Layers (14 page)

We stop dancing, too absorbed in ourselves. Daniel lifts his hands to hold my face, pulling me deeper into his kiss; I reach my hands higher to slide my fingers in his soft hair. His hands move to cup my cheek, deepening the kiss. He pulls back to look at me and then kisses me again, soft, sensual little kisses. The touch of his lips makes my heart rate quicken and my body burn up inside. I press against him. How I longed for this kiss; now that I’ve finally tasted it, I know it was worth waiting for.

“Hayley, I think the music’s stopped,” Daniel smirks at me between kisses.

I blush and smile back. As I get back to my senses I realize it has stopped, and when I finally look around me I see that we’re the only ones left near the stage. At the same time noticing some very curious gazes observing us, turning away quickly and appearing embarrassed when I look back at them.

“Mr—” Miss Bally appears beside us, choking on her own words as she tries to get Daniel’s attention. She clears her throat and tries again, flustered, to bother her moody, intimidating boss.

“Mr. Stark,” she tries again, this time clearer and louder.

Daniel turns to look her way, I can’t see his expression but I can just imagine it from the terror mirrored in poor—just—doing—her—job Miss Bally’s face.

“Somebody better be
dying
, Anne. For fuck’s sake, what now?” Daniel says slowly, with cold disdain.

“Well,” she murmurs, fiddling with her fingers. “The hotel’s manager requested to talk to you.”

Wow, is she going to get it.
My heart goes out to the poor girl. But it isn’t a life or death matter, or at least it doesn’t seem that way, unless the hotel manager is dying and his last wish is to talk to this person I don’t want to let go. Thinking about it I feel like giving her a piece of my mind. Daniel’s jaw clenches tighter under his skin. I notice a flush crawling up Miss Bally’s face.
If looks could actually kill, we would be having a funeral rather than a party.

“Please, tell me. You did not. Come all the way here. To interrupt me for that,” he says icily, neck hair raising, chilling voice.

“Mr. Stark, I am deeply sorry, but he said it was an important matter.”

Feeling sorry for the poor semi-intelligent girl, I reach for Daniel’s hand. He turns to look at me as I do.

“I’ll go check up on Tasha. I’ll wait for you till you’re done,” I tell him quietly, then stretch, standing on my tiptoes, so I can reach his cheek and softly peck it. He looks down at me for a brief moment as though weighing his options then, sliding his hand underneath my hair, he cups my neck and tilts my head slightly up, then bends his own and slowly kisses me. He lingers, his alluring moisture on my mouth for a few long seconds, making my bones soften. As he draws back to my complete reluctance he tells me that he’ll be back as quickly as possible. I nod and look at Miss Bally, who is still beside us looking at anything else but us, her face bright crimson. I’m afraid she’ll tear her brown lock of hair off from the intensity with which she circles it around her finger. I need to bite my lips to stop my smile from widening.

As they walk toward the entrance I start looking for Tasha, finding her with Rob, by the same well we stood next to earlier. They seem to be deep in conversation as I approach, hardly noticing my presence.

“Well there she is, the star of the evening,” Tasha teases.

I fidget, smiling at her. “Quite the show you guys gave there, Miss Grace.” Tasha laughs, and Rob joins her.

Are you sure you want to laugh at that, Rob? I’ve heard of people packing up their belongings in cardboard boxes for less
. I wonder if he would have laughed had Daniel been here.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” she asks, looking around.

“Drop it,” I snap at her, though with a friendly air.

“What’s the plan for the rest of the evening?” she asks, thankfully with all traces of cynicism gone.

“You tell me, I’m your plus one.”

“Oh Hales, the bait’s too tempting for me not to bite. You make it so hard.” I chuckle, knowing exactly where she’s heading with that; we both laugh once our eyes meet.

“And bite you shall not, Miss Taylor. Conduct yourself, please, we’re in public.” I nudge her arm with my elbow.

“You know I can’t,” she says, demonstratively holding her lips shut.

I snicker, anticipating what’s about to come out of her imprudent mouth.

“Some plus one
you
are. Neglecting me to run and grope the first guy who agrees to fondle you in public.”

“That’s what you did, Hayley? And you call yourself a friend?” I turn to smirk at Daniel as he walks over to stand by my side. He slides his arm naturally around my waist. Tasha observes him cheerfully and says, “See, even Mr. Stark agrees with me.” Rob freezes at her side. He looks at Daniel and nods his head in greeting.

“Mr. Stark,” he says, a tad too seriously.

Where’s the laughter now?

“Hope you didn’t grope anyone while I was away,” Daniel whispers in my ear and winks at me.

“I was waiting for you to do it,” I grin back at him.

He tightens his arm around my waist, pulling me to face him—close, very close. From the corner of my eye I can see Tasha and Rob turning the other way.

“Where were we, H?”

“You just read my mind,” I say as I look up at him. He leans so his mouth can find mine and we kiss way too passionately for public viewing. Small currents make their way from my toes to my head.

As we gradually unglue our mouths Daniel says that he will have to leave soon.

“I have a call with Thailand; I need to do it from home.”

“With the minister of defense?” I probe.

A crease appears on his forehead. “How did you know?”

“Let’s call it an educated guess.”

“Any chance you’re coming with me?” He observes me with narrowed eyes and a small sinful smile that encourages me to agree.

“Though that’s one of the most tempting questions I’ve been asked lately, I think I’ll have to take a rain check,” I reply, not even fully convincing myself.

Daniel doesn’t try to conceal his disappointment. “Why is that?”

“I’m starting the new job tomorrow and I want to be fresh and alert, which I’m pretty positive I will not be if I go home with you.”

“I can’t argue with that. I want to, but I won’t.” He sighs. “So you got the job you wanted? Which magazine was it?” he asks, looking genuinely interested.

“At
YOU
.”

“If only you could work at me …” he murmurs, and I chuckle.

“I am going to be the creative director’s assistant.”

“Good for you,” he says, and kisses me. “So as much as I hate to let you go now and believe me, I do, I must head home.” He envelops me deeper in his embrace and kisses me again, taking his time. I inhale his smell as he does, feeling warm and protected in his arms.

“Go please.” I start to pull back. “Before I change my mind,” I say, and could not be more serious.

He holds my chin between his thumb and finger, raising it, and kisses me again. “Good night, Hayley,” he says, sending me a small, meaningful smile, and walks away.

I look at him as he strides away and fight my urge to follow. Next I join Tasha and Rob and their group, though my thoughts are light years away. We stay for a couple hours more to see the main attraction, a concert by the moment’s it-group, with a full-blown smoke-and-lights performance.

Chapter 13: Rite of Passage

“Hales, wake up.” I hear Tasha’s voice from a distance, yanking me from my serene state of suspended consciousness. “You asked me to wake you up before I leave, so wake up, for heaven’s sake.”

She’s now standing next to me, nagging me to actually sit up so I won’t go back to sleep once she’s gone.
She does know me, after all, a little too well
.

“There’s a cup of coffee with your name on it in the kitchen. Get your butt in there pronto, Hales. I mean it.”

“Alright, alright. Go already; go manage some important project at Stark Software,” I say in a drowsy voice, lumbering into the kitchen, still shaking sleep away.

“I’m quite positive it’s you who deals with the important projects involving Stark, Missy. Actually, I urge you to make as many projects with him as you can. Project his brains off for the sake of us all. He might finally relax and be more easygoing.” She smirks at me. Her mouth is about to crack in two from the intensity of her grin.

“Project his brains off? Really, Oh the poet
thou art.
” her face lighted as she checks her watch.

“Hayley Grace! Shakespearean before eight a.m.? I’m getting the very best of you here. Too bad I shall
shog.
”

“Shog?” I raise a questioning brow.

She rolls her eyes. “Leave …”

“Oh my god, you are such a nerd.”

“Well, shog thy butt out of here.”

She closes the door, leaving behind a trail of rich perfume and particles of cheerfulness that transfer joyful energy to the atmosphere.

Checking out my closet, I go for an off-the-shoulder silky black shirt with tight blue jeans and my sneakers. For better effect, I choose a bright red bra to go with the shirt, which is revealed at the shoulder as the shirt hangs down, giving my outfit the final touch.
Not bad
. I smile at myself, feeling like a complete idiot as I do so.
Who are you, some blondie at a trashy reality show? What’s with this stupidly good mood?
And the letters DS pop into my head, flickering like a tacky Vegas sign.

To make sure I don’t look like one of the characters in Twilight I put on some mascara and a tan shade of blush.
That’ll do. Time to play grown up
.

~~~

I arrive earlier than we’ve agreed upon, but Ken doll, aka “boss” is already there, grinning at me with a tad-too-excited-to-see-me smile as I approach his room.

“Good morning.” A perfect set of bright, white teeth greet me as I enter his office.

“Good morning.” I mirror him. “Here and ready,” I declare.

Hope that didn’t come across wrong. Stupid innuendos! That’s something I should say to Daniel when I see him.
Then I suddenly realize we haven’t planned anything together when he left off yesterday. I get slightly low thinking about it.

“Let’s get some coffee in us first, shall we?” Josh offers.

“I like your thinking.” I follow him. “Where are we going?” I ask, noticing he’s walking toward the main entrance.

“We have a Starbucks just around the corner.” That radiant, at-the-verge-of-annoying smile again.

“Valuable information,” I murmur idly.

“How do you take your drink?”

I look at him, distracted, still deep in my thoughts.

Noticing my puzzled look he asks, “How do you take your coffee?”

Oh.
“I’ll take a grande, doubleshot, extra hot cappuccino without too much foam.”

“One of those,” Josh now shines his smile at the blushing, freckled redhead operating the register.

“Anything else?” he refers back to me.

“I’m good, thanks.”

“So let’s go start the day, shall we?”

That smile again.
The guy is a walking ad for Colgate
.

~~~

“Hayley, there’s someone here to see you,” I am hailed by Miss Piercings from reception. Looking at her perplexed, I question, “Is that so? I don’t think it could be for me. Perhaps there’s another Hayley around?” She twists her face into a shrewd smile—the first time I see her smile. She’s actually kind of cute if you overlook her hair and defiled face.

“We don’t have another Hayley here,” she mutters, short-tempered.
Relax, kid.
Josh looks at me questioningly; I shrug, having no clue who it might be.

“Where is this someone? Does he have a name?”

“He’s in the reception area. I didn’t ask for his name but he’s ultra-hot.” Both Josh and I look at her saucer-eyed. She grimaces back at us, seemingly completely indifferent to our stares.
Impudent young creature.

I see him casually leaning against the wall in the reception: tall, white polo shirt, jeans, wavy gold hair, all Daniel. My heart skips a beat, both from seeing him and from seeing him here. Josh looks at me with an inquisitive stare.

“Daniel,” I say as I get closer and face him.

“Good morning.” He sends me his irresistible, crooked smile.

And the reason for your gorgeous self being here would be?
I smile back, still waiting for some sort of enlightenment. Josh coughs next to me.

“Oh, Daniel, this is Josh Wilde, the creative director of
YOU
.”

Josh enthusiastically extends his hand for a shake; Daniel mirrors his action except with utter apathy.

“Daniel,” he mumbles, his eyes fixated on mine.

Josh completes his line with deferential enthusiasm, “Stark.”

The bored thin line on Daniel’s lips could not be more suggestive of his slight annoyance.

“Nice to meet you,” Josh says, still eager.

“Same here,” Daniel says, still indifferent.

“So, to what do I have the pleasure, Daniel?” I ask, glancing sideways at Josh trying to signal, can we have a moment here? And there’s also Miss Goth-Gone-Wild observing us shamelessly.

“I didn’t want to start my morning without kissing you,” Daniel says bluntly, that wicked grin of his on his face; I freeze and imagine that my face is currently the brightest shade of red that exists on the planet. Josh finally dismisses himself, murmuring something about me coming to see him later.

Daniel takes a step to get closer to me and settles himself legs parted with mine in-between, one hand at my lower back, pulling me closely to him till I can feel his concrete chest against me. His other hand, at the back of my neck, gently tilts my head up to meet his slightly-parted lips and kisses me the most corrosive, lustful kiss.

Wow.
Every molecule in my body has awakened. While I’m still in a state of shock he leans down and whispers in my ear, “Why, Miss Grace, you seemed so much more talkative the last time we had the pleasure of meeting. Have you lost your words now, do you need a moment?”
Oh, I need a moment; yes, I need a moment to regain the power to stop myself from jumping you in public, D.