A band tightened around Riley's chest, making it difficult to breathe, and for a moment, she feared her lunch might come back up. She wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture.
"I can tell by the look on your face that you're second guessing giving us a second chance now." Derision filled his voice. "Like I said,you deserve someone better than me. You shouldn't have to be saddled with my baggage." He spun around and walked away.
Riley wanted to go after him, but she needed to catch her breath first. She needed to come to terms with the fact that life with Daniel may not be exactly what she'd dreamed it would be.
But life with Daniel would be good, of that she was certain. He had always put her and her needs first—from helping her study for her history test to driving four hours to take her to prom. He would treat her right, and he would work hard to support their family.
The sun moved out from behind the clouds and warmed her face. She closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the sky. Warmth filled Riley.
Would it be such a bad thing if someone showed up on our doorstep claiming Daniel was their father?
As long as they prepared themselves for that possibility, she felt like they could handle it. They would have some explaining to do to their own children, but the simple fact that Riley still imagined having a family with Daniel meant that she could get beyond this, even though it felt like a huge betrayal at the moment.
She took a few minutes to let the emotions surging through her settle as she watched Daniel walk down the length of the dock. When she went to talk to him again, she wanted to make sure he knew she meant it when she said she loved him, no matter what.
He didn't turn when she finally walked up behind him, even though her boots made plenty of noise on the wooden planks. He simply stood with the hand of his good arm shoved deep into his pocket, his shoulders hunched.
She paused behind him, still struggling to find the words she needed to say to put Daniel's demons to rest. Ever so slowly, she slid her arms around him, locking her fingers together against his abdomen.
His already tensed body tightened, and she feared for a moment he might jerk away. She held fast, waiting for him to relax. It took much longer than she expected, but finally he pulled his hand from his pocket and covered her hands.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Ri. Now or in the future.”
She kept her cheek pressed to his back when she spoke. "I won't lie and say that your past doesn't bother me, but I mean it when I say, 'It doesn't change how I feel about you.'"
"That's easy to say now but when the day comes that there's a stranger standing on our doorstep?—"
Riley released him and quickly stepped around him to press her fingers to his lips. "We'll prepare ourselves for that day now by praying that if you do indeed have a child—or children—somewhere out there that they have a mother who is taking good care of them until we have the opportunity to get to know them."
Daniel's brow creased. Little lines formed at the corners of his eyes as he studied her face. "Do you mean it?"
"Yes." The word came out as a fervent whisper.
He squeezed his eyes closed and sucked in a deep breath.
She leaned into him. "I love you, Daniel. I always have and I always will. Nothing will ever change that."
His good arm wrapped around her so fast and so tightly it took her breath away. He buried his face against her neck. "Good, because I'm so in love with you, Pockets. I’ve loved you my whole life, and I promise I will never stop loving you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
She melted against him, wishing he didn’t have an injured arm sandwiched between them.
Then Daniel's lips were on hers, stealing her breath in a whole new way. The pressure of his kiss didn't stay gentle for very long, but Riley didn't mind. If he felt anything like her, they had three years to make up for. She parted her lips, inviting him to deepen the kiss.
As his mouth mingled with hers, Riley's senses went on high alert, making the kiss an all-consuming experience. From the taste of bacon that lingered in his mouth to the fresh, pine-scented air tainted with the algae smell of the lake that surrounded them. The feel of his strong hand splayed across her back only added to the warmth and contentment enveloping her. Even the lapping of the water against the shore seemed to keep rhythm with his mouth on hers.
Resisting the urge to rip his sling off so he could hold her closer, she settled for pushing his hat off his head and tangling her fingers in his thick hair. Kissing Daniel had always been amazing, but she'd forgotten how utterly perfect they were together. As though they were created solely for this purpose—to enjoy each other's kiss.
It wasn't long before she started to feel light-headed—whether for lack of oxygen or because Daniel's kiss was that incredible—and she found herself clinging to his broad shoulders to keep herself upright.
He groaned and tightened his arm around her until it felt almost like a vice.
Warning bells sounded in her head, and her difficulty in drawing in a full breath was no longer due to Daniel's kiss, but rather to his presence in general. She stiffened in his arms and almost of its own accord, her right hand tapped three times against his shoulder before she shoved against him.
He released her immediately, a look of alarm filling his face, then his expression quickly morphed into one of concern. "Riley, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been so...aggressive."
"No, don't apologize. It's not your fault. It's all me. I just...I need a second."
She stepped away from him and focused on the breathing techniques Emily had taught her. Either she did them wrong or she couldn't focus well, because they never seemed to work fast enough for her.
