Two Hearts: Beyond Control (Two Hearts Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  Maybe I expected too much. Will and I’d never had that intense carnal attraction that some couples had, but we were happy together . . . most of the time. At least I’d always thought we were.

  I rolled my neck, letting the hot water hit the tight muscles along the sides and down my back. Four, maybe five months ago, we’d started drifting apart. I’d even worried he was having an affair. When I asked him about it, he promised he could never do that to me. To us.

  Maybe our relationship had just run its course. It happened to Kendra and Nate, and they’d always been so passionate and in love. I guessed anything was possible.

  Whatever the reason, this past week had been hell. Will was gone before I woke up every morning. He worked past dinner and well into the evening. And I made sure to be in bed, feigning sleep, by the time he came home. He never bothered to try waking me, didn’t even kiss me goodnight. And if he noticed my face buried in my soggy pillow, heard my muffled sobs, or felt the tremors from my stuttered breathing, he never let on.

  I heaved a heavy sigh and turned to let the water wash away my tears as they fell.

  What surprised me most though was my complete lack of interest in seducing Will. After all my determination and the hard work I’d put into rekindling our marriage the past month, I finally felt defeated. “Can’t start a fire where there isn’t a spark.”

  I squeezed the shower gel into my hands and worked it to a lather, breathing in the soothing scent of lavender.

  Thoughts of sparks always led to thoughts of Nico and the raging inferno that threatened to erupt whenever he came near. I didn’t understand my body’s reaction to him, and it seemed I couldn’t control it either.

  Spreading the shower gel over my body, I massaged my arms, my shoulders, my throat. Nico’s face flashed in my mind—the desire in his eyes when his gaze fell to my chest during our lunch. I imagined how my skin might burn under his touch.

  My eyes fell closed, and I let my hands skim the length of my torso, down my thighs. Surrendering to the fantasy, I envisioned Nico’s hands as they retraced the path and discovered my breasts, caressing them with feather-light strokes. My breath hitched when he caught my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the gentle pressure sending a bolt of electricity straight to my core. My head fell back, a low moan escaping me, as his hand slipped between my legs.

  The gentle throbbing from my powerful orgasm lingered nearly ten minutes later. I pulled on my satin nightgown. The fabric skimming over my taut nipples sent an unexpected jolt to my core that threatened to send my body into another uncontrollable state of arousal. As amazing as that might feel, I didn’t want to let it happen.

  I hated my utter lack of self-control when it came to Nico.

  My phone chimed, announcing a new text message. Perfect timing. I could use a distraction.

  Kendra’s message was simple. Happy hour tomorrow?

  Finally, an allowable reason to smile. Kendra and I had begun kicking off our weekends with drinks at The Oasis nearly fifteen years ago. Back then, we went every week, but now we were lucky to get there once a month. The trendy little bar, located midway between our two office buildings, had a lively atmosphere and was usually packed with hot guys in expensive suits looking to blow off steam from a long, stressful week. It was the perfect environment for a little harmless fun.

  Definitely! Meet you there. It’s been a rough week. I sent my reply.

  Aw, sweetie. We’ll cheer you up. You’ll tell Kristi?

  My fingers hovered over the keys while I thought about my response.

  After my lunch with Nico on Monday, I’d paid Kristi a little visit to thank her for setting me up. She’d explained, saying Ben had told her Nico planned to stop by my office after his weekly meeting at The Next Level because I’d refused to talk at my house on Saturday. Of course, she’d promised to make sure I didn’t turn him down again—the little traitor.

  Truth was, I’d enjoyed spending time with Nico, but I didn’t dare tell her that. Instead, I’d struggled to act mad, and she’d apparently bought it.

  Maybe you should text her. Coward is still hiding from me. I hit Send then quickly typed another message. Just us girls, right? No surprises this time!

  I grabbed the laundry bag from the closet and gathered clothes for the dry cleaner, nearly missing Will’s suit coat that was slung over the chair by our bed. I swear he never puts anything away.

  My phone chimed again. I read Kendra’s response while checking Will’s pockets, pulling out a crumpled ATM slip and a pack of his favorite mints.

  I’ll make sure she plans to drag her boney ass to Oasis. And I promise, girls only.

  The inside pocket contained a folded piece of pink paper. I pulled it out, letting his jacket fall to the bed. A strange shiver ran up my spine as I opened it.

  The elegant logo for Carmela’s Jewelry stretched across the top of the page. I gasped and quickly folded it back up. My heart raced as I stared at the pink square, torn between putting it back and taking another peek.

  I drew in a shaky breath and peeled back one edge with trembling fingers, revealing a sale’s receipt from today with Will’s signature and a pick-up date of February 14. The words ruby and diamond caught my attention before I pressed it shut.

  I bit my lip, holding back a squeal. “He remembered.”

  Giddy relief bubbled through me, escaping as bursts of laughter. I sank to the mattress, trying to recall the last time he’d surprised me with jewelry. It had been years. A lot of years.

  I wanted to rush downstairs and throw myself at Will, show him how happy he made me, but that would ruin his surprise.

  How could I have given up so easily? Nico. I’d overreacted to Will’s silence last weekend because I’d allowed Nico to get inside my head. Well, that won’t happen again.

  I returned the receipt to Will’s pocket and draped his suit coat over the chair exactly as he’d left it. If he asked, I’d just pretend I hadn’t noticed it when I gathered the laundry.

  I went downstairs, a bounce in my step, and sneaked up behind Will. He hadn’t moved. At all. I leaned down to kiss his neck.

  He startled at the contact but continued to scroll through his Facebook news feed. “What’s up?”

  I moved to the front of the couch, closed his laptop, and placed it on the table before snuggling in next to him. He gave me a sideways glance but didn’t protest, which surprised me. Maybe he thought I was still angry. After I nudged his arm several times with my shoulder, he raised it enough for me to slip under.

  He let out a heavy sigh as his arm draped across my back, settling into the notch of my waist. “Danielle, what are you doing?”

  “I thought that was obvious. I missed you.” I twisted my finger in the string to his sweatpants. “Is it so horrible to want to spend quality time with my husband?”

  “No, but less than an hour ago, I’d have sworn you wanted to kill me.” He kissed the top of my head. “What’s on your pretty little mind?”

  “Well. Since you asked.” I climbed across his extended legs to straddle him, wiggling as I settled into his lap. The friction caused an unexpected gasp.

  Will tilted his head to look at me, a smile playing at his lips.

  I ignored his unspoken question but couldn’t ignore the stirring beneath me. I drew in a slow breath and pressed on. “Valentine’s Day is next Friday.”

  “Oh, I—you’re right. I guess it is next week.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess we should probably do something.”

  It was hard not to laugh at his performance. “Do you want to go out somewhere? Or, if you’d prefer to stay home, I can make a special dinner.”

  “How about I call Giardano’s. See if they still have reservations available.” He pushed my hair from my face.

  I should have expected his response, and he probably already had a reservation. But Giardano’s held a different memory for me now. Saying no to my favorite restaurant wasn’t an option though.

  “You having fu
n?” Will laughed and looked down to my hips, rocking against his erection.

  “Oopsie.” I smiled and shrugged but didn’t stop my movement. “What can I say? You feel good.”

  He pushed his hands under my nightgown, caressing my sides and stomach.

  “Giardano’s is perfect.” I placed a kiss below his jaw. “And I was just thinking, that will be the fifteen-year anniversary of our first date.”

  His chest lifted on a heavy breath. “That’s right, I suppose it will be.”

  “Mm-hm. You rescued me back then, you know. Loved me when I thought no one ever would.”

  “I’ll always love you, babe. No matter what.” He brushed his thumbs across my breasts then sealed his mouth over mine with a tender kiss that turned passionate.

  He lifted me from his lap and stood. I expected him to move away, but he cradled my face and reached into my soul with his beautiful sapphire eyes.

  I stepped closer, pressing my body to his. “Make love to me.”

  He kissed me again, tender and sweet, wrapping me in his gentle embrace. He broke away and rested his forehead on mine. Without a word, he took my hand and led me toward the stairs.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Behaving Badly

  “Okay, ladies, what are we drinking?” Kendra asked while she flagged down the waiter.

  “Oooh . . . let’s do snowflake martinis.” Kristi drummed her hand on the table. “I saw an interview with that slutty little blond actress. You know who I mean—always has her boobs hanging out . . .” She waved a dismissive hand. “Doesn’t matter. Anyway, she said modern twists on classic drinks are the hot new trend that all the celebs are drinking. Snowflake is her go-to, and it sounds absolutely yummy, if you ask me. We definitely need to try it.”

  I laughed. “Well, who are we to argue with yummy trends?” I leaned closer to our waiter and made a looping motion with my finger. “A round of snowflake martinis.”

  Alexia held up her hand. “Make that three. Sorry, I don’t drink. ” She shrugged, glancing at me before placing her own order with the waiter. “I’d like cranberry juice with a splash of orange. Easy on the ice.”

  Kendra crossed her arms on the table and pinned me with a curious stare. “Okay, what’s going on? You are entirely too happy for someone whose husband treats her like shit.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, my God. You finally slept with Ni—”

  “What? No!”

  “Well, something happened. Last night your text said you’d had a rough week.” Kendra tipped her head and gave a look that dared me to deny it. “So?”

  I was relieved she’d asked; because if I had to keep this news to myself much longer, there was a good chance I’d explode. We all leaned in, huddling together over the small table so I wouldn’t have to shout and share my story with everyone.

  “You know things between Will and me had been awful since a few days before his trip to Chicago. Right? And my welcome-home surprise didn’t go as planned.” I wrinkled my nose at the memory. “So by the time we’d suffered through last night’s dinner in bitter silence, I was convinced we were finished.”

  Alexia gasped, pulling a hand to her chest. “Oh, no.”

  I realized she didn’t know about my troubled marriage, but I wasn’t going to give a recap. She’d catch up.

  I told them about Will ignoring my last-ditch effort at a little romance and Nico joining me in the shower, courtesy of a very vivid fantasy.

  Kendra and Kristi let out cheers and catcalls, attracting the attention of a group of businessmen gathered by the bar.

  “Then I found a jewelry receipt in Will’s suit coat.”

  Alexia straightened. “Really? That’s so romantic.”

  I continued my story—telling them how Will had teased me by pretending to forget about Valentine’s Day, the way he’d touched me and kissed me, and that he’d said he would always love me. “Then he took my hand and led me to the bedroom. It was perfect.” I closed my eyes, enjoying the memory replaying in my mind.

  Kendra slapped her hand on the table. “It’s about fucking time.”

  Alexia eased back in her seat, her voice barely audible. “So . . . you had sex then?”

  Kristi mimicked Alexia’s sweet voice. “Well, I doubt they were cleaning the bathroom.”

  “Okay, ladies, we have three snowflakes and one cranberry.” The waiter placed our drinks on the table and looked at Alexia with a playful smile. “Just grab me if you need anything else.”

  Kendra lifted her glass. “Here’s to Will finally getting his head out of his ass.”

  “Kendra!” My emotional high allowed me to laugh even though I was sure the message came from her heart.

  Kristi nudged Kendra’s shoulder. “Aw, don’t be mean. Danni can’t help she has better taste in men in her fantasies than she does in real life.”

  Kendra gave a wicked laugh. “How about to really hot fantasies coming true?” She smiled, fanning herself.

  I attempted to glare at her but couldn’t keep eye contact without laughing. “Nope. Finally winning my husband back, and he’s all I need.”

  “Fine. Party pooper. To Danni’s success.”

  This time we all raised our glasses.

  “Excuse me.” Alexia stopped our waiter and pushed her glass into his hand. “Take this back to the bartender and tell him if I wanted a glass of ice, I’d have ordered one. What I asked for was cranberry juice with a splash of orange, easy on the ice. That means only a little bit.” Her snarky complaint easily rose above the noise in the bar.

  He apologized and turned to leave, but she put her hand on his arm. “Be sure to tell him I’ll be watching. And if he even thinks about spitting in my drink, he’ll find himself out of a job. Like that.” She snapped her fingers then leaned forward, finishing with an ominous tone in her voice. “And I know people who can make it happen.”

  The sinister way she bit out the words sent an icy chill down my spine, and the message wasn’t even directed at me. I glanced at Kristi and Kendra, who had the same stunned expression I imagined I wore.

  Alexia’s gaze swept over each of us. She pulled a hand to her chest, gasping with laughter. “Did you see his face? Oh, my. I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to do that.”

  “And?” Kendra asked, sounding confused as she drew out the word.

  “I felt like such a badass.” She covered her mouth and giggled.

  Kristi’s eyes grew wide. “Wow. I didn’t think it was possible, but you have even less self-control about blurting out inappropriate stuff than Kendra does.”

  I looked at Kendra, silently pleading for her to save the conversation.

  “Speaking of asses”—Kendra smiled at me—“is Will taking you out for Valentine’s Day?”

  I glared then told her about our plans to have dinner at Giardano’s, without mentioning my concern that I’d spend the whole time thinking about my lunch date with Nico.

  “You’re not going to Elevations?” Kristi pouted. “Ben told me Nico invited you.”

  “He invited me and Will. And it was to apologize for ruining my last night out, so don’t jump —”

  “Semantics.” Kristi wagged a finger at me. “You know it’s because he wants to spend time with you.”

  I didn’t want to consider whether that could have been his motive. “I’m sure you’re wrong, but I’m glad you and Ben will have a nice romantic night.”

  Our second round of drinks arrived, and our conversation shifted to safer subjects—which meant anything that didn’t include my love life. After a lot of laughs and some harmless flirting with a group of lawyers who offered to buy us drinks, it was time to head home.

  Alexia slipped off to use the ladies’ room while I settled our tab and apologized to the waiter for her scene earlier.

  Kristi scooted her chair closer to mine as soon as he walked away. “I cannot believe you brought that bitch here. I mean, what were you thinking?”

  “What are you talking about? She’s alwa
ys been sweet to me.” Sure, she acted a bit odd at times, but that didn’t make her a bad person.

  “Even Jolly Jodie in Accounting, who absolutely adores everyone, doesn’t like Alexia.”

  “She’s still new, trying to fit in. Give her a little break.”

  Kristi shrugged. “Well, I’m just telling you I wouldn’t be too quick to trust her.”

  “So,” Kendra interrupted, “here’s the plan. Since you ladies both have big plans for a hot Valentine’s roll-in-the-sack, and I just always like to be at my best, I say we plan a little spa day tomorrow. Whole nine yards—facial, mani, pedi, and waxing.” She gave a suggestive bounce of her eyebrows. “Gotta clear the runway, ya know. And then we can do a little shopping at Sasha’s Closet. They got in a whole new line of lingerie last week, and some of it’s pretty hot.”

  “As long as we don’t include our new psychotic BFF, I’m in.” Kristi looked at me with a questioning glare.

  “Jeeze, I was only trying to be nice,” I grumbled under my breath.

  I liked the idea of doing something special to surprise Will. Last night proved things were back on track, with both of us working to save our marriage.

  “Well?” Kendra drew out the word.

  “Yes. Definitely in,” I said.

  Kendra’s jaw dropped, and Kristi’s hands flew to her chest, both over-dramatizing their disbelief.

  “That’s it?” Kristi laughed. “No multiple rounds of persuading or bribing, and no need for Kendra to threaten you? Wow. Never thought I’d see the day.”

  Alexia rejoined our group and slumped in her chair. “Well, that sucks. My boyfriend called earlier and left a message to cancel our dinner plans.”

  Having been turned down and tossed aside by Will more than enough times lately, I knew how she felt. “I’m stopping for Chinese takeout on my way home. It’s not a gourmet dinner, but you’re welcome to join me if you’d like. My husband’s working late again tonight, so I’m on my own.”