"The indolent Daniel Crusher married a younger woman, probably for money", "That marriage is doomed, he's too cold to keep a woman happy", "They say the wife had an affair with the brother before she caught him". That was the kind of gossip that was whispered loudly in his social circle, the talk of the moment. And none of it escaped Camila.
Daniel's mother had been the subject of awkward silences and hushed voices whenever she was present. She knew it would happen, she had warned her son many times. But he was enraptured by this treacherous woman who would make a fool of him, it was only a matter of time. She would not allow Daniel to go through that situation, the one that would leave him in the eyes of all the "good" women as a puppet of their impulses.
She had long had in mind one of her friend Arlene's daughters, she was the ideal woman for Daniel. She was professional, pretty, came from a well-to-do family and, above all, was the right age for a man in his 40s. She had often expressed her interest in him and her desire to get to know him better. They had crossed paths from time to time at events or dinners, but had not shared much in their talks.
- Daniel doesn't get along well with that woman, they had already demonstrated it the other day during dinner at her house -.
- Well, Camila, they are just settling in. It's a matter of time -
- It's a matter of time before she leaves him and takes his money. She's a college girl who has her own interests, she had the opportunity and she took it -
- But Daniel is in love, isn't he? -
- Please, Arlene! It's impossible, you know Daniel, at best he's a middle-aged infatuation. All men go through that -
- Beverly was a little sad when she heard the news of his wedding.
- Your daughter is the perfect woman for my son.
Deanna had blossomed in a wonderful way, she was happy. If all that had happened between them was that passionate kiss, things had changed diametrically between them. Daniel couldn't wait to get back to the house and spend time with her, and Deanna spent the day singing. The agreement was unspoken: they would try. They liked each other too much to ignore it. The rhythm of their relationship was different, floating between them, like a first flirtation. They had skipped all the steps and gone straight to the altar; so they would have to start from scratch.
Daniel knew how to flatter a woman and make her feel special. He was a block of ice on the outside, but inside he had the same needs and passions as any man. But he also knew that this time he would have to try a little harder, put more of himself into it. Deanna was like no other woman, she could be docile and sweet or terribly fearsome and rapturous. That was the aspect he liked most about her, the unbreakable will she possessed.
Gradually they began to date more. He would invite her to dinner some nights and she would take him to some corner of the city to enjoy a drink and good music. He loved to watch her talk non-stop, totally excited whenever they touched on a music-related topic. And Deanna would get goose bumps when Daniel touched her imperceptibly, he used to put his hand on her waist as they walked or brush her hand with his fingertips. He was a gentleman, like no one she had ever met before.
Daniel was stalling the inevitable as long as he could. He didn't want to rush her, even though Deanna always made it difficult for him. It was a bare shoulder, a piece of skin slipping out from under her sweater, or her bare neck when she pulled her hair up in a bun. And his mind was racing to the beat of his heart. It seemed as if he had never felt anything for any other woman.
- This afternoon we're going with Harry and Laura to go shopping -
- With Harry? -
- Yes, I know what you're thinking. But I can't go on with the same attitude either. It's inevitable that you'll see each other, you're friends and now you're family too.
- Wow! That's quite a breakthrough for someone so stubborn... -
- Who's the stubborn one here? -
- I don't know what you're talking about...
- Someone spent two hours outside trying to get a huge plant into a smaller pot -
- But it was the perfect pot -
Daniel smiled. She had that kind of irreverent excuse for everything.
- What are we going to buy? -
- Harry and Laura want to buy things for the baby and I was thinking you could buy some clothes, if you want to -
- Oh my God! Do I have to go through that again? Laura exhausted me last time -
- This time you can choose whatever you want or we can just look. You're the first woman I've ever met who refused to shop -
I was the first woman in many things for him, things he didn't know existed. Deanna stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the living room to her room. He just smiled at her.
The truth was, she was getting impatient too. He was a gentleman in many ways, he was considerate and had become calmer with his explosive temper. But Deanna needed to move on to the next level, it seemed he had no intentions of that nature and she didn't know how wrong she was.
They met Harry and Laura at one of the largest and most luxurious stores in town. First the ladies clothes, then they would see. Harry watched them suspiciously, he could tell something had changed between them. Daniel was smiling, he was smiling! And Deanna's eyes were brighter. Even the physical language was different, more relaxed and distended. Laura, on the other hand, already understood what was happening and inwardly she was glad.
While Laura tried on maternity clothes, Deanna explored dresses. Both men sat waiting for them while they drank coffee, even though the intention of this outing was to iron out their differences, neither was talking too much. Daniel still found it hard to accept the closeness between them and Harry was annoyed to witness his brother courting his friend.
Deanna emerged from the fitting rooms wearing a gray one-shouldered dress and again, too short. "No," Daniel shook his head at her.
- Why? - Deanna asked him.
- It's too short -
- Do you think so? - And she turned around to turn her back to him, it was not only short, it was too tight in the back.
- No, no, no... - And Daniel started to feel hot.
The next one was even worse, it was tight all over, as if he was choosing clothes one size smaller. Laura smiled slyly, she knew well what she was trying to do to Daniel. And from the way he kept moving around in his chair trying to get comfortable, it was working.
Since none of the dresses were approved, next came the pants. For God's sake! He was going to have a heart attack at any moment. Every pant was either too tight or too tight in the right places. Harry had had enough of the "show" and left the store with the excuse to smoke a cigarette. What was on Deanna's mind? Since when did she do this sort of thing?
The game she was implementing was starting to go backwards, she was doing it craftily and knowingly provoking him. And that was what she was after, to provoke him. She was delighted with his sensible, reasonable ways of not rushing things between them. But Deanna also had the same needs and wants as he did, so why not help him out a little?
Laura went out to find her husband and Deanna called her husband to help her zipper on the back of the dress she was trying on. Daniel stepped behind the curtains, Deanna had the dress holding it with her hands on her chest, she pushed her hair over one shoulder and showed him her back. Bare, but this time he got to see a little below the waist. And all those freckles that looked like little velvet dots on her skin.
Daniel couldn't take it anymore, he pressed her body against the wall and hid his face in the curve of her neck.
-You're going to kill me...
His hands were pressed against the wall; he didn't dare to touch her because if he did it would be something he couldn't contain. Her breath quickened, that was the very reaction she was waiting for. And now she had to finish what she had started.