She was warm and willing beneath him, trusting him to take care of her, to not let her fall backwards.
"You need to learn," he growled against her lips.
"What?" she asked confused.
He held her tightly, feeling the press of her rounded thighs beneath the layers of fabric and thrusting against her, forcing her back against the railing once more.
"Need to learn not to drag me into your world, make me your boyfriend," he spat the last word like it was a curse.
He felt her stiffen underneath him, felt the retreat of her passion, but refused to let her physically move away from him. He continued to hold her trapped between the solid length of his body and railing. He framed her face with a hand and held her in a steely grip.
"You keep trying to make me something I'm not, so you can make this something it's not."
Her breath rushed out in a pained huff, fanning his chest and neck. He was turned on, despite knowing he was causing her pain. He could feel the crushing blow he was dealing her. She was a smart woman, she understood what he was saying. There wasn't going to be a happily ever after with him. He was too fucked up. He still wanted her desperately, still planned on fucking her against the railing, the moment his truth was done sinking into that lovely head.
"Then what is this, what are we doing Daniel?" she asked, pain lacing her words.
He gritted his teeth and growled, "Don't be stupid Addison, you already know."
He was so caught up in the feel and scent of her he barely spared a second to notice that the other guests were piling out onto the main balcony off to their far right. Daniel and Addison were far enough along the balcony, into the shadows, that they couldn't be seen or heard by the others. If Daniel hadn't been so distracted by Addison, something he would normally never allow his sharply honed senses to become, he would have questioned why the other guests had come outside.
As a result, he was unprepared for the loud bang that erupted over top of the beautiful venue. Bright lights flooded the sky in a confusing riot of colour and sound. Popping sounds exploded all around them.
Addison jumped in his arms and half twisted in confusion, bringing her hands up to cover her sensitive ears. Before Daniel's sharp mind could process the scene, his reflexes jumped into action. He dropped his champagne flute and hauled Addison away from the railing. Her flute slipped from her fingers and smashed against the stone tiles next to his. He flung her against the wall and, with a brutal hand against the back of her neck, forced her to kneel in a crouch against the side of the opera house while he dropped down on top of her. Her knees banged painfully against the stone and she cried out in fear and pain as he crouched over her, covering her with his bigger body.
Seconds later, Daniel's body slumped with relief before he stiffened over top of her and punched the wall, causing it shake.
"Daniel?" Addison asked fearfully.
"Fucking fireworks," he growled, his body still covering hers.
She nodded, her forehead scraping against the wall a little, but she was too fearful to move while he was still holding her down. He was unpredictable on a good day, but at the moment he was like a live grenade without the pin.
"You thought it was gunfire," she whispered.
He didn't move away, but his body slumped against hers a little. He knew she could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her back. He wondered what she was thinking. Her smaller body was shaking with the aftershock of being flung across the patio like a rag doll. She twisted around as much as she could in the small space he allowed her until she was half facing him.
His breath was coming out in short pants. He brought himself ruthlessly under control, forcing every muscle in his body to respond to the raging emotion going on in a mind telling him he was at war.
She must have known he would reject any overture of support from her, but she decided to try anyway. His brave girl. She lifted her hand and placed it against his thigh and gently rubbed it against the rigid muscle, running her fingers along the fabric of his suit pants. She lifted her other hand and placed it against his chest. The fireworks continued to explode all around them. She talked to him, describing the darkness where Daniel's broad shoulders blocked out the sky and then flashes of lights. Her voice soothed his mind, where chaos still reigned.
She told him that when she was a child she used to love fireworks. It made her feel as close to sighted as she could get because she could see the exploding lights almost like normal people. Maybe not the colours or beautiful patterns, but she could see something. She continued to rub her hands on his chest and thigh, begging him to relax under her fingertips.
Finally, the fireworks ended and the laughing, murmuring guests went back into the opera house, oblivious to the drama playing out thirty feet to their right.
Daniel stood and stumbled away from her, leaving her crouched against the wall, looking a little like a broken doll. Her hair was half spilling from its crown of curls and her beautiful ballgown was completely crushed and damp with champagne. Mascara tracks marred the flushed skin of her cheeks where she must have cried a few anxious tears while he'd held her tight against the wall during those few terrible minutes.
She reached out blindly for him.
"Daniel?" she said his name, her voice sad but hopeful.
He reached out and took hold of the bare top of her arm and dragged her to her feet. With swift, impersonal hands he yanked her dress back into order, pushing the golden bustier back into place and shoving the yards of crinoline fabric back into some semblance of a skirt. The dress was long past salvageable, but she wouldn't embarrass herself if she decided to make a dignified exit. That was up to her.
"Now you know why I don't date," he said cynically.
"Oh Daniel," she said, her voice taking on that softness it does when she was feeling compassionate or some shit.
He grabbed her upper arm and shook her hard. "Don't," he growled.
