Love is all Around

Chapter: 2

Rating: PG

Dan poured her a glass of water and brought it over to her. "When I called you I selfishly enough didn't expect you to be in a relationship." he confessed. "I realize that I started all of this, and I'm sorry, Mary, I really am."

She took a drink. "It's not your fault, Dan." she tried to assure him. "I should have told you about Joe right away. I guess if I felt as strongly about him as I thought, I would have."

"I think you were just taken by my charismatic charm." he teased.

Mary smiled. "Maybe." she sat the glass down on the cocktail table. "Don't get me wrong, you being here confuses the hell out of me, but just because Joe might not be Mr. Right doesn't mean you are either."

"I use to be." Dan said, softly. "I use to be the white knight in shining armor."

"And then you moved away."

"I asked you to come with me."

"I couldn't." she replied. "When I moved to Minneapolis I found everything I was looking for and I didn't want to give any of that up. I like being independent, I like being on my own."

"I know and I understand that now."

"You do?"

Dan nodded. "Yes." he said. "It took me a while, but I've finally realized that you like being a career woman. You're not one of those women who strive to be the perfect wife and mother."

"I never said that I didn't want to be a wife and mother." she told him. "But I want to do it on my terms and not on society's."

"A few years ago you wouldn't consider marriage at all." he said. "And when you finally accepted my proposal you broke it off without any hesitation."

"Without any hesitation?" she repeated. "That's not fair to say, Dan. I was completely heartbroken over you moving away. I was just at a place in my life where I needed to put myself first. Moving to a new city and starting over with you seemed like too much."

"We could have made it work."

"Could we have?" she questioned him. "Two new jobs, living together, building a marriage. I really don't think it would have worked out all that well. That's why I chose to stay here. Because as much as it hurt to lose you I think my way was far less painful."

"I never really looked at it like that." he said. "I guess you have a point. But now things are different. I'm back in Minneapolis and this is where I intend to stay. I would really like it if we could see each other again, but I understand if you don't want to."

"No, I want to see you again." she said. "I feel like you and I need a fair chance."

"What about Joe?"

"I don't know." she breathed out. "I'll talk to Joe when things calm down a little. If things calm down a little."

"All couples fight, Mary." he reminded her. "There's no way to avoid it."

"Yes, I know." she agreed. "But there are fights and then there are battles."

"Don't rush, okay?" he advised her. "I don't want you to regret anything. If break things off with Joe know you might resent me later. And I don't think I could take that."

"Someone's going to get hurt, Dan." she said. "There's no way to avoid it."

"I know." his voice was soft.

"I should get home, it's late."

Dan glanced at his watch. "It is late." he said. "Why don't you stay here?"

~Mary's Apartment~

It was around nine o'clock the next morning when she came home. She had changed clothes and was about to lay down when the doorbell rang. It was Joe, she knew it was. He was coming to apologize for his behavior and she knew that she had two choices, she could forgive him or leave him. Problem was she was still unsure about how she felt for either man.

She opened the door to find Dan on the other side. She was completely surprised to say the very least. It hadn't been a half hour ago that she left his hotel room. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, it occurred to me after you left that we should have had breakfast." he closed the door behind him. "My hotel does have the best room service."

"We it's been my experience that breakfast is only offered if you've worked up an appetite for it." she smiled. "And you slept on the sofa."

"Mmm, very true." he agreed. "I still would like to fix you breakfast. I know how much you like my french toast."

"How can I possibly turn that down?"

He shrugged. "You can't, it's impossible."

"Okay, you cook breakfast." she said. "I'm going to take a shower."

"That sounds much more appealing than cooking breakfast." he said, reaching out for her. "Would you care for some company?"

Mary's lips met his for a soft kiss. It seemed so right, so natural. "As tempting of an offer as that is I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass."

He brushed the fallen hair back away from her face. "Good things come to those who wait, right?"

"Something like that."

"I hope so." he said. "But I must say my pyjamas look much better on you than they do on me. But then again they always did."

Instead of pulling away from him she found herself drawing nearer."Why do you always know the exact right thing to say?"

"It's a gift." he smiled. "But more than that it's because I know you so well."

"You think so?" she asked. "A few years have passed."

"Doesn't matter." Dan assured her. "I can still read you like a book."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah." he breathed out. "Right now you're thinking that if we stand here another minute we might not be able to control our actions."

And that's exactly what she was thinking. "Damn, you're good." she breathed out. "But I've made a commitment to Joe." the words just tumbled out.

"I know you have." he replied, reluctantly letting go. "And I would never try to talk you into breaking that commitment. I want you, all of you, not just your body. I want her mind, body, and heart. I wouldn't settle for anything less than that."

Mary smiled. "You're a good man Daniel Whitfield."

"Too much of a good man sometimes."

tbc...