Dangerous to Know & Love (12 page)

She squeezed his waist more tightly and, ironically, that only seemed to spur him on to go faster.

When Lisanne felt brave enough to open her eyes again, she could see the ocean rising up in the distance, gray and massive.

By now, Daniel had slowed down considerably and Lisanne realized they were traveling parallel to the boardwalk. She and Kirsty had talked about coming down to the shoreline and checking out the coffee shops, but Lisanne was very happy to be doing it with Daniel instead.

Eventually, he drove into a parking lot and pulled off his helmet

He breathed in deeply and seemed to relax several degrees.

Giving Lisanne a small smile, he climbed off and held out his hand to her.

She scrambled awkwardly, then stood still, taking in her surroundings.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said, a feeling of peace spreading through her.

“Yeah. I like coming out to the ocean when I’m…” He stopped suddenly, unable or unwilling to continue what he’d been going to say. “You want a coffee?”

“Sure, my treat,” she said, smiling away the uncomfortable moment.

“No way!” he said, pretending to be appalled. “We have to celebrate for last Saturday. I’m buying.”

“But it was your gas that got us here!”

“Do you always argue this much?” he grinned, raising his eyebrow so that the small silver ring he wore glinted in the sunshine.

Lisanne put her head one side, and smiled back. “Yep. Pretty much.”

He rolled his eyes. “Like I couldn’t have guessed. I’m still buying.”

They wandered down the boardwalk until they found a small café that was selling coffee and donuts. It also had an outdoor patio area, stretching onto the boardwalk, and it was plenty warm enough to sit outside.

Daniel sighed happily as he sank his teeth into the jam filled pastry. It was gone in about three bites and Lisanne caught him eyeing hers.

“Don’t you touch my donut!” she threatened. “I’m dangerous when you try to keep me from my sugar rush.”

“Yeah, and you’ve got a thing for chips, too. Don’t think I didn’t notice,” he shot back at her.

“If you’re that hungry, get yourself another donut, but just take your eyes off of mine, mister.”

He laughed, but took her advice and waved to the waitress, ordering two more donuts for himself.

Lisanne’s eyes grew wide.

“You’re going to be hyper from all that sugar,” she warned him. “Either that or your teeth will fall out.”

“Jeez, chill!” he said. “You’re sounding like my kindergarten teacher.”

She scowled and he leaned back in his chair, laughing at her.

“I can’t help it,” she said, petulantly. “I’m sensible. Mom says I was born middle-aged.”

“Yeah?” he said, leaning forward and planting his elbows on the table. “Well, you didn’t look middle-aged on Saturday night – you looked hot. Every guy in that place had a boner for you.”

Lisanne stared and blushed, her eyes dropping to the table, too embarrassed to speak.

“Just sayin’,” he smirked, stuffing another piece of donut into his mouth.

“Thanks, I think,” she mumbled. “Kirsty did it – hair, makeup, that dress.” Then she looked up. “I’m glad you came: I didn’t think you would.”

He grimaced then flicked his eyes away.

“I wasn’t going to.”

“I know. But thank you anyway.”

He nodded slowly.

As they finished their coffee, Daniel wiped the last grain of sugar from his lips. Lisanne couldn’t help sighing, watching his long, strong fingers brushing across his face.

He caught her staring.

“What?”

“You missed a bit.”

She started to reach out, but hesitated at the last moment. Daniel blinked, then scrubbed both hands over his face.

“Okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, you’re good.”

He smirked again. “Oh, no, baby. You’ve got that wrong.”

Lisanne rolled her eyes.

“You’re such a
boy
.”

He leaned down with a smile on his face, and whispered into her ear.

“Man, not boy.”

She felt his warm breath tickle her skin, but it was several seconds before his words sank in. She shivered, whether with cold or pleasure or something else, she didn’t know.

They strolled along the boardwalk, close but not touching, in companionable silence. Every now and then, they’d stop to look in a shop window or admire the way the colors of the sea swirled and changed with every passing moment.

But too soon, gray clouds started to roll in and heavy drops of rain began to patter down around them.

“Ah, hell,” said Daniel, frowning at the threatening sky. “We’re gonna get seriously wet.”

He was right.

They ran for his bike, but there was no way they could outrun the storm.

The rain was lashing down and they were both soaked to the skin, as Daniel raced back along the highway.

He was slightly better off, his leather jacket giving him a little more protection, but his jeans were plastered to his legs and he could feel water seeping into his boots.

Hunched behind, sheltering her body with his, Lisanne huddled into him, her violent shivers sending tremors through his own body.

It was crazy to continue getting soaked, trying to make it to the dorms, when his own place was closer. They were both half drowned and frozen, and the rain on his visor was making it dangerous. They’d be better off going to his place than carrying on driving to the dorms. Plus, he knew for a certain fact that it would be easier to dry clothes at his place. No one would be using the washing machine or dryer there – no one ever did.

He pulled off the highway one exit early. Lisanne was so numb that she didn’t even notice, until they were rumbling down a residential street in a part of town she didn’t know.

Daniel cut the engine and clambered stiffly from the bike, pulling Lisanne with him.

“Where are we?” she stuttered between shivers, as he tugged her up the steps to the porch.

“My place. I thought it was just dumb to carry on getting soaked. You can dry your clothes here and get warmed up.

She nodded shakily, but when she followed him inside, her eyes bulged – and she stared at the couple in the lounge who were smoking from a bong.

“Is that…?”

“Friends of Zef’s,” he muttered, not wanting to get into it.

They passed another couple who were gazing vacantly into space with glazed eyes, and Daniel wondered if bringing her there was a mistake.

He had no idea where Zef was.

He motioned for Lisanne to follow him up the stairs, and she clung to him as if he were the last life raft on the Titanic.

He pulled out his room key and pushed the door open for her, then locked it behind them.

“Why have you locked the door?” she whispered, her expression suddenly wary.

His eyes narrowed in confusion, then he realized how it looked from her point of view.

“What? No! God, no, Lis! How could you think… it’s this place… people wander in if the door isn’t locked. That’s all. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She shook her head and tried to smile, while her face was still frozen and her teeth chattering.

“No, sorry. It’s just…” she paused, swallowing whatever she’d been going to say, and looked around her. “You have a nice room.”

“Thanks,” he said, sounding too casual as he watched her nervously wrap her arms around herself.

Then Lisanne’s eyes fell on an acoustic guitar. She looked back to him, blinking rapidly.

“You play?”

He pulled a face, picking up the guitar by the neck and tossing it unceremoniously into his closet.

“Not anymore.”

“Sorry,” she whispered again, internally berating herself for being such an idiot.
Of course
he didn’t play anymore.

To cover the awkward silence, Daniel rummaged through his chest of drawers and tossed her one of his t-shirts.

“Put this on and I’ll go put your clothes in the dryer. It won’t take long.” He shot her his sexy smile. “I’ll turn my back.”

Flushing slightly, Lisanne peeled off her soaking clothes until she was standing in just her underwear. Hastily, she pulled on his t-shirt, which hung to the middle of her thighs. She couldn’t help lifting it to her face and breathing in deeply. It smelled like him, his cologne clinging to the material, along with a faint trace of cigarette smoke. She looked over her shoulder, but he was as good as his word and had kept his back turned. She’d expected nothing less. Lisanne tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“I’m done.”

He smiled as his eyes flashed appreciatively up and down her legs.

“Sorry,” he said, catching her look. “I’m a guy.” He shrugged and winked at her, then scooped up her wet clothes, which had left a damp patch on the bare floorboards.

“I’ll just be a minute. Lock the door behind me. I’ll knock when I get back.”

While he was gone, Lisanne took a moment to examine his room. It was much tidier than she’d imagined, and the sheets on his bed were clean and fresh. He had a small bookshelf that was crammed with textbooks from school, and paperbacks by writers she’d never heard of. A lot of them had foreign names, Russian maybe. Stacked up next to them was a pile of toilet paper. Odd.

In the corner, there was now a space where his guitar had been, and Lisanne felt horribly guilty for having mentioned it. Sometimes she only opened her mouth to change feet, she thought acidly.

Then she saw there were half a dozen photographs tacked to a notice board. There was a picture of a younger looking Daniel and a slightly older guy she assumed was Zef. They looked alike, with the same black hair and hazel eyes. There was a photo of his parents, and a family picture of the four of them together – they were laughing.

Then her heart skipped a beat when she peered closer. Daniel had included a picture of her among the family photographs. It was from the gig. In it, you could see clearly that she was singing her heart out. She didn’t even know he’d taken it. She wouldn’t even have known he’d been there if Kirsty hadn’t mentioned it, although he
had
texted her later.

A mix of emotions rushed through her. He’d never heard her sing – and never would – but he’d wanted to keep that particular image of her. She didn’t understand. Surely that would be the most painful thing for him to see every day?

A light tap on the door brought her back to herself.

“Yes?” she said, hesitantly, and then felt like an idiot. He couldn’t hear her, of course.

She opened the door cautiously, and Daniel walked in carrying two mugs of coffee.

“Thought you might need this.”

“Oh, lifesaver!” she gasped, wrapping her hand around the hot cup.

“Sorry,” he said. “There’s no milk in the house. Someone must have drunk it.”

He shrugged.

“How can you stand to live like this?” Lisanne blurted out.

He frowned at her. “It’s my home.”

“God, I’m so stupid!” she croaked. “Sorry, Daniel.”

He twitched a shoulder but he still looked hurt.

“I mean it,” she said, touching his arm lightly. “I am sorry.” Then recoiled slightly. “Ugh! You’re all wet and clammy!”

He smirked at her.

“Yeah, rain will do that to you.”

“I thought you were going to put your clothes in the dryer?”

“Well, I’ve put yours in. I thought you’d want to get out of here as quickly as possible.” He gave her an apologetic smile. “I’ll do mine later.”

“Well, you should take them off, or you could get sick.”

“Are you trying to get me out of my clothes, Lis. Should I take the hint?”

She slapped his arm and huffed as he continued to grin at her.

“Just messing with you, kiddo. Turn your back while I change. No peeking!”

Muttering to herself, Lisanne turned her back, listening to the rustle of material as Daniel pulled off his wet t-shirt and jeans. She couldn’t deny it was a turn-on, hearing him remove his clothes while she was standing in the same room. Her body heated at the idea. And then a thought struck her: this might be her best chance to show him that he meant more to her – more than just a friend. She was desperate to know if he felt the same. Sometimes she thought so, despite the other women she’d seen him with. There was the photograph, too, but still…

She took a deep breath and turned around.

He was standing with his back to her, wearing a pair of dark gray boxer briefs. She studied the muscles of his broad back as they rippled and flexed under his skin. She followed the outline of the tattoos across his shoulders and let her eyes drift down his narrow hips, firm ass, and his long, strong legs. He was beautiful, but to Lisanne it was the beauty on the inside that she loved the most. It made her bold.

Maybe he felt her eyes on him because suddenly he turned around, looking at her in surprise.

“Sorry! Sorry! I… I just… I just wanted to see,” she mumbled, her flaming cheeks highlighting her extreme embarrassment.

He cocked his head to one side, staring at her, but didn’t speak.

She couldn’t meet his questioning gaze, so she allowed her eyes to wander over his chest. She gasped softly when she noticed the tiny, silver rings he wore in each nipple. It was so unexpected and erotic. It was so Daniel. Wishing she was brave enough to step forward and touch him, Lisanne cursed herself for being such a coward. Kirsty would have. Kirsty would have taken that step, not shuffled from foot to foot like a stupid little girl.

Her eyes dropped further down and she was hypnotized by the bulge in his briefs.

When he spoke, she nearly jumped.

“Have you ever seen a man’s cock?”

Her mouth dropped open, then she gave a small nod. “On TV.”

He smiled. “Baby doll watches porn?”

“No! God, no! Well, maybe once – at a friend’s house.”

“Did you like it?”

“Not really. It was a stupid film – the plot was awful. There was no storyline at all.”

He laughed gently. “Yeah, well, I don’t think that’s the point of it.”

She flushed. “I guess not.”

She was suddenly reminded that she was still staring at him – at one particular part of him. She was shocked when she realized the bulge had grown considerably larger. Her eyes flickered up to his, and he gave a small shrug.