Page 88 of Callow

“Yes. No,” she said, blinking the rest of the wetness out of her pretty eyes.

“Gonna need one answer here, babe,” I said, my stomach twisting in painful knots.

“You asked two questions,” she reminded me with a little smile. “Yes, I’m okay. Sort of. No, it wasn’t too much. But also, a little.”

“Babe…”

“I think my whole system is just a little overwhelmed,” she admitted, leaning her head against my chest, making me feel the aftershocks moving through her. “But not in a bad way,” she added as her arms went around me.

“Thank fuck,” I said, wrapping her up tight, holding on until the shaking stopped and she seemed to get some of her strength back.

“I should probably get in that shower while there’s a little hot water left,” she said, but pressed a kiss to the center of my chest before moving away.

It was such a simple little gesture.

But I swear my heart fucking doubled in size at the feel of it.

It was right then as I released her and turned to watch her disappear behind the shower curtain that I knew it for sure.

I’d had inklings already.

But I knew it with a bone-deep fucking certainty right then.

I was falling for her.

Hard.

I cleaned up as she showered, humming the theme song to the show that had been playing on her TV when we fell asleep the night before, then quickly made my way out before, I hoped, Daph noticed we were both in the bathroom at the same time.

The rest of the day was relatively domestic.

I did the dishes.

Daph didn’t reappear until hours later, eyes blurry from reading her book. And, if I wasn’t mistaken, a little red-rimmed from, I imagined, some plot point that got her all emotional.

We ordered subs in for lunch.

Then Sabrina and I made dinner while Daph finally jumped in the shower.

We ate, watched a movie, then all headed off to bed.

It was all so normal.

There was nothing indicating anything was wrong at all.

Until I woke up just as the sun was rising and was making my way to the kitchen to get some coffee going.

And noticed something that had my stomach flipping.

The bar I’d shoved in the sliding door to the balcony was set up against the wall.

And out on the balcony?

The fire escape ladder was dangling down over the edge.

Sirens went off in my mind for a moment, making thoughts fucking impossible as I rushed out onto the balcony to look down.

But there were no signs of struggle.

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