“Thankful hips?” Was she reading that wrong? There were a few crooked hearts, as if Trey had never drawn one before. Probably, hehadn’t.
“Badat it,” Robin reminded her. “But he’s trying. He was heartbroken that he couldn’t take you out to dinner or buy you things.”
“I’ve been trying to shield him from our crass consumerism,” Daniella said. “It’s not like he can get a job and join the workforce. And I wouldn’t want chalky candies or tough steaks at an overpriced restaurant anyway. The poetry is kind of sweet.”
“Sweet like bad fruit that isn’t quite wine,” Robin agreed. “It’s frankly disgusting. But I did want to let you know that I’d be portaling over to Ansel and Gwen’s for the night. We’re ordering single-person pizzas.”
“Should you use that much power?” Daniella asked, understanding what he was offering. Robin was a thoughtfulhouseguest, but it was a romantic deterrent to constantly have them around underfoot.
“Believe me, I don’t want to be around tonight any more than you want me around,” Robin teased. They gave Daniella’s arm a tiny pinch. “I’m not doing this for you.”
Daniella tapped Robin gently on the forehead with one finger. “Thanks.”
“Don’t get all mushy on me,” Robin scoffed. “Save it for your knight.”
(Or maybe they saidnight.)
3
TREY
Trey woefully let Fabio lead him on a short, circuitous journey around the block, the hound stopping to sniff every bank of slushy snow, occasionally lifting a leg on a tree to leave his own scented message.
Every time Trey felt like he was starting to grasp the workings of his key’s wonderful world, he seemed to stumble over some simple concept and make a giant mess for her to clean up. It figured that he managed to ruin a romantic gesture.
When he returned to the house and opened the front door, he thought hopefully that it smelled a little less pungent. There was another scent overlying the polish. Fabio pushed him aside and ran for Daniella, panting and demanding assurances. Trey didn’t want to appearquiteso needy. “Did you get the glue off of Robin?” he asked as he took off his coat. “WhereisRobin?”
Daniella gave Fabio a scratch at the ears. “Robin went to have pizza with Gwen and Ansel,” she said with a sly sideways look. “Everything is cleaned up fine. There might be sort of a pale spot in the carpet there, but I wasn’t expecting to get my deposit back anyway.”
Trey wasn’t sure what a deposit was in this context—probably not what Fabio had produced on his walk and Trey had left in the trashcan by the door.
“I am sorry I inconvenienced you,” he said gruffly. “If I should atone…?”
Daniella left Fabio to come and kiss him. “There is nothing to apologize for,” she assured him. “Robin told you that Valentine’s Day was important to us and that you wanted to do something nice for me.”
“They suggested I should not cook for you, yet.”
“That’s probably wise,” Daniella agreed with a chuckle. She had not moved far away after her kiss, lingering nicely in range for another brush of his lips on hers.
“Did Robin tell youwhyValentine’s Day was important?” she asked, when she had breath again.
“Something about martyrs and executions?”
“It’s about love,” Daniella said, shaking her head. “About showing the people that you care. You can do that with expensive gifts, candy, food, dinner out, fancy cards…or you can justbewith them.”
Her hands were flat against his chest, her fingers kneading gently.
“I would very much like to be with you,” Trey said gravely, “and show you how I love you.”
Daniella looked up at him and smiled slowly. “I was hoping you would say that,” she purred.
She had to knee Fabio out of the way to lead Trey back to the bedroom, and the dog whined outside the shut door for a while, but Trey was too busy taking Daniella’s shirt off over her head, completely ignoring the buttons. “How can I show you?” he asked rhetorically, stroking her bare shoulders and slipping the bra strap off. “Shall I show you with my fingers?”
Daniella chuckled as she found that Trey was wearing some of the shiny paint. It had hardened on his skin. “I would like that,” she murmured. “And I would like to show you, also.”
Her hands dipped to his pants and cupped his growing hardness.
Trey traced down her arms and took her by the hips. Thankful wasn’t the right word for them. Perfect, maybe? They were round and plump and he loved the feel of them when they spooned together. He used them now to pull her close and promise more through their clothing.
