Just Deserts - Brenda Jackson [46]
And then he was screaming hers and she felt the heat of his desire all the way to her toes.
After taking a shower they’d gotten back into bed and made love all over again. Now they lay cuddled in each other’s arms, knowing they had to eventually get up and get moving, since the company picnic would start in a few hours. But Danielle knew there was something she had to ask him, something she had to know.
“Tristan?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Last night, before I dozed off to sleep, you whispered something to me. You told me that you loved me with all your heart.” She paused for a second and then rolled ahead and said, “Is that true? Do you really love me? And I don’t mean the best-friend stuff. I mean the way a man truly loves a woman.”
He had been stroking her back and at the start of her question his hands had gone still. Their eyes met and held for the longest time and then he began moving his hands again. “Yes, Dani. I love you. I didn’t realize just how much until that day you called to let me know you wouldn’t be coming in to work because you had eloped with Marc.”
Her eyes widened. “You mean you’ve been in love with me all that time?”
A small smile touched his lips. “Yes, sweetheart, I’ve been in love with you all that time.”
He didn’t say anything more for a moment. Then, “Does it bother you knowing that I love you?”
She shook her head. “No. Not unless it bothers you to know that I love you, too.”
At his stunned look she smiled. “Here’s love coming back at you, Tris, because I love you. I love you, Tristan Adams, with all my heart.”
He pulled her into his arms and his mouth captured hers, and she knew at that moment that whatever happened from here on out would be okay because she was loved by a very special man.
She was loved and in love with her best friend.
“Strike two!”
Danielle turned and glared at Nero Long, their human resources manager who was acting as umpire for today’s softball game. Nero had struck her out earlier so he was definitely not her hero today.
But neither was Tristan.
She glanced over to where he was supervising the three-legged races and saw Karin Stokes all but in his face and batting her false eyelashes at him. Danielle rolled her eyes. The woman, whether Tristan chose to believe it or not, was one hot mess. Danielle figured it was a good thing she and Tristan had confessed how they felt about each other; otherwise Karin would have continued coming on to Tristan and in a moment of desperation he might have actually relented.
“Strike three. You’re out!”
Danielle lowered the bat and turned to glare at Nero. “And just how long will it be before you retire?”
The man laughed and he was doing it so hard his entire body shook—all two hundred-plus pounds of him. Knowing it would be a waste of time to challenge his call, she walked off the field and decided to go over to where Tristan was working hard to keep Hot Mess Karin at bay.
In a way Danielle felt he was getting what he deserved, since he hadn’t taken her warning about Karin seriously until today. The woman had shown up at the company picnic wearing a short top and a pair of Daisy Dukes, and she had immediately sought out Tristan. She’d even had the gall to come up to her and ask where he was.
Because everyone who worked for the company was aware of her and Tristan’s close friendship, Danielle figured none of them had a clue they were now an item, especially not Karin. The last thing she needed was for her and Tristan to become the main topic of conversation at the water cooler, but she figured something had to give. Now she knew how Tristan felt when he thought Craven and Stewart were showing a little too much interest in her.
“How are things going over here?” she asked, coming to join the group when the race was over.
Karin flashed