Page 37

The humor faded as concern crossed his features. “You need alone time?”

She shook her head. “No. But I suspect you might.”

Daniel exhaled slowly, scrubbing his hand across the stubble on his jaw. “Fair warning. I may not sleep great tonight. And I don’t want to wake you. Or, God forbid, scare you. I’ll be fine out here with Pirate. If it gets too bad, I’ll take him outside for a walk.”

She reached up, laying her hand gently against his chest. “You take care of yourself however you need to, Daniel. I understand. I can wait. I never want to do anything that might stir up bad memories or worry you.”

Turning toward the hallway, she called softly, “Luna, bedroom.”

Her puppy lifted her head, then trotted obediently down the hall and disappeared inside Polly’s room. Polly crouched to pet Pirate, who watched his partner with solemn devotion. “You were the hit of the party tonight, mister. Don’t let it go to your head. You still have a job to do. You keep your eye on Daniel, okay? I’m counting on you.”

When she stood again, she met his master’s gaze with a gentle smile. “Good night, Daniel.”

He nodded once. “Good night, Polly.”

She watched him spread a quilt over the couch. Pirate circled twice before curling up at his feet like a guardian sentinel. The sight made her chest ache with a mix of affection and longing.

Later, after she’d washed up and slipped into bed, Polly lay listening to the soft hum of the refrigerator and the faint shifting sounds from the living room. Daniel seemed to be tossing and turning, just as he’d predicted. Still, the condo felt safe—warmer somehow—knowing he was here. She was just starting to drift off when a quiet knock sounded at her door.

Her heart gave a small leap. “Daniel?” she called softly.

“Yeah.”

“Come in.” She pushed herself up to a sitting position. “Is something wrong? Are you okay?”

Pirate padded in first, toenails clicking lightly on the floor. Daniel followed in stockinged feet and jeans, his sweater gone, T-shirt untucked, hair slightly mussed. He carried Pirate’s quilt under one arm. Without waiting for permission, he dropped it on the floor beside Luna’s bed.

“Maybe you can wait,” he said, his voice rough with fatigue and something deeper, “but I can’t.”

“Daniel?”

He crossed to the bed and sat on top of the covers beside her hip. “I don’t need to be alone. I need to be with someone I trust—someone who makes me feel safe.” His gaze met hers, open and raw. “Could I sleep here? Could I just…hold you? So, my subconscious knows you’re okay and I can relax?”

Emotion caught in her throat. She nodded. “Yeah. Of course. I… I’d like that. If that’s what you need.”

“Don’t get nervous, Miss Cooper. We’re just going to sleep.”

“I’m not nervous.” She patted the bed next to her and slipped back under the covers. “Because I really want that, too.”

He stretched out beside her, careful to stay on top of the covers. The bed dipped under his solid weight. When he gathered her into his arms, the warmth of him surrounded her, steady and grounding. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Polly bent one arm between them and slid the other across his chest. He draped his arm around her shoulders, then covered her hand with his, holding it snug against the beat of his heart. She could feel his heat, the solid strength of his body, the faint tremor of exhaustion beneath it.

“I’m okay, Daniel,” she whispered, tilting her head to brush a kiss against his scarred jaw before settling closer. “Sleep. You’ve got me. And I’ve got you. The dogs will keep watch. We’re safe.”

His breathing slowed, deepened. Within minutes, it evened out into the steady rhythm of sleep.

Polly smiled in the dark, pressing a soft kiss to the rise of his chest before closing her eyes. Wrapped in his arms—feeling needed, protected and hopelessly in love—she finally let herself drift into peaceful dreams.

Chapter Ten

The weak winter sun glinted off the windshield as Daniel drove his truck down the street toward St. Luke’s. The cab was filled with warmth from the heater, the faint smell of coffee in their to-go cups, and the oddly compelling scent of her shower gel and man that emanated from Daniel’s skin since he’d showered at her place this morning. Since he hadn’t shaved, a scruff of brown beard shaded the undamaged side of his face and neck. There were a few lines of scruff on the other side that emphasized the scarring where his beard could no longer grow. Instead of being turned off, she found his scruffy look comforting—because it meant he hadn’t left her last night. And yeah, there was the amusing thought that the man matched his scruffy dog now.

She’d woken that morning with him curled behind her, his arm draped across her waist. His breathing had been steady, his body warm and solid at her back. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed that weight of protection until it was there.

Daniel’s voice broke into her thoughts. “That was the best sleep I’ve had in months.”

She turned to look at him, his profile backlit by pale sunlight. “Yeah?”