‘Do that any more and I’m not going to be responsible for my actions. I’m having a difficult job trying to keep my hands off you as it is.’
‘I don’t want you to. I’m all right,’ I said, my hand lifting to stroke his neck and slide up into his hair.
‘Sweetheart, you don’t look it.’ He softened the words, gently circling my bruised cheek. ‘After tonight, I might need a bloody pacemaker fitted. My heart damn near stopped when Emily and Barney phoned me. Then when I saw you with blood pouring down your face and tied up in that chair, I wanted to...’ He shook his head, hands tensing, the tendons standing proud. He didn’t need to finish. I had a pretty good idea. I’d seen his face at the time.
‘It was a hell of surprise when I heard Emily come in. Suddenly she was being as nice as pie although she did tell me you’d never be interested in me.’
‘Well — at least you know that’s completely wrong.’
I looked up at him, took a deep breath and said, ‘I did then. I’ve been... having doubts since we got here. I’ve caused you so much trouble in the last twenty-four hours. You seemed a bit... I thought...’
God, was I being weak and needy? Was he just being nice now — because I’ve had a traumatic experience? One of my voices sarcastically shouted, ‘Yes, of course he’s just being nice — with a kiss like that.’
‘Olivia, have you any idea how much control I’ve been exerting? I hate to say this but you’re looking pretty banged up. After what you’ve been through today, you might not want me manhandling you — although...’ his Adam’s apple dipped as he swallowed, ‘I realise now, I got that bit wrong.’
Smiling gently, he traced my collarbone with one finger. ‘I really regret not insisting you moved in the other night. I should have done the caveman thing, slung you over my shoulder and brought you back here.’
‘I was trying to make life easier with Emily. Although I guess she knows now.’
‘Yeah, I kind of gave it away tonight,’ mused Daniel, a reminiscent smile on his face.
He brought both hands up to my face, smoothing my undamaged cheek with his thumb, looking intently at me. A little shiver unfurled down my spine in anticipation. ‘I should have told you first, but surely you know? You must have realised on Sunday. I don’t make a habit of asking women to move in with me. You are the only woman I’ve ever even considered wanting to have here. You do know that I’m absolutely one-hundred-per-cent crazy about you?’
My heart flipped with happiness and my stomach dropped as if I’d jumped out of a plane.
‘In fact, I still owe you for that little performance the night at The Grayling.’
‘That?’ I gave him a mischievous smile, trying to breathe normally as my heart was still going skitter scatter. It felt as if at any moment it might burst out of my chest. ‘You deserved it.’
His eyes glinted playfully. ‘Er... run that by me again. How?’
‘I was mad at you, treating me like one of the lads.’
‘Sweetheart,’ he kissed me, ‘you are most definitely not,’ he punctuated his words with another pert kiss, ‘one of the lads.’ He ended with a final peck on my lower lip. ‘None of them have underwear like that. I tell you I was in a terrible state in the car that night. I’d been doing my best not to think about you since Ben’s bloody party because I thought you were in love with someone else and suddenly it hits me like a truck that I have the serious hots for you. I have a rampaging hard-on and, you, cool as a cucumber, saunter off telling me to go downstairs to wait for the car.’
I grinned at him, a little shudder of cat-that-licked-the-cream running through me.
‘Sorry,’ I said, not meaning it, which he knew damn well from the twitch of my lips.
‘Honestly, I am keeping you under lock and key. Don’t even think of going anywhere without me for at least a century. I don’t think my heart can take it.’
I placed my hand on his chest, I could feel the steady beat, beat, beat of his heart. ‘I think it’ll survive... with lots of love and attention.’
‘Promise.’
I nodded slowly, my eyes drinking in the tenderness in his. There was a pause, my own heart slowed, it was my turn.
‘Daniel, I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been tying myself in knots since that night in Casualty. It was so bad that I nearly didn’t come this weekend...’ I tutted showing my irritation,‘except I couldn’t stay away. It was supposed to be my one last...’ My words were swallowed with an enormous yawn.
‘You need to go to bed, you must be shattered.’
I looked ruefully at him, another yawn escaping. ‘Sorry.’ I sighed. ‘I’ve been running on adrenaline for ages. I’ve just hit empty.’
‘Come on,’ he said firmly, pulling me to my feet. ‘Bedtime.’
A lightning tingle shot through me as his fingers slipped between mine. Switching out lights as we went, he led the way up the little staircase, both of us ducking our heads at the top narrow corner. Outside the bedroom door, he let go of my hand and opened it to let me through.
* * *
