Page 40 of Peak of Love
She was right at the brink of sleep, her body spent and her breathing even, when she heard his voice like a caress.
“You. You’re the reason.”
***
When was the last time she reached out, half asleep, to lace her fingers against the warmth of a man’s heavy palm? To be in Dane’s embrace and to seek his hand felt strange and familiar. They entwined their fingers.
Maybe it was nothing in the large scheme of things. Yet the casual gesture of affection, bathed in the mid-morning light that filtered through the blinds, felt significant. In the universe of a sofa, while nestled in the mess of tangled limbs and wrinkled blankets, nothing was more essential than her hand in his.
A sound she didn’t recognize tickled at the back of her consciousness. As if an electric current jump-started his body, Dane sprung up.
“Parker!” he snapped. “Shit, what are you doing here?”
She opened her eyes, still facing the back of the sofa. She held her breath. The men were in some kind of silent confrontation while her heartbeat banged like a gong.
What was her father-in-law doing here? Holy shit!Are the kids with him?!
Parker cleared his throat. “I wanted to spare Celina the trouble of fetching Jonas for tennis. Thought I’d grab his racket while the boys made breakfast with Grace.” His voice was as tense as a bow about to strike.
She risked a quick glance over her shoulder. Although Dane mostly covered her with his broad torso, she at least confirmed that Parker was alone.
“It’s in the garage,” she squeaked. “On the shelf by the door.” The sooner Parker left with the equipment, the better.
The sound of steps prompted Celina to grab her leggings slung over a chair. She quickly put them on and straightened her shirt. Glancing at her phone on the table, Celina realized she’d forgotten to turn her phone on last night. She was unreachable for an entire night! What the hell?! What if something had happened to the boys? The crash of panic weakened her knees.
Parker returned with the tennis bag, his long stride headed to the door. Then his eyes locked with Dane’s and the older man seemed unable to move.
Celina positioned herself by the kitchen island, as far away from the sitting area as she could be. For a full minute, that’s how they stood. Three distressed adults in an uncomfortable, triangular face-off.
“I didn’t know you were… ” Parker put his hand over his mouth. “No. It’s, um, it’s none of my business.”
He started to walk away when Celina blurted, “Parker, it just happened. We never planned it.”
Parker threw Dane a weary expression.
“Maybeyoudidn’t,” he declared, talking to Celina.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Dane retorted with a forward step.
Parker shifted his attention to Dane and hissed, “Is this why you wanted the boys to stay with us last night?”
“Watch it, Parker,” Dane sneered, heading towards Asher’s dad. Celina cut his trajectory, her hands on his chest willing him to calm down. Reluctantly, Dane took a step back.
Suddenly, Celina recognized she wasn’t prepared for the fleeting intimacies of last night to filter into her everyday life. Here she stood, between two men who have only ever been kind and supportive and loving to each other. Now, everyone was mired in a toxic mix of righteousness and distrust.
She realized how badly she wanted to escape this drama and be alone. She didn’t want to deal with Dane’s demands, and Parker’s expectations, and what was probably going to be Grace’s judgment.
Dammit, all she wanted was to be alone.
In truth, solitude had become a welcome sanctuary. A means to shore up the essential ingredients to raising her boys: calm resilience and common sense.
Yet nothing about being with Dane was calming. Her resilience would surelyslip every time she had to face that accusing glare from Parker and Grace. And common sense? That went out the window the second she let Dane call herhis sweet, sexy girl.
What was she thinking? Common sense and Dane Verghese could never co-exist.
Everyone needed to leave. Right. Now.
“I’ll drive over soon, Parker,” she announced. The man gave a curt nod and left.
