Chapter Thirty-Six
T he drive was silent on the way to Daniel’s house. Keira kept her gaze from both men and stared out the window.
A breath stuttered in her throat when she realized she had yet to see his house. They’d always spent time out or at her house before things started to go bad. She had wondered many times why he had never invited her, but was too afraid to ask.
Keira realized the car had stopped, and both men were looking at her. Conner looked at the back seat, and Daniel looked from his seat beside her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked.
Daniel reached out to her but pulled back when she stiffened.
“Do you want me to carry you?”
“No, I can walk. But thank you.” She turned and reached for the door handle. Keira paused as she stood outside the car to look at the large two-story house. It was beautiful. The bottom floor was made with different-sized stones, and the upper floor was a dark grey plank. The windows and doorframes were white. The door was black and stood out against the stark white and stone. The walkway to the door was the same kind of stone as the house. The lawn was lush, and a vivid green, and the bushes along the front of the house were covered with white flowers.
Daniel walked by her side, and Conner walked behind.
Daniel unlocked and opened the door. “The living room is to your right, the kitchen is straight ahead. There are four bedrooms upstairs and two full baths. I’m guessing you want to bathe before anything?”
Keira nodded. “Yes, that would be great.”
“Conner, do you want to start dinner while I help Keira?”
“I don’t need help.”
Both men ignored her.
“Sure, I’ll see what you have. We might have to make a run to the store tomorrow.”
“Probably, I’m not sure what’s in there. I haven’t been home for several days.”
Conner walked off, leaving them at the bottom of the stairs.
“Do you want me to carry you up?”
Keira shook her head and kept her eyes on the steps. “No, I can do this. If you show me where the bathroom is, I can do the rest.”
“Not going to happen. I can tell from your color that you’re getting a headache, and you’re already too tired. Dr. Paulson said that would happen for several more days at least. He also said your balance would be affected, so we’re supposed to be careful. That’s where I come in. I’m going to be here for you every step of the way, if you like it or not.”
Keira faced off against Daniel. “Listen, Daniel. I don’t really have a choice about being here. You need me to find the guy that hurt me, but I won’t take your misguided feeling of guilt.” A shard of sorrow battered her heart at the thought.
Daniel stepped up, over six feet of pure testosterone taking over her personal space. His hand tilted her face up to get her attention. “Yes, I feel guilty. I’ll never get over the fact that I didn’t protect you. But hear me, Keira, there is no way Conner or I are going to let that bastard near you. We’re here to protect you. There are plenty of other people looking for the son of a bitch.” His eyes heated and narrowed in on her lips. “Let’s not talk about feelings. We’re both exhausted, and I don’t think you’re ready to hear it. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Keira stepped back from him. “I don’t want to talk tomorrow or the next day. Just show me the bathroom.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “You’re pushing me, Sweetheart, and we’re both too tired for it.”
“Look, if this gets to be too much, I can make other arrangements. I know you’re only doing this because of the guilt, and I don’t want to hear it. I already feel bad that you have to have me in your house.”
“What does that mean?”
Keira’s hand tightened on the stair railing and lowered her gaze to hide the hurt. “You didn’t want me in your home before, why would you now?”
Daniel’s head reared back. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Before, when we dated, you never brought me here. We were always at my house or out somewhere. I wondered why, but I was afraid to ask. Then everything changed, and I didn’t have to question it anymore.”
Daniel stared at her for several seconds, and his jaw ached and throbbed visibly.
“We’ll talk about this later because you’re so wrong about that. Let’s get you in the shower. You’ll feel better after you get clean and eat something.”
Keira looked at his eyes, which hid an inner fire that made her heart race, and nodded. It was best to put that all behind them. She had a lot to decide. She turned without saying anything, her mind and body so drained, she knew she would be unable to make a sound decision right then, and she slowly climbed the stairs.
At the top, Daniel took her arm and guided her into the first bedroom. Keira stopped abruptly. “This is the master bedroom.”
“Yes, it is. The bathroom is the first door to the left. The second door is our closet.”
“Where is the bedroom I’ll be staying in?”
“Here.”
“Then where will you be?” She could see his irritation, but didn’t care.
“Here.”
Keira took an unsteady step back and shook her head. “No way we’re sleeping in the same bed.”
“Keira, I have to be close to you in case you need me.”
She lifted her chin. “I won’t need you. I thought I proved that already.” She knew she was lashing out, but she felt like he was trapping her in a corner, and she was ashamed when she caught the anguish in his eyes.
“You are still weak and still have headaches. Most importantly, right now, you’re having nightmares, and I need to be close to help you. Do you think I’m going to maul you or something?”
Keira shook her head and swallowed back the tears. She felt bad about what she said. She knew it wasn’t his fault, and normally she wasn’t a vindictive person, but she was hurt, stinky, and tired, and didn’t want to be there. “Can I shower by myself?”
“I will help you into the shower, and I’ll stand back until you’re done or need me. Keira, I’ve seen you naked, Baby. Why are you acting so shy?”
“That was different, we were dating.” And, she thought, that was before her body sported a multitude of blue and green bruises and not-quite-healed cuts that would turn into silvery scars eventually.
Daniel’s teeth snapped together in frustration. “I’m sorry, Honey, but you don’t have a choice. You’re very weak right now. Do you want to fall and end up back in the hospital?”
Keira snorted angrily. “Fine, I don’t care. At this point, I just want the dirt and blood off of me.”
“Good girl. Let me grab a pair of panties and a nightgown.”
Keira stiffened. “I don’t want to wear another woman’s clothes. I’ll just wear what I have on.”
Daniel closed his eyes and pinched the top of his nose, then raised his head to look at her. “We have so much to talk about later. But please listen, there has never been another woman in this house or in my bed. You will be the only one, ever. The clothes are yours from your house. They ensured they were clean before bringing them over. Layla and Logan got you what they thought you could wear now. Later, we’ll go back and get the rest. They had to buy a few sweatpants and big t-shirts, so they won’t rub on your cuts. Now, can we please get you in the shower?”
“Yes,” she said tiredly, ashamed of her behavior.
Daniel sat her on the toilet seat and bent to take off her shoes and socks. He stood and started the shower, testing it until it was warm, before standing her up and pulling her shirt over her head, and then removing her sweatpants and panties.
“In you go, Baby. I’ll be right out here in case you need me.”
Keira stood under the warm water, letting it wash dirt, blood, and her tension away. She reached for the bottle of shampoo, pausing when she realized all the things she used and liked were lined up in the shower. They had to have gone to the store for all of this because what she had at home was destroyed. She drew in a deep breath to hold back the sobs.
She hadn’t known she’d made a sound until the shower door opened and Daniel stepped in wearing his boxers. “Aw, Honey, come here?” he asked as he pulled her into his arms.
Keira covered her face as wracking sobs tore through her.
“I’m so sorry.” He held her tightly against his chest, letting her have the cleansing cry she needed until there was nothing left, and she leaned tiredly against him. “Do you think you can stand while I bathe you?”
Keira took a shaky step back and nodded. She thought she had just enough energy to lock her legs. Daniel eyed her critically before pouring some shampoo into his hands and starting to gently work it into her hair. He froze when a whispered groan passed her lips.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked.
Keira steadied herself with her hands against Daniel’s hips. “No. It feels really good.”
He started again. “How bad is your headache?”
Keira’s eyes flew to his. “How did you know I had a headache?”
Daniel’s eyes pierced hers. “Because I know you.”
Keira shook her head. “You can’t know me that well. We haven’t known each other long enough.”
Daniel hid a smile at the confused look she tried to hide. “Take a step back so I can rinse you. Close your eyes tight.” Daniel gently washed the suds from her hair, leaving it squeaky clean. “Let’s get some conditioner in and then I’ll wash your body.”
Keira kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want to see the loving expression in his eyes or the muscle definition in his chest and shoulders that had always turned her on. It was bad enough she had to feel his heat and smell his musky masculine smell so close to her.
“Easy,” he said when she jerked at the sponge against her stomach. He crouched in front of her. “Hold onto my shoulders, Baby. I don’t want to go over your cuts because I know they’re still tender, but I’ll get the rest of you clean. Okay?”
Keira nodded and braced herself. Her body heated and softened. Oh, dear Lord. An embarrassed flush covered her chest and face. How was she going to hide her arousal from him? Most importantly, how could she even have the energy to get aroused? She was practically asleep, standing there. She wasn’t able to bite back the whimper of need when his hand slipped between her legs to wash her.
Daniel froze and looked up at her. Keira could tell he noticed the signs of her arousal.
“If you weren’t exhausted and sore, I’d have my mouth on you. You like my mouth and tongue on you? Don’t you, Sweetheart?”
She couldn’t keep her eyes from lowering to his and bit her bottom lip against the need that tore through her. Keira clutched her hands on his shoulders. She tried to close her legs, but she didn’t know if it was to keep his hand where it was or to block him from going farther.
He waited until the stiffness in her legs eased, then finished washing her before rinsing the conditioner out of her hair. Daniel pulled her out of the shower spray, opened the shower door, and grabbed one of the white bath towels to wrap around her.
“I’m going to sit you on the toilet seat while I bathe quickly, and then I’ll take care of you.” His hand rose when she opened her mouth to argue. “Not a word, Keira.”
She watched through the shower’s mottled glass as he pulled his boxers off and quickly washed. The water turned off, and the shower door opened. Her eyes widened when he stepped out and dried off before wrapping the towel around his hips.
Daniel chuckled at the wide-eyed look on her scarlet-stained cheeks. “Honey, you’ve seen me naked before.”
Yeah, she had, many times, and it always made her body ache for his so strongly it took her breath, just like now. The fact that he was hard made it worse. All she could think about was how he felt inside her and how good it made her feel.
“If you don’t quit looking at me like that, it’s going to drive me crazy.” Daniel squeezed the water out of her hair with a towel, glad and disappointed that she looked away. “You’re definitely not up for what I have in mind. Besides, there’s a lot we have to talk about before we make love again.”
“You mean if .”
Daniel stopped with the towel and bent down. “No, I mean when .”
Keira shook her head. “You don’t know that.”
There was a moment of silence as Daniel went back to drying her hair. “Tell me this. Do you still love me?”
Keira bowed her head and drew in a shaky breath. “I never told you I loved you.”
His fingers under her chin tilted her head up. “Keira, the truth.”
Her shoulders sagged after a long moment. “Yes,” she said as she nodded.
Daniel made sure her eyes were steady on him. “I’ve never stopped loving you, and I never will.”
Hot tears gathered and burned Keira’s eyes. She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say, so she kept quiet. This was the first time he’d ever spoken those words to her.
He nodded and went back to drying her hair. “Do you want me to blow-dry your hair, Baby?”
Keira reached up to touch her hair. “No, you’ve dried most of it. The rest should dry quickly.”
Daniel picked her up and placed her gently on his bed. “Okay, let’s check over your cuts and bandage the ones that need it and get you dressed.”
Keira jerked in surprise and clutched the towel around her. In the last several minutes, Keira had forgotten about her injuries. Her focus was all on Daniel and the way he made her feel.
Daniel must have noticed her distress. “Keira, I’ve already seen all your injuries, so relax.” Daniel worked on the bandages quickly before he helped her into a large t-shirt and lightweight black sweatpants.
Daniel sniffed the air. “I smell something good. I’m going to carry you down and eat, and then I’ll bring you back up here for the night.”
Keira stood. “For one thing, you don’t need to carry me...”
“I disagree, your legs are shaking with fatigue as we speak,” he said as he walked to a large dresser and pulled out some clothes.
She clenched her jaw in frustration. “And secondly, I’m not really hungry.”
Daniel stood in front of her in just a pair of sleep pants, everything else was bare, including his feet. He crossed his arms. “You have to eat to get better, right?” He smirked when she frowned in frustration, before she nodded. “So, stop arguing and let me carry you down.”
She rolled her eyes and interrupted. “You’re being really bossy.”
A smile broke across Daniel’s face. “Yup.”
Keira shook her head and hid the smile that wanted to break out. She liked the way his eyes lit up when she raised her arms and stood silently.
Daniel picked her up and waited until her arms curled around his neck. She felt his gaze on her as he carried her down the stairs, but kept her chin tucked against her chest to make it impossible for him to see her expression.