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“Can’t say that it caught my attention.”
“You know.” She smiled. “Just when I’m about to give up on the man, he does it again.”
Daniel turned in his seat and jammed the key in the ignition. “Does what again?”
“Acts so flattering.”
He grimaced then shot his eyes heavenward before turning the engine over. “Glad my jaw could be of assistance.”
She grinned. “Oh come on, don’t be a sore loser. You did me a huge favor tonight."
“That’s me,” he sneered, “liberator of the misunderstood.”
This time she giggled and turned in her seat toward him. “You weren’t too bad yourself tonight. As a matter-of-fact, you were quite manly.”
“Manly?” He shot her a disbelieving glance even though he knew she was teasing him. Reaching out, she cupped her hand around the muscle on his upper arm. “I bet you’re hiding quite the brawn under here.”
Daniel tried to concentrate on the road, however, her hand had lingered and still held his arm, her fingers absently stroking his biceps. It felt warm even through his coat. He dared not move in fear he might alert her and have her drop her hand. She rarely touched him. If so, it would be a small token. A gesture that would last no longer than mere seconds. His eyes shifted to the digital clock on his radio and idly began timing it.
“Does your lip hurt?”
He drew his thoughts away from the touch of her hand. “No. It stopped bleeding.”
Silence, then, “Did it hurt?”
A quick glance at her face showed that foreign emotion back in her eyes. “No, not really.”
A faint nod and her expression turned soft as it dropped to his lips. “You’ll need some ice or it will swell up.”
He nodded vaguely, swallowing a sudden lump which had formed in his throat. “The use of cryotherapy reduces the temperature of the injured tissue, hence—
Her gaze lifted and the gentleness in the depths of her eyes nearly had him choking on his own words, causing him to simply say, “My ice is still at your place.”
“Okay.”
He smiled faintly then looked away. If he didn’t have to keep his eyes on the road he could stare at her all night long. She was absolutely beautiful.
Ten minutes later, they entered her apartment and shut the door behind them. It was unusually quiet. The remaining scent of aroma candles lingered in the air. She slipped out of her sandals and placed them on the shoe rack in precise alignment, then dropped her bag on a nearby table before heading for the kitchen. He kicked off his own shoes and left them strewn on the door mat before following her. The apartment was chaotic but in the decorating sense only. He knew it was very clean. Sonya liked perfection.
“Come here.” Pulling the bag out of the freezer, she gestured for him to come closer.
He happily obliged. That was until she plunked the bag against his injured mouth. “Jeez, don’t you have a washcloth or something I could use?”
“Does it hurt?”
He made a face. “Why do you keep asking me that? Yes, it hurts. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted to hear? That your boyfriend’s crazed love for you left me in dire pain?”
She bit her lip, trying not to smirk.
“No, actually, it’s because I hope my boyfriend’s crazed love for me didn’t injure you.”
“Oh please,” he grumbled and turned away. “I think I have a washcloth back at my apartment.”
He heard her giggle before she grabbed his arm and turned him towards her living room. “Sit down. I’ll be right back.”
He watched her go. It must have been close to two o’clock in the morning. His eyelids were starting to get heavy and he wanted nothing better than to crawl back into his bed. Still, he would have happily substituted her bed for his.
She was back in a flash and dropped down beside him, then held out the cloth to his injured mouth. “Put some ice on it.”
