One Reckless Night (12 page)

grip on her had been relentless. In the end she gave up and relaxed in his embrace. Her gaze moved

to the empty space he had slept in. He wasn’t there but she had known that before she looked. Low

sounds coming from the kitchen told her that Dane was up and about. His spot was still warm so he

hadn’t been up long.

She thought about the incredible night she shared with him. There were at least five empty

condom wrappers scattered somewhere. Last night was a repeat of their first time together. Slight

embarrassment traveled through her at how insatiable she had been. Yet, Dane hadn’t seemed to

mind in the least. Once again he introduced her to erotic, playful, and shocking lovemaking. He was

a generous lover, showing her things about her body she had been unaware of. Dane knew her body

intimately. She knew his just the same.

Bayleigh rolled onto her stomach, inhaling deeply. His intoxicating scent permeated her

nose. A fragrance she would never forget as long as she lived. Taking another deep breath, she

became terrified of the emotions her brought to the surface. There was an intimacy between her and

Dane that she couldn’t deny. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, he was right. One night hadn’t

been enough. She wasn’t sure ten nights in a row would be.

Last night was more than sex whether she wanted to admit it or not. Dane was touching a

part of her that she hadn’t been prepared for him to have access to. Now she was longing for

something she knew may not be possible. This was just a trial relationship so she couldn’t get her

hopes up. Dane was bound to come to his senses and realize she wasn’t the woman he thought she

was. Wanting to push the negative thoughts away, she closed her eyes. After what she and Dane

shared together in the bed there was no space for them.

A glance at the clock on the nightstand informed her that it was 10:05 a.m. Way past time

for her to get up. There wasn’t anything on her agenda for the rest of the day, but lounging around

with Dane wasn’t an option. It was very tempting to remain in bed and wait for him to come back,

however, her bladder had other ideas. Crawling out of bed, she made her way toward the bathroom,

avoiding the mirror at all cost, recalling her last experience with it. A smile came to her face when

she spotted the extra toothbrush towel lying on the counter. He was thoughtful as usual.

Stepping into the shower, she allowed the warm water to push thoughts of sleep from her

mind. Once she finished, she stepped out of the shower, wrapped the drying towel around her body,

and bravely made her way to the mirror. Either the shower helped or she hadn’t looked as bad as

she originally thought. Bayleigh opened the toothbrush he left out for her. While she brushed her

teeth, she tried to figure out what she was going to do with her hair. She opened up the drawer to

her right, finding a hairbrush and comb on her first try. Her hair had been down for their date last

night. The night she spent with Dane left it untamed to say the least.

Bayleigh brushed her hair back until it was presentable before she left the bathroom and

made her way to the bed. Sitting on the edge, she looked at her dress. Dane had folded it neatly but

she wasn’t ready to put it back on. That would indicate she was ready to leave. She should be, but

she wasn’t. Her gaze went to a door that had to be his closet. Dane wouldn’t mind if she borrowed

something to wear.

She slipped a red T-shirt over her head. Red was a color she liked on him. The color brought

out the greenness of his eyes. Hopefully he would like the color on her just as much. Her eyes

searched for her panties. When she didn’t find them, she realized they were still in the living room.

Bayleigh smiled as she headed toward the muffled noise he was making in the kitchen. For as

long as she had known him, he had been a morning person. Not that she wasn’t, she just seemed to

be most alert in the afternoon. When she entered the kitchen, a flutter traveled through her. Dane

sat at the table with a cup of coffee and the morning paper. He wore a pair of sweatpants and

nothing else. She watched him for a few minutes, taking in everything about him, wondering what it

would be like to wake up this way every morning. Her eyes widened at the outrageous thought. It

would only lead to disappointment if she weren’t careful. Clearing her expression, she stepped

further into the kitchen.

“Good morning,” she whispered, walking toward the coffeepot that was calling her name.

“Good morning,” he responded as he lowered the paper so he could see her. The smile on

his face made her toes curl.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did. How about you?”

Dane set the paper down before coming to join her at the counter. “I slept very well.

Although waking up next to you was the best part.”

Bayleigh ducked her head, flustered at the tenderness in his voice, the meaning behind his

words.

“I wanted to wake you but you look so comfortable I decided not to.” He handed her a

mug. “Cream, sugar?”

She nodded and he slid the canisters toward her. “I guess I was more exhausted than I

realized.”

An expression of male satisfaction appeared on his face. “Did you catch up on your rest?”

“Yes I did, but not for long,” she responded, giving him a sassy look.

He chuckled before nuzzling her neck. “You are naughty, Bayleigh.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No. What would make you ask?”

“No reason.”

He poured coffee into her mug, then his own. After he set the coffee pot down, he placed a

finger under her chin making her look at him. “Want to try again?”

Bayleigh sighed softly, wishing she hadn’t said anything. Now he expected an answer that

could lead into a conversation she wasn’t ready to have.

“Let’s just say a person I was involved with in the past didn’t like it.”

Dane released her chin, resting his hip against the counter. “Then he was a fool. Your

passion is refreshing and shouldn’t be hidden. You will never have to hide your true desires with

me.”

His gaze wondered over her, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You look good in my

shirt.”

“You have a slick tongue, but I’m glad you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” he replied as he leaned toward her. Dane placed a soft kiss on her lips before

pulling back. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“Yes. However, you have to agree to let me make it.”

He looked at her with amusement. “In case you have forgotten, you are my guest.”

“Yes, but after all you have done, this is the least I can do.”

Dane set his coffee mug down then reached for hers before pulling her into his arms. “You

don’t have to, but I know you’ll insist, so we’ll cook breakfast together.”

Bayleigh laughed. Maybe being friends with Dane was an advantage to their trial relationship.

She didn’t have to tell him what she wanted, he knew. Bayleigh stopped laughing when she realized

she was in trouble. For once in her life she wasn’t sure how to get herself out of it.

“From your expression, it’s safe to assume your date with Bayleigh went well.”

Dane grinned at Isaac. “It went better than well.”

Isaac raised his glass in salute. “Glad to hear that. Even with my aversion to relationships, I

think you and Bayleigh are good for each other.”

Dane reached for his own drink. The week had flown by since his date with Bayleigh last

Saturday. Tonight she was out with her friends. Both of them had a Friday night schedule they were

reluctant to give up. The fact that he saw her daily at work pacified him. At work he remained

professional even when he wanted to pull her into her office close the door and kiss her senseless.

His weeks’ worth of frustration would be resolved tomorrow. They had another date

tomorrow night. Their schedules during the week made it difficult to get together during the after

work, yet they managed to a few times this week. He’d gone over to her apartment earlier in the

week to watch the movie they missed out on Saturday night at his home. After a passionate kiss

goodnight, he forced himself to leave. They both had early meetings that they needed to be wide-

awake in. Two nights later she came over to his home for dinner. She had been the one reluctant to

go home that time. He’d had an early morning conference call that required all of his attention.

Dane was doing his best not to be demanding or overwhelm Bayleigh. She was an incredible woman

but she still had a few vulnerabilities. Last weekend he recognized there were a few issues within her

past relationships he hadn’t been aware of.

There were more layers to Bayleigh than he ever would have guessed. The realization of their

relationship being separate from their friendship was more realistic than he thought. He was curious

about details important to a relationship that weren’t vital to a friendship. Every time insecurity

flashed across her expression he wanted to soothe it away. For the most part, he’d been able to. His

biggest fear was pushing her too hard. In the years he had known Bayleigh she had become a

permanent fixture in his life. She shared a lot of the important firsts in his life over the last five

years.

“Uh-oh, the expression on your face right now usually means trouble.”

Dane put his rambling introspection aside, giving Isaac a blank stare. “What are you talking

about?”

Isaac chuckled. “The expression is hard to describe. You get this far away wistful look like

you want something you can’t have. Only it usually pertains to Bayleigh, and since you are dating her

now, there’s no reason for your expression.”

Dane took a sip of his beer. “Well my friend, just because I’m dating Bayleigh doesn’t mean

the hard work is over. It’s just beginning.”

Isaac gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

Dane leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been certain of my feeling for two years. Now, I have to

be patient and wait for Bayleigh to catch up.”

“True but you were patient enough to wait all this time. What's a few more months?”

Dane sighed. “My patience is wearing thin. Now that Bayleigh is within my grasp it’s hard

not to rush her.”

Isaac smiled. “You know you’re going to put yourself into an institution if you keep this up,

right?”

Dane chuckled. “I’m already there man,” he stated, then took a sip of his beer. “Enough

about Bayleigh. What’s new with you?”

Isaac shook his head. “Nothing new here. Just the same old mundane life.”

Dane laughed. “Isaac, I have known you forever, which is long enough to know your life

isn’t boring in the least. If nothing else, you have a girlfriend of the month keeping it exciting for

you.”

Isaac smirked “Yes, but I prefer to leave the falling in love part to you. I’ve been there

before and I don’t believe it’s everything everyone seems to think it is.”

Dane looked at Isaac in surprise. “I don’t recall you being in love with a woman.”

Isaac shrugged. “Trust me, I’ve been there. Having that someone you want to be with all the

time. You want to stay in control of the entire situation so that it’s perfect. Yet, you can’t and it runs

you ragged. You want her in your life twenty-four-seven, unfortunately you aren’t sure if she wants

the same.”

Dane stared at Isaac in shock. He couldn’t remember his friend ever mentioning a woman of

significance. The words Isaac just spoke couldn’t ring more true for Dane. How else would Isaac

know unless he had been there? True pain had laced Isaac’s words.

Isaac grinned at him. “Why the stunned expression?”

“Because I’m not feeling much like a friend right now.” Dane shook his head slowly. “When

did you fall in love and why didn’t I notice?”

Isaac’s expression turned somber. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t say anything. I had a

reputation to upkeep.”

“Who is she?”

Isaac stared at his bottle for a moment before looking at Dane. “It doesn’t matter. We didn’t

work out for a reason. I now also know love isn’t for me. I enjoy being single, experiencing the

variety life has to offer.”

Dane glanced around the bar at the women milling around. Several were looking in his

direction. They paled in comparison to Bayleigh. Isaac on the other hand was smiling broadly at the

voluptuous blonde on the other side of the bar. When Isaac’s gaze finally met Dane’s again, there

was a serious expression there.

“Just don’t make the same mistake I made. If you really want Bayleigh, make sure she never

doubts it. Everything else will fall into place.”

Dane nodded taking in Isaac’s words. He was seeing his friend in different way. Guilt ate

him. Shouldn’t a friend know when the other was head-over-heels for another woman?

Maybe that was how Isaac has picked on Dane’s attraction to Bayleigh. Dane smiled. Isaac

had known he was more than physically attracted to Bayleigh as soon as he mentioned her. Even

Dane hadn’t known it. Little did he know how right Isaac was at the time.