And waited.
Dani looked at her watch for what must have been the tenth time then she leaned her head back and groaned. Ten forty-two. She’d been scheduled to pick up Storm Hunter at ten o’clock but he was nowhere in sight. A few more limos had arrived in the last forty-five minutes and they all sat there waiting.
Finally, when it was almost eleven o’clock people began to exit and either head to their cars or their waiting limos. Dani ended up waiting another ten minutes before she spied Storm coming out of the front door, a voluptuous blonde on his arm.
By this time she was not a happy camper. He was almost an hour late which meant she’d end up signing off way past midnight.
As Storm and the woman approached, Dani tried to be professional and put a polite smile on her lips. It didn’t work. Her lips stretched across her teeth but it must have looked more like a grimace than a smile. She couldn’t help it. She’d never been good at playing the hypocrite.
“Hey, kid. Ready to roll?” Storm was laughing with the woman, probably at some private joke, and he looked like he’d just had the time of his life. Or was just about to.
I’ve been ready to roll for over an hour, she thought sourly. Still, she didn’t give voice to her thought. With a brisk nod she opened the limousine door and held it wide for the smiling couple.
Storm helped the woman inside then just before he got in he looked directly into Dani’s eyes. “What’s your name? It’s getting kind of old to keep calling you kid.”
“Dani,” she said, averting her eyes from his gaze.
“Danny. Cool. Let's get going then.”
He slid in and Dani closed the door with a click.
Let’s get going, he said. Not even a word of apology for being late. That was probably one of the perks of being a billionaire - never having to say you’re sorry.
For this journey Dani made sure to keep the tinted glass rolled up. She had absolutely no desire to play voyeur or to even hear what her passengers were up to. But, like last time, half way through the journey there was a tap on the glass and she was forced to roll it down.
“Chauffeur,” the blonde said, “can you make a detour, please? Storm needs to make a quick stop at the nearest drugstore.”
Dani glanced in the rear view mirror. Storm was looking comfortable, his long frame stretched along the seat, and he was stifling a yawn.
“I’m good, Chrystelle,” he said through the yawn. “No detours necessary.”
The woman turned to him with a frown. “Are you sure? I thought you’d run out-”
“Nope, I've got some. We just need to get home. It’s been a long night.”
“Okay, whatever you say.” She leaned back against the seat with a sigh.
Dani didn’t wait to see any more. She jabbed the button to close the window and shut them out of her sight.
What was that all about? Her mind told her it could only be one thing, something she didn’t even want to think about. But there it was. The thought crossed her mind and she could not get rid of it. They’d run out of condoms, or at least that was what the woman thought, and she’d wanted Dani to take them to replenish their stock. The nerve of her.
Dani gritted her teeth, angry that the insensitive couple - Storm and the woman both - had dragged her into their private affair. But there was another reason for her anger, a far more frightening one if she dared admit it to herself. She scowled, fighting the thought with every fiber of her being. Then after several minutes berating herself she gave a sigh of resignation. It was no use. Who was she kidding? Storm Hunter was with his date for the night, probably his lover, and she was jealous.
She could have kicked herself, she was so mad. How stupid could she be? She had absolutely no right to be jealous. She was only the chauffeur, for goodness sake, and one who was supposed to be a man. At least in his eyes. What made it worse, even if he'd known she was a woman she knew without a doubt that he’d have absolutely no interest in her. Why would he? He was a playboy billionaire with women falling at his feet and she was nothing more than a struggling schoolteacher with a brother to support. Why would he even give her the time of day?
Stupid to even think about it but that was how the mind worked. Her crazy brain had a mind of its own.
By the time they pulled into Storm’s driveway Dani had regained control of her wandering thoughts and had stifled her wild emotions. She was back to her old self - solid, practical and calm. She went and opened the door then stepped back, confident that her face was expressionless and bland.
She had the hard task of staying serene when Storm got out of the car and held out his hand for the woman he’d called Chrystelle. She giggled and leaned into him so that he was forced to put his arm around her to prevent her from falling.
“Oh, Storm,” she crooned, “you’re such a gentleman.”
He only gave her a crooked smile then looked at Dani. “Thanks, kid…Danny. You’re on duty next weekend?”
“Every weekend, sir,” Dani answered stiffly.
“Hey, no need to be so formal,” Storm said with a laugh. “That’s what you’d say to my old man, not me.” Chrystelle began to sag and he wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Have Tony book you again for my pick-up.” He was turning to go when he paused. “In fact, I’m heading to the airport early on Monday. I don’t feel like driving so you can take me. I’ll have my assistant arrange it.” As he turned away he said, “See you then, kid.”
Dani did not answer. He’d forgotten her name already. So if she was of so little consequence to him why did he insist on asking for her? It didn’t make much sense. All the other drivers had been with the company for years. He probably knew them all, so why not ask for them? There were only two things that made her unique. She was a woman, which he knew nothing about, and she was the youngest on the team. That must be it. He must really enjoy calling her ‘kid’.
As soon as she’d slammed the door shut she got into the car and started the engine, studiously keeping her eyes on the roadway ahead. She had no desire to see them go into the house together, no wish to prolong the torture. She’d had enough for one night.
As the wheels crunched on the graveled driveway she breathed a prayer but it was not a happy one. Dear God, why did I have to meet Storm Hunter? Why did I have to be attracted to him, and why does he keep requesting me?