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“Oh.”
“Uh huh.”
His gaze dropped somewhere between them, fanning his long dark lashes against his cheek. “You were scared for me?”
Dani huffed. And then she grasped his face in both of her hands. She wasn’t sure what was happening between them. Or what they were to one another. But she knew this. “I’m not better than you. I hated that you said that, and I hated that I made you feel that way. And of-fucking-course I was scared for you. You’re my friend, and you’re a good man. Someone who risks himself to help other people. I know I give you a hard time sometimes—”
“Sometimes?” He smirked at her, though he didn’t quite pull it off, and it was obvious to her that he was trying to inject humor to deflect from the seriousness of what she was saying. Jesus, he was freaking Deadpool.
But just then, she wasn’t having it. “I’m being serious.”
“I know. You’re not the one that made me feel that way, D. Okay? It wasn’t you.” There was a vulnerability in those dark eyes that nearly stole her breath and emphasized the gravity of the admission he’d just made. Someone had told him or taught him that he was less than, and it was a lesson that seemed to have stuck. Something in the center of Dani’s chest squeezed.
Sean blinked and glanced away, and suddenly he looked just like she’d felt a few moments before—too seen.
So she changed the subject. “Before the amazing sex, you said you wanted to ask me a favor.”
His smile was sheepish. “Can we focus on the ‘amazing’ part of your comment first?”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Ask me.”
He heaved a breath. “My eye doc follow-up is tomorrow and I wondered if I could twist your arm into going with me.” She inhaled to answer, but he rushed on. “It’s just that you’ll be able to decipher the doctor-speak and you’ll think of questions to ask that I might forget.”
All of that was totally understandable. And it felt nice to be needed, wanted. “You don’t have to twist my arm. What time?”
“It’s at eleven. The office is on Capitol Hill. But I know it’s really last minute….”
Shaking her head, Dani thought about her schedule. She was on seven to three, so she’d have to get someone to cover for her, or maybe if she shot off some texts now, she could just switch shifts. “No, it’s fine. I should be able to do that.” Thinking she’d grab her phone, she moved to get off his lap.
He hauled her back to him and leaned his face in close. “Thank you for being here for me.” Sean kissed her once, twice.
Yeah, good-guy Sean Riddick was a big freaking problem.
Chapter Ten
“Sean Riddick?”
The nurse calling his name dropped a rock into Sean’s gut. Today was the day he’d learn if his vision was improving, whether he wanted to know or not.
Dani gave him a nod as she followed him back into his exam room. Hair in a long ponytail, she was wearing navy scrubs with a pair of gray sneakers that revealed she’d come straight from the hospital. More than that, he’d learned that she’d taken off work to be here with him. He was floored by that and felt bad to boot, even though she’d insisted it was no problem.
They got settled into his exam room—Sean in the padded chair with the arms of optical equipment sitting beside it—and then it was back to waiting again.
He was going to come right out of his skin if the doctor—
Two quick knocks landed on the door, and then it opened and an older man in a white coat walked in. “Mr. Riddick, I’m Dr. Herschel.”
“Hi, Doc,” Sean said as the man washed his hands.
“And who did you bring with you today?” the man asked.
“My friend, Daniela. She’s an ER nurse at University,” he said, really fuckin’ glad to call her friend. Because once again, she was going above and beyond for him today.
“Aha,” the doc said. “Daniela, welcome. Don’t hesitate to chime in if you have any questions.” She nodded.
They reviewed his history and the doc asked him whether he’d been having any trouble with pain, dizziness, headaches, or nausea, all of which were negatives with the exception of those first few days. And then it was moment-of-truth time.
“Let’s take off this shield and see how you’re healing.”
Sean’s stomach tossed as the man carefully pealed the tape away from his forehead and cheekbone, leaving a pad of gauze underneath.
“I’m going to dim the lights now.” Dr. Herschel pressed a button on the panel of controls and then removed the gauze. “Tell me how things look to you before I do my examination.”
Blowing out a breath, Sean opened his injured eye. His heart was a freight train in his chest as he waited for his brain to register the world around him. “It’s clearer.” He looked at Dani, whose expression was so hopeful for him. He wasn’t sure how he lucked into having her on his side these days, but he really fuckin’ appreciated it. “It’s clearer than it was last week.” He forced himself to focus. On Dani’s pretty face. The clock. The eye chart being projected on the far wall. He couldn’t read all the lines like he normally could, except for those teeny tiny ones at the bottom that prolly no fuckers could. “I’m not sure it’s back to normal though.”
