The window frame croaks as Daniel shuffles it up and hops through, he's certainly getting much better at climbing through it. I check the page number in the book before sliding it onto the side table and hopping out of bed.

He wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me up to peck my lips. His hand slides down the curve of my back and squeezes my bum. I hook my arm around his neck and steal another kiss. Daniel places his forehead against mine and sighs.

Daniel's muscles relax under my embrace, then I slide back down to the ground. His hands slide back to my hips and his thumbs rub over the soft material of my grey pajama shirt. His gentle touch sends tingles shooting up my spine.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I got caught up."

His vague answer has me curious about what held him up, but I don't dig for answers. Daniel is certainly not Craig.

"Oh." I frown. "It's okay, you're here now."

"Today went extra slow." He groans. "I was so excited to be back here with you."

"Welcome back." I grin.

Daniel looks over my shoulder and spies the laptop on the bed. His cheeky grin sparks some kind of desire in my sex-deprived body but I shake my head.

"Do you want to watch a tv show or movie?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"There are some options." I tangle my fingers together and smile. By options, I have one option in mind and I doubt he'd want to watch it.

"We can watch whatever you like." Daniel stifles a yawn.

"Really?" I gasp.

"I'll probably fall asleep ten minutes into it, so pick whatever you want."

"We're watching TVD and don't fall asleep too soon, I want to see which team you're on."

Daniel looks at me blankly and blinks his eyelids a couple of times.

"I have no idea what I've agreed to and I'm a little worried now." I chuckle which only deepens the frown lines on Daniel's face. It's true, he really has no idea what he's gotten himself into.

Daniel strips out of his clothes and we climb under the covers. He presses his chest against mine and hooks his leg over mine. I press play on The Vampire Diaries and the first episode begins. Daniel's hand slips under my t-shirt and rests on my hip. He strokes my hip with his thumb and the small gesture makes my heart soar.

We watch in silence until my phone pings. It's sitting on the side table out of reach. It pings again and I get the itch to check just in case it's something important. I wiggle up and grab my phone.

"Ew." I groan.

"What's wrong?" He laughs.

I flop onto the bed and roll onto my back.

"Craig messaged me."

"Craig, as in your ex?" Daniel asks.

"Yeah." I sigh.

I open the message just in case it's important, but I also don't want Daniel to think I'm hiding something from him by not opening it.

'I'm throwing a last minute birthday party this weekend. I'm hoping you and Noah can come. Mum's looking forward to seeing you.' - Craig.

"He's inviting Noah and I to his birthday party."

"Oh." It's dark in the bedroom and there's not enough light emitting from the laptop to see his facial features and what he's actually thinking about.

"He probably just invited me because Noah's been upset during visits." I roll my eyes. "Probably because he doesn't spend enough time with him."

"Possibly," he comments.

"I would rather stick needles in my eyes than hang out with my ex."

Daniel chuckles and kisses my shoulder.

"You could ask Noah if he wants you to go. If he's happy to go alone, then you don't have to worry about taking him."

I'm taken aback by the suggestion.

"That's a good idea. Thankfully his family is nice and they adore Noah."

"Perhaps if they're going to be there, Noah will be fine to go alone?"

I bite my lip and look up at Daniel.

"Would you be upset if I went to the party?"

Daniel exhales a breath, then tugs on my wais. I roll onto my side and come face-to-face with him. He grips my face and his blue eyes intensely stare into mine.

"I would never be upset or mad about you spending time together. Craig's the father of your child and you're bound to spend time together. I would be jealous that he gets to spend time with you because I can't seem to get enough of you." He smirks.

His lips softly brush against mine and then the kiss grows hungry because I can't get enough of him either. My toes curl and my heart races. His kisses are addictive. I pull back and press my forehead against his.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're too understanding." I sigh.

"What happened to make you think this reaction isn't reasonable?"

I frown.

Craig.

"Um."

Daniel rubs the frown away from my forehead and kisses it. An aching pain grows in my chest and I blink back the tears filling my eyes.

"I didn't realise how emotionally manipulative Craig was until I fell pregnant with Noah. Sometimes I wonder how I never saw the warning signs, they're so obvious now, it's painful. I have no idea how I thought Craig was the love of my life."

"Sometimes love can be blinding, Ellie."

"So blinding." I sniffle.

Daniel wipes a stray tear from my cheek with his thumb.

"Craig never wanted me to have Noah, and he kept pushing to have an abortion. From the moment I saw the pink lines on the test, I knew I could never do it."

"Wow." He gasps.

"Sure, we were kind of young and had no plans of having children, but it happens." I sniffle. "Raising him alone doesn't scare me."

Daniel just holds me and it's the safest I've felt despite being so vulnerable right now.

"I never want Noah to miss out on a single damn thing, including knowing his father but Craig makes it so hard. When they placed him in my arms, you can't imagine the love and protectiveness you feel over your own child. I would die for this kid and I have to pester Craig to spend time with him. I just, I don't understand."

"I don't know, baby, I don't know," he mutters.

Silent tears stream down my cheeks, but Daniel is there brushing them away.

Daniel lays on his back and tugs me onto his chest. One hand rubs my arm while the other tangles into my hair. He presses kisses against my hair and just holds me.

"So Craig's an asshole and I really would rather stick needles in my eyes than hang out with him."

"I wish I could turn back time and take all this hurt from you, but I don't have a time machine unfortunately. I can promise that I'll never hurt you like that."

I rub my hands over my face and take a deep breath.

"I'm-"

"Don't you dare apologise for your feelings."

I laugh because if I don't, I'll cry again.

"Can we keep watching the show now?"

"Of course."

I turn back around and wipe the remainder of the tears off my face. He pulls me back into his warm embrace and this time, it's a little stronger but I like the comfort it brings.

Why couldn't I have met Daniel first? It would have saved me a lot of heartache.  

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