Chapter Three
Daniel fell back a step. Jack’s daughter? At least he’d found out her name, he thought bitterly. Story. Story Brooks. Fate had a funny way of screwing with him. He meets a woman who knocks him on his ass, makes him crazy for the sight and taste of her, only to find out she’s his friend and mentor’s only daughter. Until today, he’d hardly given a thought to the rarely-spoken-about Story. He and Jack didn’t make a habit of swapping stories about their personal lives. Their relationship was based around negotiation tactics and training methods. In their five-year association, he’d probably mentioned his daughter once in passing, and Daniel, sensing she was a sensitive subject, had let it drop.
Knowing her identity in advance wouldn’t have made a difference, though. His reaction would have been the same no matter how or when they’d met. Shaking his head to clear it, he refocused on the conversation taking place in the next room.
“You shouldn’t have come all this way. I’m going to be just fine after a little R & R.” Jack wheezed, making Daniel flinch. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I’m just surprised that you came.”
“Surprised I’d drop everything to come take care of my father who I only speak to on birthdays and holidays? I’m a little surprised, too.” She paused. “I’ve never been to New York, though. It seemed like a good excuse.”
“I see you haven’t changed one bit,” Jack responded good-naturedly. “Story, I should tell you…your mother mentioned what happened last night. I’m sorry.”
Daniel frowned, wondering what Jack meant.
“Don’t be sorry,” she said briskly. “It’s not as if it’s your fault.”
“Yes, well…” He trailed off. “My colleague should be here any minute. He has the spare key to my place. I’m sure you want to get settled in.”
Daniel took that as his cue to stop eavesdropping like a teenager and face the music. He walked inside, his gaze immediately colliding with Story’s confused one. Keeping his face clean of any recognition, he diverted his attention toward Jack.
“Ah, speak of the devil and he appears.” Jack gestured with a weak wave. “Daniel, meet my daughter, the kindergarten teacher. Story just flew in from California this morning.”
He pasted on what he hoped was a warm smile and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Story.”
She didn’t move. Jack watched them expectantly from his reclined position in the bed and Daniel widened his eyes slightly at Story to nudge her into action. With a little head shake, she placed her hand in his, the contact generating a burst of static.
“Um. Likewise.”
Jack addressed his daughter once more. “Detective Chase here started as an apprentice and is now an expert negotiator in his own right. We’ve been working together for about five years.”
She bobbed her head once. “That’s…great.”
“Kindergarten teacher, huh?” Daniel couldn’t keep the amusement from his face. He never would have pegged the girl who’d told him he was full of shit as a kindergarten teacher. “I’m sure the kids keep you on your toes. And vice versa.”
“You seem pretty sure about a lot of things,” she said under her breath.
It took considerable effort to maintain his casual posture with her standing so close, talking to him in that husky way of hers. He felt anything but casual. The need she’d stirred in him moments before, when they’d only been strangers, hadn’t been diminished by learning she was Jack’s daughter. In fact, it grew stronger by the second.
From the hospital bed, Jack cleared his throat, catapulting Daniel back to reality. “Story, would you mind grabbing me a cup of coffee from the cafeteria? The stuff they’re bringing me isn’t worth a damn.”
Her hand slipped from his. “Sure, Dad.”
As he watched Story disappear through the hospital room door, he felt Jack’s gaze burning into the side of his head. He pasted a casual expression onto his face and turned. “You didn’t mention your daughter was coming to New York.”
“Don’t even think about it, Danny.”
Damn. “Boss?”
Jack pointed toward the hallway, a look on his face that clearly said, you’re not fooling anyone, buddy. “Whatever you’re thinking, forget it. She is in no place right now to field your advances.”
“Why is that?” Daniel asked. Jack gave him a black look and he backpedaled. “Not that I’m interested in…advancing on her. Obviously. I’m just curious about the second part. Is something wrong?”
Jack sighed heavily. “The trip was…spontaneous. The asshole doctor she was planning on marrying in two weeks’ time broke off their engagement last night.”
Daniel’s heart pounded furiously in his chest, drowning out the beeping machines. She’d been engaged up until last night. Her distant expression when he came upon her in the hallway crept into his mind. Now he knew why that particular look had bothered him so much. Heartbreak. “Son of a bitch.”
Jack shrugged his broad shoulders. “Fisher wasn’t right for her. Some distance from the situation will do her a world of good.”
“Distance. Right.” Daniel drifted from the conversation, wrestling with the image of Story and this Fisher. A man who’d apparently hurt her enough to send her flying across the country. The notion didn’t sit well with him. When Jack cleared his throat, he snapped out of his dark thoughts, only to find his mentor watching him closely. Too closely.
When Jack finally spoke, Daniel could practically hear an ax whistling toward his neck. “I’ve never addressed your fucked-up track record with women, because hell, mine isn’t all that sparkly either. This is different. She is my daughter and she’s vulnerable after her breakup. I won’t have you taking advantage of her. She came here to heal, not to be your latest conquest. Hands. Off. My daughter.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. Apparently his mentor didn’t think very highly of him. For good reason. His history with women happened to be abysmal, to put it mildly. No father in his right mind would want him anywhere near his daughter. He quickly made a joke to dispel the twinge in his chest. “Great to see the heart attack did nothing to dull your good humor.”
“This isn’t a laughing matter.” Jack made an impatient noise. “I hate being stuck in this hospital bed the first time she’s ever come to visit me. I can’t do a damn thing for her. Would you mind giving her a ride to my place?”
Daniel gave his head a quick shake. “Whoa. Wait. You just said—”
“What? You can’t drive her home without physically accosting her?”
“I’ll drive her home,” Daniel assured Jack quickly before he got too upset and set off the heart monitors. He’d have a lovely time explaining that to Story. “You can relax. She’s safe with me.”
“Good. I’m counting on it.” Jack lowered his voice when footsteps sounded once more in the hallway, moving toward the room. “She’s in a strange city and I need someone to look out for her. I suppose you’re my only option. But remember what I said. Keep it zipped.”
Story walked back into the room then and Jack brightened. “There she is. The girl of the hour.” She glanced over at Daniel with a small smile. From behind Story’s back, Jack slashed his index finger across his throat.
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
Chapter Four
Story and Daniel didn’t speak after trading stilted good-byes with Jack. On the elevator ride to the hospital lobby, the tension lay palpable between them. Story collected her two pieces of luggage from the pay locker, shrugging when Daniel insisted on carrying them for her. He’d parked his black department vehicle directly outside the entrance so they didn’t have far to walk.
After freezing in the subzero temperature of the hospital, Story welcomed the blast of July heat outside. Then immediately wanted to run back into the air-conditioned hospital. The humidity radiated off the sid
ewalk without a hint of breeze to soften the blow. New Yorkers hustled past in every direction, somehow managing not to run smack into one another. A dozen scents hit her at once. Car exhaust, meat being grilled by a sidewalk vendor, and was that…a slight hint of urine?
Daniel opened the passenger side door for her, meeting her eyes as she slipped into the seat. A different kind of heat trickled through her. At this rate, the combination of Daniel and the humidity would melt her into a puddle before dinnertime. He ducked into the driver’s side, his solid frame making the car feel infinitely smaller. Putting them much too close.
Discreetly, she hoped, Story studied his profile. Strong jaw, stubborn chin, deep black hair brushing the collar of his dress shirt. As he pulled into traffic, his teeth bit down into his lower lip in an unconsciously sensual gesture. Every movement of his body screamed sex. Combined with his ladies, ladies, there’s enough of me to go around vibe, she could understand why women stopped to gawk at him on the sidewalk. She couldn’t deny his magnetism. The guarantee of satisfaction practically radiated from him.
She wanted nothing to do with such an obvious ladies’ man, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t think about what it would be like. To let him “take her to lunch,” so to speak. She’d watched him peruse her body hungrily through the vending machine glass when he thought she wasn’t looking. A man who looked and acted like Daniel knew his way around a woman’s body, but she didn’t intend to assist him in honing his skills any further. She’d leave those honors to Nurse Helen.
But she could imagine. Later. Like when he wasn’t sitting five feet away.
Unable to stand the silence or her own pointless thoughts any longer, Story finally spoke. “So. That was an interesting turn of events.”
Daniel slanted a look in her direction. “Yeah. Interesting.” He didn’t elaborate.
Determinedly, she tried again. “I mean, you have to admit, this feels a lot like daytime television. Dad sick in the hospital…in walks semi-estranged daughter…” Nothing from Daniel. She had the sudden urge to shake him. “You and Jack seem close. I imagine he wouldn’t be too thrilled to know you made a pass at me.” With satisfaction, she watched his knuckles go white on the steering wheel.