When she returned with a bottle of water, Candy glanced out again and noticed Daniel had one of his friends pinned up to the brick wall supporting his garage. Two guys were trying to break up the fight.  

Candy ran out. “Daniel! Stop! Daniel! What is going on?” Her voice was raised as she tried to break up a situation that seemed to be way out of control.

“She’s nothing but a two-bit whore, Danny!” The guy took another left hook to his jaw. “Ah! Damnit, man! Shit.”

Daniel’s fist was still clenched when Candy somehow managed to step in between them. Shaking her head, Candy told Daniel, “He’s not worth it. I’ll go. It’s no big deal. We can talk later.”

She went back inside to retrieve her purse and snatched it up from the sofa as she heard the crashing bang of the front door. Daniel was walking toward her, still mad. “Candy, sit down!” She did so without questioning, seeing the fury on his face. “You came over here to talk. I want you to talk. It’s your dad. I know it is. How much does he need?”

“I shouldn’t have come.”

“Damn right you shouldn’t have.”

Candy felt as if she’d been punched in the gut. She’d turned to Daniel because she trusted him completely, but perhaps she’d made a terrible mistake. She felt a lump in the back of her throat and couldn’t speak. 

Before her feelings could be crushed, he continued. “You should have called me, and I would have brought the cash to you so I could look the bastard eye to eye and tell him never to show his face again in this desert unless he planned on being buried here.”

Candy started to say something, but nothing would come out. Daniel walked over to a large painting on the wall and removed it, revealing a safe in the wall. With his back to her, he began to open it. “How much do you need?”

“Daniel, I will pay you back.”

“No, damnit, you won’t, because while you’re here, we’re going to talk about something else, too. How much do you need though? Right now, how much do you need?”

“He wants ten grand, and I have about five thousand cash.” She was embarrassed to even say the figure, but she had just purchased her sports car and paid for it on the spot. Five grand was all she had to her name.

Daniel pulled out several stacks of cash and slammed the safe shut. He walked over to her and threw the heap of green bills on the coffee table as he slumped down into the cushions beside her. His bruised cheekbone was beginning to shine, and Candy went to gently stroke his face.

“Daniel, you shouldn’t have gotten into it with your friend.”

“He’s no longer considered a friend.”

“That’s downright ridiculous.”

“Is it?”

“It is.” Candy smiled softly at him, and he wanted to assault her lips with his own but had other things he needed to get off his chest first.

He touched the same hand that was stroking his skin and brought it to his lips for a loving kiss. “I don’t think so, Candy. I think it is time we had a little talk.”

Her heart seemed to thump a bit harder and then it almost stopped beating altogether. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she might be looking at a man ready to profess his love for her, and it couldn’t have come at a better time—or worse.

“You have fun with me, don’t you?” His voice was steady as he looked deep into her eyes. She could see the love. She could feel it. She had noticed it more and more when she spent time with him. 

She made light of his comment by saying the first thing that came to mind. “Daniel, you know I do. We have a great time together.” Her hand trailed up his leg, hoping to find him rising to the occasion and willing to take her to the point of no return.

“Stop, Candy. We’re not having sex.” He never moved her hand, but his verbal command kept her from sliding antsy fingers under his gym shorts.

She swallowed hard as she watched Daniel struggle to find the words he wanted to say. He appeared vulnerable, even though his masculine six foot four frame supported a well-toned body, which only added to his rugged good looks. He ran his hands through his sandy blond hair and continued. “You always do this. You drive me crazy in bed and then when I want to talk to you about, well anything serious, you bolt.”

“You want to talk to me serious? About the money or—”

He cut her off. “No! Not about the damned money and you know it. Money doesn’t matter to me. It never has.” His baby blues were piercing, and for a moment she thought they looked red more than any other color.

“Okay, I’m listening Daniel. It sounds serious, and I’m seriously listening.” She moved into him as she said it, propping her arm up on the back of the sofa and swinging her leg over his thigh. “Give it to me straight,” she added with a wink.