“I have happy news,” he said with a broad smile. “I don’t think it’s a secret that I’ve been hounding my son to settle down for the last couple of years. Well, folks, I’m happy to tell you that he has finally selected his bride-to-be and she is right there by his side tonight, Miss Danielle Swift.”
A murmur went through the crowd and everyone turned to stare at the couple who stood frozen on the dance floor.
No one was more surprised than Dani. What had Edgar done? This was supposed to have been a game, nothing more, just something to keep the overly-eager parents happy for a while. Now Edgar had gone and made the whole thing public…without their permission.
Edgar and Janet were beaming proudly at them while Dani’s heart was sinking into her shoes. She was not engaged to their son and never would be, not in this lifetime or ever. Even if she’d once held out hope of his ever loving her, she knew now that it was a hopeless dream. The man had engaged in the worst deception of all - at the same time he was playing games with her he was still leading Lola on. Obviously, he’d made the woman think she was still in the picture. What kind of man would do that? Unless he really did want Lola?
She had no chance to ponder that question because at that moment Storm put a firm finger under her chin and lifted her face to his and before she could react he was kissing her in front of the now cheering crowd.
It was too much. The betrayal, the shattered hope, the pain…and now having him kiss her like he was in love with her when they both knew it was a lie.
Distraught and furious, Dani pulled out of his arms, stepped back and slapped him across the cheek. Then she whirled, hot with humiliation, and ran across the dance floor and out the door.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dani had nowhere to run. She had no car and because she’d stormed out of the place she had no purse. She wanted to leave. She wanted to get away from the reach of Storm and his friends and family. But how could she escape?
She hurried down the driveway, walking as fast as her high heels would take her. She would walk all the way home if she had to.
She heard footsteps and she didn’t need to turn around to know who was following. She could sense Storm’s presence from a hundred yards away.
He caught up to her in seconds and grabbed her arm. “What kind of stunt was that you pulled in there? You embarrassed me in front of everybody.”
Dani jerked her arm away and turned on him. Even if she had no right to be furious, she was. “You deserve it, you beast. How dare you kiss me like you mean it when you have Lola waiting in the sidelines? Why didn’t you hire her to be your fake fiancée?”
He frowned. “Lola? What the hell does Lola have to do with any of this?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb with me, Storm. I’d respect you more if you’d just come clean.”
“Come clean with what?” he almost shouted. “Will you stop talking in riddles and tell me what you mean?”
“Well, if you insist," she said sarcastically. “You called me Wednesday night and gave Lola the phone. What did you expect us to talk about? You?” She put her hands on her hips. “Or were you just trying to make a point, that if I didn’t want to play the part you still had Lola to fall back on? What kind of a sick-”
“Hey, stop. You just stop right there.” He put up a hand, silencing her. “First of all, I did not call you on Wednesday. Since last Saturday the first time I reached out to you was tonight.” He folded his arms across his chest. “And secondly, there is nothing going on between Lola and me and there never will be.”
He sighed and released his arms. He looked like he wanted to hold her but instead he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I think I know what happened. Lola dropped by my place uninvited Wednesday night. I left for maybe five minutes and went to the kitchen. She must have used the opportunity to find your number in my cell phone and call you.” He shook his head. “You have to understand, Dani. Even though there was never anything between us, Lola sees herself as a woman scorned. She would do anything to destroy what we have.”
Dani’s heart lurched. “What we have?” she whispered, almost afraid to repeat it. “But…we have nothing.”
Slowly, Storm shook his head and a smile softened his lips. “That’s where you’re wrong, Dani. We have everything. I was just too stubborn to admit it.”
Dani stared up at him, confused. “I…don’t understand.”
“I don’t blame you,” he said enigmatically. “The truth is, I didn’t understand either, until tonight.” He took her hands in his. “Do you know why I got so angry last Saturday when you told me you were a virgin?”
“No,” she said, frowning. She was still lost about that one.
“I was a coward, Dani, afraid of commitment, afraid of losing my bachelor lifestyle. When you told me you’d never made love before I realized that I couldn’t be with you and walk away. You’d want more. And I was afraid of that.” He gave a bitter laugh. “I was so darned stupid. It took the time I spent away from you, time I spent in misery, for me to realize how much I want you in my life.” Then he gave her a look so open and honest that she could not doubt his words. “I’m tired of running, Dani. I want to commit and I want that commitment to be with you.”
“And…Lola?” she whispered, holding her breath.
He laughed out loud. “And Lola. This is my commitment to Lola - to stay as far away from her as I can, so help me God.”
“Oh, Storm,” she said, her voice cracking, “I love you so much.”
“And I love you, my sweet Dani,” he replied, and put a finger under her chin to lift her face to his just as he had done before. He put his lips to her cheek, kissing away the tears that ran down her face. “I thought you said you never cry,” he whispered.
“This time,” she said with a sniff, “it’s because I’m the happiest girl in the world.”
He kissed her then, full on the lips, and she kissed him back with all the love she’d stored up in her heart.
It was several minutes before they stepped back and out of each other’s arms. “Come,” Storm said finally, “let’s go back inside before they send the police to hunt us down.”
She chuckled, took his hand and walked proudly by his side. There was nothing anyone could do or say that would make her feel embarrassed, not as long as she had Storm, her man, by her side.