“Here you go, Chrystelle. Just take this and you’ll feel better in no time.” Storm walked over to the sofa where his guest lay like a daintily withering flower. “You’ve held up pretty good so far but there’s no use torturing yourself any longer.”
Chrystelle gave a soft groan and straightened up slowly. “It’s so hard to put on a brave face all the time. It’s exhausting.”
“As long as you’re here you don’t have to,” he said and sat down beside her. “Now here. Take this.”
She took the aspirin from his hand and popped it into her mouth. Then she reached out a delicate hand for the glass. When the last drop of water was gone she pushed the glass back into Storm’s hand and rested her head against the plush cushions. “Thanks, Storm. I needed that.”
“I know,” he said and patted her hand. “Now close your eyes and try to get some rest till Jack gets here.”
The words had hardly left his mouth before a soft sigh escaped Chrystelle’s lips. She’d fallen fast asleep.
Storm smiled and went to the kitchen where he put on a pot of coffee. They'd both had enough to drink for one night. He would just sip a steamy cup of the brew while he waited for his friend to come and pick up his wife.
He’d known Jack and Chrystelle since college and, from freshman year, he’d always known they would be a pair. Where Jack was a spontaneous adventurer Chrystelle was generally level headed and calm. They were the perfect complement to each other. When they told him they were getting married he wasn’t the least bit surprised. It was like they’d been made for each other.
Tonight Jack had had to rush off from the party early to do an emergency C-Section at Chicago General, leaving Chrystelle in Storm’s care. She was used to this kind of thing. As one of Chicago’s top surgeons he was called on at all hours of the day and night. Tonight was just more of the same. Storm had readily agreed for Chrystelle to chill with him knowing that Jack would come by as soon as his magic hands had done their thing. He was quick, he was efficient and he was the best.
As Storm sipped his black coffee his mind wandered to the young chauffeur who’d taken him home for the second time in the space of a week. Danny, he’d said his name was. He frowned as he thought about the kid. There was something about him, something he couldn’t put his finger on, that was needling him but what it was he couldn’t tell. And that was why he’d asked him to take him to the airport on Monday. He had to get to the bottom of his unexplainable interest in this young man.
As a kid he’d always pestered his parents for a little brother and was more than pissed each time they produced a girl. But that couldn’t be it, could it? He was almost thirty years old. He must have gotten over his ‘kid brother’ obsession by now.
He took another sip of coffee then shrugged. By the time Monday came around he was sure he’d figure it out. With his baby face and huge dark eyes Danny probably reminded him of one of his younger cousins. That had to be it.
Storm nodded in satisfaction. Mystery solved.
Today was going to be a great day. Dani was sure of it. How could it not, when she’d received such a wonderful surprise this past weekend?
After leaving Storm Hunter’s residence Dani had driven the limousine back to headquarters and she was fuming. Midnight had long gone and now she had to make her way home, another twenty minute drive. She wasn’t going to make it to bed until after one o’clock in the morning. Dani groaned just thinking about it. If there was one thing she loved it was her sleep and she was getting less and less of it each day.
She was surprised to see Tony still in the office when she went to drop off her key. She'd expected to see the night manager on duty.
“Ben called in sick,” he explained, then he handed her a check.
“What’s this?” she asked with a frown. “It’s not pay day.”
“No, but it’s like pay day for you,” Tony said with a smile. “That’s from Storm Hunter. He told me to charge his account for the amount and write you a check. It’s his tip for the two times you dropped him home.”
Dani stared at the check then at her boss. She glared at him. “Is this a joke? Because if it is I’m not amused.”
“No joke,” he said, putting up his hands and backing off in mock fear. “The check is as real as the one you got last pay day.”
“Are you serious?” Dani said with a gasp. “This is more than I make for a week.”
“I know,” Tony said with a grin. “Now aren’t you glad I assigned you to a big tipper? Although he seemed to have gone overboard with you. I’ve never seeing him tip quite so generously.” Then his grin disappeared and his eyes narrowed. “Did you tell him you’re a woman?”
“Of course I didn’t,” Dani retorted. “How could you even think that?”
Tony waved his hand. “Forget I said that. Just take the money and be grateful. I’m sure it will come in handy.”
“Will it ever,” she said with a grin and tucked it into her pocket. This would be the first installment on Brian’s trip to Europe.
And that was why this fine Monday, although it was only five o’clock in the morning, she was in a good mood. She was beginning to see light at the end of her tunnel and it was all because of Storm Hunter. Just for that she would ditch her serious face and be especially nice to him. He more than deserved it.
This time when she pulled up in front of his door he was ready. She would deposit him at the airport and he’d probably make his way to an exclusive lounge and then head off on a private jet. Then she would do a quick turnaround, get the limo back to base then dash home to change so she’d be at Applewood school by eight thirty on the dot.
After giving Storm a cheerful good morning which got her a sour look from an obviously still sleepy Storm, she opened the door for him then went to deposit his luggage in the trunk. That took some doing. There were only two full sized suitcases and a carry-on bag but the second suitcase felt like he’d either packed it with lead or had stuffed a dead body in it. While he lounged inside the car she pushed and shoved till she got them in, almost giving herself a hernia in the process. Still, she did it without a murmur of complaint. Whatever this man put her through, overweight bags or no, it was worth it.
Storm seemed to wake up on his way to the airport. With the glass partition down there was nothing to stop him from carrying on a conversation with her and for the first time since they’d met he seemed to take a genuine interest in her.