Pulled(61)
Author: A.L. Jackson

Daniel held himself rigid as he walked out the door, scanning the yard and road. I caressed his arm, desperate to ease his nerves. He smiled down at me, and I grinned in return. Immediately, the mood between us lightened. The breeze was cool as it rustled through the trees, the last of the yel ow leaves still clinging to the branches as winter approached. Daniel wrapped his arm over my shoulder, and led me down the steps to the walkway. I sighed, breathing in his scent mixed with the crisp, night air. A feeling of contentment settled into the depths of my bones.

I giggled when he opened the passenger door and helped me inside, careful to keep my dress from riding up as I sank down into the low seat. I whispered a breathy,

“Thank you,” against his lips when he ducked inside for a kiss.

He rushed around to the opposite side, jumped in, and leaned over the console to kiss me again. I was not going to get tired of that.

“Chinese okay?” He started his car and pulled away, heading north.

“Yeah, that sounds great.” It was my favorite.

He traveled farther out of town than I normally would have ventured, I’m sure out of fear of seeing somebody who would recognize us. Finally, he pulled into a half-ful parking lot. “I ate here a few weeks ago. It’s quiet and has the best Mongolian beef I’ve ever eaten.” He smiled at me, touching my cheek. My chest swel ed with the love I felt as he showed me that he remembered me, not just taking me for my favorite type of food, but for the exact dish we’d shared many times before.

“Thank you.”

Dinner was magical. There was no awkwardness, only complete calm as we talked for what seemed like hours. We teased and loved. I giggled as he fed me with chopsticks, an art I had never mastered. His lips were never far from mine, and we shared gentle touches under the table and uttered sweet words that had been silent for too long.

Laughing, we reminisced about our high school days. When Daniel’s phone chimed, he was making fun of Erin, his words still flowing as he casually ran his finger over the face of the phone. His demeanor suddenly shifted and his jaw tensed when he read the message.

I watched as he tried to play it off as if nothing had happened. He turned back to me and continued with the story though his words were forced.

I sat back, feeling unsure of myself. Where did we stand here? Before, I wouldn’t have hesitated to ask him who it was and what was wrong. We had told each other everything, shared everything. That was the way it should be.

He trailed off mid-sentence when he took in my pained expression. He grimaced and ran a frustrated hand through his hair before answering the question I’d never voiced.

“It was Vanessa.”

Tentative, I asked, “What did she want?”

He stared down at the table, struggling with what to say.

“Daniel, look at me,” I prodded, making him look up. “Please, don’t hide from me. You can tel me anything.

We have a lot of stuff to deal with, but we have to do it together.”

He nodded before he spoke cautiously. “She wants me.”

I swal owed hard, trying to rid myself of the insecurity I felt. Tripping over my words, I had to ask as that little voice piped up once again, tel ing me he should be with her. “How…how do you feel about her?” He answered with venom, taking me by surprise.

“I despise her.”

“Why?” I mean, yeah, he didn’t want to have a child with her, but he was just as responsible for their situation as she was.

Lines set deep in his forehead as he took a deep breath, and I felt the undercurrent of hatred as he spoke of her. “She tried to trap me.”

Frowning, I worked to decipher what he meant.

He groaned. “She got pregnant on purpose, Melanie, and she thought I would marry her because of it.” I was horror-struck. Did people really do stuff like that?

“I made it clear I have no interest in her, but she won’t leave me alone. She wants money, and she’s using this baby as a pawn.” He grimaced, his eyes pained as they searched mine for understanding.

Suddenly, any trace of envy I had for her was gone. I threw myself into his arms, the only way I knew to give him comfort. He held me, his voice urgent as he whispered against my ear, “She’s going to try to tear us apart. Don’t let her.”

I shook my head buried in the crook of his neck, reminding him of the promise I’d made to him two days ago when I’d pledged him my life. “Forever.”

His breath washed across my face as he relaxed into me, and he placed a smal kiss below my ear.

“Forever.”

With our confidence restored, the stress

dissipated, and we settled back into our easy banter as we shared a bowl of vanil a ice cream and a pile of fortune cookies.

Daniel smiled warmly at the elderly Asian woman who dropped off our check, wishing her a good night before he slid from his chair, watching me intently as I followed suit. The moment I stood, he stepped to me and placed a hand on each of my hips, drawing me to him. His kiss was no longer sweet and playful but filled with a hunger that set me off kilter. I stared into his piercing eyes, suddenly wishing we were somewhere a little less public. His hands traveled farther down my sides until they found the heated, bare skin of my legs, and he hooked his thumbs under the hem of my skirt. His voice came low and pleading as he asked, “My place?”

Chapter 20

That dress.

I sped down the street, failing to keep my eyes trained on the road. Instead, they continually traveled back to the place where Melanie’s creamy, white flesh flowed from that dress and met my black leather seats. She was trying to kil me. I’d nearly had a heart attack when I’d seen what she was wearing.

I’d parked my car two houses away from the Preston’s home when I’d arrived to pick up her for our date.

As I’d stepped from my car, I almost hadn’t seen the car speeding down the street. But as soon as I had, I’d recognized Nicholas immediately and quickly retreated to my car, ducking down into the seat. I’d felt so helpless. I’d wanted to confront him, to protect Melanie from him, to jump from my car and tel him she was mine, but I could do nothing. So I’d hidden like a coward.

He probably wouldn’t have noticed me anyway.

His only focus was Melanie’s car parked in the Preston’s driveway. I couldn’t see his face, but even from a distance I could see the anger rol ing from him. I had no idea what he intended, what Melanie had told him, or what he knew. all I could do was wait, helpless while someone else protected my girl. It sucked.