Daniel glanced heavenward and took in the black sky and the mosaic of stars glistening overhead. Perfect for what he had planned. He finished fitting the apple tree with lights as he worked to recreate the ambiance from years ago, ever determined to make things right for Anna.
“Daniel—”
He spun around and his heart missed a beat when he saw Anna standing there. God, he’d never met anyone who exuded sweet and sexy at the same time the way she did. A surprised look came over her flushed face as expressive eyes perused the surroundings. She completely took his breath away. Even dressed in loose-fitting pants and running shoes, she had such an innocent sensuality about her. It got to him in ways he couldn’t even imagine.
He reached inside his van and flicked on the music from their teenage years. As he held his hand out to her, he felt a rush of love. “Can I have this dance?” he asked, as overwhelming emotions made him shaky. His entire body trembled.
Silence stretched for a long time, then she murmured absently, “My sweet-sixteen party.”
He stepped closer, craving the feel of her next to him. “The way it was meant to be.”
She gave a rough laugh and he felt a shift in her, a change. “What’s the point of this, Daniel?” she asked soberly. “You’ve already gotten into my pants.” There was a hardness in her tone he’d never heard her use before.
He stepped back. Stunned by her words. “I thought you understood—”
She tilted her head and her voice sounded tight. “What I understand is that I’m nothing but a conquest to you. I heard you and Justin earlier.”
His stomach knotted. “I’m so sorry. What did you hear?”
“I heard him asking you if you nailed me. Well you did, so congratulations.”
He let loose a frustrated growl. “That’s it. That’s all you heard?”
“That was enough.”
“If you’d have stuck around you’d have heard me defend you, and nail him.” He rubbed his sore knuckles. “Just like I did over a decade ago. But you didn’t stick around long enough to hear it then either.”
Anna’s eyes widened in utter surprise, and her lashes fluttered. “You punched Justin?”
He rocked awkwardly. “Juvenile, I know, but no one talks about you like that and gets away with it, Anna.”
She gave a confused shake of her head. “But I heard you laugh.”
He frowned. “Laugh? I hardly think I was laughing.”
“Well I heard you make some strange sound. It came from deep in your throat.”
“That wasn’t a laugh, Anna. That was me trying to keep my temper in check. Either that or I was going to toss Justin out the window.” As a soft tune crooned in the background, he stepped into her and brushed his fingers over her cheek. He stood over her for a long time, just holding her and letting her sort through the turn of events, and praying she believed him. Believed in him. As he watched her, he felt something inside her give, and when she softened in his arms, he let out a relieved breath.
“Pamina was right,” she said.
“About what?”
“You really are like an apple.”
“An apple?” As his heart overflowed with love, and his body filled with desire he drew her closer and they exchanged a long look. “How am I like an apple?”
Anna laughed. “It’s a long story.”
“And you’ll have plenty of time to tell it to me over fine wine and candlelight when we move into the old Murphy place next week.”
Her head came back with a start. “The Murphy place?”
“Well technically now it’s the ‘Long’ house, since I bought it for us.”
Happiness spread across her face and there was a glint of humor in her eyes when she said, “Pretty presumptuous.”
He offered her a crooked grin. “I like to think of it as determined.”
“Back in your room, when you talked about us taking possession of our own place…you had this planned from the start, didn’t you?”
As her warm familiar scent filled him with need, he lowered his voice and went on to explain, “Don’t you see, Anna. I left here long ago because it killed me to be so close to you and not have you. When you stopped talking to me, the world as I knew it came crashing down. I moved away, hoping to get over you.” He gave a quick shake of his head. “How I thought I could ever get over you, I’ll never know. But I’m back now, for good, and I’m determined to make you mine once and for all. I don’t just want you in my bed, Anna. I want you in my life. I need you to trust me, to believe in the magic between us, because we belong together.”
Blue eyes full of love stared up at him and it nearly unhinged him. “I always thought so too.”
As a riot of emotions raced through him, everything inside him reached out to her, and it was all he could do to draw in air. It took effort to speak. He swallowed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Her lips twitched, and she moved restlessly against him, conveying her needs. “You have that look on your face again, one I couldn’t quite put a name to until now.”
“What is it?” he questioned in a soft tone, gripping her hips to pull her against him, harder.
“It’s love.” Her smile was full of emotion as she flashed dark lashes at him. “It’s love, Daniel. And that can’t be faked.”
He pitched his voice low. “I’ve always loved you, Anna.”
“And I’ve always loved you.”
As his body ached to join with hers, Daniel circled her waist and began to walk backwards, toward the empty van.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice a bit giddy.
“About all this time we lost…”
She feigned innocence. “What about it?”
He gestured with a nod over his shoulder. “Do you think…?”
“You want me to have sex in your van?” She whacked him on the shoulder. “What kind of girl do you
