He was accommodating. Answering her questions with a flat voice and very little enthusiasm.
She could tell she’d hurt him, but she didn’t know how to fix that. He had to know that with their history, it would be stupid to try to make anything work.
Plus, Giselle looked as if she were designed for him. Like they were meant to be together, much more than she and Zach were.
Holding out hope that their relationship would work was foolish. And Danielle wasn’t a fool.
The beats of a familiar slow song started up and Danielle’s ears perked up. It was a song that had been popular growing up. One she associated with Isaac and Zach.
“Can I have this dance?” Zach’s soft, hopeful voice caused her whole body to tingle.
Turning around, Danielle parted her lips, hoping that an excuse as to why they couldn’t dance would emerge. But it didn’t. Not when his pained expression and hopeful gaze met hers.
Out of instinct, she found herself nodding. She hated that Zach was hurting right now. And she hated that she was the cause of it.
“Okay,” she whispered as she allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor.
Her body heated as his hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. His cologne filled her senses and caused her mind to swim. She knew she should step back. She knew she needed to run away. But she couldn’t.
Because being with Zach didn’t hurt as much as not being with him. And she was tired of hurting.
Chapter Fifteen
Holding Danielle close to him was probably the stupidest mistake that Zach had made in a long time.
At least, that was what his mind was telling him as he pulled her against his body and wrapped her hand up with his. The feeling of the small of her back against his palm was causing his heart to hammer. Plus the feeling of her smooth skin against his fingertips as he held her hand made him want to throw caution to the wind and dip down to press his lips to hers.
To show her how he felt. How he was always going to feel about her.
Needing a distraction from his own thoughts, he glanced down at her. “How’s Jesse?”
She tensed, and that confused Zach. Why did she act this way every time he brought up her son? It wasn’t like Jesse was a secret. Zach knew the kid existed.
“He’s fine,” she whispered but kept her eyes trained on his suit coat.
Why wouldn’t she look at him? Had he hurt her that much? Why was she pulling away? All he wanted to do was care about her. To protect her.
“And you? How are you doing?”
That one question made her shoulders sag. The urge to take away all her worries rose up in his chest and he had to fight them back. She hadn’t asked for his help. He needed to remember that before he attempted to show up on a white steed yet again.
“I’m surviving,” she said.
It was killing Zach that all she was giving him were these two word answers. He led her across the dance floor, away from the couples that were dancing. He wanted to reach her and figured a more private setting was the place to do that.
“Danielle, I—”
“I have your key for you. It was nice of you to think about me, but I can’t accept it,” she blurted out and then raised her gaze up to meet his.
He parted his lips, not sure what he should say to that. He wanted to tell her to keep it. That it was a gift. A peace offering for all the stupid things he’d done to her.
“I can’t keep it, Zach. It’s not right.” She gave him a weak smile as she dropped her arms and made her way past the dancing couples and down the lush grass. She was running away. Again.
Zach watched her, an inner tug confusing him. She wanted him to stay away, but he knew no one would love her like he so desperately wanted to love her. And for the first time, he deserved to tell her that.
She was going to hear the one thing she seemed to be fighting against.
So he took off after her. Followed her to the flower garden on the far left portion of Bucky’s property.
