by Tessa Bailey
She stared at the contents of the vending machine, chewing her lip in indecision. His teeth sank into his own bottom lip in response, wishing it was hers.
As he got closer, her startled gaze flew up to meet his. Lightning rocketed through his system. Curious blue-green eyes widened on him, flicking away just as quickly. He took a step closer.
Talking to women was like second nature to him, yet he found himself stranded in silence, second-guessing everything that popped into his head. And if he didn’t speak soon, his closeness would begin to alarm her. Say something, idiot.
“I can’t let you do that,” Daniel blurted.
“Can’t let me do what, exactly?”
Her voice slid like silk across his skin and it took him a minute to recapture his train of thought. He tilted his head toward the vending machine. “You’ve got your eye on that healthy cereal bar. It’s a bad selection. Pick something else.”
She smirked at their side-by-side reflection in the glass. “Elaborate.”
“No one buys healthy cereal bars.” He tapped his finger against the glass. “That’s been there as long as the machine itself.”
She peeked up at him, a laugh flirting around the edges of her mouth. “Did you have an alternate suggestion?”
“Of course.” Daniel tried not to stare at her lips. “You see, there are three factors one must consider when choosing a snack from a vending machine. Substance, for one. It needs to hold you over until real food is available. Freshness, which your cereal bar is sorely lacking. And finally”—his eyes dropped to her mouth—“taste.”
His blatant come-on gave her pause, but she played along by turning back to consider her options. “These are strong points you’re making, but I’m going to need you to be more specific.”
“I was getting there.” Using it as an excuse to lean closer to her, Daniel stooped down to peruse the selections, catching her sunshine scent and inhaling deeply. “Ah. Peanut butter crackers. You can’t go wrong there. They’re the best bang for your buck.”
She was already shaking her head. “No. I’d need milk to eat those. It would be a disaster.” Those blue-green eyes met his once more, only this time humor lurked in their depths. “You know, I could have sworn you were going to pick the trail mix.”
“Oh, yeah? Why is that?”
“Because you’re both full of shit.”
As she turned to punch in her selection for the cereal bar, Daniel couldn’t stop his surprised laughter from echoing down the hallway. She’d caught him off guard. A rare occurrence. He liked it. A hell of a lot.
He raised his hands. “Fine. At least we’re already in a hospital if you get food poisoning.”
As she bent forward to retrieve her purchase from the machine, Daniel let his gaze drop to her sweet, heart-shaped ass. One step forward was all it would take to press himself against her, let her feel the potent effect she was having on him. How would she react? Christ, he needed to reel it back a little. They were standing in the middle of a well-lit hallway and he could barely restrain the urge to touch this near-stranger.
She wouldn’t be a stranger for long. Not if he could help it.
As she straightened, peeling the cereal bar from its foil wrapper, she turned to face Daniel. Looking him straight in the eye, she sunk her teeth into it. Slowly. His mouth went dry and he might have groaned out loud at the sight of her pink lips closing around it.
After a few chews, all motion of her mouth ceased. He watched her choke down the bite with what appeared to be considerable effort, eyes tearing slightly. Then she skirted around him and beelined for the water fountain to Daniel’s left. He barely found the willpower to suppress his laughter.
When she’d drunk her fill, she still looked slightly pale. “Okay, fine. I should have gone with the peanut butter crackers.”
Daniel smiled. “It takes a confident woman to admit when she’s wrong.”
Something dimmed behind her eyes. “Oh, I’m frequently wrong.”
His smile disappeared. She’d gone back to looking slightly lost and he didn’t like it. He wanted the teasing smirk back on her face. Closing the distance between them, he didn’t stop until she needed to tip her head back in order to maintain eye contact. That sunshine scent curled around him, drawing him in closer, until he’d firmly breached her personal space.
Her eyes narrowed at his proximity, but he didn’t let it deter him.
“There’s only one way to solve this problem.”
She raised an eyebrow. “The only problem I have is your lack of boundaries.”
“You sure about that?” He felt satisfaction when she hesitated. “You’re hungry. When you’re done here, let me take you to lunch.” Let me take you home.
He caught her sharp intake of breath and knew she’d recognized his intentions. Breaking the spell, she backed away with a disapproving frown. “I’m not here to snag a lunch date, but I appreciate the subtlety of your offer.”
A sudden thought occurred to Daniel then, blackening his mood. For all he knew, she was in the hospital to visit a husband or lover. It would explain the forlorn expression he’d seen on her face. Daniel felt a sharp jolt of jealousy and it startled him. He’d been talking to her for two minutes and already abhorred the thought of her distressing over another man’s health. What kind of man did she prefer? Probably not the kind who propositioned her within minutes of their first meeting, he thought with a flare of disgust. “Why are you here?”
A brow quirked at his harsh tone, but she answered anyway. “I’m visiting my father.”
Relief calmed him, but not nearly enough. “Are you alone?”
Another flicker in her eyes. “Why? Are you planning on abducting me from the hospital and force-feeding me peanut butter crackers, but withholding milk?”
Daniel tamped down the need to smile even though his curiosity was far from satisfied. “No. I was thinking more along the lines of Italian food.”
“Well.” She crossed her arms over her middle. “As long as we avoid seafood.”
“No objection there. I have a shellfish allergy.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
Why such an ordinary fact seemed to delight her, Daniel couldn’t fathom. But he’d take what he could get. He just couldn’t let her walk away. “Is that a yes to lunch?”
She looked incredulous. “No, it’s not a yes to anything. The only thing I know about you is your weird philosophy on snack foods.”
“What would you like to know about me?”
“Nothing. I’m not going to lunch with you.” Blue-green eyes scanned the surrounding hallway. “In fact, being that we’re in a hospital, it just occurred to me that you could be an escaped mental patient. Maybe I should call for help.”
He gave up the battle with his smile. “I’m taking you to lunch, sunshine.”
“Like hell you are, trail mix.”
“My name is Daniel.”
“And who are you here to see, Daniel?” She tilted her head, one elegant hand reaching into his pocket to pluck out Helen’s number and wave it in his face. “Besides the nurses.”
God. Damn. Daniel felt as though he’d been dealt a knockout blow. For the first time in at least a decade, he’d been rendered completely speechless. She didn’t wait for a response, just winked at him as she turned and sauntered toward the front desk, tossing Helen’s number into the trash as she passed. After a brief stop at the nurse’s station, she turned down the corridor without looking back once.
She. He hadn’t even found out her fucking name. Disgusted with himself, Daniel mobilized, catching sight of her just as she stopped outside one of the hospital rooms. Unaware that he watched, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, appearing to steel herself for what lay on the other side. Something foreign clutched inside his chest at seeing her so vulnerable, but Daniel hung back, knowing she would resent any intrusion.
Finally, she straightened her spine and reached down to push open the door. Daniel followed slowl
y, but froze completely when he heard Jack’s weakened voice emanating from inside.
“Story.”
“Hey, Dad.”
Chapter Three
Daniel fell back a step. Jack’s daughter? At least he’d found out her name, he thought bitterly. Story. Story Brooks. Fate had a funny way of screwing with him. He meets a woman who knocks him on his ass, makes him crazy for the sight and taste of her, only to find out she’s his friend and mentor’s only daughter. Until today, he’d hardly given a thought to the rarely-spoken-about Story. He and Jack didn’t make a habit of swapping stories about their personal lives. Their relationship was based around negotiation tactics and training methods. In their five-year association, he’d probably mentioned his daughter once in passing, and Daniel, sensing she was a sensitive subject, had let it drop.
Knowing her identity in advance wouldn’t have made a difference, though. His reaction would have been the same no matter how or when they’d met. Shaking his head to clear it, he refocused on the conversation taking place in the next room.
“You shouldn’t have come all this way. I’m going to be just fine after a little R & R.” Jack wheezed, making Daniel flinch. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I’m just surprised that you came.”
“Surprised I’d drop everything to come take care of my father who I only speak to on birthdays and holidays? I’m a little surprised, too.” She paused. “I’ve never been to New York, though. It seemed like a good excuse.”
“I see you haven’t changed one bit,” Jack responded good-naturedly. “Story, I should tell you…your mother mentioned what happened last night. I’m sorry.”
Daniel frowned, wondering what Jack meant.
“Don’t be sorry,” she said briskly. “It’s not as if it’s your fault.”
“Yes, well…” He trailed off. “My colleague should be here any minute. He has the spare key to my place. I’m sure you want to get settled in.”
Daniel took that as his cue to stop eavesdropping like a teenager and face the music. He walked inside, his gaze immediately colliding with Story’s confused one. Keeping his face clean of any recognition, he diverted his attention toward Jack.
“Ah, speak of the devil and he appears.” Jack gestured with a weak wave. “Daniel, meet my daughter, the kindergarten teacher. Story just flew in from California this morning.”
He pasted on what he hoped was a warm smile and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Story.”
She didn’t move. Jack watched them expectantly from his reclined position in the bed and Daniel widened his eyes slightly at Story to nudge her into action. With a little head shake, she placed her hand in his, the contact generating a burst of static.
“Um. Likewise.”
Jack addressed his daughter once more. “Detective Chase here started as an apprentice and is now an expert negotiator in his own right. We’ve been working together for about five years.”
She bobbed her head once. “That’s…great.”
“Kindergarten teacher, huh?” Daniel couldn’t keep the amusement from his face. He never would have pegged the girl who’d told him he was full of shit as a kindergarten teacher. “I’m sure the kids keep you on your toes. And vice versa.”
“You seem pretty sure about a lot of things,” she said under her breath.
It took considerable effort to maintain his casual posture with her standing so close, talking to him in that husky way of hers. He felt anything but casual. The need she’d stirred in him moments before, when they’d only been strangers, hadn’t been diminished by learning she was Jack’s daughter. In fact, it grew stronger by the second.
From the hospital bed, Jack cleared his throat, catapulting Daniel back to reality. “Story, would you mind grabbing me a cup of coffee from the cafeteria? The stuff they’re bringing me isn’t worth a damn.”
Her hand slipped from his. “Sure, Dad.”
As he watched Story disappear through the hospital room door, he felt Jack’s gaze burning into the side of his head. He pasted a casual expression onto his face and turned. “You didn’t mention your daughter was coming to New York.”
“Don’t even think about it, Danny.”
Damn. “Boss?”
Jack pointed toward the hallway, a look on his face that clearly said, you’re not fooling anyone, buddy. “Whatever you’re thinking, forget it. She is in no place right now to field your advances.”
“Why is that?” Daniel asked. Jack gave him a black look and he backpedaled. “Not that I’m interested in…advancing on her. Obviously. I’m just curious about the second part. Is something wrong?”
Jack sighed heavily. “The trip was…spontaneous. The asshole doctor she was planning on marrying in two weeks’ time broke off their engagement last night.”
Daniel’s heart pounded furiously in his chest, drowning out the beeping machines. She’d been engaged up until last night. Her distant expression when he came upon her in the hallway crept into his mind. Now he knew why that particular look had bothered him so much. Heartbreak. “Son of a bitch.”
Jack shrugged his broad shoulders. “Fisher wasn’t right for her. Some distance from the situation will do her a world of good.”
“Distance. Right.” Daniel drifted from the conversation, wrestling with the image of Story and this Fisher. A man who’d apparently hurt her enough to send her flying across the country. The notion didn’t sit well with him. When Jack cleared his throat, he snapped out of his dark thoughts, only to find his mentor watching him closely. Too closely.
When Jack finally spoke, Daniel could practically hear an ax whistling toward his neck. “I’ve never addressed your fucked-up track record with women, because hell, mine isn’t all that sparkly either. This is different. She is my daughter and she’s vulnerable after her breakup. I won’t have you taking advantage of her. She came here to heal, not to be your latest conquest. Hands. Off. My daughter.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. Apparently his mentor didn’t think very highly of him. For good reason. His history with women happened to be abysmal, to put it mildly. No father in his right mind would want him anywhere near his daughter. He quickly made a joke to dispel the twinge in his chest. “Great to see the heart attack did nothing to dull your good humor.”
“This isn’t a laughing matter.” Jack made an impatient noise. “I hate being stuck in this hospital bed the first time she’s ever come to visit me. I can’t do a damn thing for her. Would you mind giving her a ride to my place?”
Daniel gave his head a quick shake. “Whoa. Wait. You just said—”
“What? You can’t drive her home without physically accosting her?”
“I’ll drive her home,” Daniel assured Jack quickly before he got too upset and set off the heart monitors. He’d have a lovely time explaining that to Story. “You can relax. She’s safe with me.”
“Good. I’m counting on it.” Jack lowered his voice when footsteps sounded once more in the hallway, moving toward the room. “She’s in a strange city and I need someone to look out for her. I suppose you’re my only option. But remember what I said. Keep it zipped.”
Story walked back into the room then and Jack brightened. “There she is. The girl of the hour.” She glanced over at Daniel with a small smile. From behind Story’s back, Jack slashed his index finger across his throat.
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
Chapter Four
Story and Daniel didn’t speak after trading stilted good-byes with Jack. On the elevator ride to the hospital lobby, the tension lay palpable between them. Story collected her two pieces of luggage from the pay locker, shrugging when Daniel insisted on carrying them for her. He’d parked his black department vehicle directly outside the entrance so they didn’t have far to walk.
After freezing in the subzero temperature of the hospital, Story welcomed the blast of July heat outside. Then immediately wanted to run back into the air-conditioned hospital. The humidity radiated off the sid
ewalk without a hint of breeze to soften the blow. New Yorkers hustled past in every direction, somehow managing not to run smack into one another. A dozen scents hit her at once. Car exhaust, meat being grilled by a sidewalk vendor, and was that…a slight hint of urine?
Daniel opened the passenger side door for her, meeting her eyes as she slipped into the seat. A different kind of heat trickled through her. At this rate, the combination of Daniel and the humidity would melt her into a puddle before dinnertime. He ducked into the driver’s side, his solid frame making the car feel infinitely smaller. Putting them much too close.
Discreetly, she hoped, Story studied his profile. Strong jaw, stubborn chin, deep black hair brushing the collar of his dress shirt. As he pulled into traffic, his teeth bit down into his lower lip in an unconsciously sensual gesture. Every movement of his body screamed sex. Combined with his ladies, ladies, there’s enough of me to go around vibe, she could understand why women stopped to gawk at him on the sidewalk. She couldn’t deny his magnetism. The guarantee of satisfaction practically radiated from him.
She wanted nothing to do with such an obvious ladies’ man, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t think about what it would be like. To let him “take her to lunch,” so to speak. She’d watched him peruse her body hungrily through the vending machine glass when he thought she wasn’t looking. A man who looked and acted like Daniel knew his way around a woman’s body, but she didn’t intend to assist him in honing his skills any further. She’d leave those honors to Nurse Helen.
But she could imagine. Later. Like when he wasn’t sitting five feet away.
Unable to stand the silence or her own pointless thoughts any longer, Story finally spoke. “So. That was an interesting turn of events.”
Daniel slanted a look in her direction. “Yeah. Interesting.” He didn’t elaborate.
Determinedly, she tried again. “I mean, you have to admit, this feels a lot like daytime television. Dad sick in the hospital…in walks semi-estranged daughter…” Nothing from Daniel. She had the sudden urge to shake him. “You and Jack seem close. I imagine he wouldn’t be too thrilled to know you made a pass at me.” With satisfaction, she watched his knuckles go white on the steering wheel.
