Stormy Passion Read online

  Lazily, he watched Dani as they rode up the elevator. She carried a subtle sophistication he liked. Her hair hung just below her shoulders, like shimmering gold. Her lashes lowered, casting shadows on her cheeks. Damn, she was beautiful! Dani reminded him of a rare orchid that stood out from the rest of the flowers. Perhaps, waiting to be picked.

  The elevator jerked to a halt. Thank goodness. Because he had thought of doing something real stupid just before the doors opened. He took her elbow and escorted her down the hallway to his room.

  Dani couldn't help feeling jittery standing in front of Adrian's hotel room, then reminded herself how silly she was being. After all, she'd already spent a weekend with him. She'd just get her purse and go.

  She spotted her gold bag on the edge of the bed and immediately went to retrieve it. “You don't suppose there are still crabs hiding in here?” She joked, trying to sound light-hearted.

  “I can assure you that I disposed of all the sea life.” Adrian chuckled.

  Dani liked to hear him laugh. He just didn't seem to do enough of it, and she found herself wondering what Adrian was like in his everyday world. Perhaps he wasn't the carefree person he'd seemed at the beach. If only she could get him to talk about himself.

  Dani pulled out her wallet, the one her mother had given her for graduation, and checked her license and credit cards. “You don't know how much trouble this has saved me.” She smiled at him. “Thank you. Everything looks good, considering what it went through.”

  Much better than I do, she thought.

  Digging deeper, she removed her checkbook. “I can't say the same for this thing. She flipped several pages. “The ink in the register has all run together. But it could be worse.”

  Adrian put the room key on the nightstand and sat on the bed. “If you'll excuse me, I need to make a phone call,” he said.

  “Sure.” She stuffed everything back in her purse. “I'll check out your view.” Dani moved out onto the small balcony overlooking the river, clutching her purse to her chest like a life preserver.

  Though her gaze wandered over the water, her ears were tuned to Adrian's voice. She couldn't believe how fast her heart beat when he was near her, nor the giddy feeling that invaded her stomach like a swarm of bumblebees. She needed to get back her feeling of indifference. She needed control.

  Adrian's phone conversation bore into her thoughts. “What time will the plane be here?”

  She speculated on what the airlines were saying on the other end. Would she have him just for the night? Maybe he wouldn't be able to get a flight and would have to stay another day. She hoped so.

  “Seven o'clock. Good, I'll be there.”

  So much for maybe.

  Dani sighed, realizing she'd have to say goodbye again. She wasn't very good at goodbyes. Except for Steven. For once in her life, she thought she'd handled him very well. Now that she'd taken the final step, she felt pretty stupid for not doing it earlier.

  Grasping the rail, she pushed all thoughts from her mind as she stared down at the decorated trees. She liked to pretend they were full of fireflies, and they had all come just to make the trees pretty. A gust of wind whipped up from the water cooling her flushed face and brushing her hair back. She sighed again.

  She sensed Adrian was close even before he put his hands on her shoulders. “Hand me your purse before you drop it over the side, and I have to go after the thing again.” She passed it to him over her shoulder, then felt Adrian turn and toss it behind him to the bed.

  “I like your city,” he said, drawing her back against him and wrapping his arms around her.

  “It is pretty.” God, she was content. “But nothing like Sea Horse Island. I'll never forget that place.”

  “I have to agree with you. Maybe someday you'll get to go back there.”

  She laid her hands on top of his, thinking she was ready right now. “Maybe.”

  “Have I ever told you that you look like a vision in the moonlight?” he whispered, his breath warming her ear. “The first time I saw you, I didn't think you were real.”

  Her breath lodged somewhere in her throat.

  Taking her by the arms, Adrian turned her around to face him. “We really shouldn't be doing this,” he murmured all the while lowering his head. “But I can't seem--”

  His lips provided her with the unanswered words. The shattering kiss robbed her of any logical thought, and for a moment, it felt as if they were back at the beach in their very own hideaway. The world they had created.

  As his tongue began to explore her mouth, a hunger grew within her. Dani knew at this very moment she loved Adrian more than she ever had Steven. And, he must love her, too.

  He could have mailed her purse. But he hadn't; he'd made a special trip--just for her. That's why she didn't think twice when she said, “Make love to me, Adrian.”

  Adrian hadn't planned on taking the blonde into his arms again, but every time he came near this woman the logical side of his brain turned off. At her surprised request, the other side clicked off as well.

  To hell with logic.

  He had now, and he had her.

  His arms tightened around Dani, molding her body next to his. She fit perfectly, too perfectly, and again that thought scared him. And, again, he ignored everything.

  She smelled of gardenias, Adrian thought as she shut her eyes. He slid his hands in her hair. Each strand felt like the finest China silk. Desire raged through him at avalanche speed.

  He was fast becoming a man out of control. When he finally lifted his lips he asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?” This wasn't like any of the other times they had made love. This time, Dani knew who he was and there wasn't any storm threatening their lives. This time he wanted her of her own free will.

  And, dammed if he could figure out why any of that was important. After all, Danielle Kapur was just another woman.

  Or, was she?

  Her eyes sparkled like rare sapphires when she nodded, and it was all the urging he need. Sweeping her off her feet, he carried her to the bed.

  He didn't recall either one of them removing their clothes, but somehow they ended up two hot bodies clinging to each other in a passionate embrace.

  “I also like the way you look in the moonlight,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Thank you,” Dani whispered. “You're not bad yourself.”

  Dani liked the slight smile that brushed his lips and his smoldering look told her all she wanted to know. He wanted her. And he always got what he wanted. Always.

  Suddenly his mouth lowered until he nuzzled her full breasts. She almost screamed at the shock waves that shot to every part of her body. Urging him back up, she kissed him freely and with a need that she never realized she had. Adrian made her feel complete, and she wanted to give him something back.

  She shoved him over on his back then climbed on top. “Now it's my turn.”

  “I like the sound of that,” he groaned.

  Trailing kisses down his neck to his chest, she felt his skin jump and quiver, and she smiled, liking the power of control. Her fingertips moved over his thick, hard muscles. Her gaze moved back to his face. “I--” she murmured ever so softly, realizing she was about to say, I love you. Instead, she leaned down and kissed him.

  Without warning, Adrian grasped her arms and in one swift move, he was on top and inside of her, moving with a steady rhythm that built until white stars flashed across the back of her eyelids. Somewhere, a voice called Adrian and simultaneously he shuddered and collapsed into her arms

  She wanted to murmur all the love words which burst within her, but now wasn't the time, so she lay contented in his arms as she silently said a small prayer for the storm that had brought her true love.

  Dani wasn't sure what woke her. Perhaps, it was the niggling suspicion that something wasn't right. Quickly, she opened her eyes, and realized she'd spent the entire night with Adrian. But he wasn't in the bed beside her.

  Something rattled in t
he bathroom, and she let her breath out. Just for a minute, she'd thought he was gone. She wrapped the sheet around herself, and slid from the bed. Adrian came out just as she reached the bathroom.

  “You look just like the first time I met you,” he teased.

  “But you're all dressed.” Dani couldn't stop the surprise in her voice.

  “I have an early flight this morning, and you were sleeping so peacefully I hated to wake you.”

  “Well I would have been disappointed if you hadn't,” she said as she went into the bathroom. “Excuse me.”

  After using the bathroom and rinsing her mouth, she went back into the bedroom in time to see Adrian replacing the receiver. “I've got to go, Dani. I just called a cab.”

  “If you'll wait a minute, I'll get dressed and go to the airport with you.”

  “No,” he said much too quickly, and Dani eyes widened at the abrupt answer. What was wrong with him? They had shared something special last night.

  Dani stood, frozen, as he moved toward her, then wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened.

  “Listen, Dani. Last night was special to me, but I can't stand saying goodbye to you twice in one week. It will be better this way.”

  “But--”

  He placed a finger over her mouth. “Don't. I've got to get back to New York, but I'll call you soon.”

  Everything was happening much too fast. Adrian pressed a kiss on her lips, turned, and walked out of her life for the second time, and she didn’t utter one word. She was too stunned. She would hope, but she knew Adrian wasn't going to call.

  Hot tears filled Dani’s eyes then trickled down her face. She gave in to the sobs washing away all traces of Adrian Massimino.

  Chapter Ten

  Three months later

  Where had the last three months gone? Dani wondered while she rode the bus home. During the first few weeks, she'd hovered by the phone waiting for Adrian to call. When he hadn't, she invented all kinds of excuses as to why the call never came: he was very busy, he was sick, he'd lost her unlisted phone number.

  Somewhere around the third week, Dani woke up and realized she was acting just like she had with Steven. And she didn't want to be like that anymore. After much agonizing, Dani decided she'd forget that Adrian Massimino had ever existed.

  The bus jerked as it wound its way through the traffic. Dani remembered the shocked look on Mr. Coffee's face when she'd quit. He had been so unbearable since she'd broken up with Steven, complaining about everything she'd done with her accounts. Finally when she couldn’t take it any longer, she quit.

  With the decision finally made, a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Steven Coffee was out of her life. And so was Coffee Advertising. She had set up her own advertising agency just as she'd always dreamed of doing. Now she was in direct competition with Coffee Advertising who would stop at nothing to run her into the ground.

  She'd worked like a dog these last couple of months and landed two new accounts for Kapur and Associates, of course, she was the only associate. She was also running short of funds. Her aunt had left her a huge trust fund, but Dani could only access the money if she married and stayed married for a year. Her aunt certainly had a warped since of humor.

  Dani stared out the bus window, seeing nothing. Now this had to happen. She frowned, recalling how she'd spent the last hour.

  The bus halted at her stop, jarring her out of her daydreams. She didn't know what she was going to do. Of all the things to happen to her--she'd never expected this.

  Wearily, she climbed the steps to her apartment, fumbling for the house key in her slacks pocket. Before she could put the key in the lock, the door flew open and Susan asked, “So what did the doctor say? Did he confirm?”

  Dani nodded before she moved past Susan and sank down to the couch, throwing her purse on the cushions next to her.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Buy a crib.”

  Susan chuckled. “Only you would joke at a time like this.” She closed the door “But you’re going to be a single mother, and that in itself will make it hard. And your job!”

  “Susan, you're giving me a king-sized headache!”

  “With a headache you can take Excedrin. But a baby, Dani. Why in the world didn’t you practice safe sex?”

  Dani gave her friend a long thoughtful stare. “That would have been the smart thing to do. But the first time it happened, I don’t even remember because I was too drunk and the next time I figured we were going to die in a hurricane. So you can call me stupid, but I just didn’t think.”

  Susan laughed. “If it makes you feel any better, I’d have probably done the same thing.”

  “I guess I'm going to have to learn to do things differently,” Dani said as she rubbed her temples.

  “I'll say.”

  Dani frowned. “You could be a little more positive here.”

  “All right. I know a great Lamaze teacher.”

  “I don't need that.” Dani eyes widened. “When the time comes, I want a shot. I'm not much into pain.”

  “Even if you don't have natural child birth, Lamaze will help.” Susan laughed. “It’ll teach you how to breathe.”

  “Panting like a puppy doesn't sound appealing to me, and I don’t’ see how that will help. Besides I know how to breathe.”

  Susan reached over and patted Dani on the knee. “Not like this you don't. Believe me, it will help.”

  Dani sighed and slumped further down in the couch. “A Mother, Susan. I'm going to be an unwed Mother. This isn't the way I had it planned. I was going to have a big wedding . . . lots of bridesmaids, and Prince Charming smiling as he took my hand. And then we'd have children on down the line. But this. . .” She waved her hand helplessly through the air. “This is all backwards.”

  “Well, you could still get married. You have plenty of time.” Susan's eyes warmed with sympathy. “The only thing is--you need a willing bridegroom.”

  “Willing!” Dani's eyes blazed. “He hasn't even called. What makes you think he'd be willing?”

  “Maybe there's a good reason why he hasn't phoned. You've got to tell him.”

  “Says who?” Dani came to her feet, feeling a surge of energy. “I don't have to do anything. Besides, he should call me--not the other way around.”

  “You're living in the dark ages, Danielle Kapur. Men expect women to call. Maybe he's thinking you want no part of him because you haven’t called. Just like you’re thinking right now.”

  A glimmer of hope flashed though Dani as she looked at her friend. “You really think so.”

  “I liked Adrian when I met him. He didn't strike me as a no account. He was nice.” Susan stood. “And good-looking too. You'll have a beautiful baby.”

  Dani smiled for the first time today. “Yes, I will.”

  The phone rang. Dani reached over to answer it while Susan announced she had to go get the kids.

  “Bye,” Dani said before picking up the receiver.

  “What do you want for Christmas?” Her mother asked cheerfully on the other end.

  How about a husband? Dani thought wryly. Her mother would have a cow when she found out about the baby. As a matter of fact, her entire family were old-fashioned. “It's still three weeks away. I haven't given it much thought. I could use a wind suit.” In super XL, she carefully didn't add.

  “Really. I saw a white one that would be beautiful with your hair. You are coming home for Christmas?”

  “Yes, Mom. I'll be there.”

  “Good. Well, better run. My bridge club is coming over.”

  Dani sighed as she laid the phone down. Twenty years down the road she’d be asking her child the same thing.

  The tears she’d been fighting back wouldn't wait any longer. “You'll be grown and gone.” She patted her stomach. “And I'll be an old maid.” Dani could see her whole life passing before her, and she couldn't control it.

  She began to pace. “Think, Dani. Where's that positive attitude?�
�

  “It went out the door when my life started falling apart.” Damn, she was even answering her own questions. She was worse off than she thought.

  She moved over to the calendar so she could mark her next doctor's visit. A little saying printed across the top jumped out at her. “When God shuts one door, he opens another.”

  Looking up at the ceiling she said, “God, you need to help me out of this one--I don't see the other door.”

  The phone rang again. Dani smiled still looking at the ceiling. “Thank you.”

  A lady's voice came through, “Is this Danielle Kapur?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “I'm calling for the Mass Corporation.”

  “Really.” Dani couldn't believe her luck.

  “We're interested in seeing your proposal, and would like to meet with you next week if that's convenient.”

  “Let me check my calendar,” Dani said, thumbing through several empty pages of a magazine for effect. “I'm free Tuesday.”

  “Good. If you'll call with your arrival time, I'll arrange for a limo to pick you up from the airport.”

  Dani smiled as she hung up. She could do it. She knew she could. But first she needed to finalize her presentation so she could knock them dead at the meeting.

  Going into the spare bedroom, she went to her sketching table and started to work, but her mind keep wandering to a different subject.

  Adrian lived in New York. Was there any change she might run into him? She tried to picture him at a variety of jobs, but couldn't. Cut off jeans and a blue shirt would always be the way she pictured Adrian. The man didn't need a suit to make him distinguished. He had such a dynamic presence he'd stand out in any crowd.

  Should she call him to tell him she’d be in town?

  Should she tell him about the baby?

  She didn't have the answers, but she would, at least, call him once she was in New York.

  Marty Townsend walked into Adrian's office grinning like he was getting ready to make Adrian's life miserable.