22. Daphne
Chapter Twenty-Two
DAPHNE
One moment blurred into the next with Flynn. I found myself in the shower with him. He was quick and efficient at soaping himself. Before I knew it, he was sliding his hands over me and lifting me against the tiled wall as he filled me again.
Being with Flynn was a surfeit of pleasure. He brought me to another climax in a matter of seconds with his fingers. Then he stroked in and out of me as the water rained down around us. My next climax rolled through me in slow waves of intense pleasure.
After that experience—startling in its intimacy and not what I expected—he wrapped me in one of the fluffy robes they had here at the resort. We lounged on his bed, eating cheese. He said he craved it, so I fetched some from the darkened kitchen. I also learned he loved Star Trek . Since I was a huge fan and it was a guilty pleasure, that was awesome.
I also learned he loved the home improvement shows. That was another secret pleasure of mine. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep propped up against the pillows until I felt the covers coming over me, cool against my skin. Flynn must’ve peeled off my robe because I was naked.
Goose bumps chased over my skin, and I whispered, “When is Cat coming home?”
“Not until tomorrow afternoon.” His voice was low in the darkness. He curled up behind me and pulled me into his strong, muscled body.
As I drifted into sleep, I had a moment of startling recollection. My awful phone call with my mother. I’d forgotten it entirely. My heart gave an achy thump because I missed my little boy. But I was okay. Actually, I was more than okay. I felt warm and safe and sated beyond measure.
Somehow, Flynn knew precisely what I needed in order to forget. Because sometimes I truly did just need to escape from the weight of that grief. Considering that Flynn’s magic fingers and lips and tongue and body could make me forget everything but him and the sensations spiraling through me, he was the perfect escape.
I wouldn’t fall in love. I couldn’t. I genuinely didn’t believe I had the capacity. So, I would enjoy this for just what it was.
I fell into a dreamless sleep, more relaxed than I’d been in perhaps forever. Even before my life exploded into pieces, I was only scraping the surface. I didn’t think about it much, but I’d known there was more to be had. I used to lay awake at night worrying about all the things I hadn’t gotten done in my restaurant and in my family’s business. Then I traded those worries for the cold, bracing fear of facing Brandon’s almost certain death. Then I survived his actual death and the brutal betrayal of my husband and my friend and my family.
Here in Alaska, wrapped in Flynn’s strong arms, I could forget all that. When the worst has already happened, there was nothing else to worry about.
* * *
In the weeks that followed, Flynn and I settled into a routine. It involved him sneaking into my room every night, except for the ones when Cat spent the night out with friends. Those were about once a week. She’d explained to me she lived too far from town to do the fun stuff, so she usually spent the night with her friends there.
Flynn and I had what I figured had to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime types of chemistry. Sex was just easy with us. It was always fiery hot and so good it almost hurt. In those dark hours of our nights, there was no judgment and total freedom.
I was cleaning up in the kitchen after lunch one day when my phone rang.
“Hello,” I said, answering without checking the number.
“Daphne, I need a ride,” Cat said urgently.
She sniffled, and I suspected she was crying. My stomach clenched with worry. I was alone in the kitchen and looked around as if somehow someone would appear and tell me what to do. It was early afternoon, the time when everyone was usually gone. Flynn was likely in a plane, along with Grant, and Nora was taking a group on a hike.
“Cat, where are you? Aren’t you at school?”
She sniffled again, and a little sob escaped. “I’m supposed to be.” There was a long, heavy pause. “But I’m not. Can you please just come get me?”
“Cat, hon, I don’t know if that’s okay with Flynn.”
I wanted to say yes—desperately—but I wasn’t sure what to do.
Cat’s gulping breath came through the phone loudly. I didn’t know what happened, but I knew when a teenage girl was teetering on too upset to deal. I’d been one once and recalled clearly just how hard that time of life could be.
“I know, but I can’t call Flynn. He’s across the bay today. Every morning, he texts me his flight schedule so I’ll know.” My heart squeezed. Of course, he did. Flynn would want Cat to know where he was. “He won’t be landing until after five thirty. Nora’s on that hike, and Grant’s flying today. Please, Daphne,” Cat implored.
I didn’t hesitate. “Of course. Tell me where you are, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Cat quickly relayed the address, and I hesitated to even hang up the phone. “Are you going to be okay until I get there?” I asked. I had lowered my phone to put her on speaker while I entered the address in a map app. It was a half an hour drive.
“Yes. Just hurry.”
With worry spinning tightly in my chest, I drove as fast as I could down the gravel road until I hit the highway. The pavement made me feel more confident about my driving, and I zoomed into town. Unfortunately, the cell reception sucked for most of the drive, but it improved as soon as I got closer to Diamond Creek.
Pulling up in front of a small house, I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. Cat should definitely be in school, and she wasn’t. Instead, she was here. Before I even had a chance to get out, she came flying out the front door of the house.
In another moment, she was clambering into my SUV, the rental I still had even though I rarely used it. I had so many questions, but I took one look at her face, and all I wanted to do was hug her. That would have to wait.
“Buckle up,” I said as I started the engine again.
Cat did as I said, and I rolled to the end of the driveway and turned back onto the road. “Are you okay?” I finally asked between her occasional sniffles.
“Not really,” she finally said.
“Mind telling me why you’re not in school? You might as well get this over with and tell me because you’re gonna have to do it with Flynn later,” I offered gently.
I felt Cat looking at me, and I glanced sideways. “What?”
“I was hoping maybe you wouldn’t tell Flynn,” she muttered as she looked away to stare out the window.
“Cat, I can’t do that,” I said firmly. “What happened?”
I could see a tear roll down her cheek when I glanced over again even though she was studiously looking out the window. Reaching into the console between the seats, I pulled out a packet of tissues and silently handed them to her.
She blew her nose noisily and then let out a gusty sigh. “You know that guy I’m kind of seeing?”
“I believe I heard Nora teasing you a little the other day. Is this the same guy Flynn wouldn’t let you go out on the boat with? Jonathon?”
“Yeah. I skipped class with him, and he took me to his dad’s house. He wanted to have sex, and I said no. He called me a tease.” All of this came out between sniffles.
“Cat, I’m sorry. Boys can be jerks sometimes. You’re not a tease.”
She sniffled again. “He’s probably already posted about it somewhere. I hate that shit.”
“I’m with you there. Social media isn’t helpful with things like this. Do you still like him?” I asked gently.
“I don’t know. I’m just mad.”
“Well, don’t beat yourself up if you kind of do,” I said carefully. “Sometimes, people do shitty things, and then we try to please them anyway.”
“I know. He’s an asshole.”
“Welcome to life,” I said wryly. “People can be really shitty and not just guys.”
“Really?” Cat asked.
I briefly glanced her way and nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve misjudged people myself. Trust me, you can’t avoid it. I’m really proud of you for saying no. Even if he’s an asshole about it, at least he didn’t push you.”
Cat let out a dramatic sigh, followed by a rough laugh. “I told him I’d kick him in the balls. I would too.”
“Good for you,” I said. She was less distressed now that she was away from the situation.
We rode in silence for a bit until I turned onto the road that would take us home. “Maybe we should talk about how you’re going to tell Flynn.”
Cat leaned her head against the seat and let out a groan. “He’s going to be so pissed. I can’t talk you into covering for me?”
I looked her way briefly and shook my head. “No. I can’t do that. You skipped school, so for all we know, the school might’ve already called him. I understand why you don’t want him to know, but I can’t lie about this. I picked you up.”
Cat was quiet until right before we pulled up to park in front of the resort. “Fine. I’ll tell him. But I’m not gonna tell him about the whole thing.”
“Okay, tell him what you want. Just know that if he asks me about it, I’ll tell him you called, and I will tell him where I picked you up.”
Cat looked at me with her eyes red from crying. “Fine.”