Darien's head was reeling by the time he got home; he could scarcely believe his own nerve. He hadn't seen her in almost 2 months, hadn't heard her sweet voice, smelt her sweet…. Damn her! She was already getting under his skin. He wanted so badly to kiss the breath out of her, but he knew that he had to wait. He had to do it right this time, she didn't know him, and he didn't know her, it would only strengthen their relationship, this abstinence. But it was going to be tough on him. He almost laughed at himself, a week ago he was to busy trying to burn the thoughts of her out to even think about calming his libido down, and to think his icy cold attitude towards any female, had been melted in a matter of minutes by the little blond woman whose fault it was in the first place. He was going to enjoy punishing her for running away, by loving her to death. He smiled contently to himself, god he was such a child.
"Darien are you…. uh…ok?" Sheila asked the recently moody man.
"No I'm great!" he said picking the old lady up and spinning her around in a little circle before putting her down again, and kissing her cheek. The woman looked up at him in shock.
"Darien don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to go grab some of the horse tranquilizer…" Darien burst out laughing.
"No need, I already have my serenity back…" He smiled mysteriously to himself, as he walked away. She stared after him, convinced one of the cowboy's had shot the man with a tranquilizer, and sadly she couldn't blame them, Darien had been a holy terror, the cowboy's hadn't avoided Darien like this since…well since Valessa and even then he was more composed. This Serena, who ever she was must have been some kind of woman, to be able to bring Darien Volpe to his knees.
****
Serena held her mother's gaze, as the older woman had a fit. Her fists were balled as she yelled at Serena about morals, and rules, and the dignity of a lady. Serena could have laughed at the old lady. She desperately wanted to say; 'I hopped into bed with him already, now I'd like to get to know him, since he's going to be the father of my child!' but knew better than to. She allowed the woman to yell herself hoarse, then she helped her back into her bed, her energy obviously spent; Serena took this as her opportunity, and she intended to use it to the fullest.
"Mother, I like him very much, he's a good man, and I'm 22 years old! I am not a child, you cannot choose who I can and cannot date. I can vote, I can buy a drink, and I can have a child of my very own if I wanted to, I think we've passed the stage where you can dictate my life to me." She said very calmly. Of course her insolence (in her mother's eyes) only served to give the older woman her second wind.
"At least when you lived by my rules you had some morals! You live in my house, and you live by my rules now! Living on your own brought you this mess where you needed to come back and live with me because you couldn't support yourself! Well girl, you moved out when you were 18 and you said you were an adult, but your sure not acting like one coming back to live…" she said derisively before Serena cut her off.
"Really? How about when Andrew came? He was 28 years old if you recall! I can support myself; I came here to look after you! I am an adult, mother, and if you don't want me in this house just say the word and I'll leave." She ground out angrily, she was going to be a mother herself, and if she wanted to be a good one she needed to confront her own mother, and damn it she'd spent too long allowing herself to be walked on.
"Are you mouthing me off!?" her mother asked incredulously.
"No, I'm just tired of you treating me like an idiot! I'm the only one of your kids to come back to look after you! I'm the only one who tried to make it completely on my own! Andrew was the athletic one and when he lost that you gave him all the love and support he could ever want, and when Hack left the Air force because she wanted to be openly gay, you didn't so much as flinch! Whenever Sammy gets into a fight at school, no matter how often it's his fault you take his side, but whenever it comes to me you just put me down. 'Oh Serena you can't cook, oh Serena you can't clean, oh Serena your never going to get married, oh Serena you'll never make it on your own!' have you ever said one supportive thing to me? No! And why should you? I'm not the smart one, I'm not he athletic one I'm not the talented one, all I am is the one that works like a dog, sweats blood, and somehow manages to show up to ever damn holiday, and all I ever get is 'oh it's just Serena, I thought it might have been Andrew!'" she yelled at her mother, tears running down her face as she said it. Every painful wound opened and exposed, because she needed to get it out. "Well maybe I shouldn't come, maybe I should just leave and fall of the face of this earth, you probably wouldn't notice!"
"Don't you say that…I love all my children equally…" her mother shrieked defiantly.
"Just miserable little Serena gets the rod end of your love!"
"Serena…"
"Tell me you don't love Andrew more? Tell me your not prouder of Hack, tell me Sammy isn't the apple of your eye…what does that leave me?" She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.
"Don't be like that girl, I do love you…"
"You don't love me, you're stuck with me!"
"No! Don't say that you're my…."
"Mistake! If you could take me back you would have, admit it, all your other children are gorgeous, smart, athletic, and champions, if it wasn't for me you'd be a very, very proud mother!"
"I am proud…"
"Of your other children, I'm just the black spot on your perfect record, the black sheep of the Lane family, I'm short, I'm average intelligence, I couldn't throw a ball to save my life, and god knows I'm uglier than the rear end of a cow, why should you be proud?"
"Serena why would you think that…you're not any…."
"Forget it! I don't care what you have to say, I already know what you think of me and that's fine, but god help you mother you're never coming near my baby ever! And to hell with your rules I'm going out with Darien tonight, and if I want to hop into bed with him, well then that's what I'll do! It's not like I'll drop much more in your eyes!" She walked swiftly out of the room, never looking back.
All her anger was bubbling inside her and was ready to completely explode; she walked out the front door and slammed it behind her. She tucked her feet under her on the porch swing and allowed her tears to fall from her eyes. She cried for herself; because she'd always be second best, she cried for her mother; because she was second best and that's why she hated Serena so, and her unborn child; who she already loved beyond intelligence, because her baby would only be a mistake to Darien. She cried silently until again like that terrible night months ago, she had spent them all.
Now she thought clearly, she loved Darien, and she loved his child, the child he knew nothing about. And she'd have to tell him, and the sooner the less likely he was to get angry. If she told him tonight it would ruin any chance she had of getting to know the real Darien, she wanted so desperately to know, so tonight wasn't the night. She'd tell him, and it would only be a complication to him, a complication she wanted almost as badly as she wanted him. And if he knew and truly didn't want the child she could raise it without him ever being in the picture, and without the fear that he'd suddenly show up. But if she kept it from him, he'd hate her and want to spite her…he'd take the baby away from her. She shuttered with the thought, he was ruthless enough to do it. Her heart cried silently for the love she had for him, the love that would never be returned she was sure.
Her mother was going to be testy and angry for the next little while, but to hell with that, she'd gotten what she needed to say out, and if Irene didn't like it she'd just have to live with it. Serena sighed she was too gutsy for herself. She looked down at her watch, and decided to go get dressed, and then it occurred to her that she had no idea what time he was coming at. She shook her head at her own stupidity; at least she'd had the foresight to include her number with her address. She went inside feeling like spiting her mother, she wondered if the pink and black lace dress she'd worn to her little outing with Yaten still fit…
****
Darien stared down at the interior of his truck. He felt like a teen on his very first date, he had butterflies swimming in his stomach, and a tendency to fidget. God he was a freak, he thought despite himself. On his right arm was Serena's address and phone number, he'd already written it down on a separate sheet of paper, but the idea of washing it off wasn't very appealing. He liked her writing he decided, it seemed so much prettier now that it wasn't telling him she was leaving. He smiled, as he headed of to her house, hearing her pretty voice on the phone had been like swimming in an ocean of sweet expensive wine. Seeing her tonight would be like heaven.
****
Serena sat out on her porch dressed up; she'd decided against the dress, she didn't want Darien to feel second best, not to mention she was a little uncomfortable in it. She was wearing a dark denim skirt, and a light pink tee shirt with the all two familiar pink flip-flops. Her blonde hair was tied up tight and had a little pink purse in her left hand. She sat with her legs tucked under her; she stared out waiting slightly impatiently for Darien.
A black pick-up truck, appeared from her left, she smiled at the image of what Darien would look like behind the wheel of one of those. It would suit his features but not his style, she supposed. Until the truck pulled up in front of her and the driver, open his door and hopped out. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Darien in a light blue button up shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and a black Stetson. He was gorgeous, and the cowboy get up suited him, he arched an eyebrow at her reverie.
"Are you going to let me feed you, or would you rather stare at me?" He asked her teasingly. Truthfully the sight of her was melting him away, she was beautiful, the jean skirt showed off her perfect legs and her flip-flops showed her pretty toes…. those flip-flops seemed…familiar? That's when it hit him. "You were wearing those the day we…"
"Yah…I can't believe you remember." She stammered, sadly she could remember ever detail, and her heart was sure he wouldn't even remember what color the tank top he'd ripped was.
"I should get those framed, along with that white tank top." He said with a little devilish smile. She stared at him in shock, had he just said that? "As much as I like standing on your curb…"
"Oh sorry…" She said jumping off the swing, and walking over to him, he laughed as she moved towards him.
"Darling I was kidding, I really wouldn't mind standing on this curb as long as I got to look at you." He admitted with a little evil smile, he helped her into the passenger side of his truck, and then went over to his side.
"I didn't think you'd drive a truck." She admitted to him.
"Really what did you think I'd drive?"
"Something flashy and red." She said with a little grin.
"Well I do, but I've always had a thing for a black truck."
"Really? Why?"
"I grew up driving them, back when I worked as a ranch hand, that's what they made me drive." He said shrugging his shoulders, as he drove them into parking lot of a little restaurant.
"You worked as a ranch hand?" She asked a little surprised.
"Honey I wasn't born rich you know." He said as he got out of the truck. He walked over to her side, and helped her out.
"You could have fooled me."
"How so?"
"Well you're very dignified…" he looked at her for a minute and then burst out laughing. "What?"
"That's your nice way of saying I'm snobby." He said shaking his head.
"No! Your not snobby at all, I just mean…well you're very graceful, and you don't act like you've ever been without money…"
"You mean I act like money doesn't mean anything to me?" he offered, she nodded her head. "Well I learned young, that money doesn't mean anything if you're alone, believe me I'd rather be dirt poor than trade my sister, or my daughter…or you" he said guiding her into the restaurant. The outside had looked small and shabby, but the inside was beautiful, with a very Spanish oriented style.
"It's so pretty…" she muttered to herself, but he heard her.
"My best friend's family owns it," he told her.
"Oh…he has very nice taste…"
"He didn't decorate it, his half brother did, uh, Yaten…"
"Your best friends with his brother?!" She wheeled around staring at him surprised.
"What?"
"So you knew Yaten very well then?"
"Well yes…" He said, as they were lead to their table. As soon as the menus had been given to them, and the waitress had left Serena asked the question she'd been burning to ask him.
"Why did you call me his Twinkie, if you knew him so well you ought to have known I wasn't…"
"Jealousy does crazy things to a man, to any man, especially when your jealous of a man who's better looking, and younger than you…"
"But he's not better looking that you!" she blurted out, and then blushed. Darien grinned devilishly.
"I'm glad you think so."
"Who doesn't think so?" she asked surprised that anyone would think that someone else could be better looking than Darien.
"You'd be surprised, Yaten's something of a ladies man."
"Well he is charming, but he has nothing on you…" she blurted out again before she hid behind her menu.
"Your very good for my ego." He said pulling her menu down.
"I'm not trying to be, I'm just telling you the truth."
"Sure it is," he said patting her hand, "So what do you want?"
"Well I'm thinking I have no clue, I don't read Spanish." She admitted putting down her menu.
"I'm sorry I should have told you before, it's a very authentic Spanish restaurant."
"Well it's good to know it's a Spanish restaurant, and I'm not going to end up ordering Chinese or something." She grinned at him. "Why don't you pick something?"
"Well I would go with the special, it's always the best." He confided.
"Can you read Spanish?" she asked him curiously.
"Usted rivaliza con la luna con esos ojos" he said smoothly.
"I'll take that as a yes…what did you say?" she asked curiously.
"I can read, write, and speak it, and I said that you rival the moon with those eyes of yours." He told her. She stared at him for a moment.
"Are you sure you didn't say something like, 'idiot girl can't even speak Spanish'?" He started to laugh.
"Don't feel bad my own sister can't, a lot of people can't, I had to learn."
"Why?"
"Many of the cowhands I had to work with couldn't speak any English, and if your going to learn something you might as well learn it right."
"I think I'd have died if someone expected me to learn Spanish on my own." She mused.
"I didn't learn it totally on my own, there are books you know, and some of the bilingual cowboys helped me out."
"It must have been hard working at 16." She offered.
"Yes and no, it wasn't all that hard, the hours were terrible, and work itself was grueling, but from the life I'd had up till then, it was almost a relieve…" he let his sentence trail off, he wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her why on his own, but if she asked…
"A lot's happened to you hasn't it?" She said sadly, the idea that anyone could have hurt Darien was heart breaking to her; even if it had been years ago.
"I'm sorry…it's really hard to talk about this…" He muttered to his feet, he wanted to tell her everything eventually, but he didn't know if now was the right time. She nodded her head, she understood. "Why don't you tell me about you?" He suggested playfully, although his tone was still slightly haunting.
"Well what would you like to know?" she asked him. But before he could answer the waitress came back and Darien ordered in Spanish, she looked up at the gorgeous woman who was taking their order. Her hair shone a bright red, and her pretty eyes were brown, she was taller than Serena, and she was built like a model. Serena was sure Darien was looking at this woman in that way, and that somehow made her feel very inadequate.
After the waitress left, Darien stared at Serena for a moment. She wasn't saying anything, she was looking down, and her hands were clasped in her lap. He reached towards her, and moved her chin up so he could look into her eyes.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her gently.
"You have a thing for redheads don't you?" she asked suddenly. Darien looked slightly confused at her, and then it dawned on him.
"The waitress really?" he asked her arching an eyebrow.
"Pardon?"
"Your jealous of the waitress, why?"
"I am not jealous of the…"
"Liar, she's got nothing on you, you do realize that right?"
"What are you talking about, she's pretty…"
"And you're gorgeous." He said simply.
"The hell I am! Have you seen me?" she asked annoyed, Darien threw back his head and started laughing. "What's so funny?"
"You, my god your drop dead gorgeous, the waitress was giving you death glares and you're too busy comparing yourself to her, Serena you're really something you know that." He said smiling.
"What do you mean?"
"You're beautiful, there are women who'd kill to look like you…"
"Short, stubby and boyish really?" She asked annoyed.
"Boyish? Where would you get that? And stubby, if you're stubby then I better go on a diet."
"You don't think I'm boyish?" she asked sheepishly.
"Of course not, you're very feminine, any moron who told you otherwise probably needed glasses in the first place." He said shaking his head. Serena smiled delicately at him. "Now don't smile at me like that," he warned.
"Why not?"
"Because it makes me forget my point." He told her with a little grin.
"Well in that case you better put a bag over your head…"
"Why?"
"Because your whole face does that to me." She admitted.
"Your going to make my head very big, I don't think I'll be able to walk out the door without getting it stuck."
"You still haven't answered my question." She said evenly, even though it hurt to bring it up again, she was wondering if he'd just been trying to skate over the issue.
"Umm, I forgot what you asked if you must know." He told her with a little grin. "You must have had the time of your life making men forget their own names."
"I've never done that before…"
"Yes you have, the first time I met you I swear I forgot who I was."
"You didn't act it."
"Well I wasn't about to admit it had taken you about 5 seconds to bring me to my knees."
"You still haven't answered the question." She didn't want to believe him, for some reason it scared her that she had that kind of control, but then he was probably only trying to butter her up.
"What was it?" he asked her.
"Do you prefer redheads?" She asked as she looked at her knees.
"I prefer you." He said pointblank. She stared up at him.
"You're teasing!"
"Am I?" he asked arching an eyebrow. "I guess you could say I do go for redheads, but for the life of me I don't know why, to be honest I don't even notice until a while after, you prefer blonds don't you?" he accused.
"What?" she asked shocked.
"Oh yes I know your secret." He said in mock seriousness. "I guess there's only one thing I can do."
"And what would that be?"
"Dye my hair blond obviously." He said simply. She burst out laughing; the idea of Darien being blond was a little too much for her. "What don't you think I'd be as pretty with blonde hair?" he asked innocently.
"You're pretty the way you are." She said in between fits of laughter. He grinned at her.
"What just pretty? Well I never! You bed me and all I get is pretty…next your going to say I'm fat!" He said in fake rage.
"You fat? Never!" She whispered her voice slightly husky from the laughter.
"Oh now with the complements, well your going to have to try harder if you expect to get me into bed again! Your going to have to dine and wine me lady, I'm not that cheap!" He said in sham defiance.
"Oh of all the rotten luck!" she said in sham frustration. "You're a little to rich for my tastes, I guess I'm just going to have to settle for Yaten."
"Okay I know I started this, but now your freaking me out." He said with a wry little grin. But before she could answer the waitress reappeared with their orders. She gave Darien a seductive little smile, and then began to flirt with him. Serena's heart plummeted, until she heard Darien curt little replies to her flirting. She looked up at him, and saw how irritated he was. The waitress was as sharp as a knife; she disappeared and didn't come back again. Darien looked back at Serena and saw her shocked face burning with curiosity.
"What surprised I'm not that big of a whore?" He asked her cheerfully, even though her unspoken insinuation had hurt.
"I never said you were a…. whore …" she offered, although the idea of Darien on a street corner somewhere was enough to make her burst out laughing.
"You didn't have to, you implied it." He said a little bitterly.
"I'm sorry…it's not that I think you're a…whore, it's just I don't see why you'd settle for me." She muttered.
"And me being a player is easier to except that your gorgeous, there's no one else like you, and for the life of me I can't stop thinking about you?" he offered. She looked up at him suddenly; he looked down quickly and started to eat. Had he really said that? Or had she imagined that?
"So what exactly is the special?" she asked curiously, he looked up and smiled, as he went through what they'd ordered.
****
Dinner had been wonderful; Serena had never had so much fun before. After they'd eaten Darien took her out to the dance floor. Then they'd ordered desert, and played a little game of quarters. Obviously not the traditional way, but rather a more interesting way; who ever managed to land a quarter into the other's glass got to ask one question of their choice, they had a choice of trying to land two at the same time, so that they wouldn't have to answer their own question. (Which they had to do if they only landed one). So far Serena had found out that Darien's favorite color was in fact blue, his whole name was Darien Brian Endymion Volpe (His mother had a thing for old English fables, apparently Endymion had been a Barbarian king who'd kidnapped a princess named Serenity and forced her into marriage), his worst nightmare was drowning, he'd broken his shoulder, his leg, and his wrist, his first girlfriend had been when he was 7 years old, and Malcolm had beaten the snot out of him because he'd liked her too, in the end they'd ditched the girl and gone bike riding. His favorite food was (any surprises?) Cinnamon bread, the stupidest thing he'd ever done was skateboard off a roof when he was 17, the first time he'd ever gotten drunk he was 14, and it was right after his mother had died, and his first time was when he was 15 with a 19 year old girl who'd thought he was 18. ('Nasty shock when she found out' he'd said with a wry grin.)
So far Darien had found out, that her favorite color was pink although the blue of his eyes was growing on her, her full name was Serena Ann Serenity Lane, ('Bit of an omen don't you think?' He'd said with an impish little grin.) She'd never broken anything, her first boyfriend had been when she was 17, and he'd run scared when he'd met Hack. Her favorite food was cappuccino ice cream, the stupidest thing she'd ever done was move into her dorm (although she wouldn't tell him why), the first time she'd ever been drunk she'd been 6, when Andrew had accidentally given her some clear moonshine thinking it was water. (It had been Hack's doing), the reason she hadn't had a boyfriend earlier than 17 was her conservative mother, her deadliest fear was the hospital because she'd seen her father die in one, and the one thing she'd learned from her teen years was that you should never kiss someone with braces if you have them too, especially if theirs stick out!
Darien was still laughing from her last confession, when a tall platinum blond man walked in. He looked an awful lot like Yaten, except for his eyes, they weren't ice green, but rather the frostiest shade of blue Serena had ever seen. His face was a little harder as well, the delicate features she'd seen on Yaten, were rock formed on his man; he had a certain roughness that made him more ruggedly handsome than Yaten.
"Malcolm?" Darien asked surprised as he turned to look at what Serena was looking at.
"In the flesh." He said with a little grin, he looked exhausted.
"Serena this is Malcolm Miller, his family owns this restaurant, although I have no clue what he's doing here." Darien said turning to Serena, who smiled politely as she shook his hand.
"Well, now I see why you kept snapping at Mina…" He said awed.
"Can you see it too? I thought maybe I was just going crazy."
"No I can see it, very prominently, especially around the eyes, although Mina's are a little lighter."
"Yes it's the eyes that set them apart, that and the height, but the face is like a copy." Darien agreed.
"Not to be rude or anything, but what are you talking about?" Serena asked slightly annoyed since it seemed to be about her.
"We're talking about how much you look like Darien replacement secretary." He told her calmly.
"What he really means is we're talking about how much you and the woman this ding bat's madly in love with look a like." Darien said defiantly.
"Alright so I love her, no need to rub it in." He sighed miserably.
"Why is that a bad thing?" Serena asked curiously before she could stop herself.
"Because she wouldn't come near me out of choice if her life depended on it." He said sadly.
"Like you've ever tried to see if that was true." Darien said annoyed.
"This coming from the man who spent almost 2 months making all of us miserable."
"Alright so I was a pain, no need to remind me, in any case what are you doing here?"
"Taking a vacation, finding Ami…"
"Finding Ami?" Darien asked abruptly, missing the look in Serena's eyes, although Malcolm didn't.
"Yes she ran away again, and you can blame that on Zoey." He said still looking at Serena.
"What did he do?" Darien asked exasperated.
"Well I don't know Darien, maybe it's because they've been fighting like cats and dogs for the last 2 months; you know while you were busy thinking about Serena over here, not that I blame you mind." He said simply, gauging Serena's reaction to that statement, he could almost have hit Darien for his stupidity. She was obviously stunned by the statement, then disbelieve clouded her pretty eyes, Darien was wrong about her; it wasn't that she didn't trust Darien; it was that she didn't have any sense of worth.
"Would you stop harping about those 2 months, you'd think I'd killed someone." Darien said a little annoyed, that admission, made him particularly vulnerable. Serena wasn't like Francesca or Valessa who would use something like that against him but then he seemed to attract those types of women, he needed to get closer to her, learn about her, before he could reveal things of that nature.
"You might as well have, lord knows we all wanted to kill you, in any case I'm going to go and kidnap me a chef, why don't you and Serena come out my place sometime? I have a feeling she'll like the garden." He said shrugging his shoulders. With a final nod to Darien and Serena he headed back towards the kitchen.
"Is he really going to kidnap a chef?" Serena asked curiously, because she wanted so desperately to avoid what was really bothering her. The way Darien had suddenly locked her out of the conversation when Ami had been mentioned hurt.
"Probably, it is his restaurant." He said simply.
"What did he mean about the garden?" She asked him, he seemed slight preoccupied, and her heart was breaking again.
"Mina planted it, it's full of roses and gardenias, and magnolia's and every other pretty flower she could get her hands on." Darien told her. "She took care of it with so much love that she'd even taken to calling them her children, now he takes care of them, although he'd kill me for telling anyone that."
"Poor man, he must really love her."
"You have no idea, he would have thrown the heavens at her feet if she'd asked, but she never gave him a chance just ran." He said sadly.
"That's so awful, he seems like such a nice person."
"Oh he is now, but when she met him he was a holy terror, she had a very calming effect on him apparently."
"Apparently?"
"He never told me," he said looking into her eyes. "I found out when she started to work for me, after Ami ran the first time," As he said it Serena was sure she saw something like love flash in his eyes, she looked down at her coffee, and wondered how bad it could be for the baby, and decided against drinking it. "Everything I know about them is relatively recent, and all the other details I found out from Yaten." He explained. "I might have guessed, he was always kind of sad after it happened."
"I hope it works out for them." She said wistfully, she didn't want anyone else to go through what she was. Unrequited love was the purist form of hell she decided.
"Don't we all… well where were we?" He asked her.
"I don't know, but I don't feel very well, maybe we better call it a night." She suggested, Darien saw the spark in her eyes disappear, or had it been gone before? What had set her off he wondered? Had he said something…or had Malcolm? He cringed with the thought that she might be trying to run from him again.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked her.
"My head's throbbing." She improvised; he looked into her eyes, and realized abruptly what had done it.
"Ami's my secretary Serena, nothing's ever happened between us, she's like a little sister to me, that and she's madly in love with brother-in-law's younger brother Zoey," He told her evenly.
"I never said anything."
"You didn't have to, Serena I know this is hard for you grasp, but I'm not trying to hurt you, and the more you keep locking me out, the more we're both of us going get hurt, you're going to have to trust me eventually." He said firmly yet gently.
"If there's one thing I've learned Darien, it's that trust is the hardest thing to give, but the easiest to lose, and maybe I'm afraid that you'll lose it."
"How would you ever know if you don't give it?"
"I wouldn't but it'd never get hurt by it either."
"No you'd just die lonely and cynical." He whispered as he moved her chin up to look into her pretty eyes. "I'm not asking for you to trust me with you life, I'm asking you to trust me enough to believe I'd tell you the truth, can you do that?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"I'm not asking for you heart Serena, I'm asking that you trust me enough to come to me before you run."
'Oh Darien you are asking for my heart' She thought sadly, even as she nodded her head. She wanted to trust him, she really did, but she just felt to inadequate to believe that she made any difference to him at all.
"Can you trust me like that?" He asked her again, he wanted to tell her then and there that she could trust him; that he'd sooner cut of his own arm then hurt her. But she needed to trust him to believe that.
"I can try," she whispered.
"Considering what you think I am, I guess I'm lucky to even have that, I guess I'll just have to prove to you that I'm not a monster." He sighed. "But understand this Serena, I am never going to let you get away from me again, you'd have to go to the remote islands of the Amazon, and I'd still track you down."
"Why?" She asked stunned.
"Because you mean a lot to me, I don't suppose you'd believe me, but Malcolm wasn't lying, I spent the last 2 months making everyone around me miserable because I wanted you so badly, finally when they couldn't take me anymore they locked me in my office and told me they'd shoot me if I didn't go after you." He admitted, if he expected her to trust him, he had to trust her, and it wasn't going to be easy.
"Really?" she asked doubtfully.
"On the head of my daughter, I swear!" he said holding up his left arm and placing his right over his heart.
"I spent the better part of two months depressed." She admitted, she supposed if he was going to be telling her what he did after she'd run, she might as well tell him.
"Really? That makes me feel a little better, to be honest I thought you'd be out getting drunk with some old flame."
"Why?" she asked stunned.
"I thought you were only experimenting with me, besides your gorgeous you probably had guys coming after you all the time."
"No actually I didn't, I was a real ditz growing up, not to mention Hack, by the time I had guys after me I really didn't want that kind of attention anymore." She looked down at her feet, she didn't want to tell him why that was, but she knew he was going to ask.
"And why is that?" She sighed inversely.
"I grew up." She improvised, she'd tell him eventually she decided, now was definitely not the time.
"Has anyone ever told you you're a terrible liar?" he asked coyly, she looked up suddenly and saw the little grin on his face. "I suppose this is something I'm not privileged enough to know?"
"No one knows." She admitted.
"Must be bad."
"I guess….I really think we should call it a night." He looked her deep in eyes, as he nodded his head.
"Can you ride?" He asked her suddenly.
"Uh…yah"
"Good, would you like to?"
"Pardon?"
"Come up to my ranch, Ayane would love to see you." He said impishly. "And if that doesn't work for you my mares are getting bored." He gave her a devilish grin, she just shook her head and started laughing.
"Alright."
"Good how does 7:30 sound?"
"Isn't that a bit late?" She asked a little surprised.
"In the morning."
"And again isn't that a bit late?" She asked arching an eyebrow.
"Don't tell me you're a morning person." He said in sham disgust.
"Yup."
"Imagine that, an owl and a lark." He grinned at her for a long minute, before he called for the bill.
****
Serena lay in bed long after the date was over, playing back every word he'd said, listening in silence to the low treble of his voice play over and over again in her mind. She smiled happily to herself; she was in deep she thought. She placed a protective hand over her belly, even if he got bored of her, at least she'd have more memories like tonight to grow old on, and his baby to love. She closed her eyes and feel asleep, wondering about what tomorrow was going to be like. She silently prayed that his horses were well trained, but she suspected they were.
Next-door Sammy grinned to himself, with the knowledge that their date had obviously gone well if his sister, had come home with a smile on after the huge blow out she and their mother had had. He hoped everything turned out all right for them, he loved his sister very much, and if she loved Darien, well then he best love her back. He closed his eyes on menacing thoughts of what he'd do to Darien if he didn't love her.
****
Darien pulled Ayane close; the little girl had slept with him every night since Serena had left. He wondered how happy the little girl would be when she found out that Serena was coming over, probably very. It would be one hell of a surprise. He'd been showering Ayane with presents galore ever since they come to Red Brook, this would certainly be the icing on the cake. Like father like daughter he thought, as he brushed her dark hair of her face. He kissed her forehead, and closed his eyes on the image of Serena, himself, Ayane and 2 little babies.
Ayane was dreaming of her new family, daddy, Serena, and…. Zack, the little boy with the pretty eyes, and shinny cars. She missed him, but she missed Serena more. She missed Mina too, she'd looked a lot like Serena, and she'd been a lot of fun, and playing with Zack everyday had been fun too, but having Serena braid her hair, and play dolls with her meant a lot more. It meant family, it meant happy. She smiled in her sleep as she thought about her birthday that was only a few days off. She wondered what kind of surprise daddy had for her. What ever it was it would be a lot better than father Rick's 'surprise' on her last birthday. She shuttered as she moved closer to her daddy, he'd protect her, like he'd promised to, forever and ever.
Forever and ever was starting to sound really good to Darien…. he wondered if he'd still feel the same tomorrow….
****
In fact he did, the mere sight of Serena was enough to make him go wild with fantasies. He daydreamed that they were a family, that he'd married Serena instead of that witch Valessa, that Ayane was their daughter, not just his. They spent most of the day out on the range.
It would have continued to be a peaceful day had an uninvited guest not showed up. A very irritated, agitated and about to be murdered, Zoey showed up at Darien front door just as they were sitting down to dinner.
"Zoey what the hell are you doing here?" Darien asked absolutely annoyed.
"I…well…that is to say…. I came for a little vacation okay? I don't have the keys to the guesthouse at the ranch; I know you have a spare so hand it over" Zoey barked angrily.
"What ever you say, I'm sure it has nothing to do with Ami, anyway I don't have the keys, let me guess Rei and Jaden won't let you in?"
"The hell they won't, they won't leave me alone, I am not staying in the main house to save my life! I'd sooner sleep in the barn!"
"At the rate you're going you might just have to, I'm serious Zoey, Rei had mine copied but she never gave them back, why don't you just ask them, I mean it is their ranch…"
"I already did, they said that if they let me have the guest house I'd just spend every night drunker than a hobo on Christmas, as if I have any reason to get drunk." He said tersely. Darien could almost smile and the man, he was lying through his teeth, he had plenty of reasons to get drunk, and Rei and Jaden were right not to let him stay in the guest house, although being around the happy, expecting couple was probably going to drive Zoey insane.
"Okay well you can stay here if you want." He really didn't mind Zoey in his house, just not right now.
"Just as long as you don't have-" As he said the sentence Serena, came up behind Darien to see who was at the door. "a pretty blonde in your house." He finished, rolling his eyes. "Is just me or is everyone shacking up?" He said throwing his arms up in the air.
"Well Malcolm's not." Darien said pointedly.
"And I wouldn't come near him even if I had a gun in my hand and he was tied down to the floor, he's been…uh moody lately." He said uncomfortably.
"Really I'm sure this has nothing to do with a certain secretary of mine that you drove out of the state…again?"
"Well…uh…. look it's not important what broke Malcolm's tenuous connection with sanity, the point is I don't want to go near him, to be honest I almost don't blame Mina for running from him, that man is boarder line psychotic!" Zoey said firmly.
"Only when you hurt the people he cares about you moron, hasn't it occurred to you that maybe you ought to control that hole you call a mouth around Ami?" Darien asked coldly.
"Alright I'll admit I'm a jackass but she's not exactly an angel! Besides I didn't do anything." He said angrily. "And frankly I think it's a little presumptions of you to think that I would deliberately…"
"Stop before you hurt yourself, I'm surprised you haven't had some kind of brain overload using all those words with more than 2 syllables."
"I don't use them because unlike you I have nothing to compensate for!"
"You know the barn is calling your name Zoey." Darien warned.
"Alright fine, even living with you would be better than living with the 'kissing-tons', my god when did my brother get so disgustingly cute!"
"Around the same time you started to realize that not all women think you're the irresistible god of the bedroom. I'm not going to let you stay in my guesthouse, I really don't want my daughter to see you butt naked, drunk and singing some obscene Spanish drinking song, which I know would end up happening unless your under constant supervision!"
"Why the hell do you all think I'm going to get drunk? Have you ever seen my drunk?"
"Oh gee, freshmen year…"
"That was only once."
"It was the entire year, you were crowned the king of hammered." Darien recalled pleasantly.
"Shut up, that was a bad year." He said darkly.
"I'm surprised you can even remember It." he commented off-handily.
" Shut up, I swear I wanted to make you ride an unbroken horse the first time I met you, but right now I'd prefer shooting you, more direct and to the point, besides I can be sure your dead this way!"
"Oh that hurts me, I guess I'll just have my billions to make up for the loss of your friendship, how will I ever survive." He said sarcastically.
"Whatever Volpe, you'd miss me and you know it, I'd better go break it to 'Mr. And Mrs. Grossly in love' I'll be by in a couple of hours, sorry I interrupted your…um…date, I suppose if I find a sock on you doorknob I should sleep in the barn?" He asked innocently, to which Darien hit him in the arm, giving him a look that could have killed him. "Tough crowd." He muttered walking away. Darien shook his head as he closed the door, and turned to face Serena.
"Sock?" she asked amiably.
"Old university thing."
"What does it mean?"
"Uh…well…it means I'm getting lucky so go away." He said awkwardly. "Zoey may look like a man, but he's as immature as they come, he's got a mind like a horse's ass." He said mirthlessly.
"My friend Lita's sort of like that, she can think of something dirty for any word in the English…why are you looking at me like that?" She asked for his mouth was slightly open and his eyes were widened.
"Lita Juniper Krux?"
****
Nathan rolled over in his bed. He wondered how much longer he could fake sleep, not much he decided. He inversely cursed Zoey for his big mouth, which pushed away Ami, which made Malcolm run after her, which made Zoey jealous so he ran after her too; because now all the excitement was gone. Gone straight to Texas, he sighed this was going to be a boring week.
The sudden ringing of his door ended his charade, as he got up, to answer it. He was only in his P.J bottoms, and who ever were at the door was going to get an eye full, with his tousled hair, and slightly sleep hooded eyes. He opened the door to see a pretty brunette in a black skirt suit, with a pale green shirt under. He vaguely registered how the color brought out her pretty dark green eyes. He recanted his first impression that she was pretty; she was a lot more than that.
"Morning." He said pleasantly.
"Uh hi, I'm sorry I hope I didn't wake you up, but I'm Mrs. Ivy Rich's lawyer, I have a subpoena for you." She said holding out an envelope. His sudden and very masculine appearance had put knocked her off guard.
"And why exactly do I get one of these?" he asked a little stunned. She was something to look at he thought, her suit clung to her figure lovingly, and he thought that he might like to be it.
"Because Mrs. Rich would like to turn the court room into a three ring circus, and lord knows if I don't help her do it she'll find some other way, you can burn that if you want, or you could give a tired lawyer a break and show up…" She said hopefully. Her little smile had the oddest effect on his body, it contracted suddenly, he arched an eyebrow that had never happened before, well not that strong anyways.
"How long have you been at this?" He asked her curiously, because now that he looked closer she looked exhausted.
"Lets see, in about an hour it'll be three days since I became her personal postal worker." She sighed miserably. She didn't know why she was telling him this, but she had a strong suspicion it had something to do with his bare chest. It was a little to muscular and toned for comfort. That and his big bright blue eyes, they were shinning right now, and she felt her heart flutter, as he looked her in the eyes.
"Why don't you just quit?"
"I can't I'm court appointed, besides the judge refuses to listen to me, not that I blame him mind, no one else within a hundred miles of Boston wants to come near this case." She smiled shrugging her shoulders, "I guess I don't mind being beaten to a bloody pulp or anything of that nature." Considering who the Riches' were it seemed possible that some kind of harm would be fall her for taking the case. Ivy Rich was the heiress of some huge fortune, and Greg Rich was a ruthless businessman who wouldn't think twice about capsizing a defenseless woman for money.
"You ought to have a body guard or something." He was slightly disturbed by the idea of her being alone and defenseless.
"I did have one, I called him my boyfriend, but he ran with his tail between his legs when he found out what I had to do." She wrinkled her nose with disgust. "You'd think I killed someone."
"Knowing the Riches' it might come to that." He said sadly.
"Lucky, lucky me, I better be going, I have about a hundred more of these to deliver, it was nice meeting you Mr. Summer." That somehow had a bad effect on Nathan; he didn't like the idea of her leaving.
"Nathan." He corrected.
"Nathan it is." She said with a little grin that lit up her already glowing face.
"I didn't catch your name."
"Lita."
"Well Lita may I ask you something?" He asked with a helpless little smile, which made his face seem ten years younger.
"Sure?"
"How did you get past security?" She smiled as she pointed down to her feet. He looked down to see a pair of runners. He looked back up at her with a confused smile.
"They thought I was an overdressed courier." She explained. "I must say it would be so easy to serve you divorce papers."
"It would be if I were married." He smirked at her. And she couldn't hardly stop herself from smiling.
"Ah well give me a call when you an you're girlfriend start getting serious, I'll write up you pre-nup." She said with a little wink.
"Oh I will once I get a girlfriend that is." He sighed wistfully, because Lita was already having an effect on him, and he'd only known her name for less than 5 minutes.
"So I'll see you in a week?" She said sarcastically, to which he laughed. "I really do have to go…" His presence was getting a little disturbing.
"Well it was nice talking to you, hopefully next time I see you, you're not jumping through a ring of fire."
"Knowing Mrs. Rich I probably will." She sighed. "Bye, sorry about waking you up."
"No worries, I'm part insomniac anyways. Bye" She smiled as she turned to walk away. Nathan watched her walk admiring it sweet sensuality of it. And then it occurred to him that he had no clue what her last name was, or if he'd ever really see her again, well he's just have to go to the trial and…follow her home?
Lita smiled to herself as she walked out of the building, well that was pleasant…alright maybe it was a lot more than pleasant, Nathan Summer was sure as hell a beautiful specimen of a man, and god did he ever have a gorgeous…uh everything actually. She wondered what he'd look like naked, she blushed inversely at the direction her thoughts were taking; she was acting like a teen with a crush on some star…
She kept walking towards her car, her feet were killing her from all the stupid walking she had to do, damn Boston's traffic, maybe Serena had been right to go back to Texas. She gritted her teeth, as she remembered her best friend's tearful voice as she told her what had happened, Lita had a dark urge to pop Volpe one for hurting her; he didn't deserve Serena! Rich moron had sluts throwing themselves at him and he'd had to go after Serena, jerk!
Well she'd make him pay or her name wasn't Lita Juniper Krux!"
(A/n: doesn't this seem like a soap opera moment? You know with the music that goes 'du-dah-duh-dum', I'm sorry this one took so long, but I had no inspiration…so please review!! Thanks to all my reviewers and such, u guys are the best, plus everyone on my mailing list! U guyz are the da bomb! Well anyways it's like 1:05 and I need to sleep! Although I don't think I deserve sleep not being able to write romance on Valentines day? @_# that's all I have to say! ^_~ review to keep me sane ppl!)