The Winning Element (31 page)
He sat down beside me on the step, stretching his legs out in front of him. We sat in companionable silence, our legs barely brushing. After a long minute, he turned and looked at me. I returned his look, curious about what he wanted. But he just continued staring, not saying anything.
I thought back to weeks ago when we’d been in the elevator and he’d done this same deep looking. “What do you see?” I repeated the same question I’d asked him weeks ago.
David’s eyes crinkled. I
loved
when they did that. He reached over and trailed his finger along my jaw. “I see beauty that almost makes my heart ache. And not just beauty on the outside.” He touched his finger to my heart. “Beauty in here, too.”
loved
when they did that. He reached over and trailed his finger along my jaw. “I see beauty that almost makes my heart ache. And not just beauty on the outside.” He touched his finger to my heart. “Beauty in here, too.”
My heart slammed so hard against my chest wall, I knew he had to feel it, too.
He gave his head a little shake. “When did I become so mushy,” he noted with a chuckle.
I smiled at that. I liked him mushy.
Suddenly, I thought of David’s first solo mission involving me, before I’d even heard of the Specialists. “How hard was it for you when you came to Iowa to . . .” I didn’t want to go into the details. “Well, to get me.”
David linked his pinky with mine. “It was hard lying to you.
TL and I had quite a few heated discussions about it when I would report in.”
“You did?” And to think I’d spent all that time in Iowa dealing with my crush on David, and he’d been struggling with his first mission because of me. So it was quite possible even back in Iowa he liked me more than he let on. He’d said he’d been fighting the whole like-me-as-a-friend/like-me-more thing for months. How long, exactly, had the battle gone on?
I wanted, no, I
needed
to know when he knew he liked me. Love at first sight? Or something he had to warm up to? Not that he’d mentioned love, but you know what I mean. “David, can I ask you one question, and then I promise I’ll never bring it up again.”
needed
to know when he knew he liked me. Love at first sight? Or something he had to warm up to? Not that he’d mentioned love, but you know what I mean. “David, can I ask you one question, and then I promise I’ll never bring it up again.”
He waved me on. “Whatcha got?”
“Way back when you first met me, even though you called me your little sister, did you like me but didn’t want to admit it? Or did I slowly grow on you?” I hoped he didn’t think my questions were stupid.
Playfully, he groaned. “Why do girls always have to know more?”
I waited.
“Yes. Okay? Yes. I thought you were hot when I first met you.”
I grinned. “You thought I was hot?”
“And klutzy.”
“Hey!” I bumped my shoulder to his, enjoying the fun. “Did you know I liked you back in Iowa?”
David bumped my shoulder back. “How could I not when you fell all over yourself every time I came around.”
My jaw dropped. “I did
not
.” Actually, I had.
not
.” Actually, I had.
He put his arm around me, and I scooted closer as we lapsed into more silence. Idly, we watched Mr. Share and Beaker stroll across the grass, going farther and farther away.
“How’s it going with the get-to-know-you-as-a-sister thing?” I asked.
“Good. Beaker said she met some guy CJ in Barracuda Key.” He chuckled. “I’ve only been her brother for a week, but, weirdly enough, I’m feeling protective.”
“What’d she say about CJ?”
“Just that she figured out they really didn’t have anything in common.”
David’s and my phone call from last week popped into my mind, and I finally asked the question that had been bugging me. “Why’d we get disconnected last week? Ya know, when you called?”
“Chapling cut in. That’s when I first found out my dad was coming to Barracuda Key.”
“Oh.” That made sense. And to think I’d obsessed over something so simple.
David leaned over and kissed my neck. “What about that date?” he asked.
"What about it?” I flirted back.
bzzzbzzzbzzz.
With a sigh, I glanced down at my cell clipped to my jeans.
***. TL’s stat code.
I looked at David. “I can’t believe this.”
He pushed to his feet and held his hand out to me. “Here we go again.”
I took his hand and let him pull me up. “I can’t believe I ever threatened to leave. I don’t know what I’d do without this place. Without all of you.”
David squeezed my hand. “We,
I
don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I
don’t know what I’d do without you.”
My face warmed at his comment.
He gave my hand a quick squeeze and led me inside the door. “I’m glad you’re still here.”
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