Read Hollywood Princess Online
Authors: Dana Aynn Levin
Hollywood Princess (13 page)
I
handed Danny the clean clothes and turned on the water. “Do not come out until you smell sweet again,” I ordered.
Danny reached
for his towel and soap, and before pulling the outer curtain closed issued me a challenge, “Join me, Eli? You can tell me when I do.”
“No way,” I laughed and
I pulled the curtain closed. Not tonight.
Ten
minutes later Danny emerged sparkling clean, wearing fresh clothes and smelling of Bumble and Bumble.
“Better?”
he asked.
“Almost.” And I
handed him his toothbrush and toothpaste. Then he went to the sink and brushed. Danny didn’t even glance up.
“Have you even looked in the mirror?”
I asked.
Danny
glanced up and examined his reflection. His eyes opened wide in shock.
“E, h
ave I looked this bad all day?”
I nodded yes.
Then I added, “The swelling’s stabilized, but it’s more purple now. Why do you think I’ve been so worried?”
“I didn’t know…”
For the first time he was concerned.
“Of course not. You were wasted
.”
Danny
tapped his cheek with his fingertips and winced. “E, that’s wicked. Do you think anything’s broken?”
“Let me
see. I’ll be gentle.” My fingertips skimmed his cheekbone, but Danny grimaced. Even my light touch hurt.
“Enough! Ouch!
” Danny exclaimed and he yanked my hand away.
“I think it’s
just bruised.”
I
rummaged in my purse and found an Extra-Strength Advil bottle. I shook out three caplets and handed them to Danny.
“
The only drug you should have taken.”
“Point made, Elizabeth.”
Danny swallowed the caplets and washed them down by cupping his hands under the spigot. Then he patted me on the head like a good puppy.
“Thanks, Mom… Mom.” He stopped short.
“My mother will freak. Promise me you will not tell your parents. You know they’ll tell mine,” he pleaded.
“I promise.
I won’t say a word.”
Danny remained
unsteady as we returned to his room.
“
E, I don’t feel well,” Danny said with slow deliberateness.
“Are you going to barf?
” I asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Too bad.”
“You’
re angry.”
“
Disappointed.” I sat down on Danny’s bed. “You put me in a compromising situation today. You exposed a side I didn’t like. I’ve had to tolerate girls hitting on you, and then us hanging with wasted people. And Duncan tried kissing me!” I wept.
Danny
wrapped his arm around me. “Was it that bad, baby?”
“Yes,” I sobbed. “
I don’t even like you anymore.”
“Yes you do.”
“No, I don’t.” I wiped my eyes with my hand.
“Then why are you here?”
“I owed it to Ellen.”
Danny let out a whoop of laughter and winced from pain. I sneered.
“If it helps any, even for me I was bad today. I tried everything to stop the pain. You were right. I should have taken Advil. It’s starting to work.”
“Good. Shift over.
I’m going.” And I rose.
“Don’t go.
I feel awful,” he pleaded. Danny pulled me to the bed and started tickling me with my hair. “C’mon Eli. Don’t be mad. You’re my girl. You kept me safe.”
“I don’t know
about that.”
Danny lifted my chin and kissed me.
“How about now?”
“I’m angry.” Danny kissed me again.
“You’re making anger difficult.” Danny trailed kisses down my neck eliciting shivers of arousal. “That’s not fair.”
“
I don’t play fair,” he flirted.
“
You’re impossible.” I succumbed and kissed him.
Then
Danny shoved me aside and bolted for the door. He returned a while later looking white as a ghost.
“Are you alright?”
“I think so.” Danny lay down on the bed, shaking. I covered him with the comforter. “I’m so sick, hon.”
“I should go. You need to sleep.”
Danny took my hand. “Don’t go, Eli,” he pleaded. “I hate being alone when I’m sick. It scares me.” Danny quivered. How had he managed all those other times?
I removed my sweatshirt, slipped on his shirt that came down to my knees, and shrugged of my jeans.
After turning off the desk light, I climbed in beside Danny. He wrapped his arms around me, a human blanket, and kissed my shoulder, holding me closer.
Soon, Danny fell asleep, but s
leep did not come easily for me. In his condition nothing was going to happen between us, but this was Danny. Even with him sleeping it off, the electricity generated between us was potent.
When
I drifted off, my sleep was shallow, not restive.
“Hey sleepy head.” A happy voice greeted me upon waking.
I blinked. Sunlight flooded the room. Danny and I had forgotten to pull the shades down last night.
“I thought it was a dream, but you’re here,” he said
Those gentle words, like magic seduced my ear and touched my heart. Danny’s easy smile warmed me. His soft hand skimmed my face.
“Yeah, I’m here. Like I promised.”
“I’m glad,” Danny
whispered, and he kissed me, sending my head spinning.
“How are you
doing?”
Danny touched his cheek and winced. “I need more Advil.
”
“
After breakfast or it can hurt your stomach.”
“Then we better get some
food.”
I yawned.
“Not yet.”
Danny pu
lled me even closer and grinned. Our lips joined while he stroked my thigh.
Danny’s
finger traced the contours of my jaw and lingered on my lips.
“I know what else will wake you u
p,” he suggested.
“Daniel, I am not some girl you picked up at a
bar. You’re the one who wanted to wait. After yesterday, I have to agree. Before you ever have a chance at loving me you have to commit to getting your act together.”
“Ouch. Elizabeth, you’ve
ruined my day.”
“No I didn’t.
You knew my answer before you even asked.”
I rose
from the bed and put on my jeans, hoodie and shoes. Danny followed me to the door and he kissed my hair.
“Ew, babe. You smell like a party,” Danny laughed. I frowned and left him.
Danny was right. The stench was not confined to my hair. My clothing reeked of pot. The fabric had absorbed yesterday’s pungent odors. In my room, I stripped, threw everything into the laundry bag, and showered, lathering my hair twice.
Overnight it had cooled consi
derably. Indian Summer over, I chose a snug-fitting marine blue V-necked cashmere sweater. It looked great over skinny jeans.
Soon
Danny arrived to accompany me to brunch. He took my breath away. Dressed in a cotton shirt the color of his eyes, worn over faded jeans and topped off with a heavyweight denim jacket, its simplicity revealed perfection. I was speechless. I kissed Danny’s cheek before grabbing my jacket and keycard.
I got a funny
vibe as we waited in the hot food line.
“I feel everyone starring at us,” I whispered to Danny. He furtively glanced around while I mindlessly loaded my plate with waffles, bacon and eggs.
“It must be your mountain of food. Eli, you can’t possibly eat that much.”
Danny
speared my waffles and put them on his plate. To this he added eggs and bacon. I glared and retrieved one of the waffles.
At the fruit station I again whispered
to Danny, this time with urgency, “Why are people starring at us?”
“I don’t know that they are,” he whispered back
, “If so they’re probably wondering how a guy with a mottled face could land a babe who looks like a model.”
“A m
odel?” I was a lot of things, but definitely not a model.
“Babe, y
ou must never look in the mirror, because I see a model.” I blushed.
Danny and I
cleared check-out and went to our usual table which was oddly empty.
“Well, if I’m a model, then you’re looking rakishly handsome this morning,” I smiled as we sat down next to each other.
“Rakishly? Like a pirate?” Danny asked, surprised.
“Yep, my own personal outlaw.
Waffle-thief.”
I
lifted a crispy waffle to my lips, and Danny squeezed my free hand as I bit in.
I blushed
as Cam, Shane, Chloe and Rachel suddenly appeared with their plates.
“Danny,
your face!” Rachel exclaimed as she sat down.
“You look
awful,” Chloe agreed.
“Danny does not look
awful,” I defended. “He’s rakish.”
“Ah, love is
blind,” Rachel teased.
“Danny does look
awful, Elizabeth,” Shane clarified.
“Y
ou’d better take good care of Danny,” Cam added. “We wouldn’t want him getting more bruises.”
“You too, Danny,” Chloe added. “Take of Elizabeth
.”
Chloe’s eyes focused like lasers on the neckline of my sweater
Even Danny could not stifle his laughter. I frowned.
“Nothing happened,” I said forcefully. “Danny was ill. I took care of him.”
“Nothing?” Chloe giggled. She pointed to my collarbone. “Vampire attack?”
Cam and Shane couldn’t hold back anymore. They burst into raucous laughter. Even Rachel joined in.
“Hickey?” I asked, embarrassed.
Our parents were arriving later. It had been so long. Just
the same, I was anxious. Several times Danny and I had discussed what we thought our parents suspected about us, and when we would tell them.
“Mom
will take one look at us and she’ll know,” I had fretted.
“Randi will approve.
She’s known me all my life,” Danny pointed out.
“Which is exactly why she won’t approve. Mom knows everything about you.”
“Eli, your parents love me.”
“Not this way.
Mom and Dad have never once said, ‘Elizabeth when are you and Danny hooking up?”
Danny laughed. “Eli, you’re embarrassed.
You don’t want your parents thinking that you’re, that you and I are… Eli, you’re almost nineteen years old!”
“Enough! Okay. You’re right
!” I had protested.
Danny
couldn’t stop laughing. He’d hit a sore spot. Danny and I had been together for nearly a month. Why hadn’t we had sex yet? I certainly wanted to, and I feared what Danny might do if we didn’t.
All the staff at
The Regency knew Danny and I. Whenever we were in New York, the Jacobs and the Newmans stayed at the elegant hotel on Park Avenue.
The
expertly professional staff greeted us warmly. My favorite bellman that I’d known since toddlerhood hugged me as he took our bags. The front desk manager who had known us even longer was equally happy. She embraced us and squealed, “How great to see you! Your suites are ready.”
Our parents had each reserved spacious two-bedroom suites. The bedroom with the two queen-sized beds was mine. Mom and Dad would take the large master. The Newman’s had the identical set-up down the hall. It was childhood all over again.
My cast had been removed on Monday. I could wear matching shoes again! I felt so free slipping my hand in Danny’s while we playfully strolled the avenue me in flat black ankle boots. It was cathartic.
Our first stop was
Bergdorf Goodman’s. I loved their cozy restaurant where you could order the Gotham salad, their take on a Cobb.
“I kno
w where you can get the best Cobb Salad in every city in America,” I boasted and Danny laughed good-naturedly.
“So who makes the best one, Eli?”
“The Polo Lounge, of course!” I declared.
Next up, the fifth floor
where the trendy designers are sold. Danny attacked a section of blouses with gusto and pulled several off the rack.
“Size zero, right hon?” he called to me.
I was a few feet away deciding between two sweaters. “Or extra small,” I added.
“Try these,” Danny suggested, and he thrust hangers at me. The sales girl promptly took them to start a dressing room.
I loved shopping with Danny! He made it fun!
Then
it was on to Barney’s where I enjoyed selecting clothes for Danny. I was pleased that he liked my taste. With his physique, everything looked exquisite, though Danny’s bruised cheek was the one feature that kept him from being truly perfect.
When we returned
to The Regency, it was time to unpack and wait for our parents.
Luggage emptied, I crossed the hall to
Danny. He was calmly lying on his bed reading a book. Danny smiled and took a swig of beer. I sat down on the edge of his bed and held my head in my hands. Danny put down the beer bottle and rubbed my neck and shoulders. His firm kneading ordinarily relaxed me, but not today.
“Eli, your knots have knots,” Danny said softly. “Have the rest of my beer.”
“I’m a wreck,” I pouted and swatted the proffered beer away.
“So what if your parents find out about us? We’re telling them tonight. At dinner.”
Before I could object, the door to the suite opened
.
“They’re here!” I
quivered, and we ran into the living room.
“We thought we’d find Elizabeth here,” Dad chuckled. “Our suite was empty.”
“Daddy!” I exclaimed. He looked so handsome in his navy blazer, light blue button-down shirt and pressed chinos. How I missed him.
Everyone embraced,
happy to see each other! Until Ellen noticed Danny’s face.
“Daniel,
your face!” Ellen exclaimed and touched his bruise.
Danny winced and jerked his head from her touch. “Rugby, Mom. I’m okay.”
“Have you seen a doctor?” Ellen demanded.
“Yes, Mom. Nothing’s damaged. It’s a bruise. It’s going to take time.”
“You should have seen him. Danny’s face was swollen and purple,” I added.
“Thanks, Elizabeth,” Danny
snarled.
“You’re welcome,” I answered sweetly, and
I flashed him my most charming smile.
“It looks rakish, doesn’t it?” Danny said
and grinned at me.
