Love's Battle (True Blue Trilogy) (25 page)

“And just where have you been?”

“Aahh.” I dropped my shoes, as I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle the scream before it could escape from my lungs. “Danton?” I hissed, recognizing the voice of the darkened form standing in the shadows. “You idiot, you almost gave me a heart attack and got yourself maced in the process. What are you doing here?

“My question first. Where were you?”

“Out.” I answered, picking up my shoes, examining them in the dull light for scuff marks. “Would you like to come in?”

“Out where?”

“E-City, what’s it to you?” Walking through the now unlocked door I dropped my purse and keys on the side table; letting my beloved shoes fall to the floor in effort to appear indifferent. “You haven’t called in nearly a week. I don’t see why I need to tell you what I was doing with my free time.”

“You were dancing with some guy?”

“I danced with a lot of guys. It’s considered rude to spend your entire evening dancing with the same person,” I lectured. “A lady must not be so selfish with her charms. It is only acceptable to dance more than once with a partner as long as it if your father, brother, husband, or intended.”

“This isn’t the eighteen hundreds Love. Let’s come on back to the twenty-first century for a moment okay?”

“What’s your point?” In the kitchen I pulled cups, ice, and a couple of cokes from their cupboards, Danton hot on my heels.

“Nothing, just that you must not believe in that true love stuff you spout off! I mean, you obviously bounced back fast if you’re out tearing up the town.”

My hands stilled, the ice clanking violently into the glass as I less than calmly sat it on the counter. “How dare you?” I snarled, advancing on him, my finger jabbing into his chest like a jack hammer with each word that shot out of my mouth, forcing Danton to retreat.

“Just who do you think you are Mr. DeAngelo to tell me what I do and don’t do? As I recall you (jab) were the one who couldn’t deal, not my problem.” I pointed to myself. “I’ve been waiting these past three weeks (jab) going out of my mind (jab, jab) waiting for you to make up yours (jab). Look around you.” I gestured wildly, “You can practically eat off the floors and walls they’re so clean. I’m ahead at work by like three months, I’ve been working so hard to keep my mind off of you. I’ve played the harp so much my fingers have bled.” As proof I waved my abused fingers in his face before drawing his shocked expression to my face with a band aid wrapped finger.

“Do you see these bags under my eyes? They’re not a fashion statement! I can’t

sleep because every time I close my eyes, I see your face.” Firming up the hitch in my voice I continued with the backlash. “Just because you’ve pushed me to the side doesn’t give you (jab) any right to run my life. So I was out at a club, so I danced with some random guys, matched a few couples with their true love. I WILL NOT (jab) sit at home and wait for you to come to your senses. I love you more than anything else in this world. I’ll be honest and faithful to you. I’ll make you happier than you’ve ever been and I’ll give you the family you so desperately crave more than anything. And do you know why?” I asked, not waiting for an answer, “Because I’m yours Danton, no one elses (jab). I’m just sorry you’re too much of a coward to realize it.”

The last jab might have been too much as Danton backed right into the side table in the foyer causing my purse down to fall and land on top of my poor shoes.

“Coward am I?” Danton asked in a deceptively calm voice that had me taking a step back in retreat. “Who’s the one who didn’t even bother trying to change my mind? Who just dropped the bomb and didn’t bother to help pick up the pieces of the after math.

Just sent cutesy little bric-a-brac. And you call me a coward!”

Another step back, “Well I…”

“Was giving me my space! Waiting for me to come up with the answer on my own?”

“Yes I…” Another step back, I ran my hand along the island to keep my balance.

“Don’t have the power to make me fall in love with you? I’m sorry to tell you, yes you do. Because I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you from the moment I set eyes on you. When I saw you in the church that Friday, you took my breath away. I haven’t been able to catch it since.”

“Really?” I squeaked, coming up against my double wall oven.

“Really and I’ll tell you what else, these last few days have been hell. I’ve read page after page trying to hunt down any relative information about your past. I’m pretty sure my eyes started to hemorrhage at one point. And do you know what I learned?”

“What?”

“That I don’t care. All your past lives don’t matter. All of your past husband’s don’t matter. I’m practically green with jealousy over the men that have loved you before me. I have no reason to be, they’re all dead and they can’t have you. I’ve come to the undeniable conclusion that if I can’t accept that and what you bring to this world, then I can’t have you, and that Love, is something I can’t live with.

“Tonight when Jon called and told me he’d seen you with some other guy, I saw red. But I also realized something else. You are who you are and I am who I am, and who

I am is in love with you. I’ll love you until you take your last breath as Love Howard DeAngelo, because I won’t have it any other way. So you can tell all those guys you were dancing with to get lost. Your dance card is permanently full.”

“You love me?” I asked, tears running down my face.

“I do. I may not be a pirate, or a painter, or a … whatever Boyd Turpin was…”

“Advisor to the President.” I supplied, pleased that he knew my last husband’s name.

“Whatever. But I will do everything in my power to make you happy. You need a strong man in your life and I can be that. You make me want to be that and whatever else you need.”

“Love Howard DeAngelo?” I repeated, testing the words aloud.

“It’s got a nice ring to it.” Danton admitted.

“So October nineteenth wouldn’t be rushing things?”

“It can’t come fast enough.’

“Good, good.” I nodded, thrilled beyond belief. “Um, you’ve seen the living room. This is the kitchen.”

“Yeah.” Danton answered, looking around unsure where I was going with this.

“How about I show you the bedroom?”

“That’d be nice.”

Laughter filled the room as Danton swung me into his arms.

With loud smacking kisses I covered his face, saving his mouth for last. Another peal of laughter rang out as he tossed me onto the bed. Giddy I scrambled up to my knees, slowly unzipping the front of the small swatch of electric blue leather I wore, unveiling the wisps of even smaller scraps of black lace hidden underneath. Breathlessly I watched Danton toe off his shoes, peal of his shirt- giving me a clear view of his well defined torso. My laughter died as I stopped breathing all together, as he pushed his faded blue jeans from his tapered hips to the floor before joining me, nothing but skin.

I watched as Danton crawled onto the bed to kneel before me, my body quivering with anticipation. I deeply inhaled his manly scent, all warmth and musk, my lower body clenching with desire. Danton’s body was perfection, long and sleek. I couldn’t resist reaching out to touch him.

Tentatively I brushed my fingers across his collar bone, down his muscular arms to where they were darkened with crisp hair. I trailed a finger down the center of his broad chest, feeling the sculpted plane of his abs, tracing the dark line of hair that gathered from his navel in a stripe that gathered around the base of his jutting penis. Dipping my hand lower I felt his silken hardness, smiling at his groan of delight.

“You are beautiful husband.”

“As are you Love.”

With knowing hands Danton reached out to flick open the clasp of my bra. Peeling it from my shoulders he planted scorching kisses along my neck to the hollow of my shoulder.

“I think this is my favorite part of you.” He whispered.

I shuddered, swamped by a wave of wanting as he kissed his way to the crook of my elbow. “No, I think this may be my favorite part of you. Or this.” Gently he pressed a kiss to each of my coarse finger tips; my heart swelling with love at his endearing actions.

I moaned with delight as Danton’s large hands took the place of the discarded lace, the caress of his thumbs coaxing my nipples into straining peaks. It felt so good. Together we stretched out on the mattress side by side. I arched as he took one breast and then the other into his mouth, groaning with approval. I nearly forgot to breathe as he trailed a path of kisses down my stomach where he hooked his fingers around the last scrap of fabric that separated us. Pulling it over my hips and down my legs he continued to rain kisses along their length. Tossing the scrap to the floor after pulling it past my pink painted toes.

“Do you want me Love?” Danton demanded, his voice husky with passion.

“Yes!”

“Say it.”

“I want you Danton.” I cried, holding my arms open, begging for him to fill them. My breath whooshed softly from my lungs as he pressed his measure against mine, our lips meeting for a moment of sweetness. But I was having none of it, I was restless to become Danton’s and I wanted to drive him crazy in the process.

“Roll over.” I commanded, throwing my legs over his hips, turning the tables as I straddled him.

“Do you want me Danton?”

“Yes!”

“Say it.”

“I want you Love.”

Leaning down I pressed my lips below his ear inhaling his scent, my breasts against his chest, his hands caressed the length of my spine.

“Say it again.” I commanded.

“I want you.”

I kissed the hollow of his throat, Danton’s hands coming around to fondle my breasts as arched over him. Rolling their tips between his fingers I could feel the warmth of moisture pooling between my legs and knew I wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Scooting back I dipped my tongue into his navel, swirled it around.

My two tone eyes on his I took his engorged rod in my hand, running its corded length.

As Danton watched I took him in my mouth, humming with laughter as he shouted his pleasure. Fisting his hands in my hair, his hips bucked off the bed. He wouldn’t let me dally. Reaching out to pull me on top, Danton rolled me to my back.

“Now, Danton, now.” I pleaded, clawing at his back.

“This.” Danton teased, sliding a finger into my heated core.

“Yes.” I moaned, liquid rushing to my center, the muscles tensing in protest as he withdrew. “More,” I demanded, “Now.”

Leaning back on his heels Danton spread my legs wider, fitting himself against my opening. Tilting my pelvis I took him in, sighing my contentment as he slowly pushed forward. He was driving me crazy.

“Now, now.” I cried.

“Now.” Danton agreed, pausing when he came up against the breech of my hymen. Knowing it was coming, I didn’t give him time to hesitate.

“Now.” I demanded, grabbing hold of his hips, pulling him past the barrier.

Exhaling on a moan, my body flooded with a mixture of pain and pleasure as Danton made me fully his.

“Love.” Danton breathed as he began to move inside me.

“Danton.” I answered, my breath coming in fast pants as my lower muscles clenched around him, a spring coiled tight, until I could no longer hold back.

As it burst, waves of pleasure crashed over me pulling Danton along; his shout of completion thrilling me as completely as the orgasmic tremors that continued to quiver throughout my body.

“Oh my gosh, you were…”Danton gasped, tongue tied, when it was over.

“Yeah, I was.”

“I’m your…”

Rolling to my side, I kissed him full on the lips. “Only. You’re my only.”

Chapter 49

Morning After

Danton

Awareness was slow in coming as I surfaced from sleep. Every time I inhaled Love’s honey colored hair tickled my nose. Her tell-tale floral perfume filled my senses - it was a scent I would carry with me until I took my last breath. Beside me her sleeping form radiated a heat that hadn’t diminished with the sun rising. I had taken the gift of her virginity last night and her body was sure to be sore this morning. Ignoring my stirring body to let her catch up on her sleep I decided to explore my surroundings. Love’s even breathing told me she was sleeping deeply. I was glad for it. I didn’t like seeing the purple smudges under her eyes and knowing I was the cause of them.

Like the rest of the apartment Love’s bedroom was just as diverse. In the morning light her walls were a vibrant teal. Her sheer curtains, detailed in energetic orange Japanese character writing, hung cheerily in the windows. In one corner dueling dragons danced on a Chinese screen and colorful beads hanging over closed closet doors. Pushing the citrine colored covers to the side I pulled Love’s duvet, covered in a red and yellow flower motif over her sleeping body. Pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder I slipped from the white scrolled iron bed to hunt for my jeans. I found them where I left them, in a sloppy pile at the foot of Love’s make up table as I pulled them on, I noted the red vase painted with a flying crane and filled with yellow orchids. Beside it there was a group of women dressed in kimonos, gathered together in a gilded frame smiling widely for the camera.

Love and her sisters. It was her tenth life.

Walking into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, Love’s beloved chest caught my eye. It had since been relegated to sit at the base of the coffee table.

I had every intention of fixing Love breakfast in bed, but as I waited for the coffee to finish perking, the chest repeatedly caught my eye until I could no longer overlook its presence.

Chapter 50

Love

“Uhhh.” I rolled over, willing myself to go back to sleep. I was having the best dream, Danton and I were… Danton… my eyes flew open, my hand shooting out to test the temperature of the now vacant sheets. Still warm. He hadn’t been gone long. I sat up clutching the orange cotton to my bare body. Holding out my hand I smiled. I was completely blue. The smurf was back!

Looking around I searched for Danton, my ears on high alert, I sniffed the air. Was that? I sniffed again. Coffee, fresh coffee? Casting the sheet aside I reached for my robe, shrugging into it. First thing first, as much as I wanted to see Danton again, I needed to swing by the bathroom first. Just because we were soul mates of sorts didn’t mean he needed to see me with last night’s make up still on, or the nest rats had built in my hair, or, well you get the picture.