Seduced by Moonlight by Janice Sims

fourth time, Cherisse said sternly, “Danielle, the next items you put on stay on! What’s wrong with you tonight?” She looked closely at her daughter. Danielle had fashioned her braids into an upsweep hairdo and was wearing only a black bra and bikini panties.
    She met her mother’s eyes, but quickly lowered her gaze again. “I met a boy on the slopes today and he said he’d see me at dinner. He’s here with his family. They’re from D.C., Ma. His dad works in government and his mom’s a lawyer.”
    Danielle walked over to her purse, which she’d left hanging by its strap on the back of the wooden slat-back chair sitting beside the closet door. Getting her cell phone, she opened it and clicked on the photo function. She showed her mother a photo of her and a tall African-American boy, both in ski gear, standing in front of the lift. He was a good-looking kid with dark brown skin, dimples and the best set of sparkling white teeth Cherisse had seen in a long time.
    â€œHis name’s Dante Winters,” Danielle told her mother.
    â€œHow old is he?”
    â€œHe just turned eighteen and he’s a senior in high school, too.”
    â€œWear the forest-green dress, Danielle,” Cherisse said. “It looks good on you and if Dante gets up the nerve to come over to the table and say hello, stains won’t show on it when you drop something in your lap.”
    â€œAw, Ma,” Danielle cried, laughing softly.
    â€œSilly, huh?” asked her mother. “It’s also silly for you to be nervous about seeing Dante tonight. You’ve got a boyfriend.”
    Danielle really laughed then. “You mean Echo? If it were left up to Echo asking me I would go to the senior prom alone.”
    â€œThe senior prom isn’t until May. A lot can happen in six months. And if Echo means nothing to you, who are you text-messaging thirty times a day?”
    â€œHe’s the worst gossip in school,” Danielle complained.
    â€œHave you told him everything about your day?” Cherisse asked, curious.
    â€œEverything except about meeting Dante,” Danielle confessed.
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell him about Dante?”
    â€œBecause it’s none of his business,” said Danielle, her tone less confident than her words were meant to be.
    Cherisse shook her head. “No, you didn’t tell him because you weren’t sure how he would take it. How many guys have you been interested in since you and Echo have been hanging out together? How many guys have shown an interest in you?”
    â€œNone,” was Danielle’s reply.
    â€œDoesn’t that tell you something? You’re always with Echo so the other guys at school assume you two are an item. A situation that Echo is probably enjoying if, in fact, he has designs on you.”
    Danielle, frowning, began texting a message to Echo. When she finished she said, “Let’s see how long it takes him to answer.”
    â€œWhat did you say to him?”
    â€œI told him I met a cute boy today, isn’t that fabulous!” Danielle’s eyes sparkled with mischief. She set the phone on the bureau top while she went to finish dressing.
    Cherisse sighed and walked over to the bed to pick up her dress. She wore a beige lacy bra with matching panties and a silky slip, less because she thought the dress was see-through than for added warmth. She didn’t plan on going outside tonight, but who knew? She might be tempted to step onto the balcony for a few minutes of fresh air.
    She put on the dress and went to stand in front of the full-length mirror next to the closet entrance. Turning around, observing the backs of her legs, she was satisfied that she’d moisturized enough. Ashy skin was a symptom of these cold climes.
    She’d slathered a light-scented lotion all over her body. Her golden-brown skin had a healthy glow to it. Smiling, she wondered if Harry were taking care