You Belong To Me (12 page)

“Okay, okay, let's go.”

Shayla throwing herself onto the bed started giggling as she playfully threw a pillow at

Danielle. “I am so glad we came here.
  This place is gorgeous Dee, this guy is a keeper.”

“That he is Shay that he is.
  I mean who would have thought that I would land such a great guy Shay?”

“Of course you would Danielle,
why wouldn’t you? You’re smart, gorgeous and sexy; you deserve nothing less than perfect.”

“Shay thank you for telling me that, you are my best friend so I feel I can tell you this, you deserve the same, and you have it all and then some with Jason.”

“Oh I know I do, I thank god for him every day. He's my soul mate Dee, and I believe Mitch is yours.”

“I agree Shayla, I totally agree,” said Danielle as she picked up another pillow and hit Shayla with it.

“Oh so it's like that huh?” Joked Shayla as the two commenced in a pillow fight laughing like a couple of teenage girls.

"Wait, stop, stop."

“I'm not gonna fall for that Shay.”

“No! I'm serious; I don’t feel so good all of a sudden.”

“What? What is it Shay? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, I think I'm gonna
be sick though.” Jumping off the bed and running to the bathroom, Shayla felt her stomach contract right before she vomited in the toilet.

“Shay are you alright?” Danielle asked as she held Shayla's hair away from her face.

“Uugghh I feel sick to my stomach, I'm gonna go to bed.”

“Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?” Danielle asked as she began to feel queasy herself.

“No, just let me sit here a minute.”

“Shay I don’t know but whatever you've got, it's catching.”

“What? Shit Danielle, we must have had some bad food from that diner?”

“You think?” She said sarcastically as she pushed Shay out of the way, now it was her turn to get sick.

“Hey Mitch, I gotta tell you something buddy,”
said Jason as they began unloading the bags from the back of the Xterra

“Sure, what is it buddy?”

“Look what I've brought for Shayla man.” Reaching in his pocket Jason pulled out a small box.

“Jason, is that what I think it is?”

“Yeah, it is.” Opening the box he exposed the three carat princess cut platinum engagement ring.

Letting out a low whistle Mitch said, “That is gorgeous man, she's gonna freak!”

“I know. I wanted to make it special and when you asked us here I thought what better setting and it's something she'll always remember. I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you that I chose your place to do it in.”

“Jason man of course. I'm glad that you chose here buddy, you know she's gonna get all teary eyed and girly acting.”

“That's what I'm hoping for and that she says yes of course,” he let out a nervous chuckle.

“Jason I have no doubt in my mind that she will, when you gonna do it?”

“Well that’s another thing I need your help with.”

“Anything you need Jason, you name it.”

“Well my plan is to ask her tomorrow night and I figured I’d light a nice fire in the fireplace and just get down on one knee and do it the old fashioned way.”

“Sounds good, what do you need me to do?”

“Well if you can steer me in the direction of a liquor store so I can get some champagne and I was thinking that maybe you could take Danielle for a moonlit walk or drive or something just for an hour or so while I propose?”

“I know it's your place and all but I...”

“Jason, you don’t have to say another word man, I read you loud and clear. It would be my pleasure man, congratulations! Now let's get these bags inside before the girls start

wondering where we are.”

Heading up the stairs with the bags, Mitch and Jason noticed that it was very quiet. “Wow, they must be exhausted, I don’t hear a sound coming from either room.”

“I know,” Mitch said as he opened the door.
  Seeing the way Danielle was laying on the bed gave him a start.

“Danielle, hey Danielle?” Moaning, she reluctantly rolled over on her side.

“Oh babe, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Shay and I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with us because we both got sick in the bathroom.” Dropping the bags, Mitch immediately went to her.

“What, the both of you?”

“Yes, first Shay got sick and I was holding her hair back t
hen I felt queasy and next thing I knew, everything that I've ever eaten decided to come right back up,” she groaned.

“Oh babe what can I do? Let me help.”

Just then Jason popped his head in the door.

“Seems like you two caught a bit of
food poisoning, maybe it was the fried oysters you two just had to have. Or it could have been the greasy French fries...”

"Uugghh, Jason, you’re not helping,” Danielle moaned as she placed her hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom again.

“You girls will be fine after some rest. Well goodnight Mitch, good luck and thanks a lot man,” Jason joked.

“Thanks a lot for what?”

“Now I've gotta deal with a sick Shayla, and believe me that’s no picnic.”

“I hear ya buddy, knock if you need anything.”

“Will do. Goodnight Danielle,” Jason yelled out towards the bathroom door.

Her response was a burp from behind the bathroom door.”

  So Neanderthal man has brought her here to this secluded place. I could have brought her to someplace like this had she only asked. Doesn’t matter, soon I'll have her to myself where I can take her wherever she wants to go. Ethan sat in his car and watched as one by one the lights went out in Mitch’s cabin. I'll stay here the night then find a better place to park come sunrise, he said to himself. Ethan reclined his seat back, took out a pair of Danielle’s panties and began fondling himself.

While softly knocking on the bathroom door, Mitch whispered her name. “Danielle babe, are you okay?”

Hearing the sound of the faucet, Mitch went and got Danielle's toiletry bag from one of her suitcases.

“Here babe, thought you might need this,” he said to her as she cracked open the door.

“Thank you,” she said; shyly taking the bag in her hand. "I'll be out shortly.”

“Take your time hun.”

Throwing his own bag in the corner and kicking off his summer shoes, Mitch stretched out on the bed, folded his arms behind his head, closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift to he and Jason's conversation. 

Wow, he's really going to propose, I wonder what D
anielle will do when she finds out, I imagine she will be ecstatic for her friends. The thought of marriage should scare me; it has in the past, especially after my disastrous relationship in New York. But right now the thought didn't scare him at all; in fact it got him thinking, thinking about what he would do to propose to Danielle. If he was going to marry anybody, it would be her and only her.

Smiling to himself, he knew that it was too soon to be thinking about a proposal, but he liked the thought of
it just the same. Danielle was meant for me, just me and if that freak Ethan thinks he can just take her away from me he’s got another thing coming. At least we won't have to worry about him this weekend, he thought to himself.

After washing her face and
brushing her teeth, Danielle did not want to leave the bathroom. She was embarrassed for Mitch to see her in such a way. Our first night here and I'm barfing up a storm, that’s real attractive Danielle, real attractive. Well I guess I could sleep here in the tub, she thought while glancing at the bear claw tub next to her. I'll just ask Mitch for a blanket and a pillow and tell him he has to use the downstairs bathroom and that's that. You’re being silly, she thought. Now go out there to your man.

Hearing h
er come out of the bathroom brought Mitch out of his thoughts.

“Feel better?”

“A little, my stomach still hurts but I think I've emptied everything that was ever in there so I shouldn't have to make any more quick trips to the bathroom.  I'm so sorry you had to see me like this Mitch, I'm certainly not at my best and I am so embarrassed. I never wanted you to see me puking all over the place.”

“Danielle it's okay. I want to see you at your best, your worst, and everything in between honey, that’s what relat
ionships are all about.”

“Yes I know, but not this early in Mitch.”

“Danielle, we both said we feel like we've known each other a long time so just remember that. And besides, I am a total ass when I get sick. Wait and see, I'm grumpy, I whine, I act like a two year old.”

“Great, can't wait for that!” She said smiling.

“Here, I've picked out some comfy pajamas for you, change and we'll go to bed.”

“You’re too sweet, thank you,” she said kissing him on the cheek.

Once she changed into the pajamas that Mitch picked out she felt better already. Nothing like a soft pair of cotton pajama bottoms and a comfortable tank.

“Thanks again babe.”

“You’re welcome; now lie down so that I can hold you in my arms.”

Only having to get up once more in
the early dawn, Danielle was grateful that Mitch hadn't woken up, she watched him as he slept. She laughed to herself as snoring lightly; he mumbled something she couldn’t understand before rolling over.

Being careful not to wake him as he slept, she crep
t out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom. Oh god please no more, she thought to herself as she stood in front of the toilet. False alarm, thank goodness.

A reflection coming in from outside caught her eye, as she glanced out of the bathroom window
she saw a dark SUV backing out of the driveway. That’s strange, she thought to herself. Must be someone turning around. I certainly wouldn’t have picked such a long driveway to turn around in that’s for sure. Probably someone thought this was a back road, she thought to herself, then forgot about it.

“Everything okay?” he whispered as she climbed back in bed. “Yes, everything’s

Perfect,” she said as she gazed upon him in his sleepy state.  Lying down with her back to him, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck as he nuzzled up behind her and fell back asleep.

Danielle did not awaken until around noon later that day. Turning over, she saw that Mitch's side of the bed empty. I wonder what time he got up, she thought to herself as she got out of
bed. She felt light headed as she stood up. “Ugh, at least it's not my stomach; I better go check on Shay.”

Walking down the hall to Shay and Jason's room she didn’t have to knock as the door was open and Shay was still in bed looking like a queen propped
up with pillows. “Well, look at you! I take it you’re feeling better?” Danielle asked.

“Oh yes, I am totally being pampered by Jason, he went downstairs to make me some tea. How are you feeling Dee?”

“I'm better, I feel light headed but I think my throwing up time is over.”

“Yeah, me too, no more eating practically everything on the menu for us girl,” Shayla said while patting her stomach.

“You got that right; just the thought of what we ate makes me queasy!”

“You do need to eat something Danielle if you’r
e feeling light headed.”

“Yeah I'll head down in a few, hey have you seen Mitch?”

“Uh-huh, he popped in here a while ago and asked how I was feeling.”

“I'll go look for him, you need anything Shay?”

“Nope, Jason’s got it all covered.”

“Okay girl, I'll chec
k on you in a bit.”

Making her way downstairs, Danielle saw Jason in the kitchen but no Mitch.

“Good afternoon Jason, hey have you seen Mitch?”

“Good afternoon Dee. Yeah he ran out to get some groceries; he didn’t want to wake you so he told me to tell you
he'd be right back. We didn’t want to take a chance with any of the food from the coolers after what you guys went through last night so he went out to restock the fridge.”

“Oh okay.”

“Hey Danielle, I made a cup of tea for you and some crackers.”

“Oh than
ks Jason, you’re a sweetheart.”

“No problem Dee let me bring this tray up to her highness before she finds a bell somewhere and starts summoning me.”

Laughing out loud, Danielle said, “Okay Jason, you’re right.”

Taking her cup of tea outside on the patio,
Danielle finally had a chance to take in the view, it really was beautiful. Nothing but woods surrounding the place and off in the distance she could see a long path that lead to a sparkling lake with a tiny boat house near the dock. I’d so live here if I could, she thought to herself. Taking a seat in one of the Adirondack chairs, Danielle laid her head back, clutched her mug of hot tea, closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the birds chirping and the leaves singing their soft gentle song.
So peaceful and miles away from that creep,
she thought to herself.

Ethan had decided to check into a local motel not too far from Mitch's cabin. It was a summer bungalow he had picked that lie right along the same lake as Mitch’s cabin.
 With his binoculars he could see across the lake right into the back porch of the cabin.

Oh this is great
, he thought to himself. He was lucky; the owner of the eight bungalows had a cancellation and was more than happy to accommodate him. When he inquired about the cabin across the lake, the owner told him that it was private property and that going on that property would be considered trespassing even if he was only sightseeing
. I was already on the property this morning ya jerk,
Ethan thought to himself.
And no one, no one is going to keep me from seeing Danielle.