Layers (24 page)

“The national anthem?”

“What? Disney’s hymn is a better choice?” I mock his “It’s a Small World” ringtone. He chuckles and presses a kiss to my bellybutton. I inhale, pleased, observing the way those muscles flex so alluringly on his back as he shifts to kiss my navel again.

“Don’t you want to get that?”

“Mmm.”

He arches an eyebrow below messy hair; his skewed smile evolves to a full healthy grin. “And that would mean?”

“Mmm, I am too self-indulgent to move. I don’t care.”
Anyhow Tash, Ian, and you are here …

He chuckles. And my phone persists yet again.

“I’ll get it for you,” Daniel breathes, still lying next to me, sending his hand to my jeans on the floor, pressing me deeper into the bed on the way.

“Daniel,” he answers.

I laugh and then frown at him. “Hey, it’s my phone.”

His demeanor quickly changes, now far from amused. I study him, concerned. “Who’s asking?” he questions.

“David?” he repeats out loud for me to hear, and I immediately wave, urging him to hand me the phone. He gives me the phone with clenched jaw observing with rapt intensity; I pull myself higher on my pillow.

“Dave hi, can I call you later?” I sigh. “No, I cannot talk right now. Yes, I’m busy. Okay, bye.”

“Dave?” Daniel echoes me as I put down the phone.

Trying unsuccessfully to avoid his stare, I mutter casually, “No one of importance.”

“No one of importance?” His brows furrow. “And yet you jumped when I mentioned his name.”

I bite my lip, looking under my lashes as I return his stare.

“Someone I used to hang out with.”

Daniel slides next to me; resting his head on his propped arm, he gazes down at me.

“Someone you hung out with?”

What’s with the third degree?
“What is it that you want to know, Daniel?” I ask, somewhat annoyed.

“Who’s the guy and how intimate have you been with him?”

You’re kidding me, right?
“You really want to know?” I question
. Ridiculous doesn’t even begin to describe … whatever this is.

Daniel, lacking any inhibitions, moves to sit astride my stomach, cuffing my wrists, lifting my hands above my head, holding them tight to the mattress. “I gather by this response that adultery is involved here.”

“Adultery?” I can’t help the giggle that bursts from my mouth.

“Adultery, Hayley Grace. Adultery. Even past events are now considered adultery.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Did we get married and I wasn’t notified?” I tease.
This entire situation is plainly absurd.

“Hayley, I’ve asked a question.” He pauses and deepens his stare at me. “What is the nature of your relationship with this Dave?” he asks in a firm voice, putting on a repulsed expression as he says David’s name.
Psycho
.

“If you really insist, and believe me I’m not sure why, but …” I shake my head with closed eyes. “We used to occasionally sleep together,” I declare dryly, without remorse at the bluntness of my words, given his intrusive interrogation. “Used to being the key words here,” I add assertively.

“Occasionally … just fuck?” he asks, his voice slightly raised, his eyes open wide and annoyed.

“You want the detailed definition of our
past
relationship? Well, we used to be friends with benefits,” I accent ‘past’ as I say it; his expression turns manic.

“Were there more Daves, Hayley?”

I sigh in irritation. “Come on, Daniel, this is starting to get ridiculous.”
Will I ever hear the end of this?

“Why the fuck did he just call, then?” Daniel snaps.

I guess for some benefits? There’s no way I’m going to say that out loud
.

“I could just beat the living shit out of this fuckwad right now,” he murmurs under his breath.

Of course you would. Nothing that a few years on an obscenely expensive therapist’s couch couldn’t fix
.

“Well, it is not like we’ve published an engagement announcement in the Times,” I scoff. “And frankly, I didn’t find the time yet to send out ‘I’m taken’ email notifications to everyone I’ve ever been with.”

“Maybe it’s time you did,” he says scornfully, half smiling, though his eyes remain disturbed.

“How many
ever been with
are there anyway?”

If he only knew …

“I’m not dignifying that with an answer,” I say, resolute. He gives me an irritated look.
Imperious, possessive psycho
.

“And, just for the sake of this exchange of words, I am not arguing with you, Daniel, I’m just explaining to you why I’m absolutely right. We both had a life before, and I’d much rather not recite our sexual histories scrolls, especially not right this second.” I look up at him sternly and am regarded with now softer hazel depths, brows mildly furrowed.

Climbing off me he lays back with his head resting on my stomach.
I can’t believe this entire conversation was in the nude
. He leaves sweet little kisses on my skin, covering it with goose bumps.
I guess some of what I said sunk in. Only he can alter from manic to sweet gentle kisses in a fraction of a second.

“Anyhow, it doesn’t really matter, D. I’m yours now,” I say in a small voice, trying to further sweeten the atmosphere between us.

“Hales,” he purrs quietly with closed eyes, his nose grazing my flesh.

“I am so yours, more than I’ve ever been mine.”

My heart expands to an almost painful level and I exhale an emotive sigh.
Despite your crazy ways, if this is what love feels like, I think I’m in love with you, D
.

Chapter 22: Change of Location

“Hayley, can you come over, please?” Josh’s voice reaches me over the noise and clatter coming from the occupied cubicles in the office’s vast open space.

“What’s up, boss?” I pop my head into his room, holding the doorframe.

“Have a seat.” He radiates his famous smile at me. Pensive, he fiddles with some male model portfolios, shuffling between three.

“Remember Canada?” he asks, still looking at the pictures in his hands, running his fingers through his hair.

“Of course, the roadshow you asked me to accompany you to.”

“That very one,” he murmurs, knitting his eyebrows as he puts one of the folders aside, and spreads the remaining two on the desk in front of him, one next to the other.

“Well, it’s not going to happen.” He finally raises his eyes to look at me.

“Oh, really?”
What’s with the stare, should I be disappointed or something? It’s just Canada.

“Instead we’ll be on a modeling shoot on location in the Maldives with one of these guys,” he gestures at his desk.

Holy hell. Really
? “That’s nice,” I say, trying not to appear too enthusiastic.

“You can smile now, Hayley, I’m also thrilled about it.” He grins a full blown Colgate smile. I try to mirror him
.
Try.
Well, no one can really get to his level
.

“Check these two out: one will be on the cover of this summer’s special edition. Which one do you like best?” He turns the portfolios my way. Observing the two full-page photos I am completely shocked to find Ian’s familiar beautiful face staring at me from the one on the left.

“What’s wrong, why did you freeze?”

“It is just that this one,” I point at Ian’s photo, “is one of my best friends, so I don’t think I would be objective enough to help decide who’s a better candidate.”

Josh smiles. There is some unclear glee in his eyes that could be interpreted as mischievous.

“Fair enough. I personally tend to go with him, but we’ll run it by a focus group first before making the final decision.”

I nod in consent.
I believe that would be the right way to handle this, but if some almighty is listening, please let it be Ian.

“I’ll let you know the exact dates when we finalize them.”

“Perfect.” I grin at him. “Anything else?”

“Yes, how are we with the ‘all pink’ piece I requested a background theme for?”

“Almost done. I’ll send you the draft within the hour.”

He nods, pleased. “Great. Just keep in mind the balance between text and images, as we discussed during that Hawaiian job.” Abruptly his stare wanders to the folders again.

“That will be all,” he murmurs, his mind already elsewhere.

Can I mention this to Ian? No, he would just get too excited, and if Josh ends up choosing the second-runner-up Ian will be disappointed for nothing. I’ll keep it to myself for now. Wow, I could end up in the Maldives with Ian and get paid for it
. My grin widens at the thought.

I shake my head at the incoming message hollering from my phone.

Daniel: Sleeping with me tonight!

Hello to you too. There should be a question mark at the end of that phrase, not a freaking exclamation point!
I smile as I consider the too appealing idea but unfortunately will have to dismiss it. I need to pack for tomorrow and could use some relaxed, homey Tasha time.

Tempting offer, sorry need to pack. Flying with my boyfriend to MEX 2MOR
;)

I grin at the phone and press send.

Daniel: One lucky bastard of a boyfriend you’ve got
. My already wide smirk stretches even broader across my face.
I am going for a weekend in Baja with Daniel.
My heart almost ends up in the ceiling at the thought.

I fire up the InDesign software, reviewing the potential images I intend to use on the “all pink” piece. I drag four out of the twenty images to the indents and spacing section and set the alignment to best harmonize with the wording. I play with the small images in different ways till I reach an overall look that satisfies me. Saving the completed job, I send it to Josh.

His reply comes quicker than I thought it would.

Good job, perhaps just darken up behind the wording; I could see the text getting a little lost there. Have a great weekend.

Josh.

Chapter 23: TLC

“Honey! I’m home, hide the milkboss,” I call, waiting for Tasha’s so expected laugh and left disappointed to find an empty apartment.

“Hey Missy,” Tasha answers at the first ring.

“Hey back, where are you?” I ask, hoping she’s on her way home.

“I am still at the office,” she says, giggling.

“But of course you are,” I scold, emphasizing the sarcasm dripping from my voice.

“Hales, don’t sulk. It’s unbecoming and you could get wrinkles from excessive frowning.”

I roll my eyes. “When are you planning to come home?”

“Not anytime soon,” she giggles again, annoyingly.
I can too easily guess who’s with her
.

“Well, have a good time, and if I don’t see you enjoy the weekend.”

“You too. Have the best time, and remember, Missy, the happier you make him the happier we all are.”

I titter. “Adios,” I say before ending the call.

I try Ian next but the call goes directly to his messaging system. As soon as I hang up, though, my phone beeps, alerting a text.

Ian: Busy … ;) SUP gorgeous?

Does everybody have a life these days?

Enjoy my dear, nothing special, in need of some TLC.

Ian: Sorry gorgeous, he is quite hot. Will be done late … Hopefully.

Nighty night, gorgeous you.

Ian: Gorgeous, TLC = Mr. Stark, try that ;)

You’re most right, Ian
, as always.
Where is Mr. Stark anyway
?

I mellow, soaking in a steamy bath for a while just before packing my suitcase for the weekend. Since all my chores are done, I decide to turn in early. Snuggling in bed I am elated to find a weak Daniel smell on my comforter and pillow, and I call him.

“Just a sec,” Daniel answers. “That will be all, Anne. You can go home now.” I hear him say in the background.

“Hales,” his voice is a fraction gentler as he says my name.

“Are you still at the office?”

“Yeah. What’s up, baby?”

“Nothing special. What’s the plan for the morning?”

I can hear him stop typing. “Any chance you are coming over now?”

A smile roots on my lips. “I’m already tucked in bed.”

He’s quiet for a few seconds then sighs loudly. “I’ve got so many things to do, and unfortunately none of them includes doing you.”

I grin at the phone, both at his words and the fact that he sounds serious enough to be lecturing at a U.N convention.

“How about I pick you up around nine and we drive together to SFO? Our flight is at eleven.”

“Sounds good to me, can’t wait,” I sigh in sheer contentment.

“Same here,” he breathes. “Hang up now, Hales, you’re tempting me to join you in bed and there is so much shit I need to wrap up here.”

“Night, D.”

“Night, H.” His voice comes out as though through a smile.

I hit play and let Phil Collins’ soothing voice accompany me to sleep.

~~~

“Thanks, Natasha.”

I can clearly hear metal jingling. The sound is close now and it sounds like a bundle of keys clicking against one another. Somewhat alarmed, I open my eyes, attempting to adjust my vision against the light coming from the corridor, trying to find out the source of this noise in the middle of the night.

“Daniel?” I whisper and my heart leaps. He turns my way with the warmest, timid smile. In an effort to comprehend his presence I stare at him wordless.

“Natasha let me in,” he explains, as though this clarifies him being here at this very late hour.

“Oh, okay.” I say hesitantly, still in a blur.

“Ian texted me that you needed some TLC.” His eyes on me alight with a soft glee; I look back at him with a thin smile, feeling utter adoration for them both for caring enough.

“And frankly, Hales, I really needed to breathe you in.” He bends lower and kisses my lips.

“You go back to sleep. I’m going to work from here.”