Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
My travel sunrise alarm begins its gentle glowing at five AM sharp, and by the time its little mechanical birds begin chirping, I’m gently awakened.
But where am I?
A quick glance around reveals Danny’s masculine living room.
Oh, right. I’m in hell, life coaching my one-night stand, while my found family is being stolen by a woman who’s really “chill.”
The air mattress sinks down a bit in the middle, and I stretch a kink from my neck.
Only one night sleeping on this thing, and my body is already complaining.
Maybe I should have accepted Danny’s offer to give me the bedroom.
But I just couldn’t get the image of those naked women tangled around each other out of my head.
What did they all do in there together? More importantly, what had Danny done to them?
I fish my phone out of my purse and lie back down while dialing Maya. Telling her about walking in on two naked women yesterday would certainly violate the stack of NDAs I’d signed. But if I tell her, maybe I can get a break from these intrusive thoughts.
Maya answers the phone groggily, bedsheets rustling. “This better be good.”
“I walked in on two naked women in his bed.”
Her laugh comes out hard and explosive. “Oh my god, what I wouldn’t pay to see you clutch your pearls.”
“He said that too. ‘Clutch your pearls.’ I don’t even wear pearls anymore.”
“Let me guess—you’re totally holding it against him, right? Because he’s hypersexually experienced, and that’s somehow a bad thing?”
“Maybe.”
Maya sighs, and I can practically see her sitting up in bed, drawing her legs in.
“Let me enlighten you on a truth universally acknowledged regarding sex with women. You only take on two of them at once if you really know what you’re doing in the sack.
I tried it once and still have PTSD. Have you ever patted your head and rubbed circles on your tummy at the same time?
It was a lot like that.” Her voice trembles as she says, “Never again.”
I smile. Calling her was totally the right move. She’s managed to whip my discomfort into an airy froth instead of the thick congealed mess it was in my head.
“At least now you’ll have to stop with your inappropriate comments about how I should seduce my client, considering he’s clearly a sexual deviant.”
“Stop being so judgmental. He’s not a deviant—he’s single and enjoying himself. My guess is he was probably a gentleman to those ladies in the morning.”
“He gave them UFC hoodies because it was cold out.”
“See?” Maya says, hitting her knee so hard I can hear the smack.
“Pleasing women is probably his kink. And just because he has a threesome when he’s single doesn’t mean he wants that type of sex once he’s in a relationship.
I know I certainly don’t. You make too many assumptions. Frankly, it’s exhausting.”
“I do not. And I couldn’t be less concerned with what he wants in a relationship. All I care about is landing the Malibu job to be with Casey. Then things can get back to normal.”
“Your normal? Gross.”
“It’s vital that I get to LA for the summer. You don’t know what that Helena woman is up to. The kids are running amok, and I’m worried they’re starting to like the chaos.”
“They’re probably finally getting a taste of childhood sans bubble wrap. You’ve never exactly been the fruit snack and skinned knee type.”
“Both of those things are objectively terrible.”
“I just mean a couple weeks without you helicoptering them could be a good thing.”
“I don’t know. It feels like I’m losing them. All of them.” I close my eyes, dipping into an uncomfortable thought. “Do you think Casey would have chosen me if I wasn’t so …”
“Rigid?”
“I was going to say disciplined. Like, if I was better at letting go and living in the moment. If I was more chill.”
“I don’t know. Probably.”
I glance over at Danny’s closed bedroom door and lower my voice to a whisper. “Danny offered to train me in hedonism.”
“What is that, like a sex thing?” Maya says hopefully.
“No. It’s kind of like emotional minimalism. Rejecting anything that brings you pain and seeking out life’s small pleasures.”
“Let’s hope it’s not too small,” Maya snorts. “But if it is, don’t worry. They make toys for that.”
“What’s scary is I’m actually tempted to do it.”
“Hell yes! If anyone needs to soak up a little pleasure, it’s you. For the past six years, you’ve done everything for everybody. You deserve to focus on yourself for once!”
“Maybe it could help me get closer to Casey,” I say, biting my lip.
“If Danny can show me how to be more chill, Casey will choose me.” Then I shake my head.
“Jesus, what am I even saying. Letting a client coach me? A client I’ve seen naked, no less.
The fact I’m even considering it shows I’ve lost my mind.
I should call Belinda and relieve myself of duty. ”
“Oh, don’t you dare. You have an opportunity for some real growth here. This man might actually help you, if you’re brave enough to let him.”
I glance at my alarm clock again. “I’ve got to go. He’s supposed to be up by now, and he’s still sleeping. It’s my job to keep him on schedule. Call you in a bit.”
“Not until after noon. I’m going back to sleep.”
I hang up, crawl off the inflatable bed, and pad silently to the bedroom, massaging my sore neck with one hand.
“Danny?” I whisper, knocking on the closed door. No answer. I hesitate, then ease it open. We’re on a strict schedule and letting him sleep late just because I don’t want to intrude won’t cut it at our weekly status meeting with Belinda. “Danny, it’s time to wake up.”
The room smells normal now, with just a hint of laundry detergent in the air. He must have changed his sheets. The duvet rises and falls with his breathing, but he doesn’t stir. I hesitate, then come closer, tapping him gently on what I hope is his shoulder. “Danny?”
“Hmm,” he murmurs, still under the haze of sleep.
Before I can snatch my hand back, he wraps his brawny arms around me, rolling me into bed with him, effortlessly sliding my body to his and sleepily hugging the length of me against his skin.
Warmth runs down the line of my body where we touch, his knee bent and resting over my thighs, pinning me down with delicious pressure.
His lips and stubbled chin brush my cheek, and I suck in a sharp burst of air.
I’m frozen, unable to exhale or think or move a muscle.
His eyes flutter open, awake now, but he doesn’t move away.
“Hey,” he says.
“Um, hello,” I say, a statue in his arms.
“You’re still here.” His voice is soft, almost relieved.
“Where else would I be?”
“You’ve left me before.”
My cheeks and chest flush. He keeps doing this—bringing up our night together, highlighting that my attempts at professionalism are pointless. He’s already seen all of me. Already kissed all of me.
“It’s time to begin your morning routine,” I say, unraveling myself from his arms. “I need to guide you through your First Waking Thought.”
“Sorry, Theranos. Afraid I’ve already thought about something.”
I follow his glance downward to the swollen outline of his erection straining his boxer briefs. I jump back as if singed. Danny grins.
“Hey, I just woke up. And you were cuddling me. I’m only human.”
“I wasn’t cuddling you,” I say, smoothing my hair. “You were groggy and pulled me in. And your limbs were too heavy for me to move.”
“That explains it,” he says, flipping over onto his belly and wrapping himself more tightly in the blankets. “Good talk. I need another half hour.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” I say, unravelling the sheet from him. “Up you get.”
“Don’t tell me you’re a morning person.” He groans the words, burrowing deeper into his bed.
“It’s a commonly held misbelief that someone is a morning person or a night owl.” I cross the room to open his bedroom window. Fragrant morning air and the sounds of the city cut through the spell of Danny’s touch, making it easier to breathe. “Conflating behavior with identity is very limiting.”
“Yeah? And why’s that?”
“Behaviors can change.” I take a deep breath. “And on that note, I thought more about what you said yesterday. Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if we … help each other.”
Danny watches me, his expression unreadable. “Help each other how?”
“Adjust our working relationship into more of a partnership. I’ll teach you how to live a disciplined life, and you teach me the fundamentals of hedonism. Specifically, how to be more chill.”
“Oh,” Danny says, raising his eyebrows. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Theranos.”
“Well, you don’t know me very well.”
“True. But it looks like I will.” He leans over and the duvet falls, exposing his abs. He grabs a T-shirt from the nightstand and pulls it on, his abs flexing as he rolls it down his body. “So, how’s this going to work?”
“First, we should institute some ground rules,” I say, crossing my arms. “Like, mornings are for discipline, and evenings after the gym are reserved for my … hedonism lessons.” God, this is mortifying. “Within a totally professional and appropriate scope, I mean.”
“Good,” he says, pushing himself up to standing and walking over to me until he’s only inches away. I can smell the clean bedsheet scent on him, and feel the warmth radiating from his skin. “But there’s one more rule. You can’t fall in love with me.”
“Oh, please.” I roll my eyes, slipping some hair behind my ear. “Because I won’t be able to help myself, right?”
He catches my wrist in his hand so lighting fast, I don’t notice until I’m secured in his grip. “No. Because I’ll hurt you.”
“Two rules then,” I say, retrieving my hand. “You don’t fall in love with me either. And the second you blow off your training or cheat on your diet or cause a scandal in any way, the deal is off.”
“Deal.” He spits in his palm and offers it to me.
“Yeah, no, I’m not doing that,” I say, turning on my heel and heading into the kitchen. “But you have a deal. I’ll make breakfast while you get dressed.”
“What are we having?”