Chapter Twenty-Two
The Four Seasons Biltmore, an old Spanish-style compound, had been built around the turn of the previous century. Still elegant, with an old-world air, it was a celebrated piece of Santa Barbara history.
After leaving the car with the valet, Ali and Daniel went inside and checked in. A bellman led the way to their rooms. The two-bedroom bungalow had been decorated with plenty of Oriental rugs and botanical prints. There was a large sofa and a coffee table, and on one end was a dining room table that seated six. Outside was a patio with comfortable seating, along with a fire pit and the ocean beyond.
There was a brief argument over the master bedroom versus the smaller, second bedroom. Ali thought Daniel should take the master, and she wanted him to have it. He was insistent and she acquiesced, hoping against hope that come the night, they would share it.
Once they’d unpacked, they headed into town to walk around. They strolled along State Street and wandered in and out of stores.
Daniel insisted they buy a kite to fly on the beach in the morning, then they spent time in a little bookstore. He surprised her by buying a couple of biographies on Civil War generals while she bought a workbook to help her decide on the next stage in her career.
They returned to the hotel and went back to their room. Ali spotted an ice bucket filled with champagne next to a tray of what looked like delicious appetizers.
“I thought we’d eat in,” Daniel said. “Is that all right?”
She looked from the champagne to him. Courage, she reminded herself. It was going to be her new mantra. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “Okay, then. Good to know. I’m going to go put on something seduction-worthy.”
She put on her dress and touched up her makeup, then smoothed her new bob and hoped Daniel had brought condoms. Anticipation danced with her nerves, making her stomach jumpy. She was scared and excited and wondering if this was all really happening.
Back in the living room, she found Daniel had turned on music and opened the champagne. He handed her a glass and they went out onto the patio.
He pulled two chairs close together with a small table in between. They sat next to each other, watching the ocean rush into the shore. He was the first one to break the silence.
“I always knew I was the marrying kind,” he said with a quick shrug. “Given my profession, you’d probably think I was a player, but that’s never been my style. I’m conventional. There were women, but only one at a time. Volume was never that important to me.” He flashed her a smile. “I guess I burned up my restlessness on the track so I could be steady everywhere else.”
“Good to know.”
“I meant what I said before about my first marriage. There was no great drama. We fell in love and then we fell out of love. I think we were more interested in getting on with the next part of our lives than figuring out if we could actually spend the rest of our lives together. She’s a good person, we weren’t awful during the divorce. I don’t miss her. But I do want to find the right person. I’m not looking to play around.”
It was a lot of information, she thought, not sure what to do with it.
“You know my sad history with Glen,” she said, hoping her voice sounded light instead of stunned. “Before him, I’d had a few boyfriends but nothing that lasted a long time. I want to say they didn’t really see me, but with my recent revelation that maybe I’ve been trying to be invisible, now I’ll tell you maybe I was the one afraid to want more than I had. Maybe I’m the one who always kept myself so protected that no one could get in.”
“Until Glen.”
“Yes, until Glen. I’m not sure why I was more comfortable with him.” She looked at him. “Honestly, I wonder if maybe it was because there wasn’t any real passion between us. Being with him was comfortable, but not exciting. I think maybe I’ve been afraid of exciting.”
“Are you still?”
She smiled. “I’m willing to take a chance.”
“Good.”
She couldn’t believe they were talking like this—putting it all out there. She felt vulnerable, but strong, too. She trusted Daniel. She knew in her gut that even if things went south, he wouldn’t be a jerk. He would never send his brother to break up with his fiancée.
The background music—a soft jazz version of old standards—went silent for a second before starting up again with “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Daniel rose and held out his hand.
“Dance with me.”
She rose. He led her inside and pulled her close. They swayed together with the music.
“The first time I saw you was on a Sunday morning,” he said.
“I remember. We had brunch with your parents. You barely spoke to me. I thought you hated me.”
He drew back just enough to look in her eyes. “You wore jeans and a white sweater with a V-neck. You had your hair in a braid and your perfume smelled like vanilla. The second I saw you, it was like being kicked in the gut. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe. I sure as hell couldn’t talk. Not without saying something inappropriate.”
They’d stopped dancing. Ali was having trouble processing what he was telling her.
“You liked me back then?”
“I wanted to run away with you. I’d never felt a lightning strike before, but I felt it with you. I wanted to take you somewhere so we could talk for hours. I wanted to throw you over my shoulder and find a quiet corner to make love with you. I wanted to challenge Glen to a fight to the death over you. Instead I ate quiche.”
Her chest was so tight and her legs were shaking. Nothing he said made sense, but there was an intensity in his gaze that told her he was telling the truth about all of it.
“Me?” she asked, her voice a squeak.
“You. Glen telling me he was calling off the wedding was the best and worst day of my life. Finally you were free of him, but first I had to break your heart. I hated him for what he was doing to you and at the same time, I was relieved you would be single.”
She couldn’t quite connect the dots. Daniel had liked her all along? He thought she was a lightning strike?
“You never said anything.”
“What was I supposed to say?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Hey, Ali, I’m crazy about you. Dump my useless brother and run off with me.”
She heard the frustration in his voice, and the pain. She had no idea what to say, so she decided to act instead. She put her hands on his face and kissed him. He responded instantly, his mouth hungry against hers. Then they were a tangle of arms pulling close and tongues stroking. Want and need flared, melting every part of her.
She stepped back and stared at him. “Please tell me you brought condoms.”
His slow, sexy grin had her quivering. “I did, indeed.”
It took only seconds to get to Daniel’s room, then they were pulling off clothes, even as they kissed and touched each other. When they were naked, he explored her everywhere, first with his hands and then with his mouth. He kissed the very heart of her, loving her until she cried out her release. Then he entered her and she came again, surging against him as he climaxed inside of her.
When they were done and lying together on tangled sheets, she raised herself up on one elbow.
“I had no clue about how you felt about me.”
“I didn’t want you to know.”
“But you were so stealthy. You were—” She hesitated, then decided to dodge the L word. It wasn’t as if he’d said it, and she didn’t want to assume. “You were crazy about me and never hinted. I feel dumb.”
“Don’t.” He stroked her bare arm, shifting slightly to tease her nipple. “I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable around me. Better to be the friend than rejected.”
He’d been afraid she would reject him? Seriously? She straddled him.
“Still worried about rejection?”
He smiled. “It’s less on my mind.” He squeezed her butt before reaching for another condom. “You’re okay with being on top?”
“Yes. Or my side or any way you’d like.” Knowing how he felt about her made her feel safe and free and sexy.
“Interesting. I wouldn’t have guessed you were the adventurous type.”
“I’m not. I mean I wasn’t.” She shook her head. “Okay, we are not going to talk about my sex life in detail. It’s too weird. I’ll just say with you, it’s different. I want to play.”
He looked into her eyes and smiled. “I want to play, too.”
* * *
Finola wasn’t sure that an upscale Beverly Hills bar was any more interesting than an upscale bar in the valley, but this was LA where things like location really mattered. So she fought Saturday evening traffic over the pass and guided her car to the valet. After taking the claim ticket, she squared her shoulders and walked inside.
For reasons still not clear to her, she’d agreed to meet a man for drinks. Rochelle’s insistence and her own misery had combined to convince her she had to do something. Maybe an hour or two with an adoring man would be just the thing she needed. The problem was the second she’d agreed to the invitation, she’d been filled with regret, but there was no going back now.