Chapter 9: Chapter 9

DANIEL

“Daniel, you made it.” Josh extended a hand to his best friend.

All the other men at the charity fundraiser wore simple black tuxedos, but wanting to act like he owned the place, Daniel opted for a custom-made, black suede suit and black shirt. He ditched the tie, and a few buttons on his shirt were loosened enough to give a peek of his muscular chest. He also wore black Christian Louboutin loafers and a Richard Mille watch that his father had gifted to him.

Any woman would say he looked dangerous and delicious.

“Dani, you look handsome as always,” Josh’s wife, Patricia, said.

Josh rolled his eyes.

Daniel chuckled. “Don’t be jealous, Josh. She’s married, not blind.” He bent to kiss Patricia on the cheek. “You look beautiful and elegant, Patti. I think I’m single because there’s only one you; no one else has your grace and charm.”

Josh rolled his eyes again.

“You’re such a flirt, Dani, but the only sweet words I want to hear are from my husband. I hope you’ll find a wife soon, though.”

Josh grinned. “This fool will never settle down. He said he’s dating someone new—someone different—but I doubt it since he came alone. He wasn’t dating anyone ‘different’ when I saw him a week ago.”

Daniel put on his best poker face. ~I can’t wait to see the look on your face when this chick walks in. She’s plainer than a dish rag.~

“As a matter of fact, she’s on her way,” Daniel said, disinterestedly. “Johnson’s picking her up for me.”

“You couldn’t even pick her up yourself? It wouldn’t kill you to at least pretend to be a gentleman.”

Daniel rubbed his ears aggressively. “What? I can’t hear you.”

Josh rolled his eyes again. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s leave before his bullshit rubs off on either of us.”

Daniel watched as Josh steered his wife toward other guests. His hand stayed at the small of Patricia’s back. Though Daniel could not remember ever staying by a woman’s side at an event—much less hold her as if it was physically difficult to let go—he knew his best friend was obsessed with his lovely wife.

Just the thought of being that clingy made Daniel nauseous.

Attractive waitresses served full glasses of champagne in black-and-white uniforms. Accepting one and placing it at an empty table, Daniel wondered, ~Should I get one for her?~

He immediately dispelled the thought. He had never served any woman besides his mother in his life, and he refused to ever do so. His thoughts were clearly just finding new ways to annoy him.

Daniel distracted himself by scanning the room. He recognized almost everyone there and could tell by the designer gowns that all the wives and long-term girlfriends had made an effort tonight. He spent many years attending fashion shows, so he knew firsthand what gowns were plucked from the runway and what kind of price tags they came with.

The mansion Josh rented to host his fundraiser and other functions was owned by a well-known actor and producer whose only stipulation was that Josh cleaned up afterward. The decorations were a bit girly, but Daniel knew that was because Patricia had a hand in them.

There were round glass tables with cylinder centerpieces filled with water, small candles, and delicate, white rose petals. The dance floor was scattered with red rose petals, and sparkly twinkle lights lined the room’s floor-to-ceiling drapes.

~It looks like Valentine threw up in here.~

Daniel felt his cell vibrating. Usually, he would ignore it, but this time, he pulled it out to check.

Johnson

We’re almost there. Do you want to escort her in? I would be happy to escort her myself if you prefer.

Daniel frowned at the odd message from his driver. Since when did Johnson offer to escort anyone?

~She probably looks so awful that he feels bad for the girl.~

As painless as it should’ve been, the sudden thought of Johnson escorting the girl made Daniel inexplicably uncomfortable.

Daniel

No, she can walk in on her own. Just park and wait for my alert when it’s time to go.

Daniel pressed send and shoved his cell back into his pocket. He finished off the champagne in his flute as he waited for their arrival.

The music spilling in from the speakers must have been Patricia’s choice as well. The soft tunes and melodies reminded Daniel of his mother, who had a beautiful voice. She’d sing and twirl him around the house on her toes when he was a child, and the memory was so fresh that it nearly brought tears to his icy eyes.

Daniel shook the feeling off as soon as it came. He waved for a waitress to serve him another glass of champagne and downed it immediately.

Suddenly, Daniel felt eyes on him. He turned his head to look and saw a woman dressed in a long, black gown. Her sapphire eyes were glued to him.

He’d never seen her before, but she was stunning. Twenty-five, maybe twenty-six, with light-brown hair, sapphire-blue eyes, and a tall, athletic body. He could see her nipples pushing against the satin fabric of her dress.

He also saw the ring on her finger. ~Anyone could see it from a mile away.~

Daniel wasn’t surprised that the woman was staring at him, but he was surprised that she stared while in the presence of her husband. The elderly man next to her had his back turned as he chatted with his friends.

The woman gracefully stepped toward Daniel’s table. ~This chick is bold,~ he thought as he waited to see what she would do.

“Is this seat taken?” she asked, wearing a flirty smile.

Daniel did not reply, unsure how to address her brazen behavior. He had never broken any of his rules, and ~Never date a married woman~ was way up there on his list.

Besides, he did not feel attracted to her. It was odd; she was definitely his type, and yet he wasn’t interested.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t felt attracted to any of the women he came across since this morning. Not even the assistant who made her horniness known while they were driving to pick up his suit a few hours ago. He had brushed her off like a tick.

~Strange.~

The woman slid onto a chair at Daniel’s table, showing perfect, white teeth as she smiled. He could not bring himself to smile back; all he felt was annoyance. He told himself it was because she was married.

“I recognized you from Fashion Week,” the woman said. “You sat in front row across from me, but I was too shy to say anything.”

Daniel ignored her, staring at the stage where Josh had stepped up to make his opening speech. He did not care to hear it but pretended he gave a shit just to avoid the woman yapping in his ear.

Daniel had been to a hundred fundraisers, so he already knew the drill. The speaker would try to come across as genuinely concerned about whatever cause they were supporting, and at the end of the speech, they’d ask the attendees to donate money. But Daniel knew Josh was one of the most trustworthy people you’d ever meet, so he’d already written a check.

While collectors passed by and Daniel pulled the check out of his custom jacket, he realized what’s-her-name was still talking. He watched other attendees hand over their donations, and then the atmosphere in the ballroom suddenly changed. It became so quiet that he could practically hear the cogs in his own brain turning.

The ~clink~ of a heel on the marble tile drew Daniel’s attention. How he was able to hear that heel through Josh’s speech was beyond his comprehension, but then he noticed that even his best friend was no longer talking. The microphone hung loosely in his hand.

Everyone else in the room was looking toward the door, so naturally, Daniel glanced in that direction. At first, all he saw was red. Red fabric so beautiful it had to be a one-of-a-kind piece or a straight-from-the-runway kind of gown.

The leg of the woman wearing it was so smooth and pale it was like porcelain. No, it was like a painting. A perfect painting that happened to move.

As Daniel looked upward, her waist caught his eye. Mouthwatering breasts almost spilled over the top of the luxurious gown, and her soft neck dazzled in Swarovski. Her jawline was so delicate he feared she would break if she moved it even an inch.

Daniel took in the size of the lips, painted in vixen red. The fullness of them made his member shiver with awareness.

Her eyes reminded him of winter when he was a boy, back when his mother was still alive. When she still looked healthy, happy. When he still believed in happy endings.

Daniel’s chest grew tight as he watched the woman move toward him. He felt he knew her but couldn’t place where he knew her from.

The chatterbox beside him muttered, “So desperate for attention that she wore a red gown to a black-and-white affair.”

Daniel didn’t say anything. Recognizing the hands that had just served him this morning, the hands that touched his phone to type her number in, he finally realized who the mystery woman was. When she got closer, he knew for sure that it was her. Shocked didn’t even begin to describe his current state.

“You’re in my seat,” Lexi told the brunette perched next to him.

Clumsily, the woman stood and walked back to her table.

Daniel sat in awe. ~Could I be daydreaming? About her of all people?~

He was certain this moment could not be real.

“Close your mouth. You’re not attractive when you gawk like that.”

Daniel blinked. ~She’s here? In real life?~

He had to hold his hands in his lap to prevent himself from touching her.

The room being dead quiet certainly didn’t help Daniel’s racing heart return to normal. He was certain all the men in the room, both married and single, had their necks turned in Lexi’s direction. He couldn’t sum up the reason for his present discomfort; all he knew was that he suddenly wanted to use a butter knife to carve all their eyes out.

The thought frightened him. Yet it didn’t go away.

After a minute or more, Josh resumed his speech. The eyes in the room reluctantly turned back toward the stage, and a waitress came over to their table to serve Lexi a glass of champagne.

Daniel had to look away because she licked her lips right after taking a sip. The innocence of it, along with the hint of seduction, floored him.

He sat in quiet confusion, unclear on too many things at once.

~Where did she get the money for this outfit?~

~Why the hell is my heart beating so fast?~

~Am I attracted to her?~

He had no answers for his own questions. He had no words at all.

By the end of Josh’s speech, Daniel was burning mad. He was so angry that his knuckles turned white. Yet he did not know who he was angry at or why.

Several men came to their table to introduce themselves to Daniel’s “date.” The men practically eye-fucked her right in front of him, and his rage grew thicker.

Daniel’s ability to control his temper had never been subjected to this type of test. He felt he would burst at any moment, and a part of him didn’t care one bit if someone accused him of being ~jealous~. The ridiculousness of it made him even more upset.

Daniel lost count of the men who came over, all wearing the same stupid fucking grin as they introduced themselves. And he wanted to choke the life from Lexi when she smiled at every single one of them.

He couldn’t understand why he even cared. He didn’t care. Did he?

~Of course not~.

Daniel thought about Camille. He knew about her hooking up with other men, and it never bothered him. He even met one of the guys at a party last year and chatted with the man as if it was nothing.

So, why was he so on edge now? Unable to even bear witness to simple introductions, exchanges of words and smiles that should have zero effect on his mood. He couldn’t understand it.

When yet another man walked over, Daniel wasn’t prepared for the words that left him. “Fuck off!” he shouted angrily.

The man halted in his tracks, and Lexi’s beautiful eyes widened. She was surely wondering what his problem was.

The next two minutes were awkward. While the rest of the room exploded in unintelligible chatter, Daniel and Lexi sat in silence. He stared at her the entire time, hating himself for it, and she did not turn to look at him once.

Eventually, Daniel asked, “Would you like something to eat?” He waved a nearby waitress over.

Lexi looked at him but did not reply. Her eyes were inscrutable, and then she turned away again. Receiving no instruction, the waitress left.

“I can get it myself,” Lexi said after some time.

Daniel wondered why she was being so cold. This was not the woman he had met this morning. In a blink, she had turned from a plain and feeble-looking woman, a scared little mouse who had served him toasted bagels and a smoothie, to ~this~. An elegant vixen.

~How could someone change so much in such a short time?~ He hated her for it.

After another minute, Lexi rose gracefully and walked toward the buffet table. Daniel tried not to watch her, but he couldn’t help it. He stared like a dog following its master.

Even the servers were clearly smitten by her. Both men and women seemed to eat up everything she dished out, even if it was just a wave or a smile.

Daniel hated it. All of it. He felt the sudden need to drag her by the hand out of the ballroom and shove her into his waiting car.

Josh and Patricia strolled over, and Daniel stood up to greet them.

“Wow, Daniel, you weren’t lying after all,” his best friend said. “Who is that magnificent creature, and why is she with you?”

Josh wasn’t even trying to be subtle. Even Patricia looked as if she agreed with him.

Daniel knew it wasn’t just makeup and a dress. There was something else there, something he was blind to when they met before. He mentally kicked himself for his previous rudeness, though he would not dare to admit any fault out loud.

When Lexi walked back to their table, she smiled first at Patricia, then at Josh. “Hello. My name is Lexi. I’m sorry I wore red. Daniel invited me this morning, and I didn’t have much time to shop for anything else.”

Lexi looked so poised as she glided over their awkward meeting that morning.

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” Patricia said. “I’m Patricia, and this is my husband, Josh. He is your date’s best friend. They’ve been friends for a long time.”

“I hope your husband has a better personality than this one.”

Lexi’s words shocked Daniel, and she giggled. Patricia and Josh couldn’t hold back their laughter.

“I like her,” Patricia said.

“Me too,” Josh agreed.

Daniel seethed, hating himself for not being able to hide how he felt. He searched for words to redeem himself.

Lexi was here for a purpose…a purpose he had completely forgotten about. She had stayed in character while he was crumbling like wreckage from an avalanche.

“Forgive my manners,” Daniel said, sounding nothing like himself. He looked into Lexi’s eyes and said, “Guys, this is my girlfriend.”

Daniel saw the look in her eyes he was hoping for. ~So, you’re not as unaffected as you seem.~ He grinned with pleasure from the small victory of knocking her off her game.

Pressing things even further, he laced their fingers tightly. He knew very well that she would shiver when he did.

Lexi looked at Daniel with fire in her eyes. He knew she wanted to pull away, but she wouldn’t dare embarrass him or fail whatever mission she came to complete. So, she countered with a smile instead, a smile he would’ve sworn was genuine if he didn’t know better.

Daniel told himself in that moment that he was wrong about this one. He thought she was an innocent lamb, but she was apparently a professional seductress. She had used her elegance to distract him from his own mission.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Josh said with a friendly smile. “Daniel told me a bit about you, and at first I didn’t believe it, but I must say you’ve exceeded my expectations.”

Daniel fought hard not to scold him. Even a smile from his best friend in her direction seemed to annoy him. ~What the fuck is wrong with me?~

Daniel was still trying to calm himself when Lexi spoke. “I’ve heard a lot about you too. Daniel says you’re different from him, so I hope you’ll teach him how to be more like you. I’m afraid I won’t be able to tolerate him for too long if he doesn’t change.”

Daniel hated himself even more now. Not because she pointed out his shortcomings, but because he almost said, ~”I’m sorry.”~

This wasn’t the shy girl he met this morning at the café. This girl was sexy and daring. He hated but also loved every minute with her.

Patricia said, “You’re so different from his usual…dates. You are truly a lady.” She nodded at Daniel. “I’m so proud of you, D. I didn’t think you had it in you. She’s a keeper.”

Patricia gestured to Lexi’s plate. “I hope you enjoy the food, and maybe you guys could take a stroll through the garden afterward. It’s beautiful at night.”

Lexi nodded. “Thank you. I’m sure I’ll love the food, as well as getting to know this exasperating man a little more. A garden stroll sounds lovely.”

Daniel couldn’t tell whether her statement was pretense or not.

“We should go mingle, honey,” Patricia said to her husband.

Josh smiled. “I hope to see more of you, Lexi. Don’t give up on Daniel. He’s a tough nut to crack, but deep down, he is a good person. I’m sure he’ll show you that side of him if you hang in there long enough.” He then led his wife toward another group of people.

When their backs were turned, Lexi pulled her hand from Daniel’s grip. She sank into her chair like a floating swan, and he rolled his eyes at her perfect performance. He wanted to scold her for doing such a good job but stopped himself. He knew it wouldn’t have made sense if he said his thoughts out loud.

Almost every bachelor in sight still had their eyes on his date. Daniel wanted to scold them as well but soon came to the conclusion that his effort would be futile. He couldn’t stop them from admiring her.

~I’m the asshole who didn’t see her true nature this morning.~ He couldn’t shake that monumental mistake even if he tried harder.

“Aren’t you going to eat any of this food?” Lexi asked. “I didn’t bring this full plate for just me.”

“I’m allergic to shrimp. So, I can’t eat anything else on the plate because you put shrimp on it.”

Daniel didn’t know why he felt the need to share a personal piece of his life with her, even something so small. None of the women he fucked knew of this allergy. ~Except for Camille.~ But she only learned it because she was around when he first had an allergic reaction as a child.

“Maybe I should’ve put some in your shake this morning then.”

Surprised, Daniel laughed. He picked up some rose petals from the table and playfully threw them at her.

Lexi’s giggle was so sweet he was sure he would have dreams about it. Endless dreams. He feared he would never have a peaceful night of sleep ever again.

To distract himself, Daniel decided to talk. “So, who are you?” he asked.

It was a rare decision, since Daniel always told women to shut up before and after sex. There was never any reason for talking, and yet he was initiating conversation with Lexi.

Daniel was annoyed with himself for being nice to her. He was eager to get back to his place of comfort. ~His safe zone.~ But perhaps talking would help with the uneasy feeling in his chest.

So, as much as he wanted to scold himself, Daniel gave up on trying to maintain his calculated distance. It was one silly night. A night he was sure wouldn’t result in any further confusion.

Before Lexi could reply, he continued, “And don’t lie because I know a simple, minimum-wage bartender could never afford a dress like this or a necklace like that.”

The gloves were off. Enough was enough. Daniel was determined to get to the bottom of where he went wrong.

“My best friend loaned them to me. She’s into all this stuff. Fashion, money, the works.”

Daniel noticed that Lexi still hadn’t touched the food on her plate. Now, she waved to a waitress to collect it.

He was shocked. She had no reason to take his allergy into account. He suddenly felt like a douche.

When the waitress left with the plate, Daniel said, “I’ll be right back.” He rose from their table and walked toward the buffet area. He picked up an entree plate and joined the queue.

When he got to the front, Daniel scanned the selections. There was so much to choose from, but he eventually decorated the plate with chocolate-covered strawberries, rice balls, diced chicken breasts, and arugula salad. He then walked back to their table, ignoring the voice in his head that reminded him he was being ~strange~.

When Daniel sat back down, he placed the plate in front of Lexi. “Now I can eat with you.”

He was in no way prepared for the smile she gave him.

In just an hour, she had destroyed the walls he’d so carefully built over the years. ~What could she accomplish in a month?~ he wondered with hidden despair.

Despite his instincts screaming to stay away, Daniel picked up his fork and began eating. “So, when’s the last time you were on a date?” He didn’t know why he wanted to know, but he held his breath as he waited for the answer.

“This is my first time.”

Daniel couldn’t hide his relief from himself.

They ate and sipped champagne, and Daniel heard himself ask more questions. Questions he’d never cared to ask anyone. The conversation flowed so naturally with Lexi that he gave up trying to seem detached.

“Do you have siblings?” Daniel asked when he had finished his half of the food.

“No. Not that I know of.”

He noticed that even after eating and drinking, her lipstick hadn’t smudged at all. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever studied a woman this attentively.

“What about you? Any siblings?” she asked.

“No. Not that I know of,” he said with a smile.

Lexi was quiet for a while. He followed her eyes and noticed what was distracting her.

She stared at the couples on the dance floor with a longing in her eyes that he found cute, even attractive.

“Let’s go,” Daniel said without thinking.

It was evident that Lexi was shocked because she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. “Go where?” she asked.

“Dance with me,” he said with an outstretched hand.

She looked conflicted. “I can’t dance.”

“I’ll teach you.”

Daniel had long given up on his subconscious warnings. He was going with the flow of the night, accepting whatever consequences that he would have to face later.

Daniel knew that Lexi was hesitant, but he did not give her a chance to refuse him twice. He pushed to his feet and pulled her up with him, holding her hand so tightly that she had no choice but to follow him. If only to ease the pain of his death grip.

When they reached the dance floor, Lexi said, “Daniel, please, this is embarrassing. I can’t dance. I wasn’t joking earlier.”

He smiled widely. “That’s the first time you said my name to me.” He didn’t plan to say it out loud, but it was too late now.

A slow song started through the speakers—one he knew well because he had heard it in his childhood home a million times. For once, the sad memories of that time stayed away. He wasn’t sure why, but he went along with it.

“I meant it when I said I’ll teach you. I’m a good dancer.”

At this point, Daniel didn’t even recognize himself. He shrugged off another self-warning, then placed both of her hands around his neck. He placed his own hands comfortably on her small waist, and looking into her pools of blue, they rocked slowly from side to side.

“You said you were terrible at this,” Daniel teased, and Lexi blushed.

~Yes, finally, she showed some emotion.~ He couldn’t believe the level of pride he felt in that moment. ~I was beginning to think I had no effect on you at all.~

Daniel couldn’t stop his smile, so he gave up trying to. He waited for the tense feeling he usually got when a woman tried to hold his hand or get close to him in a public place. He couldn’t recall ever being like this with someone; more than two feet of space was the rule, and he would lecture anyone who crossed that boundary.

A few photographers snapped pictures of them, but instead of pushing Lexi away, Daniel tightened his hold on her. He heard spectators’ subtle whispers but ignored them, imagining the headline he would surely read in the paper tomorrow: “The bad boy of Miami finally softened.”

He should have released her, but he didn’t.

“So, you only dance to club music then?” Daniel asked, hoping to distract himself.

Lexi gazed up at him with those beautiful fucking eyes. The eggplant between his legs wanted her, and something foreign in his chest seemed to agree with it. In that moment, he wanted to swoop down and kiss her, and it took everything in him not to.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

For the life of him, Daniel could not recall his own question. ~What did I ask her?~ He couldn’t even remember what the topic was or if the question was significant or not.

“You asked me if I only danced to club music,” Lexi reminded him, “and I asked you why you asked me that.”

“Oh,” is all Daniel said in return. He wouldn’t dare disclose to her that he had no idea why he had asked her that, so again, he changed the subject. “What do you do on a normal week? Besides working at Maker’s.”

“I go to school for most of the week. I also volunteer at my friend’s private gynecology clinic. I usually run on Sunday mornings, but I didn’t this morning.”

They talked about the specifics next: the name of her school, what she was studying, her long-term goals. She also told him that she lived with her best friend.

When the song ended, neither of them noticed. As music started up again, Daniel gazed into Lexi’s eyes as if searching for something. A few more seconds in the trance, and everyone would notice…

Lexi took a step back. “Um, the dance is over…” she whispered.

Daniel hated the emptiness he suddenly felt when she was no longer in his embrace.

~I really need to fuck this girl,” he thought. “Maybe that’s my problem. I need to fuck her until I feel absolutely nothing. I need to fuck her until I couldn’t care less what she does or who she’s with. Fuck her until she’s just like the others: a distant memory and nothing more.~

He decided he wouldn’t be Daniel Jackson if he avoided the attraction much longer.

Even though Daniel was supposed to stick to the rules, he couldn’t. This girl had made a mockery of him—fucked up his entire being for a night—and he would not stand for it.

His anger returned with a vengeance as he thought of his actions during the event. They played out like a list of crimes in his head.

~I served her food and ate with her. I was jealous, I was fucking nice, I danced with her, and I liked it. I told her about my shrimp allergy, talked a bit about my family, asked about hers, asked about her weekly routine. I kept starting conversations. I watched only her and avoided other women. I held her hand and pulled her with me. I felt comfortable. Fuck!~

After his mental rant, the anger did not dissipate. In fact, Daniel was even more determined to fuck this girl and send her off to the ruins where he had tossed all the others.

For the next thirty minutes, he told himself these thoughts were normal. His version of normal, anyway. The real him was still in there, and he reminded himself over and over: ~I would rather die than care for anyone again.~