Tough Love

Chapter Ninety-Nine

Chapter Ninety-Nine

Dani

The first thing I feel when I wake up is panic. I panic because I think Eli has left. I quickly open my eyes and I find him laying next to me, just watching me. I quickly look away, but I don't miss the dazzling smile he shoots me before my head turns. My first thought is, 'Eli doesn't hate me...' This is a revelation for me. I know he's never given me any reason to think he hates me or is going to leave me, but I don't exactly have a rational mind at the best of times. I don't trust easily and just because someone says something, doesn't mean it's true. I was told countless times, 'This won't hurt.' When in actual fact, it probably couldn't have been any more painful. So, for me to actually truly realize that Eli doesn't hate me and he isn't going anywhere, it's a major thing.

Eli's voice is gruff as he says, “Morning sweetheart. How you feeling?”

“Ok. You?”

“Not too shabby. So, we're going to look at a house tomorrow...”

“I know. Are you nervous?”

“Pshhh.... A little...”

I wasn't expecting that answer. Eli is never scared or nervous and I snap my head back to look at him. He's got a boyish grin on his face and the look just makes my heart melt a little.

I'm so shocked by his admission that I blurt out, “How are you nervous? You're never nervous...”

His chuckle reverberates through my arm, that I've just noticed is on his chest. How did I not know that was there? What else have I done without noticing? No, I can't let my mind wander like that, I'll think all sorts of scary things and I don't want to do that. If Eli sees my internal struggle, he doesn't comment on it.

“I'm nervous because I don't want you to look at it and realize you don't want to do this. I don't want it to suddenly hit you and then you want to run away...”

I've got to be honest with him. “Where would I go? What would I even do? In all honesty, what would I do without you?”

He looks touched by my honesty and then he says, “Well, it's a good thing we don't have to find out about that, isn't it? I guess neither of us are going anywhere, well, except for to our own place. The guys are going to my house tonight to help me pack things up. What do you want to do?”

“I'll stay here, if that's ok?”

“Of course. You can do whatever you want, you know that. Come on, we've got to get ready for work.”

Connie and Don have already left by the time Eli and I grab breakfast. I'm secretly happy about this, because I'm not quite ready to face them. I'm embarrassed about the events of last night and I need to figure out how I'm going to explain it. I don't get much time to think about it when we step onto our floor, because we're thrown into a massive work load.

When the guys are on a training session, someone steps up to my desk and I roll my chair back slightly. I really need to pay more attention to my surroundings, rather than the computer screens. The Captain asked me to monitor a drug house, so I've been keeping a close eye on that. As I look away from my screens, I see a worn pair of boots, similar to the ones Eli and the teams wear.

As I lift my head, I see a blonde haired guy staring intently at me. He has a tiny smile on his face as he says, “So, you're Danica, huh?”

“Er, yes sir? How may I help you, sir? Captain Michaels is currently on a call...”