Dangerous Deception (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (11 page)

“Thanks,” Dani said, more relaxed now.  “I haven’t
been to see Brian since I dropped him off at the university.  I want to take
him some of his favorite goodies from home."  

“You’re going on a cross country trip.  Sounds like
fun.”  Storm had an eager look on his face.  “Mind if I tag along?”

“It’s not cross country,” she said, bursting his
bubble.  “It’s in Indiana so we’ll only be crossing one state line. I’d love it
if you could come along.”  Then, realizing that what she’d said could be
interpreted in more ways than one she added, “I’d welcome the company.”

“I’ll come on one condition.”

“What?”  she asked, suspicious.

“You let me be your chauffeur.”

“You’ve got it, chauffeur.  Just as long as you
remember that the highway is not a racetrack.”

Storm gave a bow of acquiescence.  “Whatever the lady
wants.”

Dani could only smile at that.  She didn’t dare
divulge what had popped into her mind when he said those words.  No, she would
keep her mischievous musings to herself.

On Saturday morning when Storm picked her up in his
now familiar Ferrari it was a perfect day.  The sun, cheerful and bright in an
almost cloudless blue sky, put her in an upbeat mood which Storm must have
noticed because he gave her a wide smile, a quick hug and even a peck on the
cheek then he bundled her into the car and they set off.

Dani grinned.  She didn’t know what kind of chauffeur
he was, greeting his client with hug and kiss, but she wasn’t complaining.

Under Storm’s expert control the Ferrari ate up the
miles in quick time and within less than an hour of leaving Chicago they were
pulling onto the university campus.  Dani directed him to the parking area then
they headed for the student dorms in search of Brian.

“I’ll call and let him know we’re here.”  She took out
her cell phone and dialed.  She didn’t even hear it ring before Brian’s excited
voice was on the line.  When she disconnected she gave Storm a wide smile. 
“He’s coming down to meet us.”

She knew she probably looked like the Cheshire Cat in
Alice in Wonderland but she couldn’t help it.  She’d missed her kid brother and
she was looking forward to seeing him again, even if it was only to wrestle him
to the ground and remind him who was boss.

She glanced at Storm then gave a surreptitious
giggle.  Maybe that wouldn’t be a good idea, not in Storm’s presence anyway. 
What would he think of her, a twenty-two year old woman seizing her brother in
a headlock?  He’d probably want to drop her off at the nearest mental
institution. 

Within a minute of speaking to Brian he was dashing
out of Dillon Hall and down the steps toward them.  He grabbed Dani up in a
huge hug and spun her round then he grabbed her in a neck hold and tackled her
to the ground, laughing the whole time.

Dani was laughing, too, not just at the sheer joy of
seeing Brian again but at her futile plan to appear dignified in front of
Storm.  Brian had totally shattered that dream.

“I got you, Sis.”  Brian held her down for a second
longer.

“Okay, you win, you win,” she yelled.

Only then did he let her up.  He was grinning as she
righted herself and straightened her clothes.

“That was a surprise attack,” she scolded and gave him
a punch on the arm.  “That was the only reason you beat me.”

“Yeah, right,” Brian scoffed.  “I’m in college now,
Sis.  There’s no way a girl can get me now, least of all my sister.”

“We’ll see,” she said softly, making sure her voice
reflected a quiet threat.  “We’ll see.”

Then she turned to Storm.  “I guess you know who this
is.” 

Storm, who had been smiling at their antics, nodded. 
“The famous Brian Swift who you’ve been talking about all morning.” He stuck
out his hand.  “Good to meet you.”

Brian took it and they shook hands.  “Yeah, same
here.”  He stepped back and looked down at Dani.  From his six foot two height
that was easy.  “Dani told me she’d have a chauffeur on her trip down her.”  He
looked back at Storm.  “You don’t look like any chauffeur I’ve ever seen.”

Storm laughed at that.  “Blame your sister.  She’s the
one who hired me.”

The guys were still laughing when Dani clapped her
hands together and said, “Okay, let's go.  I’ve got a picnic basket full of
goodies in the car but before we loose the human food disposal on it,” she gave
her brother a knowing look, “I would like a tour of Dillon Hall.”

“Sure, I’ll show you Big Red.  Come on.”  Brian headed
back toward the building with Dani and Storm right behind him.  He took them
through the lounges, starting with the one in the basement and the two on the
main floor then up to the room he shared with one other freshman.  As Dani
expected, it was a mess.

She sighed.  “Couldn’t you at least have picked up the
clothes from off the floor?  You knew we were coming.”

“Oh, yeah.  I was planning on doing that,” Brian said
then he shrugged.  “I guess I forgot.”

Dani rolled her eyes.  “God help the woman who becomes
your wife.”

After that Brian took them to his favorite place on
campus, the dining hall which, to his great joy, was right next to the dorm. 
As he walked ahead of Dani and Storm, talking animatedly about the variety of
meals offered, she touched Storm’s arm. 

“You can see what I had to deal with when he was at
home,” she whispered.  “I was going broke keeping him fed.”

“What was that?” Brian yelled back at them.

“Oh, nothing,” Dani said but she and Storm exchanged
an amused look and a smile.

After the tour they all went for a drive around the
campus then they found a quiet grassy knoll with the perfect shady tree all
red, green and gold in celebration of fall.  There Dani spread out her blanket
and laid out disposable plates, cups and flatware.  Then, one by one she took
out the plastic bowls and lifted the lids to reveal salad, cornbread, corn on
the cob, potato salad and the piece-de-resistance, Southern fried chicken. 

Brian rubbed his hands together in anticipation.  “When
did you make all that?”   he asked.  “This morning?”

“Yup.  I was up before the birds.  All for you, kid. 
Enjoy.”

Storm shook his head and there was a smile on his
lips.  “I can see you and my mom have something in common.  You’re both fans of
chicken.”

She grinned and reached for a drumstick.  “My
favorite.”  That afternoon was one of the most relaxing times Dani had had in a
long time.  She enjoyed watching the men wolf the food down even though she
almost had to fight to get a piece of the corn bread.  People always joked
about the appetites of growing boys but these were grown men.  She’d marveled
at how easily they packed away the pounds of food she’d brought.

After lunch she leaned against the tree trunk and
listened to them talk animatedly about Notre Dame sports, with Brian giving
Storm the low down on the latest wins in hockey, football and basketball.  By
the time they packed up the dinnerware and headed back to the car it was almost
six o’clock.

Dani sighed in contentment, glad for a day well spent
with her brother.  And, if she were to admit it to herself, the new
second-favorite male person in her life, Storm Hunter.

Back at the dorm Storm waited for Dani in the car as
she walked up the steps with Brian.

“It was great spending today with you, kid.  You look
like you’re doing good here.”

“I am,” Brian said with a nod.  “I think I made the
right choice, Sis.  Notre Dame is a great school.”

“Here.”  She dug into the back pocket of her jeans and
pulled out a small roll of bills.  “It’s the money for your trip.”

Brian’s mouth fell open as he stared at the money. 
“All of it?”

“It’s all here.  Take it.”

“Sis,” he said, his voice soft with wonder, “How did
you-”

“Don’t worry about that.  Just take it.”  She smiled
at her brother, wondering if he knew how very much she loved him.  She’d do
just about anything to make him happy.

Brian took the money from her hand and tucked it into
the front pocket of his jeans.  Then he grabbed Dani and hugged her close. 
“Thanks, Sis.  I love you.”

“I love you too, Brian,” she said and was surprised
when her eyes welled up with tears.  What was wrong with her these days? 
Please, she thought, don’t let me turning into a softie.

They pulled away and Dani went down the steps and
toward the waiting car.  She turned and waved to Brian.  “Be good,” she yelled.

“I will.”  He waved back.

Storm pushed the door open and Dani slipped in, then
they were off.  She settled back in her seat, happy to relax and enjoy Storm’s
company.  It had been a wonderful day and she never wanted the feeling of
euphoria to end.  When Storm switched the radio on and turned it to an easy
rock station she smiled to herself.  He would have preferred heavy rock music
she knew, but he was just being nice.  She liked that.

By the time they got to Chicago it was after nine
o’clock.  Being in no great hurry, they’d made a couple of stops along the way
and Storm had cruised back to Illinois.  It was like an unspoken agreement
between them - let's make this day last as long as possible.

At nine-fourteen Storm pulled the car into the parking
lot of Dani’s building and switched off the engine.  He gave a sigh, whether
from tiredness or relief she wasn’t sure, then he turned to look at her. 
“Thank you,” he said softly.  “I had a great time.”

“No.  Thank you,” Dani countered.  “You were the one
who gave up your Saturday to drive me all that way.”

He gave her a slow smile.  “My pleasure.”

The way he said it made Dani’s breath catch in her
throat.  Why did he have to look and sound so sexy?  He was a tempting dish
that she was finding hard to resist.

“Would you like to come up…for a cup of coffee?”  Now
where had that come from?  She hadn’t planned to invite him up at all.  She
would have to blame it on the fact that she never wanted this day to end.

He must have been feeling the same way because his
eyes brightened.  “I’d love to.”

“Great.  I want to make sure you’re bright-eyed and
bushy-tailed for your drive home.”  She climbed out of the car and waited until
he’d walked around to meet her then they walked to the apartment building in
companionable silence.

Upstairs she directed him to the living room and gave
him the remote control then headed for the kitchen.  When she got back with a
tray laden with coffee pot and mugs he was still flipping channels.  When she
approached he put the remote down and looked up at her, his face eager.

Was that look of anticipation for her or for the
coffee?  She bit her lip, trying hard not to laugh. 
Oh please, Dani, let's
not get ahead of ourselves.  It’s the coffee the man wants, not you.

She rested the tray on the coffee table then sat at
the other end of the sofa.  She poured Storm’s coffee and then hers while he
flipped channels some more and finally ended on the Discovery Channel.  They
sipped coffee as they watched archeologists dig up a body they were convinced
was the abominable snowman.  When the coffee was done they sat there and
watched some more until finally Storm put his hands on his knees and stood up.

“Well, it’s been a heck of a day and I enjoyed every
minute of it.  It’s getting late and I don’t want to keep you so I'd better
go.”

“Where are you going?”  Dani’s voice was bold and
imperious.

He stared down at her and his face registered his
confusion.  “Home?”

She stood up and folded her arms across her chest. 
“You’re forgetting something.  You’re on my time and you don’t leave till I say
so.”

Storm looked at her as if she’d gone crazy.  “What the
hell are you talking about?’

“I hired you for the day, remember…Mr. Chauffeur?  The
day doesn't end until midnight.”

Dani didn’t know where this bossy persona had come
from but she was enjoying it.  It was like she was rebelling against her own
rules.  Darn stupid rules, if she should say so herself.  She’d always been the
kind of person who went for what she wanted and tonight she wanted Storm
Hunter.

She reached out and grasped two handfuls of Storm’s
polo shirt then plunked down onto the sofa, dragging him down with her.  She
immediately lay back on the pillows and cupped her hands behind his head then
she pulled down so his mouth was pressed against hers.

Dani didn’t know who was more surprised, Storm or
her.  Where had this aggressive Dani come from?  Had one day in the outdoors
driven her crazy? 

Crazy was right.  It was almost too outrageous to
think about but deep down she knew..she’d gone and fallen stupidly in love with
Storm and there was absolutely nothing in the world she could do about it.

He would probably say she’d fallen in infatuation with
him, or it was just a crush because of their employer-employee relationship. 
But she knew.  She knew without a doubt that this was love.  What else could
have her acting insane, doing anything to get this man’s attention, to get him
to want her?