At First Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 4) Read online

  “Once your whole body is in the tub, you’ll feel like you’re frozen in place,” the attendant, a young woman with blue dyed hair and a name badge that read Julieann, informed them. “That’s the mud keeping you suspended. Just lean back on the headrest and relax.”

  Danica, who was standing on the other side of Julieann, nodded. “Sounds easy enough. How long do we stay in the mud for?”

  “Ten to twelve minutes. After that you’ll come out, wash off the mud over there—” she pointed to the shower stalls behind them “—and take a soak in the Jacuzzi. Both the water in the shower and the Jacuzzi are sourced from the mineral springs. After that, you’ll go to the adjacent room for an aromatherapy blanket wrap to help you relax.”

  “That sounds heavenly.” Danica’s face brightened for the first time since stepping into the room. “I’m ready to go.”

  “Great. You can hang your robes over on the wall and hop in.” Julieann gave them a thumbs-up. “I’ll be back to check on you in about fifteen minutes. Enjoy your time together.”

  “Thanks for your help,” Darren called out to Julieann as she walked out.

  “Yes, thanks!” Danica echoed right before the door closed.

  The air in the room suddenly felt chillier with only the two of them left, even with warm air blowing through the vents above. Both of them stood still, gazes straight ahead, staring at the two bathtub-sized vats filled to the brim with thick brown goo. The mud bubbled up, reminding Darren of a swamp monster from the comic books he used to read as a kid. A slight hint of sulphur—from the mineral water, they’d been told—filled his senses and his stomach with dread. He scoffed. This was supposed to be relaxing? Darren wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

  Danica must have been thinking the same thing because she suddenly did laugh. Softly at first, then louder and more carefree, until she was wiping tears from her eyes. “Is it just me,” she blurted out when she caught her breath, “or does this not seem relaxing at all?”

  Darren’s shoulders fell as the sound of Danica’s laughter melted away the tension between them. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he gave in to the chuckle bubbling up in his throat. “It’s not just you. It is pretty wild. I wouldn’t be surprised if a swamp monster suddenly climbed out.”

  “No! Don’t say that.” Danica’s eyes widened. She shook her head so hard, her bun swayed from side to side. “That’s why I don’t read suspense. I hate being caught off guard.”

  Darren turned toward her, surprised to hear a slight tremor in her voice. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sure there’s nothing in that mud. Look, I’ll show you. I’ll go in first.” He shrugged off his robe with one swift motion, then hung it up on the wall. When he turned back around, he heard a soft gasp. Danica was staring down at her pink painted toenails, but one glance at her flushed face told him she’d seen his bare chest.

  “You first—good idea.” She grimaced and quickly added, “I mean thank you.”

  “No problem at all.” Darren bit back a smile, not wanting to add to Danica’s embarrassment. He loved the moments when her guard was down. Her transparency made him want to trust her, even protect her. He wished he could take her in his arms and tell her how adorable she looked when she was flustered like this. But he couldn’t. Instead, he stepped up to the tub in front of him and plunged one foot in, then another. He slowly lowered his legs and his body into the thick goo until it reached his neck. With his forearms resting on the sides of the tub, he relaxed into the warm cocoon. “It’s not bad,” he called out to Danica over his shoulder. “Come on in. I think you’ll like it.”

  “Okay, here goes nothing.” After a moment, Danica stepped up to the other tub wearing a navy-blue bikini. She grazed the mud with one foot, then dipped her long leg in, followed by the other. “This is nice.”

  It was more than nice; it was thrilling. Now it was Darren’s turn to be flustered. Danica looked amazing—so amazing. Her creamy skin, the sparkle in her eyes, the gorgeous curves of her body—everything about her made his head spin. He quickly diverted his gaze, wondering if the weight of the mud was making it hard to breathe or if it was merely the sight of her. Who was he kidding? It was definitely the latter. Darren was back to feeling the discomfort and stress of earlier, wishing he could escape. But there was nowhere to run, not when he was trapped in mud. At least Danica would soon be covered up, too.

  “Thanks, Darren,” she spoke up beside him, “for doing this with me. I’m glad you didn’t back out.”

  He turned to her, exhaling in relief to see her fully submerged in the tub. The kindness in her eyes warmed his body more than the mud. He knew she was referring to a lot more than just the act of him being there physically. “I wouldn’t leave you alone to be eaten by the swamp monster,” he joked. His expression sobered as he admitted, “You know I enjoy spending time with you. I’d rather talk to you than anyone else here—no offense to my brothers or their significant others.”

  Danica’s eyes lit up. “Me, too. There were so many times this weekend when I had to stop myself from walking up to you and asking what you thought of something. Like when we were in the hot air balloon. Wasn’t it crazy how high we got? Three thousand feet!”

  “Yeah, the view was unbelievable. Clear skies as far as the eye could see.”

  “It was really pretty, but I’d never felt so scared in my life. I may have bruised Abby’s arm from holding onto her so tightly.”

  Darren furrowed his brows. “I had no idea you were scared. I wish I’d known. I would’ve held—never mind.” He stopped himself short. Telling Danica he would’ve held her in his arms so she could hide her face in his chest wasn’t the best idea at this point. Neither was torturing himself by talking to her, but he was obviously a glutton for punishment.

  Danica softly replied, “I know.”

  Those two words hung in the space between them, saying so little, yet so much. Darren hated the sadness clouding Danica’s blue eyes. He yearned to touch her, to bridge the physical gap between them. Against his better judgment, he lifted his left hand out of the mud and placed it, palm up, on the tiled barrier between them.

  She looked at his hand, then back at him, with wonder and hope brightening her eyes. Without hesitation, she reached over and clasped his hand. Lacing their fingers together, Danica held on tight and squeezed her eyes shut.

  Darren watched her for a while, happy to see a peaceful expression on her face. After all they’d been through together, he couldn’t help feeling an emotional tie to Danica. When she was happy, he was happy. When she struggled, he shared in her worries as well. The more he cared for her, though, the harder it was to remain friends. Especially when all he wanted to do was kiss her.

  He didn’t know how long he could keep guarding his heart. But because he still had a tiny sense of self-preservation left, he knew it was time to stop playing pretend. He let go of Danica’s hand and climbed out of the tub. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse me.”

  Eager to leave, he headed straight for the shower to rinse himself off. He was about to step inside the stall when a hand grabbed his. He turned around to find Danica standing behind him, with tears falling down her face.

  Chapter Twenty

  Danica

  Danica didn’t know what had come over her. One second, she was stuck in a tub of volcanic ash and peat moss; the next, she was running after Darren as fast as her mud-caked feet would carry her. Her throat was tight and constricted, making it hard to talk. Even if she could get a word out, she wasn’t sure what she would say. All she could do in that moment was feel—the hot tears running down her cheeks, the intense pounding of her heart, and the reassuring way Darren was holding her hand in his.

  She was tired, oh-so tired. Tired of hearing Darren beat himself up over something he couldn’t change. Tired of her brain going around in circles trying to weigh the pros and cons of being in a relationship with him. And tired of second-guessing what God was doing in her life.
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br />   What she wanted to do was trust her heart.

  Trust in the love she felt for Darren, how it was more real and strong than anything she’d ever known. She wasn’t a risk taker or impulsive by nature, but something in her gut told her he was worth taking a chance on.

  Grasping his hand with both of hers, she stepped closer until they were face-to-face. She peered into his deep brown eyes, glimpsing hope in them. This hope gave her the courage to speak. “I don’t want you to go.”

  One side of his mouth tipped up in a wry smile. “I know, but it’s better that I do.”

  Danica shook her head adamantly. “No, please stay. I want more with you. I don’t know what that will look like exactly, but I know things are better when we’re together. This feels right, don’t you think so?”

  There was no denying how much she cared for this man. She realized her decision to be with him might not make sense to an outsider, but love didn’t always make sense. Neither did life.

  She was done trying to foresee the future. Darren was right; it wasn’t about the destination, but about the journey. As much as she wanted to know how things would turn out, there were no spoilers in life. But she really didn’t need to worry. The One who was writing her story already knew the details of her past, present, and future. He was all-powerful and all-loving—Danica was sure of this. She had witnessed God’s provision in her life from the moment she’d been born. He had provided the best parents for her. Why, then, wouldn’t He lead her to the best life partner as well?

  Darren placed a hand on her face, cupping her cheek with his warm palm. With the pad of his thumb, he wiped her tears away. “Being together feels amazing, but we can’t go by feelings alone. This isn’t going to work between us, no matter how much we want it to.”

  “But what if I said I’m okay with not having kids of my own?” Danica spoke this idea out loud as more of a question than a statement. It was still a new concept to her, one she was trying to wrap her head—and most of all, her heart—around. “There’s no guarantee that I could have biological children even if I wanted to. Plenty of couples have trouble conceiving. My parents did. Knowing in advance that I can’t have kids of my own is like taking a shortcut to pursuing adoption. Which is something I’ve always wanted to do anyway. Your infertility—it doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker.”

  “I appreciate you saying all this, but I won’t let you settle, Danica.” His tone was low and gruff, tinged with regret. “Because that’s what you’d be doing if you chose to be with me.”

  “No, Darren, that’s not true.” She tightened her hold on his hand, trying to relay her feelings for him through her touch. “Settling would be going for anything less than the best. You are the best man I know. From the first time we met, I knew in my heart you were special. I want to take a chance on you, on us.”

  Time seemed to stand still as he studied her face, a wet sheen growing on his eyes. He finally lowered his forehead to hers, creating a warm spark when they touched. They locked gazes, their breaths traveling back and forth, mingling together in a slow dance. One step forward, one step back. It was like a game of tug of war, and she didn’t know which side would win. The uncertainty on Darren’s face reflected the worry in her heart. Was it too late? Had she lost her chance to make things right?

  “Danica,” he spoke her name softly, “what if you regret your decision one day down the line? I wouldn’t blame you if you did, but I don’t know if I can go through that again.”

  “I won’t.” She could see the struggle in his eyes, how he wanted to believe her, but his past experiences had planted seeds of doubt and distrust in him. His fear of rejection was real. She knew it would take a big step of faith on his part. “I would never hurt you. Do you trust me?”

  Darren began pulling his hand from her grasp, making her heart sink. But in the next second, he caressed her other cheek, so he was holding her face with both hands. With her next heartbeat, he brushed his lips against hers. It took but a moment for Danica to realize Darren was answering her with a kiss.

  And oh, what a kiss it was.

  It had been a while since Danica had kissed a man, but this felt like her very first time. The wonder, the tingles, the butterflies—they were all there, coursing and fluttering and making her weak in the knees. Darren claimed her mouth with his, softly and tentatively at first, until each touch became more insistent and sure.

  She leaned into him, entwining her arms around his neck, both to feel closer and to keep herself standing upright. She might have been covered in mud on the outside, but her insides were now hot and gooey. Her body felt like melted chocolate in his hands.

  A sound between a sigh and a giggle escaped her throat when Darren gently nudged her lips apart. He deepened the kiss, giving her a taste of mint laced with affection and devotion. The latter was as sweet and tangible as honey on her tongue. With care, he slid his hands from her face, to her neck, and down to the small of her back, pulling her to himself. Wrapped in his embrace, her soft curves melded with the firm planes of his chest. In Darren’s arms, she felt secure, warm, and loved.

  There were no words to describe their kiss except for one: more. This kiss was more spine-tingling than any she’d experienced in real life. And so much more heartfelt and delicious than any she’d ever read about. She wondered if her days as a romance reader were over, because how could any leading man compare to Darren? But if she had this sweet, strong man to kiss for the rest of her life, she wouldn’t need any more fictional ones.

  Not wanting the kiss to end, Danica groaned when a soft knock sounded on the door. They both reluctantly pulled back, still wrapped in one another’s arms.

  The attendant, Julieann, stuck her head in, exclaiming in chagrin, “Oh, excuse me! You two don’t need anything, do you? Other than privacy, which I’m going to give you right now, so bye!”

  Danica and Darren began laughing as soon as the door clicked shut.

  “I don’t think she’ll be checking on us again anytime soon,” he joked. His entire face seemed brighter and his posture relaxed. There was a twinkle in his eyes that matched the lightness in his voice. “That means we get more time to kiss.”

  She stared up into his handsome face, overcome with emotion. Happy tears now trailed down her cheeks. For once she didn’t feel the need to peek at the ending, not when she was so satisfied with her here and now. She and Darren had overcome a big hurdle. Now that she was on the other side of it, she couldn’t imagine choosing otherwise. She was sure Darren, as amazing as he was, would make a wonderful husband and father. What more could she ask for? She had every reason to be content. Well, minus the fact that they were both caked in mud from their necks to their feet.

  “That sounds like a great idea, but could we rinse off first? I’m starting to itch all over. Plus, I don’t think this swamp monster look is really me.”

  “I think you look cute, but sure.” Darren grinned and brushed a wayward strand of hair from her face. He gazed into her eyes, his expression growing serious. “Danica, this is more than I could have hoped for—you’re more than I could have hoped for. Thank you for giving me a chance. But I want you to know, if you ever change your—”

  Danica placed her hand up to his mouth, shushing his next words. “Darren, stop. I’m not going to change my mind.”

  He took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her palm. “Like I was saying, if at any time you change your mind about this—about us—I want you to tell me, okay? I won’t hold it against you.”

  She could tell he wasn’t going to let the issue go, so she simply nodded. He acknowledged her reply with a small smile before pulling her in for another kiss. She got lost in the moment, caught up in the fact that she was finally kissing the man she’d been longing for, and it was everything she’d ever hoped for.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Darren

  Darren didn’t think life could get any better. Ever since he and Danica had walked out of the Napa spa holding hands to a literal s
tanding ovation from their family and friends, he couldn’t stop smiling. If anyone had told him before that weekend that he and Danica would become an item, he never would have believed them. But her reassuring words and the toe-curling kisses they’d shared had been all the evidence he needed to know she accepted him. Truly accepted him for who he was. His infertility hadn’t won; Danica’s love had. Even a week later, he felt like pinching himself over this fact. He couldn’t thank the Lord enough.

  Since that weekend, he had worked a usual forty-eight-hour shift, then spent yesterday catching up on sleep. He’d also visited Brandon and caught him up on his new status. He and Danica had even updated their social media profiles to reflect the change: In a relationship. He hoped one day in the future they would be able to make another update to say, Married. But for now, he was more than content to have a girlfriend.

  Girlfriend.

  The word brought an image of bright gray-blue eyes to mind and made it hard for him to stand still. He rocked on his heels, feeling a rush of excitement flow through his body. He couldn’t wait to take Danica on their first official date tonight. Wearing a pair of gray slacks and a navy button down shirt, he checked out his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was clean-shaven and dressed to impress, except for his hair. He wet his hand and smoothed down a stubborn lock at the back of his head.

  “Are you done making yourself pretty in there?” A male voice called from the other side of the door. “Some of us have real business to do in the bathroom.”

  Darren opened the door to find Colin, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, leaning against the doorframe. He grinned, unaffected by his brother’s smirk. “It’s all yours.”

  “Let me guess, you have a date tonight?”

  “Yep. I’m headed to the bookstore now to pick Danica up.” He stepped aside to allow Colin to pass. “We’re having dinner, then watching a movie.”