“There is nous.”
“But you proved that there was the minute you tested me,” he said.“Why else would you do that if there was nous?”
“Misguided curiosity?”
“How about fear?”
“I’m not scared of you.”
“No, but you’re scared of having feelings for me, aren’t you?You’re scared about letting me into yours and Karim’s life, like I’m going to ruin it.But I’m not a turd like Elliot.”
“I… How… How do you know you’re not?”
“Because I’d never, ever ask a woman who was crying in front of me to leave my home.Especially if that woman was pregnant with my child.”
The restrained outrage in his voice, his protective tone like a promise, made her eyes sting with tears again.But she’d never thought Elliot would be like that either, so how could she ever really know for sure?
When Dan continued with his cooking, giving her space and time to digest his words, she sensed he’d heard her cautious thoughts.
“This will take another fifteen minutes,” he said, stirring the vegetables that were sizzling in the pan.“Is that enough time for you to sort Karim?”
“Yes, thank you.”She headed toward her room.
“And Libby?There are plenty of reasons.”
She stopped and turned.“For what?”
“Me staying here.In fact, I can think of at least three.”
“Three?”She cocked her head.
He nodded.“One, we’re still working together.Two, all my stuff is still here, and three…” His gaze wandered lazily up and down her body.“I like having you in my bed.”
Danfinishedcookingthestir fry just in time for Karim’s return from getting cleaned up.It wasn’t the most elaborate meal he’d ever made, but it was packed with goodness, and the task had given him a solid purpose for heading straight back to the hut.Despite what Libby had said at the bungalow.
Surprise had flickered in her eyes when he’d given her his list of reasons for staying here.It seemed making promises that he’d never be a turd scared her as much as letting him into her life did, so he’d pushed aside their earlier argument and reverted to keeping their relationship about sex.Hearing promises she didn’t believe he’d keep would only put that weary look in her eyes again, but she couldn’t deny that they were great in bed together.They both knew that part of their relationship worked.
Because a relationship was what they were having.Whether or not Libby embraced it as much as he wanted to was the question.
Karim climbed onto his chair.
“He hasn’t napped,” Libby told him.“And I’m not sure how much he’ll eat.”
“It’s no problem.The meal won’t go to waste.”Dan put their plates on the table.
Libby took one look and let out a little laugh, just as he’d hoped.The breathy sound was like a dose of pain relief.
“I’ve got a smiley face on my plate,” she said.“What do you have, honey?”She leaned over to look at Karim’s.“A fish!Oh, that’s cute.”Then she looked back at Dan and shook her head.“You’re silly.”
He’d be silly every day of the week if it earned him a smile from Libby.
“My sisters sometimes make shapes with their kids’ dinner.”He joined them at the table with his own plate.“Although Karim’s was supposed to be a land crab.”
“Oops.”She gave him another smile, but it quickly faded into something more serious.“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“There’s no need to be sorry.”He reached for her hand.“And I didn’t mean that stuff about us not really knowing each other.”
“But you’re right, we don’t.”
