Part 6 (2/2)
And before he could form the words to stop her, she was behind her closed bedroom door.
CHAPTER SEVEN.
DANNY awoke feeling oddly refreshed. He opened his eyes, saw the sunny yellow bedroom around him and was disoriented until he remembered he was living with Grace.
Grace.
He'd kissed her, but she'd reminded him that was what had gotten them into trouble the last time. And he didn't think she was talking about creating Sarah. Sarah wasn't trouble. Sarah was a joy. Their ”trouble” was that they had slept together when they didn't know each other, which was why he hadn't trusted her enough to continue the relations.h.i.+p, and why he hadn't believed Grace when she told him she was pregnant. He'd thought she was lying to him. Tricking him. Because he didn't know her well enough to realize Grace would never do something like that.
He now knew his accusations were the product of an overly suspicious mind, but he also had to admit to himself that he hadn't changed much from the man who had dismissed her as a liar. Yes, he'd gotten past the tragedies of his life and to the outside world he appeared normal. And he really could be normal at work, normal with friends, normal with a woman only looking for an evening of entertainment. But his divorce had soured him on commitment. He wasn't marriage material. He wasn't even a good date for anyone who wanted anything other than a fun night out or no-strings-attached s.e.x. Forget about being the right guy for someone as wonderful as Grace. She deserved better. Even he knew it.
She needed a husband. A mate. Someone to share her life. He was not that guy.
He rolled out of bed and tugged on his robe. But once the slash belt was secured, he stopped again. He'd nearly forgotten he was sharing a bathroom.
Sharing a bathroom.
Watching TV.
And happy.
How long had it been since he could say he was happy? Years. He'd accustomed himself to settling for surface emotions, convinced that if he loved anything, life would yank it away. But though he might not believe he could make a commitment to a woman, living with Grace made him consider that he could love Sarah and he could be a real dad. Especially since Grace was kind enough, honest enough, fair enough that she was willing to share custody. Not as adversaries, but as two friends. Both having the best interests of their little girl at heart. And without a hearing that would air his less-than-perfect past.
He grabbed his shaving kit, opened his bedroom door and glanced down the short hall. The bathroom door was open and Grace wasn't anywhere to be seen. Good. He didn't want to b.u.mp into Grace dressed only in a robe. As she'd reminded him last night, kissing-or more appropriately runaway emotions and hormones-had gotten them into trouble the last time. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Getting romantically involved had cost them. He'd lost a good employee and someone who probably would have turned into a friend.
And he'd hurt her.
He wouldn't let himself forget that. He also wouldn't let himself hurt her again. He could say that with absolute certainty because he wouldn't get involved with her again. That was a promise he was making to himself.
He showered and shaved and was back in his bedroom before he heard the sound of Grace's alarm. Removing a suit from the garment bag he'd hung in the closet, he heard Sarah's wailing and Grace's words of comfort. He put the suit back in the closet, and yanked on jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt, listening to Grace soothing Sarah as she carried her downstairs. He heard Grace quietly return upstairs and knew that the lack of crying meant Sarah was sucking her bottle.
He listened for the sound of Grace's door closing and then sneaked downstairs. It had been years since he'd made his ”world famous” blueberry pancakes, but if anybody ever deserved a little treat, it was Grace.
After taking a last peek to be sure her black skirt and print blouse were in the proper position, Grace s.h.i.+fted away from her full-length mirror to lift already-dressed Sarah from her crib. But as she turned, the scent of something sweet stopped her.
Whatever it was it smelled like pure heaven.
Her mouth watered.
She grabbed Sarah and rushed down the steps. In the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt and wearing a bib ap.r.o.n, stood Danny.
”What is that smell?”
He turned with a smile. ”Pancakes. My one and only specialty.”
”If they taste as good as they smell, they are absolutely your specialty.”
”Oh, they do.”
The ringing endors.e.m.e.nt-combined with the growling of Grace's tummy-had her scampering into the dining area. She slid Sarah into her high chair and went to the kitchen to retrieve plates from the cupboard. ”More stuff you learned while at school?”
He winced. ”Not really. These are the only thing I can cook. Unless you count canned soup and fried eggs.”
Avoiding her eyes, he set two fluffy blueberry pancakes on each of the two plates she held. Grace took them to the table. She set her dish at the seat beside the high chair and the second across the table from her.
The night before he'd kissed her and just the memory of that brought a warm fuzzy somersault feeling to her empty tummy. She hadn't let the kiss go too far. But there was something between them. Something special. Something sharp and s.e.xual. It wasn't something that would go away with the press of a b.u.t.ton, or just because it complicated things. And today he'd made her breakfast. Though she appreciated it, she also knew she had to tread lightly. She didn't want to get involved with him again and he was tempting her.
Danny brought the syrup to the table and sat across from her. ”I think there are some things you and I need to discuss.”
Her stomach flip-flopped again. The last thing she wanted was to talk about their one-night stand. Or whatever it was that had happened between them. But disliking him hadn't worked to keep them apart. So maybe it was best to talk?
”Okay.”
He took a breath. ”All right. Here's the deal. That kiss last night was wrong and I don't want you to have to worry about it happening again.”
She looked across the table at him, her heart in her throat, and praying her eyes weren't revealing the pain that brought. She also didn't think getting involved was a good idea, but he hadn't needed to say the words.
”The truth is I know you deserve better than me.”
Grace blinked. That wasn't at all what she was expecting and she had absolutely no idea how to reply.
”The night we slept together, I was going through a bad time,” he said, glancing down at his pancake before catching her gaze again. ”Not that that makes what happened right, but I think it might help you to understand that now that I'm past those personal problems, I can see I misjudged you and I'm sorrier than I can ever say.”
Grace took a breath. Once again he was talking about himself, but not really about anything. Still his apology was a big step for them. ”Okay.”
”Okay you understand or okay you accept my apology?”
She took another breath. Her gut reaction was to accept his apology, but she simply didn't trust him. He had a powerful personality. He might say that she needn't worry about him kissing her again, but she didn't believe either of them could say that with absolute certainty. There was something between them. Chemistry, probably. Hormones that didn't listen to reason. She was afraid that if she accepted his apology and told him she understood it would open the door to things she couldn't control. Things neither one of them could control.
Before she could answer, Danny said, ”I hate excuses for bad behavior, but sometimes there are valid reasons people do all the wrong things.” He took a breath. ”Because that weekend was the two-year anniversary of my son's death, I wasn't myself.”
Grace blinked. ”What?”
”Cory had died two years before. Six months after his accident my wife and I divorced. I spent the next year and a half just going through the motions of living.”
Shocked into silence, Grace only stared at him.
”That weekend you reminded me of happiness.” He combed his fingers through his hair. ”I don't know. Watching you with Orlando and hearing the two of you make jokes and have a good time, I remembered how it felt to be happy and I began to feel as if I were coming around.” He caught her gaze. ”You know...as if I were ready to live again.”
Stuck in the dark place of trying to imagine the crus.h.i.+ng blow of the death of a child and feeling overwhelmed at even the thought, Grace only nodded.
”But I'd always believed you and I had gone too far too fast by making love the very first weekend we really even spoke, and when I went away for that week of client hopping my doubts haunted me. I started imagining all kinds of reasons you'd sleep with me without really knowing me, and some of them weren't very flattering.” He took a breath. ”When you told me you were pregnant it just seemed as if every bad thing I had conjured had come true.” He held her gaze steadily. ”I was wrong and I am sorry.”
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