Much to Danielle's disappointment, her day started off on an early note. Antonio had work to do and wanted to work from the hotel's coffee shop and Danielle didn't feel like walking down to the spa on her own.
Yesterday ended very late for them. After some afternoon lovin', they'd gone down to the pool to pass the time, then spent the night time at the hotel's bar after a quick dinner.
Danielle had fallen in love with the city and she hadn't even been there for more than three days. She loved everything about it so far, especially the looks she got when she was walking around with Antonio. And maybe that was the main reason she didn't want to go down to the spa by herself.
Just as she was enjoying her morning shower, Antonio called for her from the bedroom.
"Darling, your phone is ringing," he said.
"Shit!" Danielle was still covered in suds. "I'll be right out!"
She rinsed off the soap from her body as fast as she could and pulled her towel down from the top of the shower to cover up with. She hurried out of the bathroom and found that Antonio had just finished taking her phone call.
"Who was it?" Danielle adjusted her towel.
"Your sister," Antonio say back in his comfortable seat to continue with his typing on his laptop.
Danielle felt nervous. She hadn't planned for Alexis to find out about Antonio like this.
"What did she say?" Danielle asked.
"She said she really wanted to talk to you. I told her you'd call her back because you were showering."
Danielle nodded and Antonio smiled.
"What's wrong?" He asked her.
"Nothing," she lied. "I'm just thinking about what she could possibly want."
"Sounded urgent. Is she okay, do you know?"
Danielle ahook her head but quickly managed a smile.
"I'll call her back later," she said. "I've gotta get dressed quickly. You've already started working so I don't wanna keep you any longer."
"Take your time," Antonio smiled.
"You don't actually mean that, I know," Danielle went to search for something to wear.
"I do actually. You never disappoint after you spend ages in front of the mirror so I can't complain."
"I never disappoint? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, sir?" Danielle picked out a simple yellow summer dress to wear.
"I'm pretty sure that when people stare at us when we're together, they're looking at you," Antonio smiled sweetly at Danielle, making her blush.
"I don't believe that," she said.
"You should. You're very beautiful, Elle. You're also very good at all that makeup stuff and I think you should make money off of that talent."
Danielle snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I think I need a real job, baby. Doing makeup for a living? Highly unlikely to work out for me. Besides, everybody is a makeup artist nowadays. I'll pass."
"What would you rather do then?" Antonio closed his laptop say back in his seat, his eyes fixed on Danielle.
She flashed him an innocent smile and slowly walked over to sit on his lap.
"I'd rather you stop asking me all these questions I have no answers to," she kissed him slowly.
"I'm serious, Elle," Antonio spoke between the kisses he was getting. "You at least need to think about it."
"I will, but not today. Antonio, you're spoiling my mood," Danielle frowned.
"I'm sorry. I just want to help."
She sighed and got up to start getting dressed.
"I really want to help you, Danielle."
"It just feels like you're tryna bring up a conversation about me quittin' my job."
"That's not what this is about. I'm okay with what you do but, I just don't think it's something you should do for too long."
"I said it won't be forever, Antonio, I remember telling you that!"
"Okay, I apologise," he raised his hands.
Danielle took a deep breath and went to look for a pair of sandals to wear.
"Elle?" Antonio watched Danielle as she sat on the bed to put her shoes on. "Danielle, come here, please."
Danielle stopped what she was doing and blinked at Antonio. He had his arms open and the sweetest look on his face. It melted Danielle's heart and she found herself sitting in his lap again.
"I genuinely want to help you, darling," he told her.
"I know. Sorry for getting worked up."
"I suppose I brought it up wrong but, I want you to share your ideas with me."
"I don't have any right now," Danielle blushed. "That's what I'm saying."
"I understand. I'm just--"
"Can we stop talking about this please?" Danielle sighed. "My appointment?"
"Of course," Antonio remembered. "Do I get a kiss then, so I know you're not upset with me?"
Danielle couldn't help but smile as she pecked Antonio's lips. He pecked her nose and let her carry on getting ready.
It didn't take Danielle that long because she didn't put any makeup on. She hid her face behind her big curly hair and shades and carried her purse with her as she followed Antonio to the elevator.
He held her hand and kissed her lovingly in there before the doors slid open on the spa floor. They walked into a glass room which overlooked a beautiful back garden, the beach in the background (not a far away), and Antonio stood with Danielle as she checked in for her appointment.
The receptionist kept stealing glanced at Antonio and Danielle noticed. It annoyed her but she had a plan to sort it out.
When her appointment was approved, Danielle leaned against the front desk and smiled sweetly at Antonio.
"Shall I come fetch you when I'm done working?" He asked Danielle.
"Nah, I'm gonna go back upstairs after this. I don't wanna disturb."
"Okay, I'll sort this out as fast as I can so we can go out for lunch, alright?"
"Okay," Danielle smiled.
Antonio pecked her lips but Danielle wasn't about to let him off that easily, knowing that there were girls in the spa, eyeing her man.
Antonio's cheeks were flushed red and that made Danielle giggle. She waved at him as he walked off then she turned back to the receptionist.
"You droolin' over my man still when you coulda been tellin' me where to go," she blinked.
"Oh, sorry," the receptionist blushed.
"I'm still waiting, hello!"
"Th-The changing room is right down there, first door to your left. Then right across it is where you'll be getting your message."
"Who do I gotta talk to to get a facial? I want a facial and I wanna get waved before I go for my message,"
The receptionist braved a smile but stuttered as she told Danielle where to go.
Danielle rolled her eyes, "get someone to bring me something to drink while I get waxed. Imma need it."
"Of course,"
Danielle headed to the changing room to get changed into the soft robes the spa provided.
____________
By the time Danielle was done with her full spa treatment, she felt like a whole new person. She'd been to a spa before but never for a whole body experience, and the spas she could afford didn't offer top of the range champagne. She literally felt like she could float if she wanted to.
While she waited for Antonio to show up, Danielle gave Alexis a call to hear what it was she'd called for earlier.
"What were you callin' me for?" Danielle asked her sister over the phone. She tossed her purse onto the couch and sat down to take her sandals off.
"I... mom says we need more money. We haven't bought any food," Alexis said.
"I hate that your mother constantly sends you to get money out of me. Why won't she ask me herself?"
Alexis struggled to find the answer to that and Danielle felt had for even saying that.
She sighed, "how's school? You doin' good?"
"Yeah. We've got a field trip coming up too."
Danielle nodded, "What else you need money for? Your hair good? You happy with your clothes?"
"I think so,"
"You think so," Danielle shook her head. "I'll send you enough to get everything done, alright? Just... don't give your mother anything more than necessary, Lexy, I'm begging you."
"I won't."
"And you gotta learn to put your money away for emergencies."
"Okay."
"Imma send you some in a minute,"
"Thank you, Dani."
"Anything else?"
Alexis was quiet for a moment then she asked, "that guy who answered your phone. Is he your boyfriend?"
"Girl if you don't shut up..."
Alexis laughed and that caused Danielle to break into a smile.
"Get lost, Alexis. Mind ya business," Danielle giggled softly.
"Fine. I'll talk to you soon. Tell your boyfriend I said hi,"
"Bye Alexis!" Danielle smiled.
She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Helping that child with money riled her up most times but she hadn't heard Alexis's laugh in forever. That just made her miss her little sister like she didn't understand. She had to do better for Alexis and Antonio was right about her having to find something real to do. Danielle just didn't know what it would be.
As she placed her feet on the couch, she closed her eyes and tried to think of all the things she was good at, something that could ultimately put food on the table. Danielle felt useless for not having a single idea. Did that mean she was stupid? Stripping was all she knew. She wondered if all the strippers who became famous had ever felt like this: lost without any talents.
She'd dosed off on the couch for what felt like only a minute when Antonio made it back from the coffee shop. He felt guilty for leaving Danielle waiting, even worse for waking her up from her nap.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," he walked over to the back of the couch and kissed Danielle on the forehead. "If you're over going out, I can call for room service."
"No, it's fine. I just need a few minutes to do my makeup. I'll be ready to go in a bit," Danielle yawned.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded her head and got off the couch to stretch.
"I take it your spa treatment went very well," Antonio smiled.
"It was... amazing," Danielle giggled.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Danielle made her way to the bedroom to get her cosmetics. She did her makeup in the bathroom, making it match her yellow dress. After a short while, she was packing some necessities into a handbag for the afternoon.
Antonio got his driver to take them downtown to the food market. Trailers lined the streets and each of them gave off the scent of wonderfully cooked food and that got Danielle's stomach grumbling.
"I don't know what to have," Danielle looked around at all the options.
"Come, let me help you decide," Antonio took her hand and walked her to a meat trailer.
They had all sorts of meat types which could be served in various ways: in sandwiches-- shreaded or roasted, with salads, plainly, in burgers... any way you could possibly want your meat.
Antonio went for the burger option while Danielle opted for a footlong meat sandwich. Both of them chose to down their food with some iced tea.
They found an empty table beneath a tree and decided to have their lunch there. Danielle was starving so she immediately dug in. Antonio, smiling at this, apologised once more for keeping Danielle waiting.
"You're lucky I naturally have energy to keep me goin'," Danielle sipped her chilled apple flavoured iced tea. "If I was weak, you woulda found a dead body laying in the couch when you walked in."
"I have lots of making up to do, don't I?"
"You don't know the half," Danielle rolled her eyes. "But you're lucky the spa session was good and this food is amazing. This is a good start."
Antonio smiled and picked up his burger to bite.
"I'm guessing you were on a roll with planning for tomorrow?" Danielle flipped her hair over her shoulder. "What's this secret project you're working on?"
"I want to build a small city within a city," Antonio used his napkin to wipe his hands.
"What?"
"The apartment complex I plan to build... it's going to have it's own shops, its own gym... everything about it is going to be eco friendly and the residents won't even have to leave the place to get things done. Everything they'll want will be right there."
"Is it gonna have a park and all that?"
"Of course. The park should be big enough to accommodate cyclists too."
Danielle smiled as she imagined this vision Antonio had for his next business adventure. She saw the passion in his eyes and felt a tinge of envy because he lit up at the mention of this project.
"Look at you," she said. "I wish you could see the look on your face right now."
"I just want to find a big enough place to build on," Antonio blushed.
"Is your meeting tomorrow meant to help with that?"
"Yes."
"All the best," Danielle smiled. "If you have any doubts, I'm more than happy to be your sidekick. I'll just sit there and look cute if that will help."
"I don't think that'll be necessary, Elle," Antonio chuckled.
"I'm just puttin' it out there."
"And I appreciate the offer but, I'd rather win this one on my own."
Danielle smiled and picked up her sandwich.
She noticed how optimistic Antonio was about his meeting and she tried to think of ways to take advantage of his good mood. She could never get enough of Antonio. Who would? He was so easy to arouse and so fun to be with like that. Just thinking about it all made Danielle want to leave for the hotel already.
She kept her cool and let an idea form in her head as she and Antonio ate up. She felt she'd had enough food to last her the rest of the day but, who was she kidding?
Antonio called for their ride back to the hotel. It was late in the afternoon and Danielle quitely went to put on another one of her bathing suits so she could hit the hot tub.
She wrapped a baby blue sarong around her waist to match her snake skin print bathing suit and she put on a pair of flip flops and shades.
"Where are you off to?" Antonio had just gotten comfortable on the large ottoman in the middle of the living room when Danielle walked out of the bedroom with her phone in her hand.
"I wanna go try out the hot tub," she smiled innocently.
"Aren't you tired?" Antonio smiled. "We've been out and about since we got here."
"I just wanna try out the hot tub," Danielle pouted. "It looks really fun. We could have some champagne in there and... I could massage you so you're all set for tomorrow." She smirked.
Antonio closed his eyes momentarily. "Go ahead. I'll meet you there," he said.
Danielle smiled and went to kiss Antonio's cheek. She left the room and took to the elevator to the rooftop.
The pool area was basically empty. Only one or two couples were still around but they were relaxing in the pool still. In a secluded corner was a hot tub and Danielle didn't care that it was closed off for the day. She dared someone to try her.
She picked out a towel from the stack that was left next the poolside for guests and twisted some knobs to activate the tub. Danielle gave it a few minutes and took off her shoes and sarong, and she stepped in.
She hadn't been in a hot tub in a while. The last one she'd been in was at some house party she'd gatecrashed during her early stripper days. One of the girls who used to work at the club had let it slip that a certain rapper had invited her over for some afterparty so Danielle showed up just because. Let's just say that that party was full of drama and all of it was to Danielle's advantage.
While she got comfortable in the tub, she noticed that a hotel employee was evacuating the pool area. The two couples that had been chilling in the pool politely left. Danielle wasn't about to be one of those people.
She pretended to have been too busy with her phone to even care to read the sign that told her that the tub was closed off after 7pm.
"Ma'am, we're closing off the pool area? The tub has also been out of bounds for a half hour now," the young woman spoke to Danielle.
"I'm not goin' anywhere, baby girl. I wasn't here when the tub was open and even if I was, I wasn't 'bout to share it with nobody but my man," Danielle looked the girl up and down.
"Okay but we're closed now. We can't have anyone up here after a certain time. It's the rules."
"You're closed for whoever else. I'm not movin', boo-boo. Tell your manager that Danielle Parker said no,"
"Uhm--"
"Is everything okay?" Antonio showed up in his red swimming trunks and a white v-neck, a bottle of champagne and some glasses in his hands.
"She's tellin' me to move," Danielle said flatly.
"I asked you--"
"Girl, don't try to spin it. I heard what I heard."
"I was only explaining to her that the pool area is closed," the young woman failed to even make eye contact with Antonio. She was attracted to him already.
"I've sorted that out. Your manager knows that we're up here. You're free to go," Antonio said.
Danielle flashed a smile at the employee and waved at her before she left.
"You just love torturing people, don't you, Ms Parker?" Antonio got into the tub and set the bottle and glasses down so he could take his t-shirt off.
"I like testing people," Danielle corrected, an big smile on her face.
"You caused quite the scene at the spa too, I hear."
"She was checkin' you out!" Danielle defended.
Antonio smiled and poured the champagne into the glasses for himself and Danielle.
"Is the drama always worth it?" Antonio asked.
Danielle shrugged but she was smiling. She loved having the last say and getting her way; she loved attention.
"When someone is looking at my Antonio Gold, I've gotta remind em who he's with," Danielle's arrogance was something new to Antonio but it worked on her. He liked it.
"So nobody's allowed to look at me?" Antonio sat back and sipped his drink.
"They're not allowed to make eye contact or even breathe in your direction because one of two things are finna go down if they try,"
"Okay?" Antonio smiled.
Danielle set her drink down and used her fingers to count. "1) some massive PDA to send a message, and 2) if they don't get the message, these hands are ready."
"This explains the kiss you sent me off with when I left you at the spa..." Antonio caught on with a chuckle.
Danielle giggled and shrugged.
"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right?" She smiled.
"Okay so what was the point of this incident before I got here?"
"Just to show the girl who's boss," Danielle made her way to Antonio to straddle him.
"And you're the boss?" Antonio smiled.
"Most times you are but... I'm so nice, I let you be the boss when I want you to be."
"Elaborate."
"I could tell you I got a Brazilian wax this morning, knowing what effect that'll have on you and I'd still let you be in charge if you want it here and now or if you wanna save it for later. Either way, I win. But I just think that a real boss wouldn't care about the where's and how's... he'll take the cake that's been offered to him," Danielle helped herself to Antonio's glass of champagne while making eye contact. "That's how I let you be the boss," she said.