Sabrina

I can’t stop smiling. Two weeks have passed since Dan and I first made love and things have been wonderful, amazing even. So amazingly wonderful in fact, I’ve decided to call Jodi and have her schedule my vacation so I can stay longer. I’m not ready to move in, as he’s suggested many times, but I’m not ready to leave either.

Dan’s progress has been incredible and I can’t justify staying on as his therapist much longer. He knows the routine well enough to do it on his own and now it’s only a matter of him building up his strength again, which the team trainers can supervise.

“This is Jodi. Can I help you?” I heard through the phone, dragging me from my thoughts.

“Hey Jodi, it’s Sabrina.”

“Well, hello stranger. I thought you’d be calling me every hour on the hour for the past twelve weeks.”

“That’s not my style,” I said. “You know that.”

“So, how’s it going?”

“Good. Great actually. In fact I’d say my job here is done.”

“So he’s as good as new?”

“Pretty much. He just needs to build up his muscles again and he can do that with the team trainer.”

“You’re a miracle worker, Sabrina.”

“He did all the work.”

“Is that admiration I hear in your voice?” Jodi teased.

“Maybe.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m glad everything worked out. I have to admit I was a little worried after your initial reaction to the assignment.” I didn’t comment. Jodi continued. “Your papers are drawn. You can have someone look at them when you get back, but I think you’ll be happy with the terms.”

Again, I didn’t comment. In fact, I was shocked that I’d totally forgotten about the partnership when it had been my main reason for coming here.

Or was it?

I just don’t know anymore.

“Sabrina?” Jodi yelled.

“What?”

“I asked when you’ll be back.”

“That’s, uh, that’s actually what I’m calling about.”

“Well?” Jodi dragged out the word theatrically.

“I’d like to take my vacation before returning. I figure you already have me off the schedule anyway.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you taking your vacation now?”

I didn’t think that’s any of her business, and told her so.

“Something happened, didn’t it?” I chose not to answer. “Between you and Dan?” Again, I didn’t answer, but Jodi drew her own conclusions. She let out a screech and said, “Oh Sabrina, I’m so happy for you. Jealous as hell,” she added. “But still happy.”

“Jodi don’t—”

“Don’t you worry. My lips are sealed,” she declared, which basically means that she’ll only tell fifty people instead of the usual hundred.

“Do you want your full four weeks?” she asked.

“Put me down for all four weeks. I’ll let you know if I’ll be in sooner. I know it’s easier to add me to the schedule than pull me off.”

“Okay. Will do.”

I ended the call and placed my cell on the desk, trying not to think too much about what I’d just done. In fact, I’ve been trying not to think too much about anything lately, because if I do, surely I’ll panic. I spun the leather chair around to face the window. Propping one foot up on the sill, I reclined slightly and settled in to enjoy the view.

“There you are,” Dan said, from directly behind me. “I wondered where you’d disappeared to.” He propped his hip on the edge of the desk as I turned to face him.

“I snuck in here to call Jodi and print a few things.”

Dan’s smile slipped slightly at the mention of Jodi, but he quickly recovered. “Lexi and I are heading out for ice cream and we were wondering if you’d like to come.”

“You two are trying to make me fat, aren’t you?”

He held up his hands as if in surrender. “Hey, we just invited you, you don’t have to come.”

I made a noise that was a cross between a laugh and a snort. “Like I can turn down a brownie a la mode.”

He grasped my wrist and pulled me toward him, sliding his hands around my waist. Squeezing lightly, he cocked his head to the side as if trying to decide something. Then he shook his head and kissed me lightly on the lips. “I’d say you’re perfect. If anything, you could stand to gain a few pounds.”

“God forbid.”

“True statement,” he said as he moved his hands to my back and pulled me closer still. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “At any rate, it doesn’t matter. I’d love you even if you weighed a ton.”

His eyes held mine, not allowing me to look away, not letting me ignore his words. The words he hadn’t said since we’d gotten back together. The words I knew were true for me as well, yet couldn’t bring myself to say back to him. Not just yet.

“Well, that’s good to know.” I attempted to sound light-hearted, but my voice was too hoarse with emotion to pull it off.

“I do love you,” Dan stated, more firmly this time.

I kissed him, hoping to show him what I couldn’t bring myself to say just yet. Dan let me take control, following my lead as I slanted my mouth over his, back and forth, enjoying the difference in texture between his soft lips and his five o’clock shadow before opening to get a better taste. Things were kicking up a notch when I heard a noise in the hallway. I pulled back from Dan and, leaning slightly to the side peered around his arm, but didn’t see anything.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought I heard someone.”

He slid from my embrace and walked to the door. I tried to ignore how cold I felt without his arms around me, but wasn’t very successful. Thankfully, he returned to my side—or my front, as the case may be—immediately.

“I didn’t see anyone.”

“You don’t think it was Lexi, do you?”

Dan and I have been trying our best to keep our budding relationship from his daughter. She’s too attached to me as it is. I don’t want to get her hopes up about Dan and me, and be disappointed if it doesn’t work out.

He shook his head then lowered it to nibble on my neck. “She was playing Xbox. Nothing short of a nuclear blast would tear her away.” His breath fanned my skin, heating it, raising goosebumps at the same time.

“But what if it was her?”

I tried to keep my wits as he alternately nipped at and laved my neck.

Dan shrugged. “If it was, we’ll deal with it.” He lifted his head and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. “I don’t plan on keeping this from her much longer anyway.”

My initial reaction to his last statement was to panic. After all, Lexi has never met anyone Dan’s been romantically involved with, a fact that I have not only heard from Dan and various others, but also from Lexi herself.

So why me? Why now? Is he that sure of this relationship? Or is the fact that his daughter is already so attached to me motivating him to tell her about us?

I quickly dismissed the latter thought, knowing it would be much worse if I were to leave once Lexi knows we’re involved. I also know that Dan is that sure of this relationship. Even before I let him into my bed, he’d laid it all on the line. He wants me in his life. Permanently.

I’m the one with all the issues. I know I love him—have always loved him—but can I trust him? He hasn’t given me any reason to believe his intentions are anything but pure, but then he never did. Basically, it comes down to the fact that my heart wants to believe him, but my head doesn’t. Which will win out is anyone’s guess.

“Bri?” I could tell from his tone that it wasn’t the first time he’d said my name.

“Hmmm?”

“Are you okay?”

I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring way. “I’m great.”

Dan’s green eyes scanned over me as if to gauge the truth of my words. He must have been satisfied with what he saw, because he smiled then nodded and said, “Then let’s go get us some ice cream.”