One Heart to Give (Heart's Intent Book 1) (10 page)

She nodded carefully. “For as long as I remember. My parents abandoned me. I was found asleep on a church steps in a town near Hope Beach. I don’t know who my family is.”

He reached out for her. She jerked her hand out of his grasp before she realized what she was doing. Something in his face scared her. She stepped back, away from his grasp. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “No one should go through that. I wasn’t thinking—it’s…” He paused and scrubbed his face with his hands. “I hate to think of any child suffering. It’s part of the reason my family set up this foundation. We want to help all children. If you understood what happened to my sister…”

She nodded. He wasn’t reacting to her, but what happened to Ella Brady. She could forgive him his reaction. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop her from shaking. “I’m sorry your family went through such a terrible ordeal. You have my sympathies.” She brushed her hand nervously over her dress and downed the rest of her champagne. “If you’ll excuse me. I’m going to join Ren. Have a good night.”

She set her empty glass on a nearby table and escaped as quickly as her feet could move in three-inch heels. When she reached Ren’s side, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she attempted to reassure him. “I missed you.”

He stared off in the distance. “Was Sullivan bothering you?”

“Of course not.” She shook her head. “He’s harmless.”

Ren was silent. He stared across the room. She turned to see what held his attention. Sullivan Brady was leaving the ballroom, exiting by a side door. Their conversation must have bothered him more than she realized.

“Sullivan can be—intense, but he is a good guy,” Ren said. “This fundraiser means a lot to him and his family. It’s hard on them, but they want to make a difference where they can.”

She shrugged. “I don’t have any family, so I don’t have any experience to fall back on. I would hate to go through what they have.” She didn’t experience what the Brady’s had when Ella went missing. The whole thing would be more than she could handle. She would much rather think of pleasant things. “Let’s focus on what we came here for.” She leaned into him and let her hands skim across his chest. “Dance with me again.”

Ren let her pull him back on the dance floor. After a while, the weird actions of Sullivan Brady appeared to slide where it belonged—in the back of her mind. Later, when she had a clear head, she’d re-examine it all and figure out what was going on. For now, she’d enjoy her night with Ren fully.

Chapter Twelve

Sullivan hadn’t come back to the ballroom since he’d exited. Ren glanced at his watch. He’d been gone over twenty minutes. He’d hoped to have a conversation with him while Dani went to use the restroom. He’d have to catch him another time.

“Ren, it’s nice to see you.”

He looked up at Preston West and scowled. “What do you want?”

“I was hoping we could talk.”

It was the last thing Ren wanted to do. Preston had damaged their friendship when he’d taken his ex-wife to bed. They had a working relationship, nothing more. “I think we’ve covered every subject we would ever have to discuss outside of the hospital. There’s nothing you could possibly say that would make things any different between the two of us.”

Preston closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Please listen to me. Give me five minutes.”

Ren tightened his hand into a fist and held it close to his side. Dani would come back from her trip to the ladies’ room any moment. He wanted Preston gone before she did. “You have less than that. Say what you need to and leave me alone.”

“I wanted to talk to you about Jessica.”

“As far as I’m concerned, whatever is going on between you and my ex-wife can stay between the two of you. I don’t figure into that equation any longer.” He stared into Preston’s eyes and hammered home his point. “I divorced her for a reason. You were only one part of it. I’ve moved on and don’t give a damn what you two decide to do.”

Preston nodded. “I saw you with your date. You look happy.”

How long had Preston been watching them? He shook the thought away. It didn’t matter. Nothing Preston did concerned him. All he wanted was for the other doctor to leave him in peace. “Did you have a point?”

“I wanted you to know that I didn’t do what I did with Jessica to hurt you. I fell in love with her.” He paused and then said, “I wish I’d done things differently. I miss having you as a friend. Is there any way you can forgive me?”

Oh, hell. Ren didn’t want to deal with any of this nonsense. “I doubt it.” He loved Jessica, so that made it all right? What world did he live in? He was supposed to be his friend, but he didn’t really fault him for falling in love with Jessica. It was the betrayal that soured his stomach. “You made your choice. Go make nice with Jessica and make sure she leaves me alone too. I’m tired of dealing with the both of you. If it isn’t a professional issue, don’t bother talking to me.”

Ren spun on his heels and left his former friend behind. He’d go look for Dani himself. He was ready to leave the fundraiser. It had been one conundrum on top of another. It was time to move on to phase two of their evening. He leaned against the wall near the restroom and waited for her to exit. She did less than a minute later. Dani stopped short when she saw him waiting.

“I wasn’t in there that long was I?”

“Not at all.” He grinned. “I was getting anxious to see you again.”

She laughed. “It was five minutes, Ren.”

He pulled her into his arms and said, “Five minutes is forever to be separated from you. Let’s get out of here.”

She gazed up at him with a soft, dreamy smile. “I’m ready if you are.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the ballroom. When they got outside, he handed his receipt to the valet. While they waited for him to retrieve Ren’s car, he decided to further his agenda. He lifted his hand and ran his finger through her dark curls. They were silky soft. He trailed his fingers up her arm lightly. Her breath hitched with each movement he made. Dani’s mouth fell open and her eyes drifted closed. Ren took advantage and leaned down and placed his lips on hers. A light kiss at first, followed by a deeper, needier one as she leaned into him pulling him flush against her. Ren wanted to take her home and love her properly.

“Ahem, pardon me,” a man said from behind him. “Here’s your car.” He dangled his keys in front of Ren.

“Thanks.” He grabbed them and led Dani to his car. They both got inside and he started the drive to her home. “Did you have a good time?”

Will you let me inside when we get to your place?
That was the question he really wanted to ask, but could wait a little longer to get the answer he desired. He’d waited this long, so he could wait fifteen more minutes. She was his. They both knew they belonged together. It had taken longer for them both to come around to the same conclusion, but they had and that was all that mattered to him.

“I did. It was a wonderful, albeit strange, evening. But I’m glad I went.”

Ren was pleased. The drive to her house flew by. Before he knew it, he was pulling into her driveway and shutting the engine off on his car. He hopped out and opened her door. She placed her hand in his. When she was out of the vehicle, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. She lifted her arms and wound them around his neck. He kissed her as he led her to her front door. Their lips barely leaving each other’s with each step they took. Ren would never get enough of her. She was perfect for him.

“I should go inside.” She was breathless, leaning against her front door. “But I’m enjoying this too much to let you go.”

“Then don’t.” He kissed her bare shoulder, trailing his lips lightly up her neck. He stopped to whisper in her ear, “We can go inside and do a whole lot more.”

He waited for her to say yes. It wasn’t a given, but he expected her to agree. They both wanted more. Ren wanted it all, and this was only the beginning.

“I don’t know.”

Not a yes, but definitely not a no. He could work with that. “Let everything else fade away. Open the door so we can get lost in each other.”

“Yes,” she agreed.

She searched through her purse for her keys. When she found them, they fumbled in her hands and fell to the ground. Ren picked them up and pushed the house key into the lock. He turned the key and pushed the door open. “After you.” He gestured for her to enter. He closed the door behind him.

Dani turned to him. Her gaze didn’t leave his as her purse hit the floor. He stalked forward, pulling her into his arms. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Love me, Ren.”

“Always,” he agreed. He leaned down and captured her lips in his. With careful precision, he lifted his hands and slowly slid the zipper of her dress down. It fell at her feet in a pool of satin. She took a step back and stood before him in her panties, bra, and killer shoes. For a brief moment, he forgot how to breathe. The silk and lace barely covered her, and all he wanted to do was tear it off her. The desire to taste every inch of her was too strong to ignore. She went to kick off her shoes and he held up a hand to stop her.

“Leave them.”

He moved toward her and lifted her in his arms. “Bedroom?”

“Up the stairs.”

“Too far,” he said, and carried her into her living room. “We’ll go there later.”

Ren laid her gently down on the sofa. She was flushed a pretty pink. His desire rocketed through him. Her lingerie, while pretty, had to go. With quick movements her bra was unfastened and tossed over his shoulder. Ren sucked in a deep breath as he gazed down at her. Slow and steady, he reminded himself. He leaned down and sucked one of her breasts into his mouth. She moaned in pleasure. He slid one of his hands down her belly and then underneath her panties. He trailed a finger over her swollen clit. Her moans grew louder.

“Breathe, baby,” he said as he pushed a finger into her wet channel. He pumped his finger inside her as his thumb rubbed over her sensitive nub. Her breathing became more ragged. Ren increased the pressure as he sucked on her other breast. She screamed as her climax hit her.

“Ren!”

It was music to his ears. The desire to be buried deep inside her over took him. He stood up and stripped all his clothes off. He grabbed a condom from his pocket. It paid to be prepared as he slid it over his hard cock. Dani lay on the couch, blissfully content from her orgasm. Ren intended to bring her to ecstasy again and again before the night was over. He slid her panties down her legs and tossed them. He lifted her legs and prepared to slide into her.

“Are you ready, baby?”

She nodded. Ren slowly entered her hot channel. He groaned in pleasure as she clenched around him. He pushed all the way into her, stopping to let her adjust to him. Her breath became ragged again.

“More, Ren,” she begged. “I need.”

“All you had to do was ask.”

Hell, she didn’t even have to ask. He’d give her anything whether she knew she needed it or not. His love for her knew no bounds. Ren rocked back and forth inside of her. He set up a rhythm and pace that brought more deep moans from her. He kissed her neck and relished in the pleasure surrounding him. Nothing had prepared him for the joy of being with Dani. It was everything he’d ever imagined and more. His need grew, and he pumped faster inside of her. Her nails raked against his back as she once again found her climax. She screamed his name and wrapped her legs tightly around him. He lost it as his own orgasm exploded from deep inside of him. Stars flashed behind his eyes. It was a million times more pleasurable than he’d thought it would be. Reluctantly, he pulled out of her. The loss of her warmth was overbearing. Ren drew her back into his arms and rolled them to their sides, holding her tight against him.

“Is that how it’s supposed to be?” she asked.

He always knew it would be like this between them, perfect in every way. Emotions made sex so much better. It was the way love was supposed to be. He could feel her breathing. She drew a heart on his back with the tip of her finger, contentment filled him.

“Yeah, when you love someone it’s pure magic.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I could stay wrapped up in your arms forever, and it wouldn’t be long enough.”

Ren couldn’t agree more. They stepped into the fire and melted into each other. He’d never loved anyone the way he did Dani. She was his everything. Sex was only one way of showing her how much he adored her. He intended to do it as often as she allowed him.

“Holding you in my arms is a pleasure,” he replied. “As much as I hate to say it, I think we should move. I’m sure your bed’s a million times more comfortable.”

“You’re right.” She lifted her arm and cupped his cheek. “You always are. I should listen to you more often.”

“I’ll have to remind you of that fact every time you’re being stubborn.” He laughed. “We both know you’re going to dig your feet in when you’re not caught up in pleasure.”

“And I’ll hold you to that.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and said. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

A command he wouldn’t—no couldn’t ignore. It was a desire equally held between them. He kissed her lightly and slid off the couch. Ren held his hand out to her and helped her to her feet. He lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. Once he had her settled on her bed he started to love her all over again. They had a lot of time to make up for.