Divine Party (5 page)

“No. Way.” Dante’s throat had gone dry.

“Surprise!” roared a room full of people—no, several groups of people all seated at swanky tables and dressed in formal attire.
Not another damn party.

“Kenshin?” She let him take her hand and lead her through the room. She barely felt his hand because of the numbness. The doors closed in a hush behind them.

“I’m sure you don’t want to attend another party, but this one is not like those.” Kenshin gestured to the people.

“No?” Dante bit her lip to keep the sarcasm from poisoning the cheery face beaming at her.

“No, this isn’t a retirement party either.”

Dante could see this clearly was a party. The absolute last thing she wanted to be involved in. Hell, she would’ve rather had gone to the observation deck for the one millionth time! This had to be the worst date she’d been on in a long time.

When she opened her mouth to tell him so, Kenshin said, “It’s your rebirth gathering.”

At this the crowd erupted with applause. The string quartet started playing and the event appeared to launch into festive mode.

Dante cringed. “Rebirth?”

“Yes. There are many lives lived within one human life. You’ve been reborn now. No longer a pleasure party planner.”

True.

But what was she if not the famous and fabulous Dante Divine? She ran her hands over her midnight-blue cocktail dress. Now she understood why he’d insisted she dress up.

“Who are these people?”

Kenshin smiled. “The lovely lady in lavender is your mother.”

“Momma?” Dante couldn’t believe it. Sure enough, seated at a table closest to the window and in a conversation with someone who looked a lot like Dante’s former high school English teacher, Ms. Divine resembled a regal queen. Lavender two-piece suit and a big, wide-brimmed matching hat dressed with a silk ribbon and fat purple flower. Her momma looked ready for church, as did Ms. Mitchell, her former English teacher.

She went to her momma’s table.

“Hey, baby!” Her momma hugged her closely.

“What are you doing here?” She smelled like fresh cut flowers.

“I’m here to launch your new life and career.”

“Career?” Dante looked at Kenshin.

Her momma sheepishly grinned at her and then at Kenshin. “Did I say too much?”

“No, ma’am.”

“You know my momma?” Dante looked from one to the other. Clearly they’d met and talked.

“It’s good to see you, and you’ve grown into quite the beautiful woman,” Ms. Mitchell said. She stood up and hugged Dante.

“Thank you.” Dante released her and searched the other faces seated at tables and chatting while the music played. Waiters with what appeared to be appetizers and drinks floated casually around the tables and passed out goodies.

“Kenshin?” Dante couldn’t believe he’d done all of this on his own.

“Yes?”

“I appreciate this, but…”

Kenshin took her hand and led her away from her mother and Ms. Mitchell. A waiter appeared and led them to a secluded table. He held the chair out for her, and she sat down. He sat across from her and smiled.

“This is for you, Dante. Think of it as a launch party.”

Everyone wanted to try the tasty food brought out from the kitchen. She’d heard of this place. A swanky place with world-renowned chef Marco Riggoni. Secretly, she’d followed his career to food celebrity.

“This is Marco’s place…”

Kenshin nodded.

“All of these customers…”

“Are your friends…” Kenshin finished.

Dante’s throat closed around the emotional knot lodged there. He rented out the entire Signature Room on the ninety-fifth floor of the John Hancock Building for her. For this. Ren and Rob walked around the restaurant talking to people she hadn’t seen since childhood and others since she launched her Divine freak parties.

“Your life has started anew. These people were part of your life before, but they will be a support for your future.”

Dante chuckled. “How do you know? You don’t know anyone here except those twins and my momma, which you still have to explain.”

Kenshin reached for her hands across the table and squeezed them. “Ah, that’s Erin Edwards over there in the green-sequin dress. She’s the branch manager over in the Gold Coast neighborhood. She also went to your high school and is willing to give you a business loan when you’re ready.”

She knew Erin but how did he?

As she looked around, she realized that no one from her freak parties had come. Only people she’d known before that life and Ren and Rob remained. A few cousins had been sprinkled in. It amazed her that Kenshin had managed to get all of these people here.

“My next business?” Dante snorted. You can’t know what that is when I don’t.”

“I can’t know for sure; you’re right about that. But two years ago, you told me you wanted to own a restaurant. Marco
’
s is one of the best businesses in the area. These people all agreed to invest in your goal—of starting your own restaurant.”

“What?” The hot prick of tears gathered in her eyes. Yes, that had been her dream, and he’d remembered something she’d casually mentioned while drinking too much on a balcony two years ago. Most men couldn’t even recall her last name let alone her dream.

“And you did all this…” She coughed to clear her throat of the enormity of Kenshin’s actions but found herself unable to do so, because now it was clogged with tears.

“Yes.”

There. He got up, yanked her to her feet, and hugged her to him. He kissed her cheek.

“I love you.”

Her heart felt like it was inching up to her throat. It burned in protest, and she closed her eyes. Tears slipped from beneath her eyelids.

“Dante?” Kenshin’s voice sharpened with concern.

“I-I’m fine. Really.” She opened her eyes to find his warm ones on her.

“Don’t mess up your makeup because I’m not done.”

Lordy. He has more?

Kenshin kissed her cheek and waved at Rob, who stood talking to her momma by the kitchen doors.

“I love you, and my life would not be complete without you. I’m tired of simply existing in a vacuum, only half breathing. I want to breathe, to grow, to flourish, and I need you, Dante, my oxygen, to keep my life from being one long inferno of misery.”

She gripped the tablecloth because she felt faint. No one, let alone a
man
, had ever cared about her goals and secret dreams. They’d all been takers. Those had been before—in her former life.

But thanks to Kenshin, she had been reborn. She met Kenshin’s almond-shaped eyes and found fierce determination and love. He’d put all this effort just to prove his dedication and love.

And she didn’t have to sleep with him.

The kitchen doors opened and out came Marco himself, dressed with his food-splattered apron and chef’s hat. He walked over to them and Dante thought for sure she would faint now—for real.

“Marco Riggoni, this is Dante Divine.” Kenshin introduced them as if he’d known Marco forever.

Dante shook his hand.

“Dante, you like to cook, eh?” Marco asked, smiling brightly.

“Yes.” She could barely form the words. Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw others gathering around.

“Like?”

“I love to cook,” Dante added.

“Better answer!” Marco laughed. “I want to offer you an opportunity to serve as my apprentice.”

“Don’t I have to go to cooking school?” Dante couldn’t take any other surprise of this magnitude tonight.

Marco nodded. “Yes, classes during the day, apprentice at night with me.”

“Say yes,” Kenshin whispered.

“Yes.”

The crowd erupted in applause again, and Marco shook her hand. “See you next Monday night at four. Now, enjoy the food!”

He then headed back into the kitchen and the quartet began again. People slapped her on the back and walked up to congratulate her. She grinned and shook hands, exchanged hugs and small talk.

He’d taken the time to figure her out. With her head spinning and her knees weak, Dante held onto Kenshin the rest of the night, praying to the heavens that this dream would never end and that he would never let her go.

Chapter Six

“Lake Michigan looks so beautiful tonight.” Dante’s voice sounded soft like crushed rose petals.

Kenshin wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to him. Standing in her living room, looking at the lake from her condominium window, Kenshin enjoyed the smell of sweet perfume and food lingering across her skin. The room had floor-to-ceiling windows that gave a fantastic view of downtown, including Navy Pier and the lake. It shimmered tonight under the full moon’s gentle illumination.

They met during the wee hours of Saturday morning with sheer determination. Horniness shredded his resolve, leaving him unable to rest. His skin was on fire, and only Dante could extinguish it. Dante’s sultriness, like her own brand of electricity, still kept him charged, wired awake, and aroused. She lit up his life like she had an electric current in her hands.

Her head lay on his chest, and she hugged him back.

“Not as beautiful as you.”

She looked up at him. “Kiss me.”

He did, tasting the hint of garlic-and-cream sauce from the grilled chicken and penne on her lips. His hands moved as if on their own, gripping her booty. One hand remained locked on her sexy butt, while his other glided up and down the curves he loved. Her soft lips drove him mad, but he held himself back from devouring her outright. Tonight had been incredible enough, but he didn’t want her thinking she had to pay him back via sex.

When he broke the kiss, she whimpered a little and resumed her previous position, her arms wrapped tightly around him. They’d been this way since arriving fifteen minutes ago. They’d stayed until all the guests had left. From what he could tell, Dante had had a good time. She sported a glow unlike any he’d seen on her before.

“You’re glowing.”

“I’m happy,” she retorted and squeezed.

“I’m glad.”

She looked up at him. “I really appreciate all the effort you went through to plan it. How did you pull it all together?”

“Ren and Rob helped with contacting people you grew up with. I met with your mother about a week ago, with them of course, and laid out what I planned to do and why.” Kenshin’s arms felt empty when she pulled away from him.

She walked to the sofa and sat down, folding her legs under herself. With a wave to continue, she undid her updo, allowing the ringlets to fall down to her delicious, smooth shoulders.

“Why?”

“Because I love you.” Kenshin removed his jacket and laid it on the chair. He didn’t move to sit beside her. He didn’t want to make the same mistake he made before—revving his engine but then having to leave it running.

She glanced up at him. “I see.”

“Do you?”

“Yes, I do.” She patted the seat beside her. “Come closer.”

“Dante…”

She brought a finger to her lips, those sexy pillow-soft lips. “Shush.”

Before he could fully process what she meant, he found himself standing in front of her. She gazed up at him, raw energy spiraling from her. Those beautiful hands, with flawless manicured nails, raked along his thighs and around to his ass, where she squeezed.

“Been wanting to do that all night.” She licked her lips, making his cock jump.

Kenshin closed his eyes and relished her touch, biting back his annoyance at his clothes being in the way. He wanted to feel her hands on his flesh, raking and drawing his arousal higher with each scratch. When he opened his eyes, he found Dante standing on the sofa cushions. She laced her hands around his neck and drew him in, slowly parting his lips. So seductively did she approach, that once her lips actually met his, all of his resolve had been melted away.

His lips crashed into hers. He breathed her in, taking her air into himself, making her part of him. Dante moaned when his hand went into her hair. Clutching its loose curls, feeling its natural softness between his fingers, Kenshin tightened his hold and kissed her harder. He wanted to consume her, to taste every delectable inch of her.

Dante’s tongue tangoed with his, trying in vain to capture it as eagerly as he tried to capture hers. She sighed and gave in to him. When he at last locked his lips around her tongue, he sucked it gently, soliciting more moans from her. As if the kiss reverberated through her, Dante pressed her soft, curvaceous body against him impatiently grinding her pelvis against his already aroused state.

“Dante,” he whispered against the top of her head. Despite standing on the sofa, she only just met his eyes. He gently wiped her hair from her eyes. “I love you.”

“Kenshin, I’m tired of running from my feelings for you…”

He went still, and his breath caught in his chest.

Dante glanced away, her hair falling like a curtain, shielding her face. She untangled herself from him and sat down. He followed her lead, unsure of what she meant, but not wanting to spoil the mood. Not unlike that night in Milwaukee, Dante had chosen to confide in him, but she would do it in her own way and in her own time.

And he would wait.

Until the world became dust and the sun burned out, he would wait to hear her speak those three little words to him. Releasing her love to him freely and without restraint.

“I mean, I knew it inside, you know? Felt it strong, like the tide being tugged by the moon,” she said so softly he had to lean down to hear her.

“Felt what?” Kenshin realized his own voice came out barely above her whisper. Maybe they both thought they would shatter the moment by not respecting how crucial Dante’s confession was. Here, a woman who could have any man she wanted, had chosen him—at last.

Kenshin didn’t close his eyes or turn away. He wanted to remember the scents of jasmine and lavender, the sounds of the Chicago winds and soft classical music from the sound system, her soft hands on his thighs, and the giddiness bubbling in his stomach.

He took it all in as Dante continued.

“Love. I fell in love with you, and I can’t deny it. Today just made me face not only my fear of embracing you,
this
, us, but it also showed me what we could be, together.”