Page 79 of Please Don’t Go (The Midnight Strike #1)

DANIEL

“If you guys pull this bullshit again, I’m fucking someone up and it won’t be Josie,” Noah threatens, striding into the kitchen.

“Fuck anyone up. Just don’t touch Daniel and we’ll be okay.” Josie’s voice is just as leveled and equally threatening.

Noah is nowhere near being scared of Josie, but I see the admiration and respect he has for her. It reflects in his eyes the same way it does when Coach D’Angelo is talking to him.

He stares at Josie, and she stares right back. Never thought I’d see the day that someone could rival his scarily blank expression, but she mirrors it so well. On him, it’s whatever, but on Josie, it’s both unnerving and hot.

If it wasn’t because we promised everyone food, I would’ve kicked them out. The guys didn’t have to, but they helped me move back in her house. The decision might be rash considering we just got back together yesterday, but we both want— need this.

We’re still not done talking. Last night, we talked about our fears, insecurities, the desire to stay hidden, and everything we tried so hard to bury away.

It was stupid because we were trying to keep the wounds that never healed behind a tiny Band-Aid.

It did nothing for us but eventually infect the wound until we had no choice but to tear the Band-Aid off and accept what we’d been denying.

We only stopped because we knew we needed it, and we were both emotionally drained. It’d been a long day, so we got ready for bed and listened to the CD I burned for her while she hugged the Care Bear I gave her.

“And us too, right?” Gray butts in.

“Is your name Daniel?” She doesn’t break eye contact when she replies.

I smirk and snake an arm around her front, and with ease, she lets me tug her back to my chest. She’s slightly stiff, but once our bodies are pressed against each other, she goes lax.

“What the hell, Josie?” he scoffs, offended.

“Yeah, what the hell?” Kai defensively chimes in.

“Don’t take it personally. I like you both, I do, but I love him. So do the math…” She points her thumb over her shoulder at me then rests her hands on top of mine that lay on her stomach.

The guys glare at me, but I shrug unapologetically and shoot them a wink, grinning like a damn fool.

“Mmm, forget my offer. I don’t want to paint my nails with you,” Angel tsks, pinning her with a faux disdainful look.

“He doesn’t mean that,” I whisper in her ear.

“You both disgust me,” Noah mutters and the guys seem to share the same sentiment because they’re scowling at us.

“You might want to close your eyes then. This will make you vomit.” She turns and circles her arms around my shoulders and stands on her tiptoes, brushing her lips against mine.

Someone grunts, gags, or mutters something, I don’t know, nor do I care. I’m lost on how soft and plush her lips feel against mine.

“We got food!” Pen and Vienna shout from the front door before we can really get the kiss started.

“Dammit, I guess?—”

“You should know by now that I don’t live to care what others think,” Josie sultrily whispers against my mouth. “Kiss me. We need to make up for all?—”

I close the tiny gap between our lips and kiss her hard, shutting out the loud protests and whistles.

“I’m happy you’re back.” Kai hugs me then pulls back. “I know we’ve all been fucking around with you but we’re all here for you. Even Noah. I know he looks like he doesn’t care, but he was worried about you.”

I smile. “Thanks, man. That really means a lot. If you ever want to talk about home or anything, you know I’m here for you too.”

I might’ve not been in a good headspace to tell him that the day he told me about feeling homesick, but I remember. I do hate it took me this long to let him know I am here for him too.

“Thanks.” He tucks his hands in his pockets, a lopsided grin curling on his face. “I should get going before Noah and Gray start bitching.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’m so glad you’re back,” he spins and heads on over to Noah’s car.

“Wait, where’s Angel?”

He turns, walking backward. “Left with your sister and Vi. Something about—actually, I can’t remember, but the girls will drop him off.”

I nod, although I’m unsure what that’s about, but whatever. “Night, Kai.”

He shoots me a wink and hops into Noah’s car.

I shut the door behind me and head up the stairs, knowing Josie’s up there.

“Josie.” I enter her room but go still. She’s sitting on the side of the bed, holding the tiny notebook I gave her yesterday. “Jarvis suggested I do that. I’m no poet, so everything I wrote is probably really sappy and corny. Maybe even sad and desperate, so beware.”

She quietly chuckles and pats the spot next to her. I happily take my seat and circle my arms around her, resting my chin on her shoulder.

“Hi, Josie. It’s April 19th.”

She starts reading and I close my eyes, prepared to cringe.

“Another day without you and it REALLY sucks. I hope you know, if you decide to take me back (and I’m going to work my ass to make that happen), I’ll never let go of you.

I shouldn’t have lost you in the first place.

Really hate myself for that and I hate what I said.

I didn’t mean it. I swear, I didn’t. But I don’t regret begging and getting on my knees for you.

I’ll do it again (you know I’ve never been opposed to begging).

I miss your face. I really miss holding you.

I miss your voice. I miss your smile. I never told you this, but these tiny fireworks always go off in my chest when I see you smile.

I can visualize them being shot up, making that little whistle-like noise all while getting really excited about it happening.

And when I lock in on your lips, they go off.

That’s just what your smile does. I’ll leave what your brown eyes do to me for another day.

I’m so happy you’re here!

With A LOT of LOVE, Garcia

Okay, that day I wasn’t too bad. I was home with my parents and mentally doing a bit better.

She sets the notebook down on the nightstand. “I hope you know I’m getting asked to get buried with this. Fireworks? I do that to you?”

I nod and she looks over her shoulder up at me, eyes flooding with a range of emotions. “You do. All the time. You okay?”

Her cheeks flame. I swear, she’s so cute.

“Oh yeah, I’m…processing and trying to remain calm.

You sometimes— all the time—overwhelm me, but in a really good way, I promise,” she quickly adds, making me smile hard.

“I didn’t understand it, but Jarvis said I have an avoidant attachment and that my fight-or-flight is very trigger happy.

All of this—you—spikes this need to either fight you because my brain is trying to sabotage that this isn’t real, or run and hide because I don’t want to hear that it wasn’t. ”

“Your feelings are valid, but I want you to know this is very real.” I tip my head down and kiss her shoulder. “But on the days that it doesn’t feel like it is, I’ll be here to remind you. I promise.”

She sinks into my hold before she bolts up. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

I laugh, amused, as she hurries to her desk, opens one of the drawers, and pulls out what looks like a Post-it. “What’s that?”

She stands between my parted thighs and hands it to me. “I never got back to you about names and what we’d do.”

My brows furrow in confusion until I read the paper.

Sage(D)

Taryn(J)

Professional baseball player

Swim coach

I burst out laughing. “You remembered?”

I hear the smile in her voice. “You said we needed names and secret identities. The names are still TBD, but they’re starting to grow on me.”

Wrapping my hands around her, I pull her back with me. I land on my back, and she lands on top, straddling me. “Wait, swim coach?”

“I think I’m going to take Monica’s offer. I’ll be a student assistant, but who knows, maybe one day a coach. I know it might mean that we’ll have to do long distance. Which is something we really haven’t talked about, but I want to if you do?”

“Jos, I’ll do whatever you wanna do. As long as I get to be yours. We’ll make it work, I promise.” And that’s a promise I intend to keep. “I’m so proud of you.”

Her face softens and her eyes glisten. “Really?”

“Yeah, I’ve always been proud of you.”

“I’m really proud of you too.”

We stare at each other, not filling in what we both know that means. It’s not because we don’t want to, but because we just need the silence for a moment.

She leans forward and hugs me. “I should thank your parents.”

“For what?” I nuzzle my face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her.

“For making you. They did a great job.”

I grimace. “Ew, no, Josie, that’s not the visual—” I stop mid-sentence as giggles burst out of her mouth.

“I could’ve said for not pul?—”

I shut her up with my lips on hers, kissing her deeply until she’s panting for air. “You can thank them by coming to the bakery. They won’t stop asking about you coming to see it, and I know they won’t until you go.”

“That’s right. I remember your dad asking me to come see it.”

That stuns me because while he’s immensely proud of it, he’s never gone out of his way to ask my friends or girlfriends to come. “This is official.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’re pretty much part of the family. You really can’t leave me now. If my Dad asked you personally, that means we’re married. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.”

She laughs, chest shaking against mine. “That makes no sense.”

“Humor me, baby,” I say against her cheek before I kiss it.

“I didn’t see you kneel or give me a ring. So, no.”

I sit us up and stand, heading for the bathroom. “I don’t have a ring with me, but I’ll kneel for you right now.”

“I guess I’ll take it,” she aloofly says, but I hear the glee in her voice she’s trying to hold back.

“And you’ll be a good girl while you do.”

I hear the hitch in her breath when I set her down.