He'd always found her attractive, but the twinkle—that was so uniquely Riley—manifested itself in her eyes more often lately, making her prettier than ever. He could always tell when thoughts of Collin plagued her, though, because the twinkle disappeared.
She looked up and caught him watching her through his window. She smiled and waved, setting his heart to racing.
Good gravy. The woman does crazy things to my blood pressure.
If she rejected him again, it would crush him.
He shook the thought from his head. That wasn't going to happenthis time. They were finally getting their happily ever after. He was determined not to do anything to mess it up.
Daniel felt like a heel for not getting up and greeting her at the door, but she always insisted on checking out his progress on the blueprints for the rec center, so he waited for her to come to him. He rolled his chair back from his drafting table as she stepped into his bedroom.
"Hi, handsome." Riley walked over and slid onto his lap.
When she first started working at the hospital a week and a half ago, she stood behind him while he showed her the plans, but then she often bent over and started kissing him. She always ended up on his lap. So now, it had become part of their standard greeting for her to sit on his lap.
"I missed working with you today." He nuzzled her neck.
Another part of their standard greeting. They were both doing what they loved, but they missed spending all day together.
"Me too."
They shared several long, breathtaking kisses, before Daniel backed off. Riley often tensed up when their kisses became passionate. It was a subtle shift, but he felt the change in her and was determined to end the kissing before she could get triggered again. They were usually both breathless by that point anyway.
"How was your day?" he asked as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Good. I saw a male patient without feeling the need to have a nurse accompany me into the exam room."
"That's great! It's progress."
She scrunched her nose. "He was eighty years old."
"Not much of a threat, huh?" Daniel laughed, then quickly sobered. "Are you still working with Emily?"
"Yes. I thought I was making progress, but after that scumbag showed up here last week, I feel anxious and panicky all the time."
Riley always referred to her attacker as that scumbag. Daniel called him something much worse in his head.
Collin Ainsworth had some gall. He ended up showing up at theranch again later that evening, looking for Riley, while she and Daniel were still at the lake. In an effort to dissuade him, Jake told him she'd gone away for the weekend with her boyfriend. He'd also told Ainsworth if he showed up at the ranch again, he'd have him arrested for trespassing.
According to Jake, anger had been evident in Ainsworth's face, but he left without further argument. Robert followed him to the county line the next morning.
They all hoped that if Ainsworth thought Riley was in a relationship, he'd leave her alone. Judging by the tension he sensed in Riley, she didn't think that was the case.
Daniel stroked her hair. "You'll get beyond it eventually."
If we can ever get this guy to leave her alone.
He wanted to take Riley to the courthouse and marry her right now, thinking it might stop Collin Ainsworth from harassing her, but also so he could better protect her. However, Riley wasn't ready for that level of commitment and intimacy yet.
"I'm sure you're right. But patience isn't one of my strengths."
Daniel chuckled. "No, it's not."
Then her lips were on his again, and as much as he wanted to lose himself in her kiss, he was careful to take it slow and not push it too far.
"I'm going to miss this," Riley said when the kiss ended.
He frowned. "Why?"
