Of Love and Deception (7 page)

Meg grabbed her hand. “Come with me to the powder room.”

Without much choice, Daniella released Cruz’s hand as Meg yanked her forward.

Meg ran toward a stall and practically broke the door when she swung it open and flung it shut. “Hang on, I gotta pee!”

No, really? Who would have guessed.

“So, Daniella,” Meg spoke as she whizzed. “Cruz tells me he’s digging you. What’s your secret?”

Whaa—
“Secret. What do you mean?”

“Well, Cruz, he doesn’t dig too many chicks... actually, only one really, until he met you.”

“No secrets. He’s probably just being nice. Nothing special about me... I promise.” She gathered this was likely going to be another one of those jealous moments, though she couldn’t understand why. Meg clearly had a husband who was as attractive as Cruz.
Scratch that. Almost, but not quite as yummy.

Meg came out and washed her hands. “Well, I’d dig you too, if I were a guy.”

She winked and locked arms with Daniella.

“Stop it. I’m not all that. You’re the beautiful one.”

“Really? You think so?”

Jackpot!
  “Do I need to reassure you? Just look around this place and notice all the gawkers. Don’t look too much though. You might cause a commotion.” Daniella grinned. She knew what buttons to push with Meg.

Meg flipped her hair behind her shoulders. “Yeah, you know it. But, whatever you do, don't expect much. Be prepared.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Be prepared for what?”

Meg continued ahead. “He has a few exes he stays in contact with. Well, one in particular. Her name is Lexus and she's always texting him, and he always replies. She was his last steady girlfriend, but she dumped him… several times. She thinks he'll take her back any ol' time she decides she wants him, and that's usually when he's involved with another female. No worries though. He said he didn't love her… but, who knows. Maybe you'll be the lucky one.”

Beautiful. Just freaking goddam beautiful! Prepare to be dumped.

“Great! Lookin' forward to that.” Daniella huffed and made sure to roll her eyes.

Meg abruptly stopped walking and caused Daniella to stumble into her.

“Whoa there, Nelly!” Meg turned on a heel. “Ha. I think you and I need a girls night out. What do you say?”

“It's a possibility.”
No way in hell.

~~~

The evening went better than anticipated. Meg took Daniella in as if they’d been best friends since childhood, though she never explained her previous comments. She dragged Daniella out on the dance floor, drove away the shy girl and brought on the bad girl. Not that a few shots had anything to do with it.

They got down and dirty.

They shouted. “To the whhiiiindow... to the wall!”

They pulled at their crotches. “Till the sweat drips down these—” 

And then dipping low, they shouted, “Down these… crawl!”

Some females glared, but Daniella ignored them while Meg returned crooked stares, curled her lips, or flat out asked, “What the hell are you looking at?”

Daniella enjoyed Meg, but was having some serious Cruz withdrawal. Guilt riddled her for letting Meg control the evening.

Daniella made her way off the dance floor.

“Hey! Where're you going?” Meg asked.

“I can’t dance anymore. I’m tired and I want to... you know, see Cruz.” Daniella continued forward, ignoring Meg's rants. As she approached their table, she caught Cruz texting away on his cell phone. Momentarily raising his head, he caught sight of her and greeted her with a fierce stare.

What the hell? Is he pissed over the time I spent away from him, acting foolish with Meg? Great. Now what?

  Cruz said nothing. He refused to acknowledge Daniella when she took her seat between him and Falcon. She wondered why he was so peeved, and who he was texting…
already?
Hell, it wasn’t as if she ditched him the entire night, or flirted with anyone. She was with Meg,
his
friend,
his
idea.

His silence wore to the very core of her heart. How long before he’d speak? Anything would be better than zilch.

“You sure know how to dance, Daniella. You looked damn hot out there.” Falcon nudged her with his shoulder, and an unpretentious smile crossed his lips. “Don’t you agree, Cruz?”

Meg elbowed Falcon and glared at Daniella. She turned, cupped her hands around Cruz's ear and whispered.

“Psh. To say the least,” Cruz muttered under constricted lips.

Yep. He’s certainly pissed. Guess I’m out. Done. Blew it.

Meg continued to whisper. The lines in his forehead deepened.

“Mm-hmm,” he grumbled and pushed back from the table.

Unable to lift her gaze, Daniella swished her drink, and clanked the ice cubes against the partially filled glass.
 
She wanted to scream at Meg and ask her what the hell she was saying. Didn't her mother teach her any manners? Or how rude it was to tell secrets in front of others? Then Meg gave her a wink, kind of a reassuring wink.

Daniella could feel her cheeks warming from the alcohol. She jumped at the slight pat of Falcon's hand against her thigh. Her temperature rose.
Stop it. It's just a friendly gesture, nothing more.

“Let’s go.” Cruz nodded toward the back patio. He snatched Daniella's hand and led her out beyond the deck. He hadn’t peeped a word as they walked along the sandy beach, away from the crowd of people gathered outside of the bar.

A lump formed in her throat. His silence—torture. She couldn’t handle it any longer. “Sorry.” She swallowed fiercely at the sob threatening to escape her lungs.
Damn, I'm pathetic!

He stopped, flipped her around, and gripped her in his arms. His jaw tightened, but his eyes pooled with emotion. “You don’t have to be sorry, but I don’t ever want you to dance like that. I don’t want to share you with anyone. Do you have any idea how many guys were gawking at you? How many hard-ons played under the tables of the pricks fantasizing over your sweet little ass swaying back and forth?”

Daniella knew her cheeks were crimson when heat prickled beneath her skin. If only she could go back in time and change her actions... but there was Meg, who allowed her to drop the barrier she frequently put between herself and other females.

Wait!
She came to a sudden realization that part of Cruz’s statement indicated ownership.
‘Don’t want to share you with anyone.’  
Did he mean to say it—were they officially a couple?

Cruz cupped his hands over her cheeks. “Look at me. It’s not you. I've acted irrational. Senseless. Stupid. Ridiculously crazy because of you.”

He held her gaze.

She shot him a smile.

He smiled seductively, and in his eyes, she could see a deep desire burning. With bittersweet fervor, he captured her lips. The sweetness of his mouth drove a passionate urge inside of her. Not wanting the emotions to end, she slipped her hands along the ripples of his abdomen, across his chest and up to his head. He stroked her abdomen and worked his way up. It wasn’t until his hands slid back down that she felt the wet droplets pierce her bare shoulders.

Rain.

A fine sprinkle turned into a downpour. It hadn’t affected Daniella because Cruz intoxicated her with sheer pleasure, unlike any she’d ever known. He wasn’t touching sensitive areas, but the way he kissed her, the way he ran his hands delicately over her neck and down along her hips…

Turbulent emotions stirred wildly inside her head. She needed to stop this craziness before she lost herself completely.

Attempting to regain control, Daniella grabbed his hand as he inched down along the inner lining of her shorts. Between kisses, she said, “We shouldn’t... not outside. I... we should... should go... before beach patrol comes round.”

“Yes. Yes, we should go now.” He held her at arms-length and his fingers trailed down the side of her face. “Let’s escape to my house, where we can be alone.”

She shivered straight down between the center of her legs. 

No. I shouldn’t. But... I want to. What is he doing to me?

Daniella’s teeth chattered and her body shook. “We’re soaked. I should really go home and call it a night.”

“Come on. Let’s get to the car and get you warmed up. You’re freezing.” He wrapped his arm around her waist.

She curled her fingers around his belt loop.

They jogged back to the car.

~~~

Daniella dug through her purse in search of her keys. Cruz caught her off guard as he reached from behind and scooped her into his arms. He kicked the door open and stepped into the house.

“What are you doing? Put me down. I’m too heavy!” She twisted in his arms, but he clung tighter and carried her through the kitchen.

He didn’t grin. He didn’t say a thing. But the sparks in his eyes as he examined her face was downright sexy. After entering the living room, he let her legs loose, and pulled her down on the white, plush rug. He held her against him, her breath catching at the touch of his lips. He sucked her bottom lip into his, nibbled lightly, and traced her jawbone with his thumbs. His tongue slid along the outline of her ear and slowly down her neck, fingers following until he reached her shoulders.

She tensed.

“Sit up,” he whispered.

Cruz stood, circled around and sat down. “Come over here, in front of me. I’ll give you a massage.”

For fifteen minutes, Cruz rubbed, kneaded and pressed his fingers into her back and shoulders, massaging the tension away. His hands slid slowly around front, working each button of her shirt loose. He shifted to his knees, flipped her silky damp hair off to one side and kissed her neck in gentle circular motions. She tilted her head, allowing him full access, not wanting him to stop when he slipped her shirt off and unfastened her bra.

He licked her ear and groaned, his breath sending tingles across her shoulders.  Her stomach quivered from the touch of his hands as he hoisted her up to her knees and turned her around to face him. She let her arms drop, and her bra slipped off. Her breathing labored with little pants and gasps when he lapped her nipples, sucking lightly, and then more greedily. 

Pulling back, he stood, took her hands and lifted her to her feet. In one quick stroke, he whipped his shirt off and watched her as he dropped his shorts. She suddenly felt nervous. His briefs were still on when he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close, lips nearly touching hers. He slipped his hands into the back of her shorts, firmly gripping and pressing her against him.

“Mm... I want you.” He slid his fingers along the string of her thong and unfastened her belt, released the button and unzipped the zipper.

His lips were soft and warm. She accepted them the moment they touched hers. He opened his mouth a little, teasing in a way, but not purposely, and she drew his face closer, begging for more. He combed his fingers through her hair, controlling each movement as he turned her head whichever direction he chose. He tugged on her shorts, thong included, and slid his hands down her thighs, her shorts and thong now pooling at her feet, as he kneeled, and nodded for her to step out of them. She didn't hesitate, but a quiver seized her stomach when he coerced her down on the rug and kicked off his briefs.

The warmth of his flesh against her own aroused every cell within her and she couldn’t push the thoughts of him burying himself inside of her out of her head.

She wouldn’t be able to stop him. She met him head on with passion, reaching up, running her fingers through his hair at the baseline of his neck, pulling him down tighter. She shifted her hips slightly at the sensation of his fingers sliding along the delicate skin between her thighs.  Cruz slipped them lower, entering tighter depths. Daniella gasped and shuddered. Both pulled back, out of breath. She wanted him. She wanted him more than she’d wanted any man and that scared the crap out of her. 

What she didn’t want was to get pregnant. “We can’t... Cruz. Stop.”

“Mm... why... not?” Cruz lifted his head and met her eyes with steady resolve. 

“I’m… well, I just started on birth control a week ago—I'm not protected. I don’t want a kid. Do you?”

He stared as he slowly slid his middle finger in and out of her several times before finally pulling away.

“Mm. No, but I have a condom. Hang on.” He stood and went upstairs.

That little voice warning her not to do it just yet wouldn't quit toying with her thoughts.
Do you think you know him well enough? Is he going to use you? Crap. I can’t be certain of anything. Why is this happening? Why am I letting it happen? Crap, crap, crap!
Daniella pushed herself up, retrieved her clothing and slipped her shorts on. She stuffed her thong and bra halfway into her purse, and struggled with the buttons on her shirt. Clutching her purse, she marched toward the front door.

“What are you doing? What’s wrong?” Cruz asked—eyes wide, mouth open.

When she didn't answer, Cruz closed the distance and clenched his fingers around her wrist. He gave her a slight tug.

Feelings of shame washed over her for attempting to leave without telling him. She dropped her head and stared at the floor. What could she say?
I’m afraid it’s too soon. Truth is, I’m scared shitless you’ll rip my heart into a million pieces if we do it and then you send me on my way. God, that would hurt more than what happened with Blake.

Cruz released his grip. “Don’t run. Wait right here.”

He retrieved his boxer briefs while keeping his eyes on her. After slipping them on, he rushed back and trapped Daniella against the wall by the door.

“Please, talk to me,” he pleaded.

“I... um.” She struggled for the right words.

“You changed your mind. Is it me? Something I did?” Cruz’s nose nearly touched hers as he held her gaze.

“No. It’s not you. I mean... it is... but it isn't.” Daniella still couldn’t come out and say what she wanted to say.

“It is, but it isn’t. Maybe you could clarify a little better.” He inched forward, pressed into her and nibbled on her neck.

“Clarify. Um, okay. But...” He was doing it again, getting her aroused. Daniella pushed him back. “We’re moving too fast. I hardly think two weeks is enough time to know one well enough to allow full exploration of the most intimate, most personal thing a person could know. It’s not you in that I don’t want you. I do, but I can’t assume there is more to what we are about to do than just that.”