Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
It shoved her back into the hospital bed in which she’d woken disoriented and in pain at age eleven. She’d had moxie, that kid, had made up her mind to run again even if she didn’t have legs. But she was no machine; there’d been dark times along the way, and in those dark times, she’d raged against the unfairness of it all.
A big warm hand closing over one of her tightly fisted ones. “It sucks,” Danny said. “But—and don’t punch me for what I’m about to say—it’s not your reality right now. If you start panicking and let it take over, you’ll have already lost everything.”
She glared at him. “Did you get that off a fortune cookie?”
“No.” He glared back. “Gabriel. He told me that when I had a panic attack soon after he got injured.” A shake of his head. “My big brother was the one hurt, and I was the one panicking. I’m definitely the baby of the family.”
Hearing what he didn’t say, she flipped her hand to weave her fingers through his. “He was your hero, and you saw him fall.” Just like she’d seen her own hero fall. “It’s hard to handle.”
“Yeah.”
They sat, hand in hand, for a long time, just thinking. She knew he was right, and most of the time she managed to keep the fear at bay. “My aim is to be more like Posey, more zen about life in general.”
“She’s got a good, what, ten years on you? Maybe she was exactly like you at your age. You should ask her.”
Perhaps she would, when her friend was feeling better. Right now Posey needed all her energy for herself. “Want to watch some TV?” She needed to zone out, stop thinking about her leg and the damage she might’ve done to it.
“Sure.” A dramatic sigh. “I’ll even let you pick the show.”
Catie had a TV across from her bed that she’d never before used, far preferring to sit in the living room. Watching TV in bed reminded her too much of being stuck in a hospital. But tonight, watching a science fiction space movie with Danny—and managing to fit in a warm cupcake, sans frosting, when those came out of the oven—ended up being fun.
They stayed up far too late, and she didn’t know when they fell asleep.
She just knew that when she woke, it was with Danny’s big body curled around her own. He was still on top of the duvet, she was still below it, but he had his arm flung around her and his face buried against her nape.
She’d never fallen asleep with a man in bed with her. Ever.
Not even with Ward.
She’d just never felt comfortable enough with anyone for that ultimate vulnerability. But today she didn’t start. His scent was warm and familiar, his presence too entwined with her life for even her sleep-hazy brain not to recognize him. Instead, she yawned and snuggled back a little deeper into his chest.
He tightened his hold on her but kept on sleeping, his breathing deep and even.
Yup, not a morning person. Catie smiled. She knew he only got up for training because he had to—if Danny had his way, he’d stay up all hours and begin to develop vampire fangs. She, however, was now fully awake. As she lay there, she flexed her injured stump, testing its status. It moved well, felt good.
She’d gotten lucky.
Exhaling, she lay there and stared out at the balcony doors beyond which the city was waking up, one alarm clock and cup of coffee at a time. Soon, she and Danny would be heading to the airport, signaling the end of this strange interlude.
Her stomach clutched.
She’d miss him.
God, when had that happened? Her, missing Daniel Esera?
This time her stomach did a backflip. Because the ache inside her, that wasn’t a random physical blip, a pulse of attraction toward a beautiful man. It held an emotional depth that was solemn, serious. As if they’d already been together for years, their connection a deep and important one long before she’d acknowledged it.
Terrifying. Yet she stayed tucked against the living burn of Danny’s body, his breath hot against the skin of her neck.
When he stirred at last, she had to fight to keep from tensing. No way was she about to give away the confused longing inside her. That would screw up everything, wreck a critical foundation of both their lives. He loved and needed his family. So did she. Messing with that warmth and friendliness by dragging in a fleeting physical attraction? No, not worth it.
But when he stretched while rubbing his bristly morning face against her, she couldn’t take how her stomach did another flip. “Hey, I’m not a scratching post.”
Instead of backing off, he wrapped his arm back around her and rubbed harder while tickling her stomach.