The living area was dark when she walked out of her bedroom. Only the light from the city outside helped her find her way past the sofa to the kitchen area, her feet padding softly against the cool tiles. She’d reached out for the light switch, sliding her hand up and down the wall until she finally found it.
And then she’d jumped like hell, because Daniel was sitting on one of the leather stools, leaning on the breakfast bar and staring out of the windows.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack.” She pressed her hand against her chest, feeling her heart hammer against it. Daniel’s gaze followed her movement.
“Sorry.” His smile was almost boyish. “I kept the light off because I didn’t want to disturb you.” He looked a little gaunt beneath the harsh strip light. His hair was mussed, and he was wearing a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants. It was the most casual she’d ever seen him.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked. “Have you checked your blood sugar?”
He lifted a brow. “You sound like my mother.”
“I’m just worried, that’s all.” She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water.
“My levels are fine. I checked when I came in here.” A smile played at his lips as he looked at her. “Thanks to you.”
Silence fell between them. A trail of condensation ran down her hand from where she was holding the bottle. “I guess I should go back to bed,” she said, twisting the bottle in the air as though it explained everything. “Good night.”
She turned to go and he called out to her. “Becca?”
“Yeah?” She looked over her shoulder.
He lifted his head, his eyes catching hers. They looked bluer, less dark than earlier. “What’s keeping you awake?”
She turned around, her fingers still curled around the bottle. “Knowing I have to get up early tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to get up early. You can sleep in.”
She shook her head. “I need to leave first thing. I have a hundred things to catch up with at work.”
“Because I dragged you away at lunchtime yesterday.”
She smiled. “Something like that.”
“At least stay for breakfast. I’ll order in. If you’re desperate to leave you can go after that.”
She nodded. “Sounds good.”
She took half a step back, but didn’t turn away from him. There was something softer between them now. Not the heat of earlier. But more of a gentle cotton sheet that caressed and soothed her.
He exhaled heavily. She could see a cord of muscles in his neck. “We should probably talk about what happened earlier.”
Becca’s chest tightened. “Should we?”
He gave a little laugh. “Maybe something to talk about when it isn’t the middle of the night.”
Her muscles relaxed at the reprieve. She really didn’t want to hear him telling her what a mistake it was. It had been written on his face as he ran away from her earlier. “My job’s okay though, right?”
He blinked, absorbing her words. “Of course your job’s okay. What do you take me for?”
“I don’t know.” She tightened her grip on the bottle. “It’s just that I love working at GSC. It’s important to me.”
His gaze locked on hers. “Your job’s not in danger. Not only because you could sue me if it was.”
“Oh.” She pulled her lip between her teeth. “I see.”
He raked his fingers through his dark hair. “That didn’t come out as I’d intended. I just wanted you to know you’re protected. You don’t need to worry about your job.”
“It’s fine.” It really wasn’t. She took another step back. “I’m going to try to get some sleep.”