Page 31 of Daniel
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I thought she was just a friend. I didn’t realize that she’d been trying to get me to ask her out.”
Nodding against his chest, I murmured, “It makes sense. She always has to have the best of everything.”
“I didn’t even pick up on it,” he said, giving me a squeeze. “Every time she told me that she wanted to fix me up with someone, it was her way of finding out whether I was ready to date a Holly Valley girl.”
He leaned back a few inches to look into my eyes. “She had no idea that I was waiting for the ultimate Holly Valley girl to magic her way into my life. The most beautiful girl in the world.”
Reaching up, I cupped his face in my palm. “You sounded so angry. It was a bit scary,” I admitted.
He gave his head a shake. “It scared me too. I wanted to pick her up and take her out back to pitch her into the frozen pond.”
Laughing together completely broke the tension. “I’m sorry I freaked out,” I said.
His eyes widened. “No, baby. I don’t want you to ever keep anything inside. I need you to tell me. Any time you’re worried, or afraid, or confused, just come to me. I’m still working thisrelationship stuff out too, so we’re going to have to be a team here.”
I loved how open he was. Playing back the conversation in my mind, it struck me that he had referred to me as the love of his life.
Stretching up to kiss him, I didn’t care now that people milling around might see us. His kiss turned from comforting to raw desire in precisely three heartbeats.
“I need you.” His voice was a dark rasp that made the back of my thighs quiver.
As he held me close, I could feel the thick outline of his arousal pressed against me. Sensing his desire flooded me with feelings of lust I didn’t even know that I possessed.
“You already have me,” I said, looking up and crooking an eyebrow suggestively.
As he smiled down at me, I realized that I felt incredibly sexy in his arms. But also, loved. Complete.
Daniel not only made me feel like a woman, he made me feel wanted.
I needed to share this new overpowering level of desire with him right away, before I accidentally spoke words to match all of the feelings racing through my heart.
21
DANIEL
The feeling was so intense that it almost rattled my bones. I need to be alone with Prairie, right now.
“Baby, can I take you to my place?”
“Sure,” she said. “But Mom is still waiting for me.”
Taking her hand, I waved goodbye to my brothers across the rink, then went out to the parking lot where Rebecca and Grant Mitchell were waiting beside their pickup truck.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell.” They turned to me in surprise. “Would it be all right with you if I took Prairie back to my house for some of my mother’s leftover brownies? I’ll drive her back home carefully.”
Grant nodded. “I’ve seen your truck. You’ll be fine on these roads. Have a good night.”
I glanced over to see Prairie’s mom mouthing the words, “We won’t wait up.”
Stifling a laugh, I drove Prairie back to my house as quickly as possible while still taking my time on the roads.
When we got inside, kicking off our boots and coats, she seemed confused that I led her straight to the kitchen instead of to the bedroom. I went directly to a container in the cupboard,pulling out the last fudge brownie, and handing it to her in a napkin.
“I assumed you were joking about the brownie,” she giggled sweetly.
“I don’t want to start my relationship with your parents off with a lie.” I pulled out a chair so that we could sit close together while she ate. “More importantly, I noticed that you didn’t try these on Christmas Eve.”
“This is incredible,” she said after taking a tiny bite. “But I can’t possibly eat this entire thing. You’ll have to help me.”
