“My colleague Amy was assigned to you, but...I couldn’t stop checking on you. I heard the asshole break up with you right there in the ER as I was coming to check on you. I heard you scream, and I started to come in and see what had happened, when I saw you throw your engagement ring at him. When he emerged from your room clutching his eye, I was proud of you—which was very odd, because I didn’t even know you. But you were so strong, even in this horrible moment. It was incredible.”
His eyes widened and he studied her face, and she knew the hardest part was yet to come. “I peeked in and saw you kneeling on the floor, your phone in your hand. You must’ve texted Naya. And then you crumpled into a ball. On the floor.” He stopped and fixed his eyes on hers, begging her to understand. “I couldn’t leave you there. I wasn’t even really thinking. I just knew I couldn’t leave you alone.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I picked you up to lay you in the bed, but you clutched my scrubs in your hand and cried, as if letting go of me would undo you. I know how it sounds, but I just stood there, holding you, until you fell asleep in my arms. I couldn’t leave you. I didn’twantto leave you. Once you fell asleep, I laid you down on the bed. I was covering you with a blanket when Naya came in. She assumed I was your nurse, and I didn’t correct her.” He stopped and swallowed, his eyes never leaving hers. “I lost someone—”
“Didi!” Annika started as Nilay stopped in front of them. He glanced at Daniel, then back at her. “Sorry, but, uh, the bride’s on her way.” He looked from one to the other. “Okay. Well, thought you’d want to know.” He made a hasty retreat.
She gave Daniel a small smile. “You were saying?”
He shook his head. “Never mind.”
Silence floated thick between them.
“How did you find me?” It was a whisper. He had taken care of her that night. He—his arms—that was the moment of peace and comfort she remembered. It was real. And it was him. She moved closer to him, her heart racing in her chest.
“I did have the address to the bar—you put it on your intake form—but I didn’t come looking for you until we had that call that night. The truth is, I would have eventually, because I couldn’t get you out of my mind.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I should have told you from the start. There’s no good reason for not having told you that.”
She searched his face for the lie, but it wasn’t there. He opened his mouth as if he had something more to say, but he snapped it shut, as if a decision had been made.
She had gone home with a vague feeling of having been safe for a time. It was because of him. He hadn’t told her, because it was outside of what his duties were. He had been there for her in her most dire time of need, in that moment of absolute despair, when she had been completely alone. But what had he suffered that he could recognize her anguish so clearly? He was so close, and he smelled of the outdoors mixed with traces of cologne.
With her heels on, the top of her head was just above his chin. She tilted her chin up at him, searching his features for his secret, but all she saw there was the same struggle she’d watched him have earlier. The same struggle she’d had, as well. Time to put an end to it. Sajan might be the more practical choice, but her heart was choosing Daniel.
A small voice told her this was not the place, but she ignored it. She shifted her gaze from his eyes to his lips, and she could have sworn she heard a small groan. Whether it came from her or from him she couldn’t even be sure. Their breath mingled in the scant space between their mouths. Before she could change her mind, she gave in to what she wanted, and placed her lips on his.
That was all it took. Daniel seemed to lose his battle, and he pressed against her, his body already familiar to hers, as if they belonged together. He opened his mouth to her and kissed her with abandon. She melted into him, and thankfully he wrapped an arm around her, because she was certain she could not stand on jelly knees. She might have kissed him forever in that little alcove had not the sound of thedol startled them both back to reality. She jumped away from him again, as if she had been doing something wrong. But there had been nothing wrong with that kiss.
She bit her bottom lip, still tasting him, and gave him a small smile. “Where’d you learn to dance like that?”
His lips were swollen from her kiss, and maybe he wore a hint of her lipstick, but his smile was relaxed, if far from satisfied. Amusement colored those green eyes; mystery framed his smile.
“What are you doing next weekend? I’ll show you.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DANIEL
BALLOONSFLEWFROMthe mailbox, a clear indication that a party was happening. Annika refused to ride on Daniel’s bike, so they had taken her car. As she parked in the street in front of the house, a huge bouncy castle in the backyard came into view, and loud music blared from somewhere. Daniel’s stomach clenched and sweat formed on his upper lip. He inhaled deeply and reached over to squeeze Annika’s hand. Her smile sent instant ripples of calm through his body, settling his stomach, his heartbeat returning to normal.
They exited the car to an unseasonably warm afternoon for late November. It was as if the weather gods had decided to gift Daniel’s nephew, Charlie, a warm day for his birthday party.
Daniel took Annika’s hand again as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He was light with feelings he had suppressed for the better part of five years. Annika was about to meet his family, and he couldn’t think of anything he’d rather be doing. Except for maybe being alone with her. Hopefully there’d be plenty of time for that in the future. He almost laughed out loud at himself. He hadn’t thought about the future in the last few years, either.
A small voice in the back of his head nagged him, threatening to ruin his light feelings: he hadn’t yet told Annika about Sara. Among other things. It wasn’t time yet, he told that voice. He didn’t want her to be with him because she felt sorry for him. Her feelings had to be real.
She seemed to have forgiven him for the ER, but at the sight of the balloons and the bouncy house, her face became panicked.
“Daniel, I know you said we were meeting your family.” She swallowed. “But I was thinking a casual coffee, maybe lunch.” Her eyes were wide as she turned to face him. “But this looks like a family function—a party.”
“It is.” He nodded. “I thought it would be easier—you know, the focus would be spread out.”
She inhaled deeply, weighing this. “Yes. Okay. Makes sense.” She nodded vigorously. “Let’s do it.”
“It’ll be fine.” He pulled her closer to his side. “You’ll see.”
This didn’t seem the right time to tell her that he hadn’t brought a girl home since Sheila. The truth was, even though he didn’t have any idea what he was doing with Annika, the only way to explain himself was for her to meet his family. Not to mention if he was going to see his nephew, it would help to have Annika at his side. He was already calmer just having her here.
Hmm.
“About time we saw you, live and in person.” Emma walked out of the house before he reached the door and trapped him in a hug.
