“Way, way better,” she laughed.
He let her tug him to his feet, then he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“You are so amazing,” he said into her hair.
Lisanne didn’t know if she was supposed to hear him or not.
She pushed him away gently.
“Elephants shoes,” she breathed.
His eyes widened, and he smiled at her.
They settled on dinner at Taco Bell, on the basis that it was both nearby and cheap.
Daniel was halfway through his steak burrito when Lisanne casually mentioned that her parents would be in the city the following week.
“They’ve been on at me to visit the campus and see my dorm room. So, I was wondering, maybe we could all go out for lunch or something on Saturday? Or coffee? Maybe.”
He stopped mid chew, sure that his face must look as horrified as he felt.
“You want me to meet your parents?”
Daniel felt the need to clarify, because he was damned if his brain was processing her words accurately. Lisanne nodded warily.
Shit! She really did want him to meet her folks. How the hell was he going to get out of that one? Then he thought about how much it must mean to her to ask him. They were dating now: she wasn’t some random girl he’d screwed. His stomach churned, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. Then an image of his own parents came to him, and Daniel couldn’t help thinking how much his mom and dad would have liked to meet her – how happy they’d have been that he’d found someone.
He swallowed his food and took a large gulp of soda before he answered.
“Okay,” he said, quietly. “I’d like to meet your parents.”
“Really?” Lisanne beamed at him.
God, he loved it when her whole face lit up like that.
“Yeah. They’ve got a pretty amazing daughter – it would be good to meet them.”
Although he very much doubted that they’d feel the same about him. Daniel was no fool, and he could imagine just how not pleased her folks would be when they met him. Was unpleased a word? He had a feeling it was about to be invented – probably next Saturday. But if Lisanne wanted him with her, he’d do anything to make her happy.
Lisanne looked so surprised and delighted, he couldn’t help smiling back.
“So… have you told them? About me? About us?”
“Well,” she said, looking at him sideways with a sexy smile. “Mom knows that I’ve been working with you on the Business assignment. I may have mentioned to her that you’re really cute.”
“Cute, huh? Not awesomely hot? Or fucking amazing in bed?”
Lisanne immediately flushed beet red and Daniel smirked to himself, enjoying her embarrassment every time he mentioned anything to do with sex.
“Um, no! And my mom definitely won’t be hearing that any time soon!” she said, adamantly.
“Huh. So no tongues in front of them? I don’t know, baby doll, do you think you’ll be able to keep your hands off of me?”
“You are so bad!” hissed Lisanne, trying not to laugh, but rather shocked all the same.
Daniel grinned at her and winked.
She sat back and sighed. He looked so deliciously bad boy sitting there, with his pierced eyebrow and his tats peeping out from under his t-shirt. That boy was sex on legs. And now she knew what she was talking about.
Truthfully, she was still feeling sore, but gosh, it had been worth it. She felt changed beyond recognition, and that everyone ought to be able to tell just by looking at her. She cringed when she thought about how she’d cope with Kirsty asking how they’d spent their day. It was going to be so obvious. And she’d definitely have to do some laundry.
But at least she wouldn’t have to face Kirsty until tomorrow – she had another whole night to spend sleeping with Daniel.
Sleeping with Daniel!
Her toes curled up ecstatically at the thought.
When they arrived back at her room, Daniel had to sneak back via the fire exit. He tapped on her door and she let him in.
He grinned at her.
“There was a fucking line of guys waiting to get in,” he laughed. “Jeez, I thought we were going to have to take numbers or something!”
He pulled her into a hug and nuzzled her neck. Then he leaned back to look at her.
“What’s the matter?”
Lisanne smiled nervously. “I don’t want to, um, you know. Not tonight. I still feel a bit…”
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, stroking her face with his thumbs. “I told you – we don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
“Really?” she said, relieved. “Because I’ve read that guys think about sex every 15 seconds or something.”
He laughed loudly, his eyes dancing with amusement.
“Yeah, or more often than that around you, baby doll. Jeez, where do you read this stuff?”
Lisanne didn’t answer, suddenly becoming very busy hunting for clean sheets in her closet.
Daniel watched her for a moment, then helped her make up the bed with fresh linen.
“By the way,” she said, deliberately and obviously changing the subject, “where does Zef think you are?”
Daniel raised his eyebrows.
“Zef? I’ve no clue. Why would he care?”
His question pulled her up sharply. Zef didn’t care? Then she realized that Daniel didn’t have anyone who cared whether or not he went to school or got good grades – or even whether or not he got up in the mornings. The thought made her unbearably sad. She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
“Hey,” he said, surprised. “What’s all this? I mean I like it, a gorgeous woman throwing herself at me. I was just wondering if there was a particular reason.”
“No,” she mumbled into his chest. Then looking up, she repeated “no reason.”
His face said he clearly didn’t believe her, but he let it go.
“Okay, baby, I’m going to sneak off to the men’s room now. If I’m not back in ten minutes, it probably means I’m in the dean’s office having my ass handed to me.”
Lisanne gave a shaky smile.
Daniel pulled the door open a crack, winked at her and slunk out, closing it quietly behind him.
For a moment she stood dazed, then gave herself a mental kick. She pulled off her clothes, changing into a baggy t-shirt and robe, collecting her towel and caddy.
Daniel returned in far less than the allotted ten minutes, grinning at her attire.
“Bunny slippers?” he snickered, staring at her feet.
“My mom gave them to me!” said Lisanne defiantly, her face flaming.
“Nice!”
Trying to maintain some dignity, Lisanne said, “I meant to ask if you wanted to borrow my toothbrush.”
Daniel grinned at her, knowing that changing the subject was her favorite way of dealing with his teasing.
“Got my own,” he said, pointing to the back pocket of his jeans, as he tugged his t-shirt over his head.
“But… but…” stuttered Lisanne. “You didn’t know you’d be staying here!”
Daniel tried to hide a smile – and failed utterly.
“I keep a spare with Sirona,” he said, raising his eyebrows.
Lisanne spluttered futilely while he continued to smirk at her. Then he leaned down and planted a soft kiss full on her lips.
“It doesn’t mean anything, baby doll. Been doing it for years.”
“Oh!” huffed Lisanne, not entirely sure if that made it better or worse.
She hid her glowing face and shuffled off to the bathroom, the ears on her bunny slippers waving as she walked.
When she came back, looking calmer even if she didn’t feel it, Daniel was already in bed. He grinned up at her, looking the picture of ease, his hands behind his head, his glorious, muscled chest bare.
Lisanne’s throat dried and she started to feel warm in all the right places – or wrong places, considering she still felt a pulse of faint
pain between her legs.
Her eyes followed the contours of his chest, down to his defined abs and muscled stomach. The boy was built! She realized her eyes were lingering on the sheet below his waist. When she finally dragged her eyes up to his face, he was watching her with an amused expression.
“Your eyes are bugging out, baby doll,” he said with a smile.
“Why do you call me that?” she said, crossly.
His smile faltered.
“Don’t you like it?”
“Not much,” she lied. “It makes me sound like a toy. Besides, Roy calls me ‘baby girl’.”
Daniel’s eyes darkened dangerously. “You never told me that.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“Fine,” he said, with a scowl. “I won’t call you that anymore.”
“Fine,” she said, her irritation rising to match his.
She stomped around the room, annoyed with herself and Daniel’s over-reaction. Every time she snuck a glance at him, he was frowning at the far wall. She sighed – sometimes it was hard work having a boyfriend.
She tried to remember what her mom had said about never letting the sun set on an argument – particularly as she’d set it in motion.
“Hey,” she said, walking to the bed and leaning down to kiss him, “I don’t mind that much.”
His mind was clearly elsewhere because he spat out, “If that asshat lays a finger on you, you’ll tell me, right?”
Lisanne blinked. He was jealous?
“Roy’s never touched me, not like that. I mean, he gives me a hug, but he’s just being friendly.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed even more.
“I mean it, Lis. If he does one more thing that makes you uncomfortable…”
He left the threat hanging in the air, but the look on his face made Lisanne shiver. For the first time, she could believe some of the things people said about him. He looked dangerous.
“Roy hasn’t done anything,” she said, firmly. “But there was something I wanted to ask you about.”
“What?” he said, his face still angry.
“I heard you got into some fights this week.”
He didn’t try to deny it or pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about.
“Yeah, what about them?”
“You didn’t tell me.”
He shrugged.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Daniel?”
“Why would I?” he snapped. “It wasn’t anything to do with you.”
Lisanne felt her temper beginning to rise as quickly as his. Two minutes ago she was feeling fully fed and sleepy, and looking forward to spending her first night with her boyfriend: now she was just pissed.
“It’s nothing to do with me that my boyfriend’s brother is a drug dealer?” she hissed, her tone incredulous.
Daniel’s eyes were fiery.
“Don’t go there, Lis.”
“Why not? Everyone else seems to know! I don’t think there isn’t anyone who hasn’t warned me not to date you because of it! I even had some skank come to my room and try to buy drugs from me.”
Shock, hurt, and anger flared in his eyes, and Lisanne immediately regretted what she’d said.
“What?!”
“Yes, some sophomore heard that we were dating and came to my dorm room to buy ‘something for the weekend’.”
Daniel rubbed his hands over his face, and when he looked up his eyes were stormy.
“Kirsty threw her out,” Lisanne went on. “You have to do something about Zef. You have to stop him…”
“Fuck this!” he snarled, leaping out of bed.
He started pulling on his jeans.
“Daniel…” Lisanne said hesitantly.
“No!” he shouted, making her jump. “No! You don’t get to judge him! You don’t know what he… I don’t have to listen to this fucking shit.”
He turned his back and continued dressing hastily, thrusting his bare feet into his boots. Lisanne knew she had about five seconds to fix it – she had no clue how.
She tapped his arm but he wouldn’t look at her. So she forced herself in front of him and grabbed his face.
“I’m sorry!” she said quickly. “I’m sorry. I worry about you.”
He tried to pull himself free, but Lisanne hung on, as a cold, creeping fear took over her body.
“Please, Daniel!”
Finally, he looked at her. “He’s the only family I’ve got.”
His voice was low and raw, and Lisanne felt physical pain when she saw how much she’d hurt him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered again, even though the words seemed deeply inadequate. “Please don’t go.”
He stared at her, indecision clear on his face.
I hear you, she signed.
He closed his eyes.
Defeated, Daniel sat back down on the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. His head hung down and he wouldn’t look at her.
“It was three days after my seventeenth birthday when mom and dad died,” he said, his voice soft with grief. “Zef could have just stuck me in a foster home or something, but he didn’t. He became my legal guardian when he was 22. He really had to fight for me – the fucking social workers said because I had special needs, that he wasn’t competent, for fuck’s sake. As if he hadn’t lived with all that shit for years. Luckily the judge asked me what I wanted, and they let me stay with him.”
He looked up at Lisanne, his eyes pleading. “He’s my brother.”
Daniel’s voice cracked on the last word, and he dropped his eyes to the carpet. Lisanne knelt down in front of him and took his face in her hands.
“Thank you for helping me understand,” she said at last. “I’m sorry I… I’m just sorry. Okay?”
He nodded and rubbed his eyes. Lisanne was shocked to see tears.
“Come to bed,” she said, gently.
He nodded again, kicked off his boots and threw his jeans back on the floor. Then he lay on the bed, staring up at her.
Quickly, Lisanne pulled off her robe and slipped into bed beside him. He wrapped his arm around her and she lay on his chest, listening to the deep, even sounds of his beating heart, gradually slowing, as his breathing calmed.
She reached out with one hand and turned off the light.
They lay quietly in the peaceful darkness, and Lisanne was just falling asleep when she realized something: Daniel hadn’t denied that his brother was a drug dealer.
She lay awake for a long time listening to the soft sounds of his breaths.
* * *
Waking early, the first thing Lisanne saw were Daniel’s hazel eyes smiling down at her.
“Hey, beautiful. This is a great way to wake up.”
He relaxed back onto the bed and kissed her softly, letting his lips drift across her throat – sweet, loving, undemanding. But despite the gentleness of his touches, they seemed to arouse her entire body.
She wondered if it was too soon, whether or not she’d still be sore. She felt okay, but she had no idea how she was supposed to feel emotionally: sort of shy, sort of sexy, sort of weirded out that she’d lost her virginity – and to Daniel.
On the other hand, it was pretty obvious how he was feeling – or one part of him, at least.
Lisanne reached down and wrapped her hand around his hard length. Daniel’s eyes flew open with surprise, and Lisanne heard his sharp intake of breath.
“S-sorry!” she stuttered.
“Hey, don’t apologize! It feels freakin’ amazing to have your hands on me like that.”
She continued stroking him firmly, and Daniel breathed deeply and his eyelids fluttered. He gazed out through his long lashes, his mouth slightly open. Then he leaned over and kissed her deeply, sweeping his fingers over her breasts. Lisanne shivered as he moved his head down and took her in his mouth, his warm lips sensual on her body.
She moaned, hoping that he’d feel from her chest, the vibrations of desire.
Starting where he’d left off the day before, Da
niel made love with a new sweetness and intensity that surprised them both.
Lisanne felt her body respond to his touch, his taste, the heavy weight of him on her. She called out his name as he buried himself inside her.
He stared down into her face, his eyes dark and passionate as his body moved, pushing deep inside her. Lisanne felt a delicious tremble begin in her body. She called out again, and she had to shut away the painful thought that he’d never hear her call his name. Never. He’d never know the sound of her voice.
Tears sprang to her eyes and he kissed them away as his body told her how much he cared.
Afterward, warm and sated, their bodies twined together like wild flowers, Lisanne stroked Daniel’s smooth skin and smiled to herself.
He was right – it was a great way to wake up.
The peaceful moment of complete connection couldn’t last.
For one thing, Lisanne really needed to pee. And for another, she felt very sweaty and sticky and desperately wanted to shower. And she still felt embarrassed walking around naked in front of him. She knew it was dumb, after everything they’d done – things that made her blush to just think about.
Daniel didn’t have any of the same hang-ups, but then again, everything about his body was beautiful. The word ‘chiseled’ might have been invented for him. He was quite content to wander around her room buck naked, completely relaxed and at ease. He’d even pushed the window wide open, shivering slightly, as he hung out as far as possible to smoke a cigarette.
Lisanne couldn’t stop herself from ogling him. Was it really uncool to ogle your own boyfriend? She didn’t know. But every now and then Daniel would catch her staring, and give her his sexy trademark smile. Except that at times it was definitely more of a smirk, apparently knowing that her thoughts had just gone straight to the gutter. Again.
Eventually he pulled on his jeans and hunted around for his t-shirt, which, for some unknown reason, had found its way under Kirsty’s bed.
“Back in a minute, baby,” he said with a wink, slipping out of the door.
While he was gone, Lisanne pulled on her robe and set about straightening up the bed. It seemed to need a lot more work than usual, and Daniel was already tapping on the door before she’d finished.
“Fuck! Let me in!” he said, looking irritated.
“Why? What happened? Did you get caught?”