Page 73 of Against the Clock

Daniel watches me, still smiling, and I put my hand over my mouth, trying to hide the fact that I shoved way too many noodles in at once.

“I like you with your mouth full,” he says, waggling his eyebrows.

I slap his arm, trying to swallow and not choke while laughing.

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I like it. It’s delicious.” It comes out garbled, my mouth still too stuffed. Finally, I swallow, and he’s snickering at me while chewing his own food. “Coach Morelle…” The name sounds familiar, and I can’t quite think of why.

“The coach of the Wilmington Beavers,” Daniel says, and it clicks in my mind.

“That’s right. Oh, that’s so cool that you play for him again,” I say. “That must be really nice.”

“It’s like coming home,” he says simply, and I smile at him.

He’s just so warm and open and friendly. It’s impossible not to get caught up in his good-natured enthusiasm.

And I am completely, definitely, absolutely caught up in it.

I’m caught up in Daniel Harrison, and I can’t stop smiling at him.

CHAPTER 29

DANIEL

I get to spend the day with her tomorrow. I get to spend tonight with her.

I don’t know how I convinced her to be my girlfriend, but I’m damn happy I did. After her first adorably huge bite, she’s now taking tiny bites, her satisfaction in my cooking evident in the look of pleasure on her face.

“Thanks for letting me talk about my parents,” I tell her, slightly self-conscious at all the personal details I just shared. “That was off the record,” I clarify.

She stops chewing, something like hurt passing through her warm brown eyes. “Of course, Daniel. I’m not just going to take your personal information and throw it out there for everyone. I’m not, I don’t know, say, your agent.”

I sigh. “Yeah, that was shitty of him to do that to us tonight. And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said the off the record thing.”

Some of the stiffness melts from her shoulders and she takes a sip of the bubbling water. “I wouldn’t do that. I just need you to know that. Unless there is something you say to me that you want on the record, I’m not just going to turn around and use you. Daniel,” she pauses, shrugging her shoulders, “that’s not who I am. I have morals.”

I cringe inwardly. “Of course you do. I’m sorry.”

“My last boyfriend worked for Frothwater Finance. You know, the group that went down for fraud a few years ago?”

Nodding, I take another bite. I don’t remember, not really, but the name is familiar enough.

“He got paranoid, thought I was trying to catch him in a lie or going through his stuff.” She slumps, then takes another bite, staring at the kitchen sink, chewing thoughtfully. “It got bad. I was so young, it was my first job out of college, and he wasn’t much older than me. We both said stupid things to each other, but he accused me of selling him out for my job. I wasn’t even working on finance stuff. Anyway… I guess I’m a little messed up from it still.”

“Hey,” I say softly. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I tuck her into me, unable to keep my hands from her. “I wouldn’t do that. I’ll prove it to you.” I stop myself from telling her I’ll kick the guy’s ass if she wants me to, because I’m too old for that shit. Old enough to know it wouldn’t solve anything.

Probably.

“What’s his name and address? For research purposes.”

“Shut up,” she says, laughing and looking up at me with huge, reproachful eyes.

She’s just so damn sweet.

“Okay,” she says, then pushes her plate back, squirming out of my arms, taking her plate to the sink.

Quickly, I wolf the rest of mine down. She starts scrubbing at the plate, and I gently nudge her out of the way.

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