Page 29 of Daniil
“Do you evenwantto settle down?”
I would with you.
I don’t know where that thought comes from, but I manage not to say it out loud.
And short of saying what’s on my mind, I’m not sure how else to reply—all I know is I have to tread carefully.
Chapter12
Courtney
“I think under the right circumstances,”he says after taking a long time to answer, “I’d like to settle down.But it would have to be with the right woman.The right timing.”
“The right timing?What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.I just know that my first marriage was a mistake, and I hurt him, so I never want to do that again.”
“Which part?”
“Marry the wrong person.With Jesper… it was comfortable.We were both in exile and ran into each other in a pub in London.He spoke my language, shared my culture… it was easy to fall into bed.And then a routine.Eventually, we got married because it seemed like the next logical step.Just like starting a family.But deep down I knew it wasn’t right.It wasn’t forever.And I hate myself for hurting him.”
“But you’re friends now.”
“Yes.Thankfully, he’s a good man.And I think he and Joe are a good match.”
“It’s nice when you find your person, the one who makes you feel whole.”I sound a bit wistful, even to my own ears.
“Have you ever found someone like that?”
I hesitate.“No.Hell, I barely date.Even before the baby.Guys are intimidated by a woman who flies helicopters in and out of war zones and can kick ass with the best of them.Plus, I’m such a tomboy…I think I turn guys off.”
“You don’t turn me off.”The words are soft but loud enough for me to hear, and I blink.
“I… what?”
“I’m just saying you don’t intimidate me.And not to bring up anything ungentlemanly, but you never turned me off.I think you’re beautiful, sexy, and strong.Those are things that turn me on, not off.”
Her cheeks flush pink, and she dips her head.“Er, thank you.”
“I’m not trying to embarrass you.I think a lot of men are stupid, too insecure in themselves to know when they’ve found someone special.”
This is the kind of shit he says that confuses me.It’s how I fell into bed with him in the first place.He’s a bit of a romantic, in this amazing blue-eyed package—what red-blooded woman could resist him?Certainly not me.
But I’ve learned a hard lesson for that indulgence—one I can’t repeat.
Falling into bed with Daniil again would be a terrible decision.
“Lennox had a lot of the same trouble.She got lucky when she found Sandor.”
“I thought those two were going to kill each other for a while,” he chuckles.“They are pretty perfect together, though.”
Micah takes that moment to knock his bottle on the floor, and I quickly retrieve it.
“No throwing,” I say gently, wiping his face.
“Ba-ba-ba!”he yells in response.
“You’re loud,” Daniil tells him.
