Chapter Eight
Michael unlocked the door to his apartment and let Dani and Emma step inside before him. He crossed the room and laid their purchases on the couch. He wasn’t letting Dani go to Taos without him. He wanted to find Emma’s mother as badly as Dani did, even if that meant driving her and Emma there with Jerry trailing behind.
The girls had just gone to a title company and picked up Dani’s commission check and then to babyGap.
After paying him back for the trespassing fine, Dani had spent most of the remaining money Ron had given her on Emma.
Dani was the most frustrating woman he knew, but she’d always been generous and kindhearted. He found it difficult to stay mad at her for long when she kept doing nice things. Like standing up to Ron on Emma’s behalf or buying Emma new clothes. She’d even splurged on a ridiculous purse so Emma could carry her new crayons and little cardboard books with her, using money that she must’ve desperately needed now that she was supporting herself. It couldn’t be cheap to be Dani. The yearly bail money she must have to come up with for herself alone had to be staggering.
But then the closet incident, when Dani stopped kissing him to call Jake, was all it took to put his guard back in place. He’d do his best to avoid any more kissing. Dani hadn’t resolved her feelings for Jake, and besides that, she was just too much work.
As Dani wandered around his apartment, being nosy, picking up knickknacks and examining the art, he led Emma into his daughters’ bedroom to set her up with some toys. Emma squealed with delight when she spotted a two-story dollhouse. She started to cross the room, then stopped. She turned and wrapped his legs up in a tight hug.
He lifted her up to his eye level and met her grin with one of his own. When she wrapped her little arms around his neck, his heart melted just as it did every time his daughters did that. “Have fun, sweetheart. You deserve it.”
After a quick hug, he put her down so she could explore the room. She ran from toy to toy as if it were Christmas morning, babbling with delight. Satisfied she’d be fine on her own, he went to his bedroom, then to his closet to pack for their trip. After a few minutes, Dani appeared and leaned against the doorframe.
“Michael, you are a scary neat housekeeper.”
“Just the opposite of you. One more reason we should go our separate ways after I buy a house.” He tossed a duffel bag at her to pack Emma’s extra things.
She caught the bag, then let it fall to her feet. “I disagree. Opposites make for the best couples sometimes.” Stepping over the duffel, she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’ll apologize one more time for the closet scene. It had nothing to do with Jake, just the crime he wanted to solve.” She snuggled her curvy, hot body against his and hugged him tighter. “And look, we’re in a closet again. Let’s pick up where we left off.”
His mind shouted, Don’t do it! Step away. But his mouth wouldn’t listen. He kissed her.
Dani was like a euphoric drug to an addict. He couldn’t say no. He’d never wanted a woman so badly.
It was a wonder he could command his feet to move with his mind so muddled from her intoxicating kiss, but after they tripped over a pair of shoes and then the duffel on the floor, he somehow managed to back her out of the closet. Cracking just one eye open, he found his target. With his body still pressed tightly against her sexy, soft one, he slowly guided her to where he wanted her. In his bed and underneath him. When Dani’s knees finally hit the edge of the bed, he pressed her down onto it.
He’d just covered her supple body with his when Emma yelled out, “Dani?”
Her eyes popped opened. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back,” and then she wiggled out from under him, leaving him even more aroused.
He rolled over and stared at the apartment’s stark white ceiling. He wasn’t a seventeen-year-old horny teenager and should be able to show more restraint.
But he wasn’t going anywhere until she got back.
When she appeared again, she held Emma in her arms. “Sorry.” Dani wrinkled her nose. “She was scared when she couldn’t find us.”
He rolled off the bed and went back into his closet. “We shouldn’t have done that again anyway.”
“Why not?” She followed him, then picked up the duffel bag. “I thought we were both on the same page here. We’ve both just ended a marriage and aren’t looking for a serious relationship, so we’ll just have a casual fling.”
He turned and met her gaze. “Have you ever had a casual fling?”
“Well, no.” She shrugged. “But, I don’t see why it has to be so difficult.”
He wasn’t sure he could have a casual fling with her. Not when he obviously had no restraint when it came to her. But maybe if they slept together and put the initial fire out, the rest of the need in him would flash and burn, too. Then they could just have a simple, fun relationship like they used to have.
Who was he kidding? A relationship with Dani could never be a simple one.
“Let’s get packed and go.” He shoved jeans, shirts, and sweaters into his bag.
Dani opened her mouth like she was going to argue but then snapped it shut. She turned and marched out of the closet with her aristocratic chin held high. “Come on, Em. Let’s pack these cute new clothes we picked out. All the other babies are going to drool over your new look.” Dani poked Emma in the ribs.
When Emma giggled, Dani said in a stage whisper, “Yeah, I thought the drool joke was a good one. The ‘old Michael’ would have laughed, too.”
He closed his eyes and ran his hands down his face. What had he gotten himself into with her?
Shaking his head, he scooped up his bag and followed behind Dani, helping her pack Em’s bag, supplementing it with a few of his daughters’ things as they went. After they locked up, all three trooped down to the parking lot where Jerry waited for them in his car.
Michael opened his SUV’s rear hatch, then threw in his bag. When he turned to accept Emma, Dani lifted her wrist to her mouth to speak to the bodyguard. “Okay, listen up. When we get to my grandmother’s house, if she shoots at you, you will not fire back. Is that clear?”
Michael whipped his head toward her. “What? Why would your grandmother shoot at us?”
She held up a finger to hold him off as she listened to Jerry’s response in her earpiece. “Hey, look, you big baby, she rarely hits what she’s aiming for, so it just wouldn’t be fair. Besides, she’s your employer’s mother. I think shooting grandma might put a dent in the old Christmas bonus, don’t you?”
Dani disconnected and laughed as she handed her bag to him. “Jerry’s going to be pissed off the whole way up now, and I love it.”
It could be a very long day.
Dani was starving, so she’d asked Michael to pull over at a gas station. They were almost to her grandmother’s house and she needed to stock up on a few things.
After a quick shopping spree, she shifted the bags of groceries in her arms and climbed back into Michael’s car. “Okay, all set.”
He frowned at the bags. “Aren’t we just spending one night?”
“Yes. But it’s always better to pack in our own food. You’ll see.”
“I imagine I’ll see more than I want to. How far is it?”
“Fifteen minutes. And I got you a treat for being such a good sport today.”
Michael had been extremely quiet the whole trip, despite her attempts to lighten his mood. She’d been able to tease a few grins from him, though, so she still held out a little hope that she could fix their relationship. She was pretty good at getting her way when she put her mind to it.
She dug through the bag, then thrust a snack cake in his direction. “My grandmother is a terrible cook, so I got you something just in case she won’t let me make dinner.”
When it looked as though he were about to protest, she laughed. “Oh, wait, that’s mine. I got you a very healthy granola bar.” She reached into the bag, then tossed the bar to him. Then she unwrapped Em’s snack. “And for you, Little Miss Emma, I got peanut butter crackers and a juice box.”
“Thank you,” Michael murmured as he watched her open her cream-filled chocolate cake. “You aren’t really going to eat that, are you? Do you know what kind of crap that’s made of?”
She took a huge bite and, with her mouth full, mumbled, “Good crap.”
He stared into her eyes for a moment before he lost the battle, and a smile lit his gorgeous face as he pulled out onto the main road. “Now Emma can add talking with her mouth full to all the other decadent things she’s learned while living with you.”
She took a normal-size bite of her gooey chocolate delight and smiled. “I didn’t have to teach her that one. She’s already pretty good at it.” She turned and faced Emma. “Aren’t you?”
Emma sent her a big crumb-filled grin. “Yuuuumm.”
Dani finished off her treat, then reached for her cell phone. “I’m going to try to reach my grandmother one more time. I really wanted to avoid being shot at.”
“You were serious about that?”
Nodding, she listened as the phone continued to ring in her ear.
After ten rings, she gave up.
Tilting her wrist up so their tail could hear, she didn’t speak directly into the microphone but said loudly, “Okay, I think what we’ll do is send Jerry in first, let him get shot, and then we’ll get a new bodyguard who isn’t so obnoxious.”
Jerry’s voice sounded in her ear. “Funny, but I’m onto you. I checked out this shooting problem with your mother a while ago.”
Damn. Her mom had probably ruined all the fun.
Michael looked as if he might pop a vein, so she had mercy on him. “I was just playing with the bodyguard. She does shoot at trespassers but won’t aim at anyone directly. Her eyesight has been fading in the last few years, so she shoots high. We’ll just get close, then I’ll call out. Thankfully, there’s nothing wrong with her hearing.”
Michael grunted. “So this is why I’ve never met her. She’s nuts like you.”
“Yeah, pretty much, but she’s lovable.”
A slow-growing grin formed as he turned to meet her gaze. “You can be, too. Sometimes.” His hand found hers, and he gave it a quick squeeze.
After enduring his quiet brooding all day, his sweet gesture sent a wave of warmth rushing through her. Leaning close, she whispered in his ear. “Does this mean I’m forgiven?”
“For now. I can’t make any promises until after we make it through the shooting gallery.”
“I’ll take it.” She sat back in her seat and couldn’t help her silly grin. It was like sculpting with granite. It’d take one little chunk at a time to win over his hardened heart.
Michael drove slowly over the bumpy one-lane road that led to Dani’s grandmother’s house, with Jerry trailing behind. Piñon trees and low scrub brush lined the edges of the gravel drive. The sun was fading quickly, and the trees and vegetation grew denser with each passing minute.
He’d tried talking himself out of a relationship with Dani for the full three hours their trip had taken but couldn’t do it. He wanted her—more than was reasonable. There was no denying it.
It didn’t help that she’d been great with Emma. The kid had snoozed on and off during the long drive, but the minute she awoke, Dani entertained her and made them all laugh with the ridiculous road games she’d made up. It reminded him of how much fun he and Dani used to have together. She could always make him laugh, no matter how dire the circumstance seemed at the time.
So, he’d do his best to keep things simple, as she wanted. And now that the decision was made, he hoped they could start as soon as possible.
But first, they had to face the threat of being shot by a crazy old woman. “It’s just occurred to me to ask if your grandmother has indoor plumbing and electricity.”
Dani nodded. “It’s remote, but she has the basics. And since my grandmother won’t leave Taos anymore, my mom has to come here to visit her and sleep in a twin bed or on a pullout couch. You know Annalisa, so you can imagine how well that goes over. Mom never stays long. But I like it up here, and my grandmother gets me, so I always enjoy visiting. And I usually lose a few pounds because the food’s so bad, so that works, too.”
That her grandmother wouldn’t leave Taos must be why he’d never met her when they were kids.
As they rounded a bend, a porch light shone through the trees. He slowed the car and crept closer, stopping just in front of a cedar cabin with a bright-blue tin roof. Dani reached over and beeped the horn in a long-short-long pattern, then hopped out of the car. Walking slowly toward the porch, Dani called out, “Grandma? It’s Dani.”
He got out too and then freed Emma from her car seat but held her behind the protection of the car, just in case. He worried about Dani’s safety as well, although she didn’t seem at all concerned.
Not sure what to expect, he hoped Dani’s gun-toting grandma wouldn’t have wild hair, missing teeth, and a face that would scare Emma.
When grandma stepped onto the porch, the only part he’d gotten right had been the shotgun.
It became apparent where Annalisa’s and Dani’s incredible looks came from. Dani’s grandmother didn’t look a day over fifty, had shoulder-length, lightly curly brown hair just like Dani’s, and her jeans and turquoise V-neck sweater showed off fit curves.
She raised the gun before Dani could call out to her again. “Whoever you are, I didn’t invite you, so go away or I’ll shoot!”
Jerry jumped in front of Dani with his gun drawn.
Dani leaned around Jerry’s massive shoulders. “Hold your fire, Annie Oakley, it’s Dani.”
Her grandmother squinted and stepped closer. “Dani? What are you and your smart mouth doing sneaking up here in the middle of the night? And who’s the thug?”
“Middle of the night?” Dani glanced at her watch. “It’s only six thirty.”
“I know honey, but tomorrow’s date night. I’ve got a live one who won’t let me get much sleep afterward, so I need to rest up. I’m getting too old for all-nighters.”
Dani groaned. “Okay, that was too much information. But if you really want to shoot someone”—she leaned back and waved a hand in Jerry’s direction—“you can shoot the thug. I’ll promise not to tell.”
Her grandmother chuckled as she leaned her gun against the porch rail. “Your mama put a bodyguard on you again, huh?” After giving Dani a hard hug, she patted Jerry’s cheek. “Poor man. Dani can be a handful, can’t she?”
Jerry grunted. “You got that right, lady.”
Then Dani’s grandmother walked over to where Michael was standing and scooped the whimpering Emma out of his arms. She stared into his eyes. “Hmmm, you’re no thug. And you’re not Jake, so he must’ve signed the papers. Dani’s always had good taste in men. My name is Eva, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you. Michael Reilly.” He shook her outstretched hand.
How was he supposed to respond to the part about Dani’s men?
Before he could think of something to say, Eva smiled at Emma. “I’m sorry if I scared you when I yelled, honey. Why don’t you come inside, and we’ll see if we can find you a cookie?”
Dani grabbed his arm and tugged. “Good idea. It’s freezing. Let’s all go inside.” Then she turned to Eva. “I’ve got cookies, Grandma. I also brought all the fixings for grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup so we wouldn’t put you to any trouble.”
Michael stepped across the threshold, bracing for what he’d find in the remote cabin, but was pleasantly surprised. Eva had a recently remodeled kitchen, and the cozy living room with comfortable-looking furniture had a huge flat-screen television and an equally nice computer set up in the corner. The cable box near the television brought hope that they’d have the essentials: ESPN and the Internet.
Even more interesting were the portraits that hung on every available wall. There were some of Dani and Sara at various ages, many of Annalisa, and the most incredible one of all hung above the fireplace. It was of all the Botelli women—Annalisa, Dani, Sara, and Eva, and it was stunning. He moved closer, studying it. Eva’s name, scrawled in the lower right-hand corner in bold red, surprised him.
Then it occurred to him that the painting that hung over the fireplace in Annalisa’s living room must have been done by Eva as well. She was truly talented, if not a bit odd.
He wandered to the computer. A pair of glasses lay next to the mouse. The screen revealed Dani’s grandmother had just been in a chat room. Grandma’s screen name was hotty69.
Dani slipped beside him and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Would you mind grabbing the diaper bag from the car? I talked my grandmother into changing Emma in hopes of distracting her from helping me in the kitchen. And because I hate changing diapers.”
“Sure.” He pointed to the glasses. “So your grandmother, an accomplished artist, is only blind when she doesn’t wear her glasses, and please tell me the sixty-nine in her screen name is referring to her age?”
Dani leaned closer and scrolled up the thread, reading the previous entries. “She used to make her living painting portraits until she either got tired of it or because she had to start wearing glasses. We’ve never really been sure which it was. She’s vain and only uses them when she’s alone, so I’m guessing the glasses are why she quit.”
As she continued to read, Dani frowned at the screen. “Grandma is sixty-nine, so that must be what it refers to. It couldn’t be . . .” Then she let out a low chuckle, and after reading one of the risqué entries aloud, she said, “Maybe not. I knew my grandmother paired with the Internet was going to be a mistake.”
After Dani put the last dinner plates in the dishwasher, her grandmother announced what the sleeping arrangements would be, then headed for her bedroom. Dani and Emma were taking the pullout couch in the living room, and Michael and Jerry were taking the spare bedroom with the twin beds.
Emma was snoozing against Michael’s chest with Wilbur the bunny tucked under her chin while Jerry and Michael both stared like zombies at a sports program, so Dani slipped away to talk to her grandmother.
She knocked softly on the bedroom door. “Grandma?”
Her grandmother opened the door and grinned. “I was wondering how long it was going to be before you came to find me. You’ve got a ton of worries, don’t you, sweetheart? Including a very handsome one named Michael.”
Dani closed the door behind her. “Keep your nose out of that part, and let’s get to the rest. What did you figure out about Emma’s grandmother?”
“Well, the chances of your babysitting gig being over don’t look so hot.”
“Great.”
Not what she wanted to hear. What now?