Daniel took her by the waist and she began to move very slowly over him, seeking to arouse him. Deanna had done it too.
Her fingers lost themselves in the strands of his hair and her mouth whispered in his ear. Just like Deanna used to do.
She sighed deeply and took him tighter when she felt her movements on him begin to have an effect upon him. Deanna shamelessly vocalized her desire.
Her kiss, her mouth, the softness, the insistence, the tip of her tongue seeking access to his mouth. Deanna was just invading it, without asking permission.
Something suddenly awoke inside him, he grabbed her thighs and sat her on the desk. Just like that, as he had done with her. Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him closer; her back arched, the bare patch of skin begging, demanding, for his mouth.
The exposed neck and the heat emanating from her body. He went over that piece of skin to taste it and stopped with his lips on it. It wasn't her taste, it wasn't Deanna's taste. What was he doing? The woman beneath him moaned and writhed, but her hair wasn't tousled and caramel-colored, her voice didn't sound sweet and desperate. It wasn't Deanna.
He looked at her in confusion and horror, Beverly looked back at him and realized that nothing else was going to happen. Just as quickly as he had reacted to her caresses, he pulled away from her.
- Don't you dare do this to me Daniel! - she cried out in desperation.
- I'm sorry, Beverly... I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking... - He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and almost ran away.
- Daniel! You bastard! –
And he left. He left her there, sitting on his desk, agitated, outraged and furious.
He drove home like a madman, disgusted with himself. He almost made a mistake. Deanna was going to drive him mad until she turned him into a broken man.
- There's a lady outside looking for Deanna... She says she's your sister-in-law -
- Susan? Where is she? -
- Hi Deanna, how are you?
- Susan! It's good to see you -
- I don't want to interrupt you, but do you think we could talk for a few minutes? -
- Sure, come with me... At this hour the props are taking their break, we can talk in the storeroom, you don't mind, do you? -
- Not at all -
They barely finished closing the door and Susan couldn't wait any longer.
- Deanna, I'm sorry, can you please back to my stupid brother? -
- Susan...
- Listen to me, please. Daniel's a wreck, he's got this idiotic idea in his head that it's best he stays away from you, that he's been treating you badly, that you're happy now and don't need him. He's been hearing that gossip about you and Reed and came here to see if it was true. He saw you talking to him and now he's convinced you don't love him. I told him he's acting like a child for not trying to make things right with you... He's not focusing on anything, he just looks like a lifeless puppet... And Beverly is on the prowl... - Susan wasn't even breathing.
- Beverly? -
- Yes, that woman has had her eye on Daniel for years and now that you're not around she's looking for any excuse to be near him. She's a calculating and sneaky woman... But the important thing is that Daniel misses you terribly... Yes, I know he behaves like a caveman, but he's losing his soul without you, Deanna... I shouldn't interfere in his business, I can't stand seeing him like that... What did he say to you that day? Surely he deserves to be punished, but, you didn't stop loving him did you Deanna? Dan.... -
- Susan! Susan! Breathe please, calm down...-
- I'm sorry...
- Of course I didn't stop loving him how could I? It's impossible... but I can't stand these outbursts he has... He can't control himself and he hurts me with his mistrust. Reed's flowers I didn't expect them, I didn't ask for them, and yet his fury fell on me. It always falls on me... It makes me feel like a tramp... I don't know, Susan, how to show him and assure him of my affection so that he will abandon all those insecurities... That's why I left. I thought some time away from him would give me perspective on how to help him contain that anger, but I didn't find how. He came for the kids and didn't even get out of the car to say "hi" What should I think? That he doesn't give a damn... -
- If you saw him you'd know he does care... This is all a misunderstanding... He thinks it's better to stay away and you think he wants to stay away, and it's not like that!... I wouldn't tell you or ask you for any of this if it weren't for the fact that I see him so sad and self-absorbed... The house is cold again, the kids miss you too... Please, Deanna... -
How bad would it have to be for Susan to talk to her like that? Her heart ached. She didn't want him to be sad, those shadowed eyes again. Her chest bubbled with a sense of rush, of desperation just imagining that his eyes that sparkled when they looked at her would become dull and lifeless.
- I'll go see him... Right now, where is he? -
- Really, Deanna? Thank you... He's at home, he didn't go to the company today, he asked me to pick up the kids from school... He's probably planning to lock himself in his office all day... -
- Why doesn't he pick up the kids? -
- He did the same thing when Emily died... at first I thought he couldn't face his children, but then I realized that it's his way of punishing himself: loneliness... -
- Daniel... -
- Talk to him, if you love him, make him understand... -
- I'll let Professor Marcus know I have to leave, will you wait for me outside? -
- Yes...
Leonard missed seeing her by only 5 minutes. By the time he arrived, she had already left with Susan.
- And Deanna? - He asked Marcus.
- It seems to me, my dear friend, that you missed the golden opportunity... -
- What are you talking about? -
- Her sister-in-law came to meet her, Crusher's sister, and they locked themselves in the prop storage room to talk, and she came out saying she had to leave quickly...
- Daniel... Ah!
- I think so... It's strange to me that he didn't say anything that day he was here. The sound crew told me that he stood there for quite a while and then he just left.
- It doesn't matter, I know I'll get my chance... It's a matter of time, Marcus - He told him sourly.
All the whole way home all Deanna could see were his sad eyes, the empty expression on his face; that man who had changed her life on his whim and for whom she was dying to return, was willing to let her go to avoid hurting her anymore. She was angry at herself for being so stubborn, for allowing her foolishness to keep her from taking the first step. How close was she to losing him?
What Susan had told her about Beverly resonated strongly in her mind, "Beverly's on the hunt." And for the first time she felt a surge of jealousy; that woman had everything she needed to be with Daniel, everything she lacked. And apparently she also had a lot of confidence if she had been waiting so long for him and still wasn't giving up. A white noise echoed inside her chest and spread through her body, a thud, an alarm. She had nothing to compete with Beverly, she just loved him. She loved him so badly that she couldn't wait to see him again.