Always a Stand-In

ie's

hue over the silk sheets. Rain drummed lightly against the window, the scent

entle yet distant. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his hea

t was real. That for once, I wasn't

I murmured, my fingers light

his lips curving into

your mind is s

f my hair behind my ear before pulling me into a slow, lingering kiss. His li

I let myself

if we were both trying to convince oursel

ips whispering my name like a silent promise. Bu

a goo

thought, but I pushed it away,

to face the t

eets. Daniel lay beside me, his arm draped lazily over my waist. His fingers mo

e barely above a whisper

ow chuckle. "I

to work," I pressed, s

and over his face. "You kn

it's

ties," he said, his

me. Of course, he had responsibilities. Daniel Si

, something about the

to question him furt

he quiet like a knife

the device on the nightstand. He gla

ked, trying to ke

cy," he muttere

d. "At t

ready reaching for his

. His movements were rushed, his fingers

at moment

as l

ed silent, my nails digging into the sheets

ertainty-before plastering on a reassu

. Then he was gone, leaving behind the scent o

the closed door. My fingers curled around the sh

een distant, but to

was hiding

ould even think about checking Daniel's second phone-the one he

my breat

wn Nu

before answe

asked-it was one of the night

I answered, my

a patient in labor-severe contractions,

merg

th, nodding even thou

minutes," I said firmly,

houghts kept drift

cies at the

ere th

feeling that his emergency had