|
~ Tales of Romance ~
Whispered Promises
Chapter 3
Thirty minutes later Hunter was feeling somewhat calmer having chugged down three bottles of beer in quick succession, barely tasting them. The alcohol hit his empty stomach with a solid punch and left him feeling not so much angry as anxious, as if a storm were slowly and steadily brewing and headed his way. With a fourth bottle of beer hanging between two fingers, he wandered about the large suite, oblivious of the plush surroundings and found himself staring out the large window. The blinking lights of the city below went unnoticed as he rested his forehead against the cool glass and closed his eyes, trying to shut out the headache that still throbbed insistently between his eyes. Dani's imaged flared before his closed eyelids, draped in red velvet, her green eyes dancing with devilish merriment, her full, red lips curved in a sensuous smile. His body responded to the mirage in his mind, swelling hotly, almost painfully, and he quietly cursed women in general, and Dani in particular.
A noise at the door drew Hunter's attention, and he watched as it was suddenly pushed opened, and filled with Sergei as he carried Chloe, one arm around her narrow waist, over the threshold. A solid kick had the door closing behind them and his wide hands pushed Chloe's dress from her shoulders, his lips following the same path as the fine sapphire silk that pooled at her hips, leaving her bare back visible to Hunter. Chloe's hands fluttered busily, pushing Sergei's coat off his broad shoulders and letting it slide silently to the floor. Next came his tie, his vest, and the onyx studs that held his white silk shirt together dropped unnoticed to the floor.
Deep, husky voices teased and blended, teasing kisses turned passionate and when their bare chests met, and heated muscles of Sergei's chest meshed with the soft fullness of Chloe's breasts, and Sergei's hands began to trace a path down her back toward her round bottom, Hunter wished he could disappear.
"You might want to stop now, before you really embarrass me," Hunter stated drolly, finally managing a smile as they scrambled to regain some decorum.
"We didn't know you were here," Sergei stated huskily, unnecessarily, casting a sheepish expression at Hunter as he picked up his discarded coat and draped it around Chloe's bare shoulders.
"Ah," Hunter acknowledged sardonically, lifting his bottle in a silent toast to the pair before him.
"Excuse me," Chloe mumbled softly, sending Sergei an embarrassed look before clutching the silk lapels of Sergei's jacket across her naked breasts and making her way quickly toward her room and past Hunter, her cheeks burning with flustered color.
Sergei watched Chloe flee to the safety of her room, his eyes gleaming with sensual appreciation at the way her shapely rear end moved in the sapphire chiffon, a little smile lifting the corners of his mouth in an sensual smile, the thoughts that ran through his mind clear in his dark gaze. "Did you find Dani?" Sergei finally asked as he watched Chloe's door close behind her.
"Yes, I found Dani," Hunter answered flatly, finishing the beer he held in his hand and pursing his lips as he pondered popping open another one.
Sergei's eyebrows lifted in surprise and amazement. So, their reunion hadn't gone exactly as planned and judging by Hunter's demeanor and surly attitude, it didn't look like things were going to get any better within the next few minutes. "Ah," was all he said, noncommittally.
Hunter looked ready to explode and Sergei wanted to give him plenty of room.
"I can't believe your father allowed her to go out in public looking like that. For God's sake, there wasn't a man in the room not wondering when she was going to fall out of her top. I bet there were wagers being placed as to when and where it would happen," Hunter growled deeply, stalking across the room, and opening another beer, then taking a healthy swallow of the chilled brew before he ran the cold bottle back and forth across his forehead.
"Dad wasn't any happier about the cut of her neckline, and mom spent a good part of the evening draping a shawl across her shoulders," Sergei began, taking a soda from the small refrigerator beneath the bar.
"Well, I sure as hell didn't see any sign of a shawl when I spotted her shaking her breasts in front of that guy's nose!"
Sergei's eyebrows lifted again. "Which guy would that be?"
Hunter shrugged and shook his head back and forth. "I don't know which guy. What does it matter? She had her breasts in his face and he was practically drooling on her. At least he was until he saw me, and then he couldn't get out of there fast enough!" Hunter stated smugly, his voice slurring slightly at the edges.
"I can understand the gentleman's concern if the expression you were wearing then is anything like the one you're wearing now. Anyone in their right mind would realize 'retreat is the better part of valor' and get their ass out of there," Sergei offered calmly, nonchalantly retrieving the studs from the carpet and sliding them into his pants pocket.
"The asshole had no business putting his hands on Dani that way," Hunter reiterated, tossing back the remainder of the beer and popping the top on yet another one.
Sergei glanced about the plush living room of the suite, hoping to see some sign that Hunter had at least eaten something and frowned as it became clear there wasn't a crumb in sight. "When was the last time you ate, Hunter?"
Hunter scowled, tossed back the beer and staggered as his balance disappeared and he head suddenly swam with swirling streaks of light that had him dizzy and weaving to regain his footing. "Who are you, my mother? Who the hell gives a shit when I ate last? I'm not hungry, I'm fuckin' pissed!" Hunter slurred, stumbling, then banging his hip against the tiled counter and dropping the empty bottle where it clattered against the shiny surface.
"Really!" Sergei offered in feigned surprise. "Here I thought you were just getting ripped for the hell of it," he offered sarcastically.
"Fuck you, Rocmanov," Hunter slurred in frustration, rubbing his hip, his gaze filling with confusion.
"No thanks, you're not my type," Sergei countered calmly, moving toward Hunter who was suddenly turning a sickly gray-green.
"I don't feel so good," Hunter mumbled quietly, and docilely accepted Sergei's assistance as he helped him toward the closest bathroom.
"I'm warning you Hunter, don't you dare puke out here. If you do, you'll be cleaning it up yourself!" Sergei growled, half walking, half dragging him into the huge, glamorous bathroom that Dani had exited only hours before and still held the scent of her perfume. Sergei lowered him to a siting position on the closed lid of the commode, shoved the fancy trash basket into his hands and left him with a simple, "You're on your own now, pal." Without another word, he left Hunter alone in the huge bathroom, and closed the door behind him.
Less than ten seconds later, the sound of Hunter being sick reached Sergei's ears and he shook his head in disbelief that a man could let a woman get to him so completely that he'd do something as stupid as get themselves drunk to the point of puking over her. Never - he vowed to himself - would he allow a woman that much control!
And then Chloe walked out of her room, covered in a copper colored silk robed that clearly showed there was nothing underneath but satiny, warm skin and he knew his vow was worthless. This woman was his heart and soul, she had the power to take him to the highest highs, or drop him to the lowest lows, and amazingly enough, he looked forward to each emotion she shared with him. In anticipation, he watched her walk to stand before him.
"Where's Hunter?" she asked softly, concern in her sky blue eyes. The sound of Hunter retching again came through the door and she grimaced. "This is not good," she stated factually.
"If he missed the trash can it will be worse!" Sergei countered.
Chloe lightly cuffed Sergei's shoulder. "Have a little compassion, Rocmanov. He's upset. It's not easy to admit to jealousy."
"How do you know he's jealous?"
Chloe rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Hunter's voice carries, especially when he's yelling. I wouldn't be surprised if Dani heard him down in the ballroom."
"I wish to hell she did, because then she could be sitting up here dealing with him. I had a much different evening planned for us than listening to someone puke their guts up over my sister," Sergei complained, grimacing as he heard Hunter through the door again.
"Really?" Chloe asked, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously. "Tell me, Mr. Rocmanov," she leaned against him, her soft, full breasts melting against the steel wall of his chest. "What nefarious plans did you have in mind tonight?"
Sergei leaned down, his husky voice whispered his plans for her seduction and Chloe felt herself melting at the erotic images his words brought to her mind. His hands deftly untied the bow of her robe and when the heat of his fingers whispered across her skin, skimmed the narrowness of her waist and settled on the roundness of her bottom, she was glad he was holding her up because her legs had turned to jello.
Their lips met in an exploring kiss that quickly turned passionate and Sergei pulled Chloe against the heat of his erection, swallowing the wanton sigh she breathed into his mouth. Her hands began to wander of their own accord, slipping beneath his still opened shirt, scoring the muscled strength of his back, clenching at the firm muscles of his gorgeous bottom, pulling him more firmly against her heated center as she felt her world begin to tilt.
"Sergei&ldots;" she pleaded on a breathy whisper. She felt poised on the edge of a cliff, lifted by the wind, ready to simply fly away into oblivion and shatter with the stars, held in the safety of her lover's arms, their hearts beating as one.
And then everything went to hell!
* * * * *
"I can't imagine why Hunter would be upset simply because I was dancing with Bradley. For heaven's sake, Mom, people were dancing with each other all night. I thought that was the whole point of this Gala of yours," Dani stated in frustration, walking past her father who held the door to the suite open for his wife and daughter.
Jordan sighed in exasperation. "Dani, as I said before, it wasn't so much who you were dancing with but more how you were dancing with Bradley," her mother tried to explain yet again.
"Exactly how was I dancing mother?" Dani asked in frustration.
"Apparently in a manner that Hunter didn't like."
"Well, tough sh&ldots;"
"Dani!" Jordan and Aleksei warned in unison.
"Tough doo-doo for Hunter!" Dani fired back. "The man shows up hours late, says two words to me and then disappears and I'm the one making trouble! I don't think so. I think he should be the one explaining why he even bothered to show up. Then just disappearing into thin air the way he did. Personally, I think he planned the whole scenario simply to ruin my evening." Dani complained as she slipped out of her heels, and pushed them out of the way under an end table.
Jordan shook her head back and forth; it was like dealing with toddlers. It's my ball and if you don't play the way I say you should, I'm taking my ball and going home! "I'm sure once you talk things over, you'll find it was simply a misunderstanding and everything will be fine," Jordan stated encouragingly.
Dani's inelegant snort suggested otherwise. Looking around, she didn't find the source of her irritation, but cast a questioning look at Sergei and Chloe who still stood before the closed bathroom door, looking dazed and confused and like they wanted to be anywhere but where they were. "So, where is he?" Dani asked, her arms spread wide.
Hunter chose that moment to fall off the commode. The sickening thud of his head striking the tile floor and the ensuing muffled curse had everyone rushing the door at once.
Sergei tried to turn the fancy brass doorknob, only to realize it was locked. "Hunter! Hunter! The door's locked. Open the door Hunter," Sergei called, banging loudly on the door.
Upon receiving no response, everyone started calling Hunter's name, certain he was lying helplessly unconscious. Dani pushed her way through the crowd, pulled one of the hairpins out of her hair and pushed the little medal piece into the hole in the handle. Popping the lock and turning the handle, she pushed the door open and the group found themselves faced with Hunter struggling to sit up, cursing the world, blood pouring from a cut on his forehead.
Aleksei and Sergei exchanged glances and made their way into the bathroom, hoisting Hunter up by the arms and waiting patiently as Jordan wrapped a towel around his head, before leading him out of the bathroom, and settling him in the corner of one of the overstuffed chairs.
Stepping aside, they watched as Jordan took over and began issuing orders. "Chloe, please call the front desk and have them send for a doctor. I'll be very surprised if Hunter doesn't need stitches. We're also going to need housekeeping up here to clean the bathroom. Please send them my apologies for the late hour and the added work," Jordan ordered calmly. "Dani, would you please just hold the towel on Hunter's forehead and keep the pressure firm. Let's see if we can get the bleeding stopped before he ruins the sofa," she directed her daughter.
"Sergei, call room service and see what they can manage to get up here as soon as possible," Jordan directed her son.
"I'll have them add a couple of pots of coffee to the order," Sergei added.
"Sounds like a good idea. Thanks sweetie," Jordan smiled and sent him an air kiss.
Aleksei looked at his wife expectantly, one eyebrow lifting in question as she came to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist, and rubbed her forehead against his chin. "What, no chore to keep me occupied?" he asked, kissing the top of her head and casting a glance at Dani as she pressed the towel against Hunter's head and rolled her eyes in disbelief.
"You get to hold me up. It's been a very long day and this was not the way I had thought it would end," Jordan sighed, watching Dani as she accepted a wet washcloth from Chloe and began to wipe off some of the blood that had spread down Hunter's face and chest.
"We could leave them to their own devices and see who survives," Aleksei suggested hopefully, "Then I could fill up that huge bathtub and we could see how long it takes the bubbles in a bubble-bath to disappear," he added mischievously.
Jordan sighed in delight at the thought. "Don't tempt me," she murmured, closing her eyes and taking a deep, calming breath.
"I've got a bottle of wine chilling and the candles are all ready to go. All you have to do is say the word," Aleksei's deep voice intoned, dipping his head and nuzzling against her temple, her silken hair teasing his nose, the seductive scent of gardenia teasing his senses.
"Ohhhh, candles, wine and a bubble-bath with a hunk. Who could resist such an offer?" Jordan purred, lifting her mouth for a heated kiss, her fingers sliding into the thick waves of his dark hair, her head swirling at the first touch of his lips.
The kiss was brief, yet filled with fire, and Jordan sighed wistfully as Aleksei pulled away from the kiss, his eyes dark and sparkling with sensuality, his look filled with promises yet to be fulfilled. "I'll go light the candles," Aleksei murmured softly into his wife's ear and nuzzled her neck. Whispering words of seduction in Russian that had her closing her eyes and leaning into him as his hands trailed a gentle path up her back, he left her and headed for their adjoining suite.
Jordan watched her husband go, her heart already picking up its pace as she looked forward to the coming hours. It still amazed her, that after all these years; she still felt this overwhelming desire and passion for her husband. So many of their friend's marriages had slipped into the 'comfortable' stage, the passion long since faded, more friends than lovers; together because it was simpler than being apart. Jordan couldn't envision them ever falling into that scenario; didn't want to even imagine it happening. They were a pair, in every sense of the word, and she sent a prayer heavenward of thanks for her good fortune and a request for another fifty years of the same.
Chloe watched the emotions that crossed Jordan's face as her eyes followed her husband's trek toward their room and found herself holding her breath at the look Aleksei sent his wife just before he closed the door behind him. It was the same look Sergei had so often shared with her, one that bespoke magic and passion and a oneness that could be found nowhere else. Chloe's eyes met Jordan's and the two women exchanged looks filled with understanding, connected by the love and respect they shared for each other and the men who filled their lives with more emotion than they could have ever imagined.
"Go," Chloe mouthed silently, nodding toward the closed bedroom door, a gentle smile curving her lips.
Jordan cast an apprehensive look toward Dani, still busy wiping away Hunter's blood and sighed. Was it written somewhere that the Rocmanov's were destined to have a bumpy road to love? Was it too much to ask that one of them slide gently into love? Looking at Hunter, covered in blood, his head wrapped in a towel, smelling nothing like a flower, but apparently feeling no pain, all she could do was shake her head back and forth. From all indications, Dani was destined to share the same fate as the rest of her family; love would come hot, and hard and passionate, steep mountains and deep valleys, times when you couldn't decide whether to scream in passion or frustration. "Welcome to the club, sweetheart," Jordan whispered softly toward Dani. Acknowledging Chloe's shooing gesture with a nod, she made her way toward her room.
And Aleksei!
* * * * *
An hour later, Sergei was thanking the doctor for coming, especially considering the hour, and closing the door behind him. Twenty minutes earlier, he'd done the same with the maid who had put the bathroom back in order and removed the soiled towels, replacing them with fresh, fluffy, blood-free ones. Running his hands through his dark, wavy hair, he stretched his shoulders and back and groaned tiredly. A quick glance at his watch had him groaning again. Almost two o'clock in the morning, and considering everyone, but Hunter, was due to be on the ice at eight o'clock in the morning, he didn't even want to think about the day to come.
A quick glance at Chloe, curled up in one of the over-stuffed chairs, sound asleep, had him smiling in spite of himself. This certainly wasn't the evening he'd had planned for the two of them. The last thing way he would have considered spending the evening was playing nursemaid to his sister's - he wasn't even sure what to call him - boyfriend? Somehow the fact that he was a few years younger than Hunter had him looking for a different label. Lover? Most definitely not! So where did that leave him? Sergei shrugged indifferently and decided there would be a better time to pick out a label for Hunter; it was just too late to be thinking about such ridiculous things.
"Why don't you put Chloe to bed? You look like you could use a little rest yourself too," Dani stated quietly, finally giving in and pulling the hair pins out of her elaborate hairstyle and shaking the curls loose so they fell in wild disarray about her face.
"I'm fine," Sergei stated stubbornly, rubbing a hand over his face and frowning at the roughness of his beard against his palm.
"Yeah, you look fine," Dani snorted in obvious disagreement. "Tell me, how fine are you going to look tomorrow when you're trying to lift Chloe over your head and you don't quite make it?"
"Don't worry about it."
"I do. Every time you two step on the ice, I worry about it. And for the record, mom does too. Besides, if you'll notice, mom and dad already went to bed. They're skating tomorrow, too, and at least they have enough sense to be getting some sleep."
"Mom and dad went to bed, but I don't know how much sleep they're getting," Sergei teased, his smile widening at his sister's shocked expression.
Dani held up her hand. "Sergei, there are some things about our parents, I would just as soon not know about. Their active sex life is one of them. So if you please, keep your insider information to yourself and put your fiancee to bed."
Sergei's low chuckle had Dani's face glowing in embarrassment. "Fine, ignore what's going on under your nose. Just be sure to knock anytime you enter a room where mom and dad have been alone for more than two minutes."
"I'll keep that in mind," Dani countered, shaking her head back and forth at her brother's antics.
"What about you? You've got to skate tomorrow, too."
Dani cast a glance at Hunter, who was for the moment, dozing comfortably, propped up on a stack of pillows on the couch, covered with a light blanket. "I'll just make sure Hunter doesn't need anything and then I'll go to bed. I won't be long."
Sergei's eyebrow lifted in question.
"What? You think I'm going to take advantage of his virility while he's laying there three sheets to the wind?"
Sergei simply shrugged his broad shoulders, his dark eyes filled with questions he wasn't ready to ask because he didn't know if he wanted to hear the answers.
"Go!" Dani urged, shooing him away with her hands.
"Fine," Sergei finally relented, bending over and kissing his sister on the cheek as he bid her good night. "I'll see you in the morning," he offered and carefully scooped Chloe into his arms, whispered comforting words to her as she snuggled deeper into his arms and smiled as she kissed his neck. A gentle nudge had Chloe lifting her chin and accepting the kiss that Sergei offered, her sigh of contentment clear in the silent room.
"Go to sleep," Dani called quietly, a wistful expression on her face as she watched the pair disappear into the bedroom, the door closing quietly behind them, but not before she heard Chloe's low, seductive laugh.
Hunter had silently watched the exchange between Dani and Sergei, heard the concern and caring in their voices and saw the look that had crossed Dani's beautiful features as she'd watched her brother carry Chloe into the bedroom, and heard Chloe's response. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know those two weren't planning to go to sleep right away!
Any hope that Hunter might actually get some sleep disappeared the moment he watched Dani stretch her arms over her head, the movement lifting her breasts nearly free of the precarious bodice of the evening gown she had yet to change. When she lifted her hair off her neck, and displayed the near nakedness of her back, he found it difficult to breathe and as he watched the dark curls slide through her fingers, he imagined it feeling like shining black silk as it whispered across his naked skin. A low groan of need escaped his throat before he could stop it.
"Hunter?" Dani's voice was filled with concern as she went to the couch and carefully sat beside him, their hips touching. "Are you in pain?" she asked softly, her eyes a deep green in the barely lit room.
Hunter shifted his position on the couch, trying to put just a bit of distance between them, in an attempt to ease the discomfort he felt as his body refused to listen to his mind and his passion for Dani grew stronger and hotter. He could feel her warmth, see how much she cared for him in her eyes, yet he was scared to death to take that final step and admit he loved her, at least out loud. "I would have thought you'd have changed by now," he stated instead, looking for a way to get her to leave him alone and go to bed before he grew too tired to keep running away from her and instead take what she so freely was willing to give him.
"Things got a little hectic. I didn't think about it," she answered.
"Well, you can do it now that you're going to bed."
"I'm not really tired, and I wanted to make sure you were okay and didn't need anything."
"I'm fine," Hunter said cooly, avoiding her touch when she tried to push his hair back from where it had fallen across his forehead. Dani's look of hurt tore at his heart and it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and tell her he loved her. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day and I could stand some time alone."
Dani's back went ramrod straight and she laced her fingers laced together in an effort to get them to quit shaking. Confusion and anger fought for supremacy as she tried to figure out why Hunter seemed to be so intent on pushing her away. "It seems to me, you had a bit too much time alone, tonight," she countered.
Hunter closed his eyes, his hand rubbing his forehead and grazing the bandage that covered the stitches that closed the wound along his hairline. "I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have come."
"Because you bumped your head and had to get stitches?" Dani asked, trying to lighten the mood that was steadily becoming darker and colder. "You only needed three this time; much better than last time," she offered hopefully, with a timid smile, reminding him of the their one and only attempt to get him on ice skates that had turned disastrous and landed him with stitches in his leg.
"It seems every time I'm around you, I wind up wounded," he sighed tiredly.
"That's not true," Dani argued softly, tentatively laying one hand over Hunter's heart, her eyes sparkling as she struggled to keep the threatening tears from falling. Beneath her palm, she could feel Hunter's heart beating erratically, and a glimmer of hope showed itself as she realized he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to be.
Without even realizing, Hunter's hand covered Dani's where it rested on his chest, his fingers lacing between her own, then curling together as they clung and held. When he opened his eyes, he found himself melting beneath her calm, green gaze, and his breath caught in his chest as he saw the love she felt for him within her eyes.
Leaning forward, her breasts pressing warmly against his muscled chest, her heart meeting where their hands were joined over his heart, they connected as one, and she brushed a gentle kiss over his lips. "I love you, Hunter James. With all my heart, and soul, I will love you forever," she whispered softly, her green gaze holding his brown eyes captive.
With a wistful little smile, she smoothed her fingers over his rough cheek, and stood up, her fingers slipping through his grasp as she left him and made her way to her room, gently closing the door behind her.
In the dimly lit room, Dani never heard Hunter's tearfully whispered words. "I love you, Danielle. God help me, but I do!"
Sleep never granted them sanctuary from the feelings and doubts each faced, and only a few hours later both Dani and Hunter were gone from the suite before the sun rose.
Each alone and still looking for answers to questions yet unasked.*
Copyright © 2001-2002 C.E. Moynihan
*All Rights Reserved