“That’s kind of what I’ve been telling myself.” She got up and went toward the kitchen. “Do you want anything?”
“Just some water.” He glanced at his watch. “You know what? If I leave right now, I can make it home in time to have dinner with Savannah.”
She handed him the water bottle. “She’d like that.”
“But, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to come back next week, when Samuel is working, and spend the night. We can talk about what all we need to do to prepare for the baby.” A stunned look appeared on his face. “I’m going to be a grandfather.”
Danielle laughed. “You never thought you’d see the day, did you?
“No. Now I really need to talk to Savannah. She can talk me down off the cliff.”
“Daddy, it’s okay. You’ll be the youngest and coolest grandfather ever.”
“I love you, little one.”
“I love you too, Daddy. I’m so glad you came by.”
After Noah left, Danielle sent a text back to Samuel. Daddy left already. You can still come at seven.
That gave her three hours to take a long hot bath and figure out something to cook.
Chapter 29
Samuel stood at the flower shop in Kroger and shifted from one foot to the other. He hadn’t come to buy flowers. He stopped in to get deodorant, but the flowers had gotten his attention.
He hadn’t had a date since Jessica. The only flower he ever took Jessica was actually a plant, an ivy. She didn’t like girly things, and Samuel had picked up pretty quickly that she wouldn’t appreciate a flower that would last no more than a few days.
Danielle, however, was the complete opposite. In fact, he thought wryly, he could almost go with the exact opposite of anything he’d done with Jessica.
Roses seemed too formal. This wasn’t a formal date. It was just a couple of friends getting together. Friends who were moving toward something else, but weren’t quite there yet. It would be nice to have a playbook – a place where he could look up the appropriate thing at each stage in a relationship. It would be especially helpful if there was a section on what to do if your girlfriend is already pregnant.
He looked at every flower in the shop. Then he went back to the one that had gotten his attention when he was just walking by. It was a little bouquet of white daisies. It looked fresh and happy. Simple and uncomplicated.
Making a decision, he took it to the woman behind the desk and asked her to wrap it up for him.
He left Kroger happily with deodorant and flowers, heading home for a quick shower before he went to Danielle’s apartment.
As he was heading to what he referred to as his apartment behind the house, his mother came out the back door and stood on the deck. “Samuel.”
He stopped. Busted.
“Is there something you haven’t told us?” His mother asked, gesturing toward the flowers.
“They’re for a… friend.”
“A girl?”
He rolled his eyes. “Really Mom. I wouldn’t take flowers to a guy.”
“Well, that’s just convenient, isn’t it? Since you’re leaving Sunday.”
He sighed. He might as well get the bad news over with. “It got moved to Saturday.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to ask everyone to come over Friday instead of Saturday.”
“Mom, please. Don’t invite everyone, wait until the next weekend. I’ll come back, and I’ll have something to talk about.”
“Too late.”
“I wanted to just have a nice quiet evening at home.”
“You have to bring her.”
He was already shaking his head. “I can’t do that. I actually like this girl.”
“I kinda thought you did, since this is the first girl I’ve known you to show any interest in since… in quite a long time.”
Samuel sighed. His family was still tiptoeing around talking about Jessica’s death. Maybe it was time to give them someone else to talk about. “Okay, Mom. I’ll make you a deal.”
“What deal is that?”
“Leave off the party this weekend, and I’ll bring her by to meet everyone the first weekend I’m back in town.”
Minutes later, with the hot water running over his head, Samuel found his thoughts again consumed by Danielle. He replayed that kiss again in his head. He’d played it a hundred times in last two days. He wanted more.
It was time to move their relationship from the friend zone and to build upon the foundation they’d established with that kiss from heaven.
Chapter 30
It felt a little strange having Samuel there in her apartment.
The white daisies, she’d put in a vase in the center of the dining room table; they brightened the whole room. He’d brought her the perfect flowers. She smiled as she put on an oven mitt and slipped the lasagna back into the oven. It was just one of many hot dishes her mother had taught her to throw together in a few minutes. She’d put it together and left it covered in the refrigerator until she made sure Samuel was planning to eat with her.
She looked across the counter, past the dining room table, to the living room, where she’d left Samuel with her laptop.
He’d asked to look at some of the covers she’d created, so she’d opened a file for him to look at while she checked the lasagna in the oven.
Every nerve was on edge having him here in her apartment. They hadn’t called it a date, but it sure felt like one.
As she watched, he set the computer on her coffee table and walked toward her to the kitchen. She smiled and turned.
“Tomorrow, I get to cook.”
“Tomorrow?”
“I have to leave Saturday.” He stepped closer until he was close enough to touch her. “And I want to see you every day.”
“Is that so?” She asked.
“And every night.”
She backed up until she bumped against the counter. He placed his hands on each side of her, pinning her in front of him.
Her breath hitched at the intensity of his gaze. She’d seen that look in the photos they’d taken when he was about to kiss her. She hadn’t seen it then because her eyes had been closed.
She had dated a lot of guys, but she couldn’t remember any of them ever looking at her quite like this.
Without touching anywhere else, he placed his lips against hers, ever so lightly. Then he leaned back enough to smile into her eyes.
Her heart flip-flopped, and she smiled back.
His grin turning devilish, he reached down, put an arm beneath her knees, and picked her up. She squeaked and threw her arms around his neck. He carried her as though she was light as a feather to the sofa. He sat down with her in his lap.
Her heart was racing ninety to nothing as he put his lips against the corner of her mouth and a hand behind her head to hold her close.
He tasted minty. She recognized the faint smell of his cologne. His lips sent tingles all through her, and she wanted his lips on hers.
She turned into the kiss and sighed when he pressed his lips against hers. This. This was what she’d been craving since that kiss two days ago. Only now, without anyone watching through a camera lens, it was even better than she’d remembered.
His fingers threaded through her hair as he moved his lips against hers. She never wanted to stop. Ever.
They kissed until the timer on the stove went off. He pulled back and ran a finger along her swollen lips.
It was almost perfect. If only she dated pilots.
Chapter 31
They sat on the sofa and ate with their thighs and shoulders touching. Samuel didn’t want to let go of her.
Though she wasn’t physically pulling away, she hadn’t made eye contact since they’d stopped kissing.
“Alright. What’s wrong?” He asked.
She smiled. “It’s just something I have to work out.”
“Maybe I can help, since I have a feeling it involves me in some way.”
“You won’t like it.”
“Maybe I can change it.”
She laughed. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Duly warned.”
“I don’t date pilots.”
“Me either,” he said without a hitch.
She stared at him. Then took another bite of pasta. Then she chuckled. “You’re a pilot.”
“This is really good,” he said as he filled his fork. “Don’t think of me as a pilot.”
“Okay… What should I think of you as?”
“Anything. Think of me as your yard boy.”
She laughed. “Why would I need a yard boy? I live in an apartment.”
“I’m sure you can think of something for me to do. As your yard boy, I can run errands. I’m really good at running errands. I even do returns.”
“What about when you’re off flying a plane?”
“Just a taxi driver. Not a pilot.” He winked at her and nudged her shoulder with his. At least she was looking at him again.
“I’m serious.” She insisted.
“So am I.” He set his empty plate on the coffee table.
“Just because you don’t call yourself a pilot, doesn’t mean you aren’t one.”
“And just because I’m a pilot, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t date me.”
She shot him a look of fake exasperation.
“What do you have against pilots anyway?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“They’re always away. Remember, I have first-hand experience as the daughter of a pilot.”
“A famous pilot.”
“I don’t know about famous, but definitely successful.”
“In the pilot world.” He lifted one eyebrow. “He’s a famous pilot. So besides being gone a lot, what else do you have against my breed?”
She pulled her feet under her and hugged a pillow to her. “Pilots aren’t… monogamous.”
“What? Really? Why am I just now learning about this?” He feigned shock.
She chuckled. “It’s the stewardesses. They’re like candy for y’all.”
“Oh, well, you’re doubly safe. They don’t have stewardesses anymore, only flight attendants. And I don’t eat candy.”
“You don’t eat candy. Ever?”
“Never.”
“What about a brownie?”
He shook his head. “No sweets for me, unless I’m with you.” He leaned back and put an arm across the back of the sofa. “So, if I’m a taxi driver by day and your yard boy by night, does that grant me exception status?”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“What if I promise to send you flowers every day?”
“Now you’re just teasing me.”
“How about if I drive you around, and you never have to drive or take other transportation?”
“But you’re not here, remember?”
“Oh right. Then when I’m here. And don’t forget, I do errands.”
“I’ll have to get back to you. What else do you have to offer?”
“I can do foot rubs.”
“Really? I might have to see if you’re any good.”
“Ah. I can offer a free sample right now. If you want.”
“Sure. I never turn down a foot massage.”
“Here.” He held out his hand. She shifted her feet toward him. He took her shoe off and put her foot across his knees. She leaned back against the pillows. He started with her toes and worked his way to the bottom of her feet to her ankles. She had adorable red toenails.
She closed her eyes, and he moved to the other foot.
He shifted to pull her toward him, holding her close. “I also offer unlimited heavenly kisses.” He whispered against her ear before claiming her mouth again.
Chapter 32
The next morning, Danielle managed to stay focused enough to get a draft of the cover she was working on ready to send to the author.
She held her breath as she emailed it. It had a completely different couple on it from what they agreed on. Danielle wasn’t sure what she was going to do if the author asked for the original couple. It was a good thing she hadn’t posted her picture on Facebook or the company website. She’d prefer that no one know that she was the girl on the cover.
She was watching the door more than she was watching her computer as she scrolled through a website looking at potential images to make a premade cover.
The minute he stepped off the elevator, she saw him. Her heart rate increased to dangerous levels, and she stared at her computer screen so he wouldn’t know she was watching for him.
He pulled off his sunglasses and grinned at her. Her heart melted. He hadn’t shaved today, so he had a bit of a shadow on his face. She wanted to run her hands along his cheeks to see what it felt like.
Instead of sitting across from her like he usually did, he walked up to her and kissed her right on the lips. “Hi,” he pulled a white rose from behind his back and handed it to her.
“Hi.” She gazed at him, unable to think. She sniffed the rose and held it next to her cheek.
“What are you working on?” Apparently, he didn’t have the same problem with his thought processes.
“Oh, I um… I finished the cover.”
“Can I see?”
She opened the file and pulled the cover up on her screen.
He studied it with a ridiculous grin on his face. “We look good,” he said. “And the cover is nicely done, too. I’m impressed.”
“Thanks. I just hope the author likes it. This one’s a little more personal.”
“So the author won’t know it’s you?”
“I hope not.”
“That’s probably good. Avery was right. We look like we need to get a room.”
Danielle laughed. She could see it, too. Then she gasped. “Oh no.”
“What is it?”
“My colleagues are going to see it.” She nodded toward her door leading to the other offices.
He seemed unconcerned. “They might want to hire us as models. It could open a whole new career for you.”
She patted her stomach. “I think not.”
“Right. Well, you won’t be pregnant forever.”
“Are you sure?” It seemed like it was all she could think about.
“Do you want the usual for lunch?”
“Do you mind terribly?”
He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Your heart’s desire is my command.”
Taking her hand, he led her through the lobby. It was empty, but it felt like a public announcement that they were seeing each other.
“Did I tell you my mom is coming in tomorrow?”
“You mentioned it,” Samuel held the elevator for her. “Did she say how long she’ll be staying?”
“Not yet.”
“How long does she usually stay?”
“I don’t know. She’s never visited.”
“Really? Never?”
“I lived at home until I moved here.”
“Ah.” He held the elevator door open when it stopped on the first floor.
“What about you? Where do you live?”
“Similar, I guess. My parents have what I guess you’d call a pool house behind their house. I live in it. It’s a little two-room place, but I have privacy. Until now, I was rarely home anyway.”
“Right. The whole taxi driver thing.”
He grinned and helped her into the truck. “You’re a fast learner.”
He walked around the truck and got in the driver’s seat. “So… do I get to meet her?”
“You want to meet my mom?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
She shrugged.
“Too soon?” He put on his blinker and made a U-turn to get into the Pappa’s parking lot.
Danielle laughed. “Maybe.”
“Are you going to tell her about the baby?”
“I told my dad, so, yeah, I need to get that over with, too.” She bit her lip as she said the words and looked down.
> “Want me to be there with you?”
“She might get confused.”
“Really? I thought your mom was a successful business owner.”
Danielle laughed. “She is. Okay, I might get confused. Or distracted.”
He took her hand as they walked into the restaurant. The guy at the counter already knew what they were going to order.
It was crowded today, so they sat across from each other at a small booth for two.
He held out his hand, and she put hers in his.
“You haven’t told me anything about your dating history.” A shadow crossed his features and wiped away his smile. She immediately wished she could take back the words. “You don’t have to talk about it.”
“No. It’s okay. I’ll tell you. It’s just not a good story.”
“I’m not looking for a good story. I just want to know about you. After all, you kinda know about me.” He definitely knew what she’d done with her previous boyfriend.
Samuel smiled again. “You don’t have to tell me.” His expression growing serious, he took a deep breath and lifted his chin. “Six years ago I met a girl – Jessica. We started dating and got engaged after about two years. Right after that, she was deployed to Afghanistan. She actually did one tour, came home, and had just started her second when she was killed.”
Danielle gasped. “Oh no!”
“Yeah. That was two years ago. I haven’t dated anyone since.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
He shook his head. “There’s nothing to say. She was my only serious girlfriend. So… I don’t date. Until you.”
Danielle gazed into his eyes and squeezed his hand. This man who hadn’t put himself out there until her. It made it all the more special that he liked her.
“I’ve gone on lots of dates,” she told him, lowering her voice. “But I only slept with two. Scout’s honor.” She raised her hand and made the Vulcan “V” with her fingers.
He laughed, as was her intent.
“I’m not worried about your past. As far as I’m concerned, we’re starting with a clean slate.”
“I like that.”
Maybe it was time she began thinking of him as a boyfriend.
Falling Again Page 9