“Thank you for this time with your family, Trey. It has meant a lot to me.” She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.
Danielle showered and dressed. When she returned to the bedroom, Trey was dressed and waiting for her.
“Please don’t leave, Dani.”
She stepped toward him and took his hands—mostly to stop him from embracing her—and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Goodbye, Trey.” She walked from the room without looking back.
“Danielle?” Suzie said as Danielle stepped into the living room. Her gaze locked on the suitcase in her hand.
“Honey, I’m sorry.” Suzie gazed at Danielle with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you last night. Me and my stupid questions.”
The tears now welling from Suzie’s eyes touched Danielle, and, hesitantly, she opened her arms to Trey’s sister. She could feel Trey’s gaze from the hallway.
Suzie wrapped her arms around Danielle in a tight embrace, and Danielle accepted it. And returned it.
“It’s okay. It was good for me to talk about it.”
It felt warm and comforting in Suzie’s arms. She would miss this taste of being part of a family. Of having a sister.
And a man who loved her.
Suzie glanced at the suitcase. “You’re not leaving because of me are you?”
“No, I had something come up. There’s some work I have to get done. I’m sorry I can’t stay for the rest of your visit.”
She hugged Suzie again, then left without another word.
Eighteen
Jake heard the doorbell ring as he stepped out of the shower. He scrubbed his hair with a towel, then tugged on his blue terry robe and tied it as he strode across the living room to the entrance.
He pulled open the door. There stood Danielle.
What a great way to start the day.
“Well, good morning.” He smiled but she did not return it. He glanced behind her but couldn’t see Trey or his sisters.
“Sorry to catch you in the shower. I . . . should have called first.”
“Nonsense. Come in.”
She nodded and stepped inside. He closed the door and followed her into the living room.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“That would be lovely. Thanks.”
She sat on the couch as he headed to the kitchen. The automatic coffeemaker had brewed two cups. He filled two mugs and added cream and sugar to the glass mug Danielle liked so much and just sugar to his. He set up the coffeemaker for another few cups, then carried the steaming mugs into the living room.
He handed her the glass mug and sat down beside her on the couch. She did not smile, and he could sense the tension in her.
“So you look pretty glum this morning. Want to talk about it?”
She sipped her coffee, then set the mug down on the table.
“Last night, Trey told me he loved me.”
Jake’s gut clenched. Damn it. Trey loved her? And he’d told her? Where the hell did that leave Jake?
One glance at Danielle’s unhappy face put things into perspective.
“I take it you don’t love him?”
Her fists clenched in her lap and her face turned away from him. Her body trembled. Was she hiding tears?
“Danielle? Do you love him?”
“I . . . yes . . .” She shook her head. “I mean . . . no.”
His stomach clenched. “You don’t sound too sure.”
She turned to face him and tears welled in her eyes. “I feel like I love him but . . .” She grabbed a tissue from the box on the side table and wiped away her tears. “I . . . know it isn’t real. These past days spending time with him and his sisters . . . feeling like I belong to a family . . . it’s a very seductive feeling.”
He nodded. “I can see how you might mistake those feelings for love. Did you tell Trey this?”
“Of course, but he thinks I’m just having trouble accepting love . . . because of my background. I told him . . .” She sucked in a quivering breath. “I told him that no matter what, he couldn’t love me, because . . . he needs to learn to love himself.”
“You told him that?”
She nodded. “If he can’t face that he loves you . . . or that he did love you . . . If he can’t face the possibility of loving a man . . . then how can he know if he loves me . . . or any woman?”
He slid his arms around her and drew her close to his chest. Her damp face rested against his robe and he stroked her hair.
“You’ve got it all figured out.” He sighed. “Now what would you say if I told you”—he tucked his finger under her chin and lifted her face until their gazes caught—“that I love you?”
Danielle stared up at him, shock tumbling through her. She had intended to go back home to Phoenicia, but once she’d started driving, she’d felt so empty inside. So alone. She’d thought going to see Jake would help. But now . . .
“Jake, you shouldn’t joke—”
He captured her lips. Fervently. The underlying passion swelled through her, blazing through her blood like wildfire.
“My God, Dani. I love you. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long.”
Her eyes widened. “But . . . I thought you loved Trey. That’s why we started this whole thing.”
“No, that’s why you started it,” he reminded her. “I went along with it because . . . you seemed to want it to happen so much.”
Jake didn’t care about getting together with Trey? But she knew they cared about each other. She could feel it.
He tightened his arms around her. “Anyway, I just told you I love you. Let’s not talk about Trey.”
He captured her lips and she melted against his hard masculine body. His arms around her made her feel protected and . . . loved.
Jake loved her?
Overwhelming emotions welled up inside her. Warm, powerful feelings. Loving feelings.
Was she in love with Jake?
