Chapter Seventeen

 

The confrontation had caught the attention of everyone close, several gasps mixing with the laughter and chatter of the New Year’s party atmosphere. Brady and Jasper had been trying to get through the milling people, some parting to let them closer.

Danielle took another step back, watching the tall model stumble, the weight thrown behind her swing sending her slightly off balance on the tall heels and tight fitting dress.

Brady let his gaze sweep rapidly from one woman to the other, Danielle standing calmly watching Amanda stumble while taking another spoonful of the mousse in the bowl she held in one hand. Evidently she was with someone because a man dressed in formal black stepped up and caught her carefully against him, his lips moving close to her ear.

Danielle watched the exchange, Amanda straightened up, a cold look on her face as she glared at the man holding her shoulders. She jerked her shoulders to the side, spun and stormed off toward the other side of the large circular restaurant.

“Hi,” Danielle said with a smile at a frowning Brady. She held up the half full bowl of mousse. “Want a taste? It’s amazing…” She assured him cheerfully.

“No…no, I’m good…” His hand went to her waist, guiding her back to their table. He met Jasper’s eyes above her head and shrugged. “Almost time for the toast and fireworks. Want to tell me what went down between you and Amanda?”

“Nope. Just girl talk,” she told him, taking her seat and glancing at the glass of sparkling liquid in the fluted glass.

“Want to share on how you knew she was at the house the other night?” Brady asked, groaning inwardly at the sparkling, teasing dark eyes that met his and then glanced at Jasper.

“I peeked,” she whispered with a chuckle. “Gonna ground me? Been there, done that…”

“I feel for your poor mother,” Jasper said, his head shaking even as he chuckled and the count down began around them, all eyes focused on the outside and the flutes of champagne in their hands.

Danielle hastily set her spoon down and stood up, moving to the window like a child, waiting impatiently for the fireworks. Brady laughed aloud, tugging her hand and gesturing to the flute of champagne, his own ready. She lifted the flute and faced both men, eyes wide as she listened to the count, her lips moving and eyes busy sweeping the people all blowing horns and shouting. She clinking glasses with Jasper and Brady, taking a quick sip before setting the glass down and moving to kiss Jasper on the cheek.

“Happy New Year, Grandfather,” she whispered with a tight hug.

“The best in a very long time, granddaughter,” he returned, releasing her reluctantly.

Danielle turned to Brady, her palm on his face seconds before their lips barely touched, Happy New Year whispered by them both before the kiss began, breaking breathlessly as fireworks burst outside. She turned in his arms, leaning against him, his arms surrounding her shoulders.

She brought her hands up, cupped together.

“It’s like they’re bursting right out of your palms,” She said loudly, listening and blushing when Brady brought his lips to her ear and whispered to her.

“That’s what you look like when we’re making love,” Brady nipped her ear, chucking warmly when he saw the hint of pink in her cheeks.

 

Jasper leaned back in the comfortable chair. He decided there was nothing better in the world than seeing the two people he cared most about happy.

Danielle sighed contentedly as they rode the elevator to the ground level, leaving the revelers and seeking a little peace and quiet. They were going to walk a little and meet Wes. She held the shawl close, busily watching people around the streets. She slid over the comfortable seat, her hands up and pulling pins loose on her hair, letting the dark waves tumble down before she curled against Brady.

“A good time, boss?” Wes asked as he maneuvered them through traffic.

“A spectacular time,” Danielle announced happily. “Happy New Year, Wes.”

“You too, miss…you too…” He said with a chuckle.

“They had the most delicious mousse,” Danielle recalled with a sigh.

“It was excellent food,” Jasper commented in agreement. “Quite a display of fireworks…very impressive…”

“I think I’m ready for the quiet,” Danielle said softly. “Did you have fun at home, Wes?”

“We did, miss…and thank you heartily for the surprise,” Wes chuckled and met the surprised eyes of both Jasper and Brady.

“You are most welcome. I thought you should be able to relax and enjoy the night, too,” she said with a small yawn. “’cuse me…”

“What’d you do?” Brady finally asked when no one said anything.

“She had a four course meal delivered to us from the restaurant at the resort, complete with champagne. Maggie was stunned…and the food was amazing,” Wes confided with a nod. “Even little cakes and cookies.”

“Mia and Gwen have such diverse food selections…I’m glad the three of you enjoyed it,” Danielle sighed tiredly. “I think I might sleep in tomorrow…just a little.”

“A brandy, Brady?” Jasper asked as they entered the house, his hand pulling his tie free and opening the buttons of his shirt. “Good night, Danielle.”

A small palm flipped up in a tired wave as she climbed the stairs, on hand massaging her scalp, the other reaching down to remove first one heel and then the other. She hung the dress up carefully, smoothing down the long silky skirt.

She giggled slightly at the image in the mirror, reached for the tee shirt and pulled it over her head. She stepped back into the heels and cautiously opened her door, peeking out. She could hear their voices below as she crept along the hall. She knew Brady didn’t lock his door and slipped into his room.

Danielle moved the cushioned chair slightly and sat down, draping her legs over the side that he would see when he entered his room.

Brady was working his tie free when he saw the light beneath his door, the first two buttons opening as he stepped inside. His vision quickly scanned the interior, landing on the dangling high heel from the end of a long leg that shimmered in the low light of the room. His lower body was connecting the dots much faster than his brain.

The tee shirt she usually wore was on the corner of the chair. The door closed quietly behind him, his feet not moving as she flipped one foot, the heel back in place and both legs disappeared over the arm. Her head came into view, the long hair framing her face as her body cleared the shadow of the chair and she walked slowly toward him.

Danielle stopped just out of his reach, wearing red lace briefs, a satin and lace red bra and a white garter hugging her hips and holding up shimmering stockings. She moved slowly forward, her hands up and opening the buttons down the front of his shirt.

“Are you so very tired?” She whispered, kissing his chest and onto his throat when he didn’t move. Her mouth moved teasingly over his, tasting the brandy he’d shared with Jasper, her tongue tracing over his lower lip before surging to fence with his when his arms circled her, pulling her hard against him.

“You’ve been wearing that all night long?” He asked gruffly, their kiss breaking only for enough distance for him to have her shove his jacket and shirt off his shoulders, their hands meeting on the buckle of his belt.

“All night…” She whispered, looping her finger in the waist band of his slacks and tugging him forward even as she slid the zipper down, her fingers grazing the hardness beneath the fabric. “I wondered what you would think of them…evidently you approve…”

Brady sat on the edge of the bed, his feet working his shoes off. His palms pressed heavily over her hips and onto her behind, lifting her against him and falling back onto the bed. She moved the silken center of her panties along him, dragging a long, deep groan from inside him.

 

 

“I’m pretty sure this is the wrong end of the bed,” Brady mentioned when he was finally able to think clearly, his palm sliding over the faint sheen of moisture on her face. He leaned up on one elbow at her side, gently brushing damp strands of hair from her face. She’d risen only enough to shed the few things she was still wearing and snuggled down against him in the blankets.

“Shhh…” Danielle breathed a long sigh. “The bed doesn’t care.”

“No…no, I don’t suppose it does…Happy New Year, Dani,” he whispered, closing his eyes and pulling the blankets over them both.

 

 

 

Danielle was a little surprised and a lot suspicious when the next week went quietly into the new year without some intrusion into their peace. Friday shortly after noon, she joined her friends at the table in the cafeteria, the laptop open and heads bent and chatting quietly.

“So…” Danielle looked from Cassidy to Abby.

“We’ve been considering your problem,” Cassidy began with a serious nod.

“Well, I can tell you…I’m pretty sure she hasn’t contacted Brady,” Danielle leaned back in the chair, hands up behind her head. “Both him and Jasper haven’t been at all tense this past week, and believe me, when they run into her or the relatives, there’s high level electric current in the room around either of them. Not pleasant.”

“I’ve done some checking for you,” Abby said casually. “She’s still in town.”

Cassidy slid a paper across to Danielle. “This…is the truth behind the two guys she went after when she was engaged to Brady. It wasn’t lust or anything even remotely romantic,” she said dryly. “Sam’s mom is incredible…she’s a great undercover agent,” she said with a chuckle.

“Now…” Abby began thoughtfully, fingers tented and touching her lips as she stared at the computer screen. “If we follow the six degrees of separation theory, and begin with Mia…” she looked up and saw Mac approaching, her eyes signaling Cassidy who quietly closed the laptop.

Mac saw the exchange, his lips pursed when he stopped beside Cassidy. She told him she’d be about an hour over, but wouldn’t tell him why.

“Should I pretend I don’t know you and let you get on with your girl stuff?” He asked, kissing Cassidy just because.

“Yes,” came three immediate answers.

He just nodded. “I’ll be in my office when you’re ready….will I need bail money?”

“Please…who do you think you’re dealing with here?” Cassidy scoffed, grey eyes rolling before she winked at him. “Probably an hour…thanks.”

“He’s cute,” Abby chuckled, watching the laptop open again. “Anyway…using Mia because she’s from Europe and has been in places that might begin the connection…we found this…” she didn’t touch the screen, but drew the line she wanted Danielle to see.

“The secret to a good con…is to make them believe it…” Cassidy said simply, leaning over and gesturing as she talked to Danielle. “So…here’s the line of conversation you need…keeping in mind that information is power.”

 

 

Danielle arrived home shortly before three, all the information she had floating inside her mind. Another part of her sincerely hoped there didn’t have to be a confrontation. It wasn’t that she was afraid of the verbal debate. She didn’t like hurting people, even someone like Amanda Kelso. She was in the study with Jasper, bent over the chess board when the door slammed. They looked at one another and then towards the open doors of the study.

“Business or personal?” Danielle asked quietly, making her move and chewing on her fingernail.

“Pretty sure the renovations are going good,” Jasper answered honestly. “We’ve been talking about them all week…he seemed really happy with how things were progressing.”

“So…can’t flip a coin on this one, huh?” Danielle asked with a wrinkled nose.

“Personal…then it’s Amanda…” Jasper sighed. “I don’t get that girl…didn’t when he was dating her and sure as hell didn’t when he got himself engaged to her! I was ready to throw a party when I heard he’d ended it and then he never spoke about it. It was like she’d never existed in his mind. Sorry, my dear, this one is yours to field.”

Danielle sighed. “Alright. I’ll give him a little time…see if he chooses to join us…then I’ll beard the lion in his den,” she inhaled deeply and scowled at his move on the board. “That’s just crooked…” And she countered with a move of her own.

An hour before dinner, she went to his room, knocking quietly and slipping inside when he called out.

“Brady?” Danielle looked around, watching him stride from the closet. He had changed into jeans and a heavy shirt, his jacket over his shoulder. “You’re not having dinner with us?”

“I have to go to the condo and pick up some things. I’ll be back late, Danielle, don’t wait up,” he told her, kissing her cheek and going out, closing the door behind him.

She stared at the closed door, lips pursed and a frown in place. Alright, she told herself. So much for being nice about it. She went to dinner, telling Jasper exactly what he’d said, her shoulders rising and falling.

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know,” she said, shrugging. “I want to believe he’s smarter than to be dragged into something sneaky with Amanda, but perhaps he believes he can handle whatever it is…he’s a big boy and evidently confiding in me about it, isn’t important to him. I am going out,” she said with a smile that hid the hurt inside. “Jane and a couple girls from work are going to a karaoke bar and I love singing…” she stood up and kissed his cheek with a teasing wink. “Don’t wait up.”

“Enjoy yourself, my dear,” he said with a deep chuckle.

“I plan to, Jasper, I plan to,” she said with a saucy wink, checking the small bag she slung over her head and grabbed her short jacket on the way out, keys jangling.