His head fell back as he laughed. “I’d have given anything to see his face. He treats those cigars like they hold the meaning of life. You know he’s never once let me have one?”

“Really?” She pulled him to a stop underneath a shady tree. “Well, he’s not home right now and I know where he keeps them.”

“Story…” He’d become distracted by the string of her bathing suit once more, worrying the red material between his fingers. “This is a red bikini, isn’t it? It’s the only thing you’re wearing underneath those clothes.”

“Uh-huh.” She ran her hands up the front of his shirt. “I’m not meeting Hayden for another hour. Let’s go home. I’ll let you take it off me.”

Looking utterly conflicted, he raked his bottom lip through his teeth. “Baby, please don’t do this to me.”

“We want each other, Daniel.” Her mouth hovered over his, lips brushing gently. “Why are you being stubborn?”

“You know why.” He gave in to the moment, growling as he took her mouth in a quick, searing kiss. “Being with you in that way is… Sunshine, it’s incredible. But it’s not everything. I need more with you.”

She ran her fingers through his hair and urged him down to meet her for another hot kiss. Lips, tongues, and teeth mated frantically, licking and tugging until Daniel broke away with a groan. “Ah, God. Look at you.” His eyes pinched shut. “I have to go.”

“Why? This is crazy.”

As he backed away, the look on his face said I can’t believe I’m doing this. Story was pretty sure her own expression mimicked his. For the second time, she watched him walk away from her, looking seriously turned on and sexy as hell. Maybe even more so for denying her. She didn’t want to admit it, but his plan was starting to have the desired effect. Every time they were together, she wanted to give in just a bit more. She saw a little more of him each time, the part that no one else could see but her.

He was proving to her that he was capable of being more than a woman’s plaything. And in turn, Story realized, he was proving it to himself.

Chapter Sixteen

Story stood inside the vast wonderland of color and texture, also known as Hayden’s closet, unable to properly appreciate the plethora of designer labels. Absently, she fingered the material of a gold-sequined ball gown, wondering why someone would spend that much money to be uncomfortable. She curled up on a white leather bench placed strategically along the closet’s wall, effectively ending her halfhearted hunt for a dress to borrow.

Hayden poked her head in from the bedroom, wearing underwear and half a face of makeup. “Hey now, you better get busy. We’ve only got a couple hours before the party and you’re still in yoga pants. Unless you’re trying to start a new trend, I’d go with something a smidge fancier.”

Story wrinkled her nose and stood once more. “Don’t you own a single article of clothing made out of cotton? It’s ‘the fabric of our lives,’ you know.”

“Oh, now. You’re just cranky because Daniel hasn’t come groveling at your feet like you thought he would. How long has it been now?”

“Five days,” she replied, throwing a silk scarf at Hayden for bringing up the sore subject. “Five long, nookie-free days and nights, my friend.”

“Oh, the humanity!”

Story fought a smile. “Hey, now, if I recall correctly, I left you outside Quincy’s last week with two seriously sexy, seriously single cops.”

“Correction. One seriously sexy, seriously single cop—nice alliteration, by the way—and one muscle-bound, potty-mouthed dickhead named Brent.”

“Noted. I shall endeavor to do better next time.” Hayden sniffed and plucked a dress off the rack, leaving Story once again to thoughts of Daniel. She’d filled her time by exploring the immense borough of Manhattan and going to visit Jack, letting him teach her the “art” of chess and catching him up on parts of her life he’d missed over the last decade.

But despite the valuable inroads she’d made with her father, nothing could stop Daniel from occupying her thoughts. So when Hayden had called her this afternoon to invite her to a cocktail party being thrown by her parents, she’d jumped at the promise of being distracted. To engage in mindless conversation and think about something, anything, besides him.

Dammit, she really thought he’d have caved by now. But she hadn’t heard a peep from him since the day in the park when he’d left her panting after him on the sidewalk. Apparently, he was determined to stick to his plan to give her some space to think. If the last five days had taught her anything, it was that she hated space. Space and Story were incommunicado.

“So, have you actually taken the time to think about his request or have you just been moping around like a puppy with one of those giant cones on its head?”

“Moping with a giant cone, mostly. Some thinking.”

“And?”

“And, it’s crazy! I dated Fisher for three years and now? I feel like I barely knew him. I’ve known Daniel all of a week.” She blew out a breath. “Maybe an extra month isn’t that huge a deal in the grand scheme of things, but it feels…big. Soon and big.”

Hayden shrugged. “Felicity moved to New York for a guy who barely spoke to her during high school.”

“Oh my God. Loved that show.”

“Me, too,” she sighed. “It all went downhill when she got that ill-fated haircut.”

Story held up a hand. “But seriously, late-nineties television dramas aside, I can’t take a chance like that. Not right now. Besides, it’s possible he’s just having a crisis of conscience because he slept with the boss’s daughter.”

“Wow. Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

Eyebrows raised, she pointed a finger at Hayden. “Whoa. What was that tone?”

Hayden snapped her teeth at Story’s finger. “That was my wise, earth-mother tone. You like?”

“No. I don’t like. Knock it off.”

“Okay, I’m only going to say one more thing and then I’ll send the earth mother back to her hippie cave.” She made a broad gesture. “I have this huge place all to myself. There’s an extra bedroom with your name on it. We were all kinds of awesome as roommates before and we could be again. If you decide to extend your stay in New York, it’s all yours.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate the offer.” Story wandered across the closet, mostly to hide the sheen of tears in her eyes, and pulled a red halter dress off a rack. “I…miss him, Hay.”

“I know,” Hayden responded quietly, not even having to question her about which man she was referring to. She so obviously missed Daniel.

She held the red dress against her body for Hayden to comment, hoping she would allow the subject to drop. If they discussed it any further, she would start crying and be forced to admit just how deep her feelings actually ran for Daniel. Every day that passed without hearing from him only served to deepen them, not alleviate the void his absence created.

Her friend didn’t disappoint. “Nah. A blonde wearing red attracts the wrong attention. I have something perfect right here.” She unzipped a garment bag and pulled out an electric-blue sheath dress. “It’s loose and unrevealing on top so you’ll be comfortable. But it’s short to make up for it. You’re going to be all legs tonight.”