Fateful (8 page)

He then released her from his gaze before she
could figure out what it was about him that was so familiar to
her.

“I’m sorry it upset you. I never really left
you alone,” he said, his tone sweet and gentle.

“What?”

He repeated himself using different words.
“I’m sorry, Danielle. I was only toying with you. I never would
have let you get lost.”

“So you were nearby the whole time?”

“Yes, of course.” His soothing smile spread
further across his face.

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, but
decided to believe his words, which had made her feel a little
better.

Ethan gathered her hand into his again. “Come
on. Let’s go to the top of the tower. You can see everything from
up there.” Danielle wobbled, still a little befuddled.

Once they got to the top, they shared a
moment of silence as they took in the breathtaking view. Danielle
rested her elbows on the stone ledge so she could lean out further.
The breeze was stronger from this height. It danced on her face,
and playfully ruffled her hair. She could smell the sweet flowers
and the impending storm in the air.

Danielle realized, with a start, that Ethan
was watching her again. Getting the weird feeling that he knew a
lot more about her than she knew about him, she searched his gaze
for an answer. She couldn’t fathom how that could be possible after
only one date. And strangely, it appeared like he knew why he
seemed familiar to her, but what did he know that she didn’t?
Danielle couldn’t understand it, and was debating whether she was
too polite to ask him flat-out. Her shyness was winning this one,
however. She couldn’t bring herself to it just yet.

Ethan spoke, as if meaning to distract her
from her thoughts. “So have you enjoyed this place? Well, except
for the maze part, I mean.”

“Yes, I’ve enjoyed it.” She exhaled. “Thanks
for bringing me here.”

“Are you hungry for a late lunch? You may
enjoy the Orangery Restaurant, it isn’t far from here.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Let’s go.”

They had lunch and tea. Danielle was pleased
to see peach tea available, which she selected without hesitation.
Ethan ordered food for both of them. However, he ordered more for
her than he did for himself. This guy appeared to be under the
impression that she ate a lot of food, or needed a lot of food.
Self-consciously, she glanced down at herself, wondering if she
appeared too thin. As with the pastries, she knew she wouldn’t be
able to finish everything.

Ethan had a strange look in his eye as he
watched her eat, like he was almost … envious. Of what, she wasn’t
sure. He only picked at his own food. She wondered if maybe he
didn’t like his own choice and was coveting hers, but he turned her
down when she offered him a bite.

* * * * *

When they returned to the car, he held the
door like a true gentleman. He seemed like the type of fellow who
would take off his coat to drape across a mucky puddle so a lady
could cross dryly, or he might actually just carry her across,
getting his own shoes wet in the process.

While his need to feed her was odd, and that
thing with his eyes was just plain weird, she still never felt like
she’d discovered any dark, troubling secrets. Except for when he
made her think he’d abandoned her, but then again he never really
did. He’d teased her, and that was hardly a deep dark secret.
Danielle had already forgiven him for it.

She began to wonder if he would want to see
her again, and studied his face for a sign of how he felt about
their date as he backed the car out. He sensed her gaze, and turned
to face her, his eyes guarded again.

But he smiled. “Did you have a good
time?”

“Yes. Did you?”

“Certainly,” Ethan said it with a great deal
of enthusiasm, and Danielle took an equal amount of hope from
that.

Ethan reached to turn on the music while he
steered the car onto the highway. Danielle raised an eyebrow as
violins began to sing. More than half the guys she knew liked good
old rock and roll. So this was something else different about Ethan
Deveroux. And she liked it. Note to self—he’s classy, add to the
why-Ethan’s-the-best-choice-for-a-London-love-affair list.

Her eyes lifted to the clock on the
dashboard. As he’d promised her uncle, he was getting her home very
early. The sun was just beginning to set. The sky gradually became
painted with vibrant colors of gold, orange and pink. He watched
the sinking sun like he was going to miss it while it was gone for
the night.

Ethan pulled up to her uncle’s house, opened
the door for her and walked her to the front door. As he remained
averse about sharing his eye contact, Danielle couldn’t decide if
she was beginning to get used to it or not.

With words whispered softly, he said, “I’ll
see you tomorrow, all right?”

“Okay.” Trying hard to not let on how
delighted with that she really was.

He stroked the side of her face with the back
of his knuckles, then slid his thumb along the line of her jaw,
following it to her chin. His gaze followed his hand, avoiding her
eyes until it settled on her mouth. To her dismay, he did not kiss
her. Then before she knew it, he was back to his Jaguar, and
gone.

She was having a difficult time dealing with
his continual, sudden disappearances.

It was then, she realized, that during his
brief farewell, she’d neglected to breathe. She took in a big
calming breath, gathered herself and stepped inside.

“Danielle, is that you, love?” Aunt Charlotte
called.

“Yes,” she replied softly, realizing she
didn’t quite have her voice back.

“Come in for dinner. It’s still hot.”

Danielle entered the dining room with a
permanent grin on her face. “Thanks, it smells wonderful.” She
seated herself next to Brianna.

“Wow, he really did get you home early. We
weren’t sure if we should expect you for dinner or not,” her uncle
said. Obviously he continued to be impressed with Ethan, and shot a
glance at Brianna, who knew why immediately.

“Keep your hair on Dad, I’ll try not to miss
my curfew any more. All right?” Brianna huffed rolling her
eyes.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” he replied
flatly.

Brianna groaned, and then leaned toward
Danielle. “So how was it? Did you have fun? Tell me
everything.”

“Okay, after dinner?” Danielle said while
absentmindedly pushing food around the plate. It seemed she wasn’t
very hungry after having a late lunch with Ethan.

“Deal,” Brianna said.

They talked well into the night about Ethan
and Will. The way girls normally do—at least when boys are the
topic of conversation.

Chapter
5

Second Date

The next day Danielle and Brianna sat
chatting in the library after their classes. They had discovered a
quiet corner where they could whisper without disturbing anyone
else, and Danielle asked Brianna to tell her about Will.

“Well, he’s a talented rugby player, and he’s
an engineering major.”

“So he’s athletic and smart.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve never seen a rugby game.”

“We’ll have to take you sometime.”

“I’d like that.” Danielle slid her books and
art portfolio into her bag before she continued, “What’s his full
name? I’m guessing it’s William…”

“Yes, William Matson Kent.”

A mischievous smirk pulled at Danielle’s
lips. “Brianna Lynn Kent. I like it! Or Mrs. William Kent. Oh, I
like that too!”

Brianna gasped. “Danielle!”

“Oh, come on! I’ll bet you’ve written it down
a few times just to see what it looks like,” Danielle accused, as
the smirk on her face grew.

“Maybe,” Brianna replied sheepishly.

Danielle snickered. She knew it was
true; her cousin
had
tested
his name with hers.

“So, Ethan said he would see you today?”
Brianna asked an obvious distraction tactic.

“Yes, but he didn’t say when or where.”

“I see.” Brianna pondered to herself as the
mischievous smirk seemed to creep from Danielle’s lips to hers.
“Well, Mrs. Ethan—” she began.

“Don’t you even dare go there, Bri! We’ve
only just met!”

Brianna laughed, and let Danielle off the
hook. “Should we go then? Would you like to do lunch in the city,
or when we get home? Are you feeling peckish now?”

Danielle assumed “peckish” meant hungry. “Uh,
sure let’s go. I don’t care where we eat, it’s up to you.” She bent
to lift her satchel and slung it over herself. When she sat up, she
was startled to see Ethan standing behind Brianna, wearing a wicked
grin on his Prince-Charming face.

Brianna had no idea he was behind her, and
jumped when his masculine voice drifted over her head. “I have an
idea for lunch.”

Her cousin’s head flipped around tossing her
hair into her face. He smiled down at her silently. She turned back
to Danielle with one eyebrow raised.

Danielle felt embarrassed, but smiled anyway.
She wondered if he’d heard them talking about him right before he
materialize behind Brianna.

“So, Danielle, how does lunch with me sound
to you?” he asked in a low purr.

How could she say no to that? But Danielle
did remember Brianna. She addressed her first, “Are you okay with
that, Bri? Now I’m the one ditching you.”

Ethan cut in, “Bri, you’re welcome to come
too, if you would like.”

Always the
gentleman
, thought Danielle.

“Thanks, Ethan, but you two go on without me.
Have fun, Dannie, don’t worry about me.” She then flashed a knowing
wink her way. Danielle understood perfectly—Brianna expected a
complete report later.

“Thanks, Bri!” Danielle finally addressed
Ethan who’d been waiting patiently. “I’d love to, thank you.”

His smile grew, making it considerably more
heavenly. She wondered how he managed such celestial innocence with
mischief dancing in his eyes like that. But Danielle came back to
earth when Brianna jumped in to tease them. “Don’t keep her out too
late, Ethan. It is a school night.” She made her voice sound stern
and motherly. It was a little unnerving how much she reminded
Danielle of Charlotte at that moment.

Ethan’s eyebrows rose, his smile transformed
into a smug look. With a hard chortle he replied, “Yes, ma’am … but
why are you people so stuck on Danielle’s curfew?”

Danielle answered his question. “Well, that’s
because Bri is having trouble keeping hers.”

He began laughing silently, his shoulders
shaking. Brianna flashed a bitter look at him, he stopped laughing
the second she did, and wiped the grin off his face, then returned
to laughing when she twisted back to Danielle.

Danielle was finding it difficult to keep her
own laughter in. “I’m sorry, Bri, I was only teasing.”

Brianna rolled her eyes. “I know. I wish Dad
would just lay off.” She sank back into her seat with her arms
folded.

Ethan innocently locked his piercing
eyes with Danielle’s for less than half a second. She went weak at
the knees, and was relieved she was still seated. She then realized
that he’d looked into Brianna’s eyes at close range.
Why do his eyes get to me, and not her?
It made no sense.

He moved around Brianna and seated himself on
the armrest of Danielle’s chair, then leaned one arm across the
back of it, so he was very close to her. She caught a faint whiff
of his essence that had hit her at the tea party. She fought the
impulse to giggle like a schoolgirl with a crush and lean toward
him for a better drag of that heady fragrance.

“Have you had afternoon tea in London
yet?”

“No.”

“That is an experience you simply cannot
miss. How does Tea Manor sound?” he offered, an eccentric lilt now
tainting his words.

Danielle checked with her cousin again, using
their non-verbal language. Brianna gave the affirmative with a
simple eyebrow move.

She lifted her face to his, cautiously
though, to reply. She feared eye contact with him this close could
be more intense than she could handle. “Sounds wonderful,” she
said.

He only allowed a short moment of direct gaze
before he stood swiftly and reached a hand out to her. “Shall we
then?”

She took his hand and stood. “Yes,
please.”

He reached out with his free hand and removed
the schoolbag from her shoulder. As he did, he whispered into her
ear, “By the way, I think you’ve sold me on jeans.”

Danielle felt warmth rush to her cheeks as
she resisted the urge to tug at her jeans since they were riding
into places she didn’t like them. She could only grin bashfully and
shudder as his breath tickled her flesh. He seemed to relish her
reaction.

Brianna waved and offered a “cheers” to
Danielle as Ethan led her toward the doors.

Ethan held the door of his Jag open for her,
and then set her things into the back seat. He got in the driver’s
side and didn’t waste any time bringing the engine to life, he then
began the conversation the second he threw the gears in reverse.
“What types of art are you into, Danielle?”

“Well, mostly watercolor. It kind of depends
on my mood, or the look I want to create.”

“May I see some of your work?” he uttered
invitingly.

She stared at him. “Now?” she asked,
uncertain.

“Yes, please, if you have some with you.”

“Um, okay.” Danielle reached into the back to
pull her portfolio from the bag. She opened it, selected something
she was fairly proud of, and held it up for him to see.

The painting she held was of a girl, whose
expression was very sad. Tears ran down her cheeks, her eyebrows
were twisted up with sorrow, and her pouting lips were almost
quivering. Danielle held her breath, exposing more than just a
piece of artwork. She felt like she was standing there naked,
wondering if he liked what he saw, fearing rejection or
criticism.