Friday, 9:58 am
"Marcus!" Danni shouted, standing up from the table outside Helena's--the brunch spot where we agreed to meet. We had a reservation for ten in the morning, so I was a little surprised to see the raven-haired, fair-skinned beauty approaching me from a table she'd already been sitting at.
"Hey, Danni!" I said as she reached me. I slipped an arm around her shoulders as she threw hers around my middle and squeezed me tight. She looked up at me with her beautiful green eyes that reminded me of a lush Canadian forest; her bright smile was made even more beautiful thanks to her perfect lips--not too thin... not too plush. She wore a sleeveless blouse, and I spied a dark blue jacket on the back of a chair that matched her pants. I lowered my head to press my lips to her bare shoulders, dusted with freckles.
She was a lot like Erin--always a bright ray of sunlight warming me on a cold day. Only, unlike with Erin, I didn't get the sense that a lust-induced hellspawn lurked just under Danni's sweet exterior. She was an angel who simply enjoyed getting filthy in the bedroom.
"Am I late?" I asked, glancing at the table.
"No," she said, backing away. "I had an early showing and came straight here after it was done. I've only been here five minutes."
She glanced behind me and said, "Hi, John."
"Ma'am," the bald man in his early fifties behind me said. I'd insisted that Chloe take the morning off for a little self-care after yesterday's wreck, so I was accompanied by one of the other security staff. There was another, but he was parking the car.
"You've met?" I asked as we approached Danni's table.
"Not that I know of," Danni said as I pulled the chair out for her.
"Then how did you know his name?"
"The three I've met so far have been named John. It was a safe guess." A look of horror overcame her. "Oh gosh... please don't tell me I just got his name wrong, and he just let it slide!"
"Nah," I said. "You were right."
We ordered food and made small talk for the next thirty minutes. I filled her in on what happened at the funeral, what I'd learned about Roger, going golfing, and then confronting Roger in his office. Danni was on the edge of her seat for most of it, hearing it for the first time since Erin hadn't had a chance to fill her in on the details for the last few days. She was a phenomenal listener, maintaining eye contact, asking follow-up questions, and gasping at all the appropriate moments, all while making me feel she was genuinely interested. When it came time to fill me in on her life, she was a little embarrassed since it consisted of showing houses and catching up with her friends.
"It's not been as glamorous or exciting as what you've been doing, but it's been a nice change of pace," Danni said shyly before sipping her cold coffee. "I've got to get my peace and quiet before I become your girlfriend. Your life's a little more fast-paced than I'm used to."
I was amused at Danni's attempt to broach the subject of our relationship; she would never make a good spy. Then I remembered what I needed to tell her, and that amusement died. Since she kicked that door wide open, I might as well dive right in.
"Danni," I said, placing my fork on my plate to give her my undivided attention. "I saw Natalie yesterday."
Like I said, Danni had a shit poker face. She did her best to hide the warring emotions that crossed over her lovely features, but it was quite the journey. I witnessed flickers of annoyance, worry, uncertainty, and sadness all within the space of a few moments.
"I asked her to leave the guy she was with."
She bit her lip nervously and carefully put her fork down on the plate before looking up at me with those soulful doe eyes of hers, and every second I stared back at her was like having my heart ripped out of my chest and torn in two all over again. I took a deep breath and said, "You have to understand... I've been carrying a torch for Natalie for nearly a year, but we were in other relationships for most of it. Then, when the opportunity for us to get together came, I fucked up and waited too long. It's been eating at me this whole time, and you were right the other night. I still have a thing for her, and you were insightful enough to see it. I had to try because I'm not over her."
Danni looked back at her plate. "Oh..."
"She turned me down," I said.
Danielle's head immediately shot back up, her eyes a mixture of sorrow and a sudden burst of hope. She very visibly made a point of swallowing as she waited for me to continue.
"It hurt a lot, but she was right to turn me down."
"Why?" Danielle asked, her voice barely registered. Her eyebrows were drawn together, and her green eyes shined with unshed tears.
"Because I don't think I'm ready to date anyone right now."
She didn't speak at first, and I watched as she pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. She blinked, and a single tear slipped down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away with her fingers. She blinked away a few more before they could slip free.
"Are you saying you don't want to date me?" Danni said, looking out toward the street.
God, I felt like a complete asshole.
"No," I said. "Danni... any guy who didn't want to date you would be a fool. You're incredible. You've--"
"Then why?" she snapped. There was no heat in her voice... just the need for an answer.
"Because... I..."
"I think I love you, Marcus," Danni said, looking back at me, and I could see tears building at the rims of her eyes, barely held at bay.
"Danni..."
"Please." Her bottom lip trembled. "Please don't do this."
"Danni, I don't think I can be a good boyfriend right now."
"I know you would be!" Danni said. "You're so sweet to me, and I've never enjoyed being with someone as much."
"Thank you, but--"
"I don't understand," she said, cutting me off. "I even told you that you can still sleep with everyone else. What else do you need?" She looked like she was going to be sick. "Is it me!?"
