they dressed like the harlot sisters?”
Alex studied her for a moment. His eyes widened and his mouth quirked up. “Could it be? Are you...”
“No,” she said. She darted past him, and hurried back to the dining room. “I’m sorry. The soup is gone already. We do have some salad, though, if you’d like.”
Brenda looked to Katie, then back to Dani. “Did he make this chicken?” she asked.
“Yes,” Dani said, “but...”
“I’d love to try some. If you don’t mind.”
Dani felt Alex come up behind her. Not just behind her but touching. The spark hit her, as always, the m
inute he made contact. It was just his shoulder against her back, but it was enough.
“It’s not very good,” Alex said. “I don’t think you’d care for it.”
“No, no,” Brenda said. “It smells heavenly.” She reached for a slice that was still on the carving platter, taking the small piece delicately between two fingers. Smiling broadly, she popped it into her mouth. Dani was quite impressed with her acting ability. She actually looked as if she was enjoying the taste.
Not to be outdone, Katie also helped herself. She managed to say, “Mmm.”
The sight of the two of them, chewing, smiling, trying so hard, was something to see. Although she shouldn’t, it was wrong, terribly wrong, Dani grinned. And grinned harder when she felt Alex’s gentle pinch on her behind.
“You ladies don’t have to be polite on my account,” Alex said, walking around Dani back to his seat. “It seems I messed up on the garlic.”
“No, not at all,” Katie said. “It’s delicious.”
“Would you like some more?” Dani asked.
“No, no. Thanks,” Katie said, her cheeks infusing with pink. “I’ve had dinner already.”
“Me, too,” Brenda said.
“What else can we do for you, then?” Dani asked, moving toward the hallway, trying to give them a hint.
The women looked at each other, then looked at Alex. Katie’s shoulders sagged a bit. That did it. Now Dani really did feel guilty. These were nice women. They hadn’t come here trying to steal Alex away. Well, maybe they had, but it was only natural. He was the Sexiest Man in the World, after all.
She looked at him, sitting so casually at her table, with his horrible meal spread out before him. It hit her that the sobriquet wasn’t just a piece of marketing copy to her anymore. He was the sexiest man in the world. In her world, at least.
And she wanted him.
His gaze met hers just then. Just at that second when her head, her heart and her libido all came together with an almost audible clunk. The seconds stretched out as he stared at her. Somehow, he’d read her thoughts. She could see it plainly. He knew what she was thinking and his own gaze picked up her hunger. The same want was reflected in his eyes. It was telepathy. Magic.
“We’ll see you two tomorrow then.”
Dani was jerked back to reality. She had forgotten the women, forgotten the rest of the world for a moment there. It was hard to get her bearings, but she did. Then Alex got up and joined her, and together they walked Brenda and Katie to the door.
She wanted to reach out and take his hand. The urge to touch him was a physical thing.
Alex thanked the two women, and tried to be patient as he promised to be at the mall at exactly one o’clock tomorrow. He was even able to smile, to be polite. Dani said goodbye to them, too, but she sounded as distracted as he felt.
The second the door was closed, he took her in his arms and crushed her lips with the kiss that had begun in the dining room. The kiss she’d promised with her eyes.
Her arms went around his neck and she pulled him tighter, the desperation in her gesture as acute as his own. Something had happened to her back there, some switch had gone from Off to On, and he’d seen it immediately. He had no idea what it was. Didn’t care, really. Just so long as she was in his arms.
“Mom?”
He groaned, and felt her moan with his lips. Neither pulled away, though. He just couldn’t let go of her. Not yet.
“Can you guys stop kissing for one second and tell me what I’m supposed to do about dinner?”
Dani pulled back, and he let her go. Well, not all the way. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her back pressed to him.
“I’ll call out for a pizza,” Dani said.
“We had pizza last night.” Chloe stood in the hallway with her arms crossed over her chest. He was amazed at the resemblance between mother and daughter. She was a little Dani, right down to the shape of her nose. He could see there was a little influence from her father. Her height, for one thing. And something about her eyes. But she would end up beautiful, just like her mom. Lucky girl.
“Then how about a frozen burrito?”
“I want pancakes.”
“For dinner?”
Chloe nodded. “Like Mimi makes them.”
Dani turned her head quickly, shooting a glance at Alex. She was trying to tell him something, but he wasn’t quite sure what. But she sure seemed excited about it.
“Wait one second,” she said, and extricated herself from his hold.
Alex watched her hurry to the phone. He couldn’t hear the conversation, and his curiosity was piqued. Something told him he was going to like this plan, whatever it was. Dani’s smile when she hung up confirmed it.
“You,” she said to Chloe, “can go pack a bag for the night.”
“I can?” Chloe looked at her mom suspiciously. “Why?”
“Because you’re going to get your pancakes. Just like Mimi makes them. At Mimi’s house. You’re going to have a sleepover.”
Chloe grinned. “Cool.” Then the worried look came back. “But what about the cakes?”
Dani’s smile weakened. “Oh. I forgot.”
“Hey,” Alex said, knowing he was throwing away a golden opportunity. “I did promise to help.”
No one responded. He caught the look that passed between Dani and Chloe, however. He grinned. “I promise. I’ll let you guys check every ingredient before I put it in. No cayenne. No garlic.”
Chloe giggled. Dani met his gaze. “You sure?” she whispered.
He nodded. Her smile was almost all the reward he needed. The real prize would come later.
DANI FINISHED WIPING the counter and put the sponge down. Dinner, which had turned out to be macaroni and cheese by default, had been eaten. Cakes had been baked, even though two quick trips to the store had been required. Icing had been licked. Now Chloe was in bed, Pete was sleeping soundly on a soft blanket in the living room, the kitchen was clean and she was alone with Alex.
She felt like a teenager on her first date. No, worse. A lovesick teenager faced with her biggest crush. Her skin felt tight, her breathing rapid. Her hand kept going to her hair, her gaze darting back and forth from his eyes to the floor. She laughed, and it sounded foolish and jittery. Something had to give soon, or she was going to lose it altogether and...
And what? The short answer was run like hell. The long answer was too complicated for her overextended brain to consider.
Then the problem was whisked away. He took two steps, that’s all, just two. He held out his arms. She entered his embrace. And everything that had happened in her world before that moment was gone. Just gone.
Suddenly she was being carried, cradled in his arms even while they kissed. Passion flowed between them as if it were an electrical current, held them together through the interminable walk to her bedroom. Once inside, with the door shut, he walked right to the bed and carried her with him on top of it, so they were laying next to each other, entwined with each other. His hands moved over her back in a frenzy of exploration, while she moved her hips and her thighs and her chest so that she could feel him in every possible way.
He moaned as her tummy rubbed his erection, and cupped her behind to pull her closer. The feeling of that hardness against her was almost more than she could take. She had never felt this kind of animal lust before. This desperation to have a man inside her. This man. Whose kisses turned her to mush. Whose caress made her melt. Who had far too many clothes on.
She reached for his shirt buttons and found her fingers so shaky it was difficult to maneuver. Alex helped, but as he reached the button just above his belt he stopped.
Dani looked at him, questioning.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. Are you?”
She expected a quick yes in return. Instead he grew silent and still. “What’s wrong?”
“Once will never be enough,” he said.
Her hand went to his bare chest and she ran her f
ingers through the dark, soft, curly hair that covered his muscled flesh. “Who said anything about once?”
“I don’t mean tonight,” he said. “I mean that once I have you, I’ll never let you go.”
Oh, Lord, how she wanted to believe him. But it was enough to know that he was sincere. For tonight, he really did mean it. That his sentiments would change once he was back in the real world was a certainty, but right now, in this magic space, she decided not to think about that.
Her decision had been made hours ago, she realized. The moment she’d seen Alex standing in the kitchen, stirring his horrible soup. It hadn’t been a hard decision after all. She would lose him no matter what. Whether they made love or not. But did she also want to regret passing up what could be the most intensely satisfying and beautiful night of her life? No. She’d lived on bittersweet memories for years. But tonight, and forever more, she would know that once she had been loved by the most wonderful man in the world.
She kissed him her answer, showed him her response with her hands and her body.
He cupped her face and looked deeply into her eyes. “I love you,” he said.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, and whispered, “I love you, too.”
Then his hand went to her breast, and she abandoned herself to the dream.
Chapter Fourteen
Her body. Petite, feminine, soft, so soft. Her blouse was off now, tossed to the floor, and his fingers were at the clasp of her pink bra. Even though the only light in the room came from a small lamp on her dresser, he could see how aroused she was. The nipples he’d touched so briefly this morning had remained in his memory all day. Truth be known, it was probably those very nipples that had made him screw up dinner. He laughed a little at the thought.
“What?” Dani asked softly.
“Nothing,” he said. “Lord, you’re so beautiful.” He undid her bra, but he didn’t expose her breasts yet. Instead he leaned down and ran his tongue between them, tasting the bare skin, breathing deeply to memorize her scent.
