Page 61 of Like A Daydream
At least, he thinks she does.
“When you have grown, and have a depth of character, no matter what you go through,” she says, meeting his eyes, “your roots and your life cannot be destroyed by the frost. It sort of makes sense that the two lines are next to each other, when you think of it that way.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever liked someone more than I like you right now,” he says, brushing a loose lock of hair from where it had fallen out of her eyes. “And I already like youa lot.”
She takes his hand between hers, and he watches as she runs her fingertips over the tiny scars that mark his skin and turns his hand over. His palm is callused from years of stick handling, and her skin feels so soft against his own.
“I think you should kiss me, now,” she says softly. She looks up at him through her eyelashes and he’s undone.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he says back.
He leans in slowly, nudging their noses together. He wants to take his time, to make sure that she’s sure and she wants this.
Danielle makes an impatient sound, and slams her lips into his.
The rest of the world comes to a halt, the constant hum of noise he’s learned to ignore in the back of his mind stops, and he kisses her back like a man starved. So much for taking his time.
He’s never felt this way. About anyone. Ever.
“For a hockey player, you sure move slow,” she says, breaking away from him to take a breath.
“Stop talking,” he says, kissing her again. He pulls her into his lap and she shifts so she’s straddling him. She slides her hands up his chest, skimming her fingertips across his ribs, and he deepens the kiss with a soft moan.
He pulls her closer by her hips and she lets out a quiet gasp, and he thinks he could listen to the quiet, breathy noises she’s making for the rest of his life and never get sick of it. Her arms wind around his neck, and he wants the fabric covering her gone.
He slips his hands under the back of her shirt, settling them on warm, soft, skin, and he feels goosebumps erupt along her spine. He wants her more than he’s ever wanted someone in his life, and he’s becoming dizzy with the desire.
They’re already on a bench, and mostly hidden by trees. Her hands are at the waistband of his board shorts. It would be so easy to get carried away, and he thinks that she wouldn’t care if he did.
No, flashes through his head.Not like this.
He does the responsible thing, and pulls back, trying to breathe even though his heart is thundering in his chest and she’s flushed in front of him.
“I really like you, Danielle,” he whispers, pressing their foreheads together. He closes his eyes. “I’m all in, for whatever you want to give me. For whatever youcangive me. I want you.”
“I—” he shakes his head, cutting her off.
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.”
Her eyes flick from his to his lips, and he leans in again.
He’s not recovering from this one.
He doesn’t even think he wants to.
Danielle
“I knew giving you our address was a bad idea,” Ainsley says. There’s no malice in it, and she looks a bit like a zookeeper as Sokka and Roscoe mill about the room behind her.
She leans against the door frame, raising a brow.
“Probably not your best idea,” Danielle says, “but here we are. My 2024 Bucket List didn’t have this on it, believe me.”
“It’s been a pretty crazy year for you,” Ainsley says, a smile tugging at her lips. “What can I do for you, Danielle?”
“I just. I need some advice, and didn’t know where orwhoelse to go to, I guess.”
“Is Erick at work?” Ainsley says, raising a brow.
