Champagne Kisses: A Timeless Love Story (19 page)

Steam was filling the tiled bathroom, but I could still clearly see the definition in Dean's chest. I shimmied out of my pants, and quickly slipped off my undergarments before stepping into the hot water. It felt marvelous to get clean.

The glass door clicked shut as Dean walked in behind me.

The water came down hard and hot, pounding on my head and soaking me from head to toe. It felt wonderful. My shoulders eased down as the stress, sweat, and tears from the night before washed away. I closed my eyes, losing myself to the steady thrum of the water on my head. I could feel Dean behind me, a solid presence that was waiting patiently for me with a bottle of shampoo in his hands.

I stepped out of the flow of water, slowly wiping my eyes and looking up at Dean. He carefully poured shampoo into his hand, clicked the top shut, and moved in next to me. The water bounced off my skin and onto his, his tattoo starting to shine in the water. With gentle hands, he worked the suds into my hair. His fingers made slow circles, massaging my scalp. I closed my eyes, focusing only on the wonderful sensation of being cared for.

He braced one hand against my forehead, pushing me back gently into the shower head. The hot water sluiced through my hair, but because of his hand, never went near my eyes. The shampoo suds slid down my back as he gently worked the soap out of my hair.

When my hair was fully rinsed, he released his hand and reached for the bottle of conditioner, letting me stay in the water as he poured it into his hand. I stepped out, blinking water droplets from my eyelashes as he again worked his hands through my hair. He combed my wet tresses with his fingers, never pulling as he worked the conditioner into every strand of dark hair. It was the most luxurious, and intimate, experience of my life. He leaned me back into the water again, working the conditioner out of my hair in the hot water. I loved Dean for taking care of me when I needed it most.

From out of nowhere, a sob escaped my chest. I hadn't even realized I had been holding it in, but once released, the dam broke. Dean pulled me into him. His strong arms held me in place, and his body was a rock I could cling to as I drowned in my grief.

I lost my place in time. Everything hurt as the world crumbled away until the only thing left was Dean. He didn't let me go. My tears mingled with the water, splashing across his chest and then down the drain. He held me until the tears stopped.

When I pulled back and my sobs had been reduced to sniffles, he kissed my forehead and gave me one of his special smiles. I rinsed my reddened face in the hot water. I felt drained, but stronger now. I heard the shower click as Dean stepped out. I stayed in the water for a moment longer, letting it wash away the last of my tears before I turned it off.

Dean was waiting for me, a towel wrapped around his slender waist. He had a large cream-colored towel held open and waiting to envelop me. I nearly started crying again because of his thoughtfulness. He wrapped me in the warm towel, slowly patting me dry. He worked his way from my shoulders, down my back, across my stomach, and down my legs. His hands were strong yet gentle as he blotted the moisture with the soft towel.

When he finished, he rose from my feet to kiss the tip of my nose. I gave him a soft smile, and he opened the door to the bedroom. Our clothes lay strewn across the floor. He quickly slid back into his dark pants and jacket, assuming the professional demeanor of a bodyguard. He watched with twinkling eyes as I pulled a dress from the closet and slid it over my body. I couldn't help but feel a warm glow when he looked at me.

As I ran a brush through my hair, he glanced at his watch and grimaced. I had completely lost track of time and had a horrible suspicion that we had gone over his fifteen minute window.

I considered leaving my hair down, the wet strands brushing gracefully against the dark fabric of the conservative dress, but I pulled it up into my traditional bun. I quickly finished in the bathroom and tucked the dirty clothes into the closet to throw in the wash later.

I opened my door, peeking out from side to side to make sure no one was coming. We didn't want to risk both of us coming out of my room with wet hair. I was about to tell him it was all clear when Emma walked by. She gave me a curious look, stopping for a moment.

"You okay? You look nervous," she said. I could tell she had been crying, but she was putting on a brave face. "The lawyer is running a little late, but the plan is still to have the reading in the parlor."

I nodded. Daniel had asked for his will to be read the day after his death. He had everything in order and had hoped it would help his family, and company, move on quicker.

"Thanks, Emma. I'll go make sure Bianca's ready," I said, hoping she would continue on down the hall. Dean hid behind the door. I could feel him twitching to get out, running late himself.

Emma nodded and finally progressed down the hall. She slouched as she walked, moving slowly. It seemed like an eternity before she was finally far enough out of sight that Dean could escape.

"I'll see you later, okay?" he whispered, kissing my cheek softly before ducking out the door. I watched him hurry down the hall and toward the guard station to check the incoming visitors into the house, his hair still glistening with water. I then carefully closed the door and headed to Bianca's room.

I stepped into her room, expecting to find her still in bed. Instead, she was dressed, making the bed herself. Her movements were quick and almost frantic, as though she were desperately trying to distract herself.

"Bianca?" I stepped closer to her, smelling her sweet perfume. It was Daniel's favorite, the one she only wore for special occasions.

"He always made the bed. Before the maids could do it, he would make it. Even in hotels." Bianca stared at the bedspread. "I hate making beds, but it didn't feel right to leave it that way."

I wrapped my arms around her, the hairspray in her hair crunching against my jaw. Her whole body was shaking, but she kept her face perfectly still. I took her hand, guiding her downstairs to the kitchen. I had a feeling she wasn't going to eat, but I needed to at least put the food in front of her. She sat staring out the window the rest of the morning, letting the coffee and eggs cool without ever touching them. When it came time for the reading of the will, she followed me like I was guiding her on a leash.

P
resent Day

The Saunders clan sat quietly in the parlor. Emma and Jack were on an old-fashioned love seat, Emma's head resting on Jack's shoulder. Robbie stood beside them, staring out the window, his hands behind his back. Several employees and close staff huddled in a group by the corner, solemn and quiet like a silent flock of black birds. I stood next to Bianca, who sat stiffly in a blue wing-backed chair. Her hair was perfect, her makeup unsmudged, but I knew inside she was screaming with loss.

A lawyer fumbled with long sheets of paper at the head of the room, preparing to read the will. Daniel had only been dead for less than a day, but it was per his wishes that the will be read now. I swallowed my tears down. Now that I was here, Daniel's death was real again. For a few blessed moments with Dean, my heart forgot to hurt. Now it just ached as though it were making up for the missed time.

Bianca's brown eyes stared blankly at the room. I knew she didn't see the people there, the flowers starting to arrive by the armload. She was lost in her own world.

The lawyer cleared his throat and began the proceedings. Everyone faced forward, their eyes looking at the lawyer, but I don't think very many of us were actually listening. Daniel had made his wishes known before his death, so I wasn't paying very much attention. The lawyer rattled on about the estate, the trusts, and so on. It was all what I had expected.

"... in addition to the aforementioned shares, a seat on the board of directors shall be given to Rachel Weber. She will no longer be an employee of DS Oil and Gas, but rather a partial owner of the company," the lawyer read. My eyes suddenly focused on him, but the lawyer was already reading the next section.

Bianca squeezed my arm, giving me a soft smile. "He told me he was going to do that. He always considered you a part of our family, and now, you have a part of the company, like you should, since you're our daughter."

I stared blankly at her, desperately trying to wrap my head around what Daniel had just done. A moment ago I was just a thousandaire, but now I was now a billionaire.

***

T
he leaves fluttered outside, their oranges and browns floating to the ground and turning the grass to gold. The sky was a brilliant blue with soft wisps of clouds riding the highest winds. The breeze shook the branches of the tree outside, but beside the window in Daniel's study, it was warm and safe. I sat in Daniel's big leather chair, my feet curled up under me as I stared across his empty desk. It felt like he was still here. The books and the globe were still the same. In this room, I could imagine he wasn't gone and I could ask him what he had meant by giving me a part of his company.

"Hey, partner," Jack said, poking his head in the door. "I thought I might find you here."

I stayed quiet as Jack entered, shutting the door behind him and moving to the window. Outside was the field where the boys and their father had played football on fall afternoons like this one. He pulled a book from the wall, thumbing through it and looking at me.

"I have no idea what just happened." I slumped in my seat.

"Dad gave you a part of the company and put you on the board of directors. Even I got that," he said, flicking the book shut. He gave me a devilish smirk.

I rolled my eyes at him. "No, I got that part.
But what does that even mean? What kind of responsibilities does that entail? What's going to happen? Why did he do that?"

Jack sat on the edge of the desk. "Well, it means that you have a ridiculous amount of money. I could stop paying you, and you would never even notice. As far as responsibilities, Robbie is on the board. That should tell you all you need to know there. What happens next is up to you. You can keep your current job, which I would appreciate, or you can quit and retire to Tahiti." He stopped looking up at the sky as he continued. "Finally, he did it because he loved you."

I put my feet on the floor and splayed my hands across the desk. Jack watched quietly as I worked it out in my head. "This room reminds me of him. You remind me of him a lot, actually." I half-smiled as I pointed to a corner. "You used to do your homework at a little desk over there while he worked."

Jack's lips twitched up and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "I remember. I would pretend I was running the company, just like him."

In my mind, I could see Jack as a little boy, proudly displaying his finished assignment to a young Daniel. Daniel would always smile with satisfaction and tell him how proud he was of him.

"He knew about you and Dean," Jack said softly.

"I know. I told him when Dean was hired that we had been together." I fidgeted with my hands. With all the turmoil, I hadn't asked Jack about the employee contracts yet.

Jack shifted his perch on the desk for a more direct look at me. "No, I mean that the two of you are meant to be together. My Dad thought of you as his little girl, the princess that no man would ever be worthy of. That's why he was so adamant about you following the employee dating policy. He didn't think Dean was good enough for you."

My hands stilled, and I frowned up at Jack. "What made him change his mind?"

Jack smiled, his hazel eyes twinkling in the sunshine. "Emma. Or rather how happy Emma makes me. He could see the chemistry between the two of you. Though, honestly, a blind man could see that the two of you were trying not to see one another." Jack put his hand on my shoulder and continued in a soft voice. "He finally saw that Dean was your Prince Charming. He wanted you to be happy, so he just gave you the coach and glass slippers. Dad did even better than a fairy godfather, though. It won't disappear at midnight."

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I didn't have words. Jack patted my hand gently before he slid off the edge of the desk. He stood next to the window, staring out at the changing leaves. He looked so much like his father.

The room was quiet and the wind hummed a strange tune through the trees. I felt lost. Daniel had just given me the best gift of my life, but I was suddenly afraid. I was afraid that after all this time, it wouldn't work out. Afraid that our passion was really just an illusion that would fade once it was allowed to face the sun.

I closed my eyes, and imagined Dean's face. How his eyes could be ice blue and yet fill me with warmth; the curve of his lips when he smiled that cocky half-smile that sent my heart into spasms. I remembered how amazing it had felt to wake up in the middle of the night and find him sleeping next to me. I remembered that kiss in the car and how my heart soared knowing he still cared.

We still had our issues. Twenty years of thinking someone forgot about you wouldn't be easy to forget, but I wanted to. I didn't want to live the next twenty years knowing that I had missed out on something amazing, hiding behind an employee contract, because I was too chicken to actually give love a chance. I loved Dean. I had since the moment I met him, and I never stopped, even when all common sense told me I should have.

I looked up at Jack. My mind was made up. I was going to be with Dean. I loved him and I wasn't going to let my own fears and expectations stop us from being happy.

"So, if I keep my current job, does that mean I get a raise?" I asked Jack. He rolled his eyes at me.

"No. In fact, I think I might cut your hours a bit. Emma keeps telling me you have promised to design a dress for her, and so far you have been too busy to do it." Jack held his hand up to the side of his mouth as though he were letting me in on a secret. "I like to keep her happy, so you're going to need to do it soon."

"I guess my rent is still going to be paid by DS Oil and Gas one way or another," I said, a smile creeping onto my face.