Page 17 of Please Don’t Go (The Midnight Strike #1)

JOSIE

“Are you okay?” Daniel asks as he pulls into my driveway and parks my bike.

Once I can, I step off the pegs and grab my knife and keys from the basket. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a tiny cut.”

I didn’t think as I stabbed into his first tire angrily, but that was a stupid move.

Once the knife punctured the rubber, air blasted out rapidly and I nicked my finger.

The cut was tiny and drew a little blood, but you would’ve thought I was massively bleeding by the way Daniel reacted.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little endearing.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out the best way to slash his tires and not cut myself.

I was done in less than ten minutes while Daniel stood there and watched over me like a bodyguard.

He also said encouraging, affirmative words that oddly stirred something in me.

The effect was extremely rewarding. I felt invigorated and validated.

Sure, slashing tires isn’t the mature thing to do.

I could’ve handled my anger differently, but I didn’t, and Daniel didn’t stop me either.

“The movies make it look easy.” He stands in front of me and carefully grabs my hand so casually, I don’t move. He raises my hand, inspecting my fingers, and I hold my breath. I don’t know why but I do. “Do you want the good or bad news first?”

I muffle my chuckle, confused by his question. “The bad?”

He delicately turns my hand every which way, inspecting my finger from every possible angle. “The bad news is that you won’t be able to cut limes or lemons for a little bit. And I hope you have Band-Aids because you’ll have to wear one. For a day or two, give or take.”

The corner of my mouth jerks up and in a flash his eyes gravitate to my lips, but he still keeps my hand in the air.

“And the good?”

“Um…” His eyes lift back up to mine and they stay there. “You get to keep all your fingers.”

An avalanche of butterflies breaks loose. Maybe it’s the flutters, the hold he has on my eyes and hand, or the link I have with him, but for the first time in a long time, both corners of my lips lift.

I’m not sure I can categorize it as a smile. I’m sure most people wouldn’t call it that, but I’m going with it.

His gaze immediately locks in on my lips and either he pulls me forward or I shift, I’m not sure which, but I’m closer to him than I was. I should pull away, break the trance that I seem to be in, but I can’t.

“That’s good to hear. I don’t know what or who I’d be without my finger.”

“You’d still be you and that’s all that matters,” he softly says.

Don’t stab yourself. Don’t stab yourself, I repeat because my heart is racing crazily fast.

I’m thankful for the cool breeze that sweeps by us because I shiver. It had nothing to do with the air, but everything to do with the guy who’s set my heart aflame.

I remove my hand and take a few steps back, folding my arms against my chest, as if I were cold and not actually burning up.

“I’m sorry. It’s probably fifty degrees and you’re still wearing… that .” The tension in his voice is resounding. Like he struggled to get that single word out.

I don’t know what that was about and I don’t want to find out. I’m getting carried away with words.

“I should get going.” He walks me to my door.

Looking at my door then at him, I make the decision before I think it through. “Do you want to spend the night?”

Shock mars his face. “You want me to stay?”

“I have a few spare bedrooms and it’s late and you were drinking.” I unlock and open my door.

He goes quiet, eyes darting to the inside of my dark house then back to me. “Are you sure? I really don’t mind running back to my house. It’s not that far.”

“Do you really want to do that?”

“I will if I have to, but I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

“I just want you to be safe.”

A smile so fucking warm and sweet blooms on his face, inciting the flame to grow. “Then I’ll stay.”

I motion for him to go in, but he refuses until I go in first.

“Your room is this way.” I lead him up the stairs then down the hall where my room is also located.

“I don’t have a change of clothes, but there’s a robe in the bathroom and a toothbrush underneath the sink and a few other toiletries.

You can use whatever you want. Mom…always stocked up for guests.

You’re also welcome to shower if you’d like.

” I show him around the bed and bathroom and almost bump into him when I turn around, but he manages to grab me before that happens.

“I got you.” He smiles down at me before he releases me.

I take a few steps back. “My room is actually across the hall. If you want anything from the kitchen, you’re more than welcome to grab it, but I should warn you, I don’t have much.”

He stares at me strangely. “Didn’t you just buy a bunch of groceries?” He raises his hands in surrender. “I promise I’m not judging.”

“I actually bought already made meals. I don’t know how to cook, and sometimes finding the time or energy is…well…it’s just faster, and my life is busy so I buy them.”

Daniel nods understandingly and doesn’t ask about my lack of cooking skills. Thankfully, he doesn’t read between the lines of me not finding the energy. Because the reality is that some days I feel so overwhelmed with the emptiness I feel inside, I don’t have it in me to do anything.

“No worries.” He smiles like he always does. “I’m not hungry anyway. It’s probably three or four in the morning?”

“Something like that.” I blow out a breath and take a few more steps back. “Well, I’m going to get ready for bed. Good night.”

I walk away as I hear him say, “Good night, Jos.”

I’m not sure if it was the shower, the fact that someone since Mom passed away is sleeping here, or that it’s Daniel just a few feet away from me, but I can’t sleep. And because I’m tired of tossing and turning, I put on a one-piece, grab a towel, and head out of my room.

But I don’t make it very far because when I swing my door open, so does Daniel.

I gasp and he curses under his breath.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” he asks.

“No, I can’t sleep. Are you…” I trail off, squinting since it’s so dark and drag my gaze down to his bare feet. He doesn’t have his shoes on, so I guess he’s not leaving. “Can’t sleep?” I ask instead.

“No and I got thirsty.” It may be dark, but I swear it felt like he raked his gaze over me. “Is that a towel?”

“Yeah, I’m going for a swim. Figured since I can’t sleep, I might as well do something than just lie around. Do you want to come?” I shift from one foot to the other, feeling like I’m on edge.

It’s not a bad thing, but inviting him to do something I usually do alone is not something I do. Especially when it happens to be him of all people. My body and mind react differently to him, and I’m not sure if I like it or not.

Silence envelops us and I figure he’s trying to decide how to say no until he speaks up. “I’ll watch you instead.”

“Don’t feel obligated to come. I might be up for a while.”

“Then it’s a good thing I have no plans this weekend. And it’s not an obligation because I want to be there with you.”

My heart patters. “Okay.”

We walk side by side in a comfortable silence. There’s something nice about being with him. There’s no pressure to fill the void, and he doesn’t add mindless conversation for the sake of getting me to talk.

I don’t feel worried, and I’m not overthinking whether my silence is making him uncomfortable. Mom, Bryson, Christian Novak, and many others made comments about my lack of smiles and small talk. One thing they all agreed on was that my resting bitch face made others wary of wanting to be around me.

Once he grabs his water and we’re outside, Daniel sits on the edge of the pool, sinking his feet on the side that’s shallow.

Despite the lights that surround the inside of the pool, I can’t really see his face, but I didn’t miss his hesitation as we stepped out.

Or the vigilance in his voice for me to be careful as I set my stuff next to him.

Swimming is second nature to me, but I’m useless to anything outside of it.

I could make a list of all the things I’m shit at, but it would never end. But one thing that has always been on top of said list is people. I never know what to say or how to say what I want to say to them.

I still don’t understand how Vi and Pen still talk to me, but that’s a question for another day.

So why I’m sitting next to Daniel, even though this could end horribly wrong, is beyond me. I know something is wrong. I can feel his tension, and from my periphery I see how he wrings his towel with his fingers. He’s also looking down at the water, and hasn’t said a word.

I want to ask what’s wrong, but what if he tells me, and I don’t know how to respond to that? Most people never tell me what’s wrong with them, but Daniel isn’t most people.

“If you want to help me, you’re going to have to let me help you” is what I settle on after a few minutes.

“Huh?”

“If you’re going to help me with my issue, I might as well help you with yours. And don’t give me that bullshit excuse that you’re too busy and can’t commit because if you are, you might as well not help me at all.”

Was that too abrasive? Shit, I’m already failing.

“My issue?” I hear the humor in his voice.

I sigh with relief. “Not knowing how to swim.”

“You don’t need to waste your time on me, and it’s not necessary. I don’t usually get in the water, so it’s not like I’ll ever…drown.” His voice sounds so dry despite how amused he’s trying to make it sound.

“Then I don’t want your help.”

He slightly turns his body to face me. “Don’t be like that. I promise I’m not worth the time or trouble.”

“I’m not your problem to fix, yet here you are for whatever reason trying to fix something that isn’t fixable.”

He reaches out, covering his large palm over mine.

“I’m here because despite what you believe, you’re not a problem and you’re not broken.

I’m not trying to fix you. I just want you to know that I’m here for you.

As a friend, as a person, as whatever you want me to be.

I’m here for you, Josefine. Whoever or whatever made you believe that is wrong. ”

I feel a pang in my chest, the strike so fierce it knocks the air out of me.

“Believe me,” he desperately adds.

I look away from him because he doesn’t see or understand that I’m really a lost cause. In a few weeks, he’ll give up and decide I’m not worth it. I know I’m not.

“You have to let me help you. It doesn’t matter if you get in the water or not. It’s important to know how to swim.”

“I don’t have time to?—”

“But you have time for me?” My own question shocks me because I never thought I’d hear those words coming out of my mouth.

“Yes.” He doesn’t miss a beat.

My breath hitches and I swear my heart collapses.

“Daniel…” I draw my hand away, letting his palm rest on top of my thigh, and place it on top of his. “Please let me teach you.”

His gaze drops to our hands and his throat bobs, before he shifts his attention back on me. “Okay, I’m all yours.”

He gently squeezes my thigh, eliciting goose bumps. Before I act upon my strange thoughts, I pull back and let go of his hand. I’m not going to mistake his kindness for anything more.

After all, he almost witnessed my death, so I know he’s just being nice.

“Well, I’m going to swim a bit.” I add some distance between us and walk over to the deep end.

“I’ll be right here, watching you, Jos.” I hear the smile in his voice before I dive in.

The next morning, I find his room empty. I know the bed was slept on despite it being made but everything is how I showed it to him last night. The only thing that stands out, that wasn’t here last night is a Post-it note lying in the middle of the bed.

When I pick it up and read it, my heart jolts.

I’m so happy you’re here, Jos!