Free Fateful by Cheri Schmidt Page A

replied, “Yes, ma’am … but
why are you people so stuck on Danielle’s curfew?”
    Danielle answered his question. “Well, that’s
because Bri is having trouble keeping hers.”
    He began laughing silently, his shoulders
shaking. Brianna flashed a bitter look at him, he stopped laughing
the second she did, and wiped the grin off his face, then returned
to laughing when she twisted back to Danielle.
    Danielle was finding it difficult to keep her
own laughter in. “I’m sorry, Bri, I was only teasing.”
    Brianna rolled her eyes. “I know. I wish Dad
would just lay off.” She sank back into her seat with her arms
folded.
    Ethan innocently locked his piercing
eyes with Danielle’s for less than half a second. She went weak at
the knees, and was relieved she was still seated. She then realized
that he’d looked into Brianna’s eyes at close range. Why do his eyes get to me, and not her? It made no sense.
    He moved around Brianna and seated himself on
the armrest of Danielle’s chair, then leaned one arm across the
back of it, so he was very close to her. She caught a faint whiff
of his essence that had hit her at the tea party. She fought the
impulse to giggle like a schoolgirl with a crush and lean toward
him for a better drag of that heady fragrance.
    “Have you had afternoon tea in London
yet?”
    “No.”
    “That is an experience you simply cannot
miss. How does Tea Manor sound?” he offered, an eccentric lilt now
tainting his words.
    Danielle checked with her cousin again, using
their non-verbal language. Brianna gave the affirmative with a
simple eyebrow move.
    She lifted her face to his, cautiously
though, to reply. She feared eye contact with him this close could
be more intense than she could handle. “Sounds wonderful,” she
said.
    He only allowed a short moment of direct gaze
before he stood swiftly and reached a hand out to her. “Shall we
then?”
    She took his hand and stood. “Yes,
please.”
    He reached out with his free hand and removed
the schoolbag from her shoulder. As he did, he whispered into her
ear, “By the way, I think you’ve sold me on jeans.”
    Danielle felt warmth rush to her cheeks as
she resisted the urge to tug at her jeans since they were riding
into places she didn’t like them. She could only grin bashfully and
shudder as his breath tickled her flesh. He seemed to relish her
reaction.
    Brianna waved and offered a “cheers” to
Danielle as Ethan led her toward the doors.
    Ethan held the door of his Jag open for her,
and then set her things into the back seat. He got in the driver’s
side and didn’t waste any time bringing the engine to life, he then
began the conversation the second he threw the gears in reverse.
“What types of art are you into, Danielle?”
    “Well, mostly watercolor. It kind of depends
on my mood, or the look I want to create.”
    “May I see some of your work?” he uttered
invitingly.
    She stared at him. “Now?” she asked,
uncertain.
    “Yes, please, if you have some with you.”
    “Um, okay.” Danielle reached into the back to
pull her portfolio from the bag. She opened it, selected something
she was fairly proud of, and held it up for him to see.
    The painting she held was of a girl, whose
expression was very sad. Tears ran down her cheeks, her eyebrows
were twisted up with sorrow, and her pouting lips were almost
quivering. Danielle held her breath, exposing more than just a
piece of artwork. She felt like she was standing there naked,
wondering if he liked what he saw, fearing rejection or
criticism.
    Ethan seemed a little troubled.
    Great, he doesn’t like
it , she worried.
    “Why is she so sad?”
    She held it out in front of herself, smiling
at the distraught girl while she considered her answer. “I don’t
know…” She stroked her finger across the two dimensional cheek. “I
love her though. Haven’t you ever felt like that?”
    “Hm, actually, yes I have.” Ethan seemed
surprised to admit it. “I see why you like