Lisanne was surprised – she’d never heard him speak about his parents before.
“What was she like?” she said, shyly.
Daniel smiled, although his eyes were distant. “Her name was Rebecca and dad was Adam. Mom was the best. Shit at sign language – always confusing ‘yellow’ with ‘I love you’, which got pretty weird sometimes, but she tried really hard. She always said I could do anything I wanted to do.”
His smile faded.
“Come on, I’ll take you back to the dorms.”
“Sorry,” said Lisanne, running her hand down his jaw to cup his neck.
“‘S’okay,” he said, quietly.
They rode back to the dorm room on Sirona, with Lisanne’s arms wrapped tightly around Daniel’s waist. She was still stunned at her mother’s behavior – even to the point of not getting too bent out of shape knowing that her only daughter was riding around on a motorcycle.
Daniel kept one hand cupped loosely over hers for sections of the short journey, but when they arrived, his mood seemed to have shifted again.
As soon as Lisanne had dismounted and removed her helmet, he grabbed her waist and pulled her toward him, kissing her hungrily then biting at the base of her neck, just above her shoulder.
“Can I come in with you?” he growled against her skin. “I really want you, Lis.”
She could feel his need as he rocked his hips into her.
The pile of homework she had waiting was no competition for the raw desire in his voice.
Peeling herself off of him, they rushed through reception, and took the stairs two at a time.
It was the hardest thing in the world for Lisanne to find her key in her purse, while Daniel was pressing hot kisses to the back of her neck.
They almost fell through the door when she finally got it opened.
“Eager much!” Kirsty’s caustic voice vaguely penetrated Lisanne’s lustful haze. “I’d say get a room, but I guess you already have.”
Daniel swore softly under his breath and discreetly adjusted himself, while Lisanne tried to calm her hammering heart.
“Oh, sorry, Kirsty,” she said breathlessly. “I thought you’d be with Vin.”
“No, he has a frat thing tonight. Guess you’re stuck with me.”
Daniel pulled a face and tugged Lisanne toward him.
“I’ll take off now, Lis.”
“Where are you going?”
“Home. Text me later?”
“Can’t I come with you?”
He shook his head, and an expression that Lisanne didn’t recognize darkened his eyes.
“No, baby doll. Not tonight. We can do something tomorrow maybe?”
“I’d like that.”
Feeling flustered with Kirsty’s judgmental eyes on her, Lisanne kissed him lightly on the lips. It wasn’t enough for Daniel. Ignoring Kirsty, he kissed Lisanne deeply, then rested his forehead on hers.
“Later,” he said quietly, and slipped out of the door.
Kirsty primly ignored Lisanne’s glowing face. “He seems… enthusiastic.”
“Um…”
“How was lunch? Did your parents have fun?”
Lisanne knew Kirsty was fishing, but she didn’t care.
“You mean apart from them arriving early and finding Daniel half dressed in my room?”
Kirsty’s eyes opened wide.
“No way! Well, that explains the weirdness.”
Lisanne nodded.
“It was awful. Dad pretty much threw Daniel out and wouldn’t talk to him or anything. I spent the whole morning feeling like a slut or a criminal or something. Mom was trying to get Dad to calm down, but it was pretty intense.”
Kirsty looked appalled and sympathetic all at the same time.
“I thought things seemed kind of strained when I saw you.”
Lisanne laughed mirthlessly.
“Yeah, you could definitely say they were strained.”
“Oh crap! And then I had to go and put my great hoof in it and ask if they’d met him! I’m so sorry, Lis! I had no idea.”
Lisanne shrugged.
“Don’t worry about it – by that point I didn’t think things could get any worse. But then Daniel turned up at the restaurant where we were having lunch.”
“Oh. My. God! What happened?”
“He rescued me.”
“What?”
“Yep. Rode up on his bike and told my dad that the only person who could make him leave was me.” Lisanne’s voice dropped to a whisper. “He said that I was special and that he cared for me.”
Kirsty’s face could have been used on a poster for an Edvard Munch exhibition. She was shocked. Or stunned. Amazed. Aghast. Astounded. Bewildered. Stupefied. Maybe even stumped.
“Oh wow! Truly?”
“Yes, he was amazing.”
“Oh my God!” she repeated faintly. “That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard! That boy is totally into you.”
Lisanne smiled.
“I know.”
Chapter 12
Daniel was wound up badly after leaving Lisanne in her dorm room.
Having met her parents – twice – and having told them how much he cared about her, and really putting it all on the line, he’d wanted nothing more than to reassure himself that she was really his, in the only way he understood. But the bitchy cockblocker had been there. Again.
He badly wanted to get laid right there and then, just to be free and stop all the fucking feelings that were choking him, but he couldn’t do that to Lisanne. It was her body that he craved, her hands on his cock, her mouth against his, and no one else would do. He’d had wilder sex, he’d done it in ways and places that Lisanne couldn’t begin to imagine, innocent as she was, but none of those times, none of those women had come close to making him feel what he felt when he was inside her.
He’d almost wavered in his decision not to take Lisanne back to his place, but he knew it wouldn’t be right.
He didn’t know why – and Zef never told him anything, muttering about ‘need to know’ – but things had really amped up at home. It seemed that every night was party night lately. He didn’t want to risk Lisanne having anything to do with it. The least he could do was shelter her from that shit.
Since Daniel had had his run-in with Detective Dickwad, he’d kept a casual eye open for any sign of Zef dealing meth. He didn’t think his brother would get involved like that, but he also knew that some his brother’s suppliers weren’t the kind of people anyone said no to. Not twice. But so far, all he’d seen was normal stuff – the unholy trinity of booze, weed, and speed.
With sex off the menu, Daniel wanted to get shitfaced or stoned. Either way, he intended to spend the evening numb and trashed.
Despite the fact it was still only mid afternoon, it was party o’clock when Daniel pulled up outside his house. He didn’t recognize the three guys sitting on the porch drinking from bottles containing a colorless liquid – gin, vodka, or moonshine, for all he knew. But the way they eyed up Sirona made him wheel her around to the side of the house, and lock her away in the garage.
He had a few possessions that were important to him including some books and photographs that had belonged to his parents, but the only items that were of any value were his $2,700 Martin guitar, and Sirona. When Lisanne had asked him about the Martin, he’d slung it in his closet, unable to speak. He’d retrieved it only after she’d left, and had since packed it away carefully in a hard carry case. The beautiful rosewood instrument now resided in the attic space above his bedroom. He didn’t want to look at it, but he didn’t want to have it too far away either. How dumb was that? He knew he should sell it and take the money. But it had been a gift from his parents. He just couldn’t cut that tie. Not yet.
The living room was a scene straight out of a disaster movie. Bodies lay comatose across the sofa and floor, and the place stank of tobacco and spilt liquor.
One guy was smoking a joint, letting the ash fall onto the destroyed
carpet. Daniel lifted it straight out of the man’s limp fingers.
“Hey!” the guy protested weakly.
Daniel ignored him and headed to his room, swiping a bottle of bourbon along the way. It wasn’t Jack but it would work just as well.
He took one toke of the joint and found that the guy had made it wet. Too fucking gross. He wiped his mouth, stubbed it out, then reached into the drawer of his bedside table for his blunt wrappers.
After it was remade, he sucked in the smoke appreciatively. One thing he could say for his brother: he always got the good shit.
Daniel was just taking a slug of bourbon when he felt his phone buzz in his hip pocket. He expected it to be a text from Lisanne, but it wasn’t.
* C: Hey D! Am in Sav for weekend.
Meet tomorrow? Your diner, lunch?
Don’t say you busy or will come to find you. lol. Cori x *
Fuck. Just what he didn’t need.
He hadn’t seen Cori in a while, but he knew how single-minded she was. She knew where he lived, too, and he was damn certain she’d come to find him like she threatened if he didn’t show. At least the diner wasn’t somewhere other students went. It should be fairly safe to meet her there. Besides, he hadn’t seen her for a while – it would be good to catch up.
Then he swore softly. It would mean cancelling Lisanne. His body craved her, and the cockblocking roommate definitely hadn’t helped. He sighed. He needed Lisanne, but he owed Cori. And no way he wanted the two women to meet. He texted Corinna first.
* D: Ok. 12. *
And then Lisanne.
* D: Sorry. Have to do stuff tomorrow.
Lunch on Monday? *
* L: Ok. Miss you. Thanks for today.
You were amazing! LA xx *
Now he felt like a jerk as well. He picked up the bottle again and poured raw bourbon straight into his throat, welcoming the bite.
It was late morning when Daniel woke up. Daylight poured through the window as he squinted upwards. When he moved, his stomach pitched and rolled as if he were onboard a storm blown ship.
The bottle of bourbon glinted at him innocently, sunlight catching what was left of the amber liquid and throwing golden rainbows across the walls.
Daniel groaned as he sat up and held onto his head, feeling as if his brains would leak out at any moment. Moving hurt and his head throbbed. But the bourbon had been effective: he couldn’t remember a single thing since Lisanne’s text the previous afternoon.
He glanced at his cellphone. Goddamnit! It was already 11:30. He’d been asleep or passed out for 16 hours.
He dragged his sorry ass into the shower. The water was still cold, which made his teeth ache. He really needed to get hold of Zef and find out what the fuck was up with the hot water.
As he wheeled Sirona out of the garage, he hoped like hell he wouldn’t get stopped by the cops again – there was every chance his blood—alcohol limit wasn’t strictly legal.
He was only a few minutes late when he got to the diner – but Cori was already looking irritated, restlessly tapping a spoon against the table. She completely ignored the irked looks thrown at her by other customers.
When she saw him, she glanced impatiently at her watch. Daniel groaned internally.
She looked the same: beautiful – well, stunning – and frowning at him with exasperation. That look was familiar, as well. Her ash blonde hair was long and straight, framing a delicate face, with enormous blue eyes. Eyes that were snapping with annoyance.
C: Where the fuck have you been?
“Yeah, good to see you, too, Cori.”
C: Sign me, asshole! You know I hate lip reading.
D: Fine. How are you? You look good.
C: Better than you. You look like shit.
D: Give me a break. Heavy night.
C: No kidding. I ordered food.
D: No thanks.
C: That bad? Sucker.
Maggie strolled over with a jug of coffee. Daniel could have kissed her.
“Thanks, Maggie. Damn that smells good.”
He wrapped his hands around the steaming cup and breathed in the rich aroma.
“You going to introduce me, Danny, or did y’all forget your manners along with your razor this morning?” she said, swiping a finger across his stubbly cheek.
“Gimme a break, Maggie. This is Cori – you’ve met before.” He glanced over at Cori, who was smiling at Maggie. “She says ‘hi’.”
“Don’t give me that, Danny. She said a lot more than ‘hi’. Spill.”
Daniel groaned. Goddamn women.
“She said, ‘Hi, I met you two years ago when he was nursing a different hangover.’ Happy now?”
Maggie looked at Cori and winked. Both women laughed, and Daniel felt like laying his head on the cool surface of the table.
“I’ll get you guys your breakfasts now,” said Maggie, ignoring his mutterings of not being hungry. “By the way – what happened to the other one? I liked her.”
Daniel glanced over at Cori, who was watching him intently.
“She’s good,” said Daniel, shortly.
Amazingly, Maggie took the hint and strolled away.
C: Who was she talking about? What girl?
D: No one you know.
C: Duh! Obviously. She must be special if you brought her to your diner. Tell me.
D: A girl I met at school.
C: And?
D: That’s it.
C: What’s her name?
D: L-I-S-A-N-N-E.
C: Tell me about her.
D: No.
C: Why not?
D: Why do you want to know?
C: Why are you being so defensive?
D: I’m not.
C: Yes, you are. What’s the big mystery?
D: Fuck off.
C: Don’t be a dick, although I know that’s hard for you.
D: Give me a break.
C: Touchy much! How’s Zef?
D: Haven’t seen him for a couple of days.
C: Tell him I said hi.
D: If I see him.
“Here you go, guys. Extra grease for you, Danny,” said Maggie, lowering two breakfasts to the table.
Daniel’s stomach growled and Maggie hid a smile.
“Enjoy!”
Unsure whether the overwhelming sensation was nausea or hunger, Daniel tackled a small piece of bacon and, finding it delicious, proceeded to scarf his food.
Cori ate more slowly, throwing him puzzled looks every now and again. She tapped him on the arm.
C: What’s up with you? And don’t say ‘nothing’.
D: Just tired. Bit hungover.
C: It’s more than that.
Daniel dropped his fork to answer more fully.
D: Just… school and… things are pretty intense at home. Always people hanging around.
C: More than usual?
He nodded, and picked up his fork to carry on eating.
C: Are you worried about Zef?
D: I don’t know what he’s getting into.
C: What do you mean?
D: I got arrested and…
C: WHAT?!
D: Speeding.
C: Idiot.
D: I know.
C: The cops?
D: Made it sound like Zef was dealing M-E-T-H.
C: Is he?
D: Don’t know. He says it’s better for me not to know.
C: Crap.
Cori sighed, then gave her own breakfast some attention. After a moment she thought of another question.
C: You know why Zef deals…?
D: Don’t remind me.
C: Looks like I have to.
D: Fuck. He knows he doesn’t have to anymore. I think he likes it. Easy money.
C: Not if the cops are onto him.
D: I told him what the dickhead cop said.
C: And?
D: He told me it was none of my business and what I didn’t hear wouldn’t hurt me.
C: Funny guy.
<
br /> D: Laughed my ass off.
C: Your ass looks fine to me.
D: Keep your hands to yourself.
Cori winked at him and Daniel managed to smile back.
C: Apart from Zef, how’s life? How’s school?
D: Good. Tiring. Lip reading all day.
C: Ass.
D: Yeah? At least I don’t have to wave my hands around 24/7.
Cori slapped his arm and Daniel laughed.
C: I still think you look miserable for someone who says school is ‘good’. Is it this girl – the one you won’t tell me about?
Daniel ignored her and stared pointedly at Cori’s full plate.
D: You talk too much.
It wasn’t surprising that Daniel had finished eating before her.
C: Only because you won’t say anything.
D: Fine. How are things at Cave Spring?
C: Same old, same old. The football team sucks without you. Did you get on the college team?
D: Haven’t tried.
C: Are you kidding? Why the hell not?
D: Didn’t try out.
C: But you love football! I don’t get it.
He shrugged.
C: Seriously. What gives?
D: Too busy.
C: Bullshit!
D: Drop it.
C: No! Not until you tell me what’s really going on!
Daniel slumped back in his seat. He didn’t want to get into this with Cori, but she was as stubborn as all hell. He should know: they’d dated on and off – mostly off – for five months. Somehow they’d managed to remain friends afterward, but she acted like she still owned his ass.
C: I know you. Talk to me.
D: I’m flying under the radar here.
C: What the hell does that mean?
D: I haven’t told anyone I’m deaf.
There was a stunned pause while Cori stared at him.
C: What? Why?
He shrugged again.
C: Are you ashamed or something?
D: No! I’m just tired of the way hearing people behave when they find out – start acting like I’m dumb or something. You know what that can be like.
C: So you’re hiding it? Hiding yourself? Do your professors know?
D: Yes, but that’s all.
C: Is that why you didn’t try out for the football team?
D: I just wanted to start fresh – no preconceptions, no stereotypes.
C: You’re still denying it, aren’t you?
D: No!