Breathe by Kristy Kay Page A

Daniel still hadn’t opened his eyes but he let his arms relax so Cora could take Jamie from him. My heart warmed at the protective way he had protected the boy to the detriment of himself. Tyler looked him over quickly and tried to keep Daniel from sitting up but Daniel shook him off.
    “I am fine. No need to hover.” He staggered to his feet but when he swayed, I stepped forward, putting my arm around his waist and his arm around my shoulder.
    “Why must you be stubborn?”
    He looked down at me with eyes clearly glazed with pain but he smiled. Joey walked by and shook his head.
    “See? I told you, you are not wise.”
    “I have had worse cracks on the head then that missus. Believe me.” His Irish brogue was extremely thick as we walked slowly back to the tree where Lily and the girls were. I sank down beside it, he settled down next to me. I gasped when he lay down, placing his head in my lap. “My mum used to rub my temples when I had a headache. Will you do that?”
    Tyler handed me a pack of ice in a towel. “Put this on the back of his head mom. He should be fine, there is no blood and the knot isn’t that big, but we need to watch him. He can’t go to sleep and no pain meds at least for now.” I nodded, lifting his head up just enough to place the ice on the back of his head then settled him back gently against me. I lifted my hand and rubbed his temples softly, and as gently as I could. He moaned, his eyes opening to look up at me. I gazed down at him looking for signs of a concussion. Listing the symptoms in my head as I took inventory.
    “I would love to think that you are gazing adoringly down at me but I can see your eyes calculating and thinking, so clearly I'm just getting my hopes up for nothing.”
    I smiled. “I am making sure your eyes are not dilated, or doing things they shouldn’t. Looking for signs of confusion or sensitivity to light. You know trying to make sure we don’t have to carry your ass to the car and then to an emergency room.” He grinned up at me.
    “Like you could carry me. I am a big strapping man, and you my grá are a tiny woman.” He grabbed one of my hands, measuring it next to his large ones. “With extremely tiny hands.” He brought the hand to his mouth, placing a soft kiss against the palm, wrapping my fingers tightly around it. “Hands that I wouldn’t mind caressing other parts of my body, not just my head.” I gasped at his words and the dark look he was giving me, one I hadn’t seen from a man in a very long time. I shook my head.
    “You hit your head pretty hard, Daniel.” I moved my hand back up to continue rubbing his temples. He grabbed my hands again and looked up at me with an intense look in his eyes.
    “And what has that got to do with it?”
    “It just means you aren’t thinking right. You may feel a little off, you know I am me and you...” I trailed off, embarrassed. Shrugging as I looked down at my hands being held in his. He lifted my chin until I was looking down into his eyes.
    “Kathryn, it has nothing to do with the crack on the head. I have wanted your hands on me since yesterday.” I searched his blue eyes, feeling my heart skip with what he was saying. But I forced it down, this man knew how to talk to women, charm them so easily. He may mean the words on some level but not the way I needed them to be. I took my hands back, placing them on the ground beside me.
    “How is Mr. Crash-a-lot doing?” We both looked up as Joey knelt beside us. “You think you can walk back to the SUV? Looks like it may start raining. I don’t want the girls out if it does but I am not carrying your lazy ass.” Daniel glared up at him but slowly sat up, leaning against the tree next to me.
    “You are such a jackass mate. Give my head peace.”
    “Well you have until I get everything in the car. Then I am leaving you here, holding up that tree.” I would have been upset at Joey’s words if I wasn’t looking right at him. He was concerned