Danny (Models On Top #1) Read Online Free Page A

to know how much I love him—deep and hard. When our lips part, my legs come down and my feet touch the ground again. He smiles, still holding my hand, and says, “Maybe.”
    “It’s a valiant effort though, I must say.” I look at the miniature snowman, then back into Danny’s eyes that remind me of melted chocolate that you dip sweet treats into.
    I only just notice the snow that falls around us. It’s easy to get caught up in Danny—his magnetic personality, his caring side, and that face. Yep, super easy to get lost in him. I force my eyes to the sky and open my mouth wide, hoping to catch a snowflake on my tongue.
    “I’ll show you a valiant effort.” He swoops me up into his arms and walks to his old Jeep Cherokee. The evergreen color shines under the nearby street lamp. He always keeps his car clean despite taking it off-road whenever he has a chance. He’s such an outdoorsy guy, but he treats me special and never wants me to get dirty—unless I want to—which is more than I ever thought I would.
    I release one last squeal as he tickles me and then sets me down, my back pressed against the door and his arms caging me in. The light reflects in his eyes as he gazes down into mine. A gloved hand touches my cheek, and he says, “I love you, Reese. I’ll always love you.”
    “I love you, too,” I reply readily, as if by habit though the feeling is felt deep within my soul. But the intensity of his expression makes me question what’s really happening. “What’s wrong?”
    He kisses me instead of answering. I kiss him back, but my heart is flipping into panic mode as worry covers the lightness from seconds earlier. Pulling back, I push against his chest and repeat the question, “What’s wrong, Danny?”
    “I got a contract.”
    It dawns on me quickly. He’d been trying to get a modeling contract for months. “You got signed?”
    His happiness is contagious, his eyes bright with hope, waiting for my reaction to match his own. Jumping up, I wrap my arms around him and hug him. “Oh my God. You got it! This is it, Danny. Everything you wanted.”
    When his arms wrap around my waist, his hands move tenderly up and down a few times. The movement is slow as if he’s savoring every centimeter. Then he pulls me closer. He rests his head down on the top of mine, and replies, “Yeah.” His voice is somber, surprising me considering the great news. “Everything I wanted.”
    Confused, I look back up at him and ask, “I thought this was what you wanted?”
    “It was. I mean, it is .” The intimacy of his closeness leaves my body when he takes a step back and tucks his hands into his coat pockets. “I thought it was. But now that it’s real, I’m having doubts.”
    “No,” I instantly reassure him, “don’t. This is good. This is amazing. You said modeling for catalogs and inserts was boring. Think of the new adventures ahead of you. You may end up flying all over the world and finally make decent money.” I can’t hide the excitement I feel for him. What an opportunity. “Paris. Madrid.” I shake my booty. “Exotic islands…”
    I carry on as the snow continues to fall around us until he interrupts, “I leave tomorrow.”
    The distraction of the snow surely caused me to mishear , so I ask, “What?”
    “I leave tomorrow, Reese. I signed the contract with the agency and they booked me on a job.”
    “Wow, that was fast.” My tone reflects my sudden concern, but I want to be positive for him, so I flip back to the awesomeness of this opportunity. “Where are you going?”
    “The Maldives.” Every answer from him is presented as if he’s testing the waters. It feels like there’s more to the story than I’m privy to, and I don’t like this sinking feeling in my gut.
    Then it dawns on me, and I can’t hide beyond a fake smile. “You have finals in less than two weeks. You can’t miss them or you’ll fail. How long will you be gone?”
    “Probably close to that, but I’ll