Please Don't Go (The Midnight Strike, #1)

by E. Salvador

I don’t understand why he continues to do nice things for me, but he does and it makes me feel like shit because I see him too and the only nice thing I could think of doing is giving him my house key. As if that’ll make a difference or change his life.

When I gave him the key earlier today, he didn’t say much. I shouldn’t have ignored his silence. I should’ve known it was weird to give that to him. Why would he want to spend more time with me when he has his friends, his own house, and⁠— The front door opening freezes my thoughts. I turn at the sound of heavy footsteps and the familiar deep voice that has been consuming my thoughts. “Honey, I’m home!” Daniel greets and I’m met with the same playful smile when he enters the kitchen. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“I did and unless you don’t want me here, you should get used to seeing my hot face.” My lips twitch. “Hot face?” “Hot face. Hot body. Hot everything.” He raises his hands in surrender but stares at me unapologetically with a shit-eating grin on his face. “This really pretty girl said I’m hot and she’s not wrong.” I roll my lips together to stop myself from smiling. “That girl might’ve been lying to you.” He shakes his head, his damp hair moving with the movement. “I highly doubt that really pretty girl was lying.” My heart rampantly flutters. “You don’t get compliments often, do you? Is that why it went straight to your head?” “I do but not from her.”

“They’re just brussels sprouts.” “Amazing brussels sprouts. These are my⁠—” “Favorite.” My eyebrows furrow. “How’d you know.” A simpering smile curls on his face. “Uh, in your interview you said your favorite meal after training was this. That you could live off this so…”

He studies me, taking in my words, then his eyes sweep over me. My brows scrunch together. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Because my mom would love you,” he says so matter-of-factly it sends a shiver down my spine. “Oh yeah?” I stuff my mouth because I don’t know what else to say and instead look down at my steaming food. Jesus, this salmon is good. “Yeah.” I feel his eyes on me and eventually when I finally cave and look up, he’s still looking at me. “She’d really love you. If you ever meet her, just be warned.”

“Do you want to get married and have kids?” I now ask. “I never thought you’d ask.” He flashes me a haughty smile. “But listen, I’m all for women taking the lead. I’m a supporter and all, but if anyone is going to propose, it’ll be me.” “You’re really willing to spend the rest of your life with me?” I don’t know why I play along but I do. “Yes.” His knuckles brush against mine. My cheeks flame. “Are you sure you want that?” “I’m sure it’s what I need,”

this and more 🤍✨

“So, you want to get married and have kids?” “With you, yeah. Just tell me when and where and I’m yours forever.” Something sounds different now, but I’m sure I’m reading into it. “Be careful what you wish for.” “I know. That’s why I’m wishing for it.” His smile and eyes seem different. Even his voice sounds different.

I bet he’ll make it to the MLB. He’ll have babies with a woman who isn’t emotionally stunted and compared to Wednesday. A woman who has her shit together and didn’t want to kill herself because she forgot how to feel. Yeah, he’ll find a pretty awesome woman to spend the rest of his life with, someone who isn’t me.

Though she could ask me to do just about anything. I’m not sure I’d ever have the ability to say no to her.

Her throat bobs and she sits up straighter. “I may be the last person you want to talk to or even confide in. I’m not good at giving advice or being the most affectionate. I may be overstepping and you can tell me to never bring this up and I won’t, but I just want you to know that I see you. I see you, Daniel,” she reaffirms, like she needs me to understand that she knows what I’m feeling, that she can see it and isn’t going to pretend it’s not there. “I don’t want you to feel like you need to make yourself cheerful or useful in order to be around me. I just want you to be you. And if you need someone to talk to, vent to, someone who will just listen, I’m here.” Her brown eyes level with mine as she says that. “But if you don’t, that’s okay, too.”

“Kiss my shoulder.” “What?” I croak but then clear my throat. Jesus Christ. “What?” “Put your lips on my shoulder. I’m going to take a picture and send it to her.”

!!!! Man is so gone for her after this

“I’m here,” he says and grabs my hand, making me cup his cheek. He keeps his large palm over my hand, the other still around my shoulder. “Do you feel me?” I sniffle again and nod. “I’m right here,” he fervently says. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I’m going to pretend you don’t enjoy my presence as much as I enjoy yours.” He grins. “You enjoy my presence?” I make it sound playful but really, I’m a little desperate to hear him say yes. Because as stupid as it’s going to sound, I want to hear someone say it again. Someone to say how much they like being around me. “Yes.” He doesn’t miss a beat when he answers. “I love being around you and doing things with you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

DANIEL “You know, friends with benefits is a thing,” Gray starts. JOSEFINE “It was made for people like you and Danny,” Vi supplies, mischief thick in her voice. DANIEL “I swear if you guys don’t stop talking about it, I’m going no contact,” I warn because they have been talking about this for almost two hours. This is getting ridiculous. JOSEFINE “I’m going to walk out if you don’t stop because this is getting ridiculous,” I threaten because she keeps going on and on about the hypotheticals. “He’d have to be remotely interested in me for any of your scenarios to happen and he’s not.”

“So you don’t believe that someone out there is made for you?” There’s a pang in my chest at the question. “No and I’m okay with it. I’ve seen what love does and it’s definitely not something I think I’m cut out for. I mean look at Daniel and Amanda: she hurt him, but he still wants her or at least still has feelings for her. Bryson did what he did, and I can’t help but feel repulsed by him.”

“Yeah, sure whatever but ‘just friends’ don’t keep a single rhinestone in their wallet. Just saying.” “Penelope, shut the fuck up.” I sigh as all their eyes dart to me.

he kept the rhinestone that fell from Josie that night of the party in his wallet!!!! omfg what a man

“You got a praise kink I don’t know about?” “I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.” He smirks.

“You seriously can’t tell me you don’t feel that?” Vi says once we’re out of earshot. I grab my water bottle and hand her hers. “Feel what?” She softly groans, eyes widening as if she were asking are you for real? “The insane chemistry between you and Danny. Like please just fuck,” she exasperatedly whispers that word. “Already.”

“You’re killing me, Josie.” She tips her head back and grumbles, “Killing. Me.”

Vi is so me ahahah. Love her and her friendship with Josie

I really wish I could because maybe then I’d believe that someone decided to look past my flaws and like me anyway because I was enough it didn’t matter. But things don’t work that way. No one just looks past the flaws and decides they like you that much to stay. Maybe it works for other people but not for me.

Vienna’s a romantic. Anything and everything is a little love story waiting to happen. I don’t get her fascination with falling in love, but she’s a firm believer of that word. Also, she’s a huge fan of paranormal romance.

him with the net between us. “Daniel?” “Yes, Josefine?” His voice is light and teasing but haughty. “Disrespectfully, fuck off.” Mine, not so much. He throws his head back and laughs. “I like it when you’re mean to me.” “I thought you were into being praised?” I say, a little quiet and playful. “I’m into anything you do,” he murmurs just as quietly and playfully. Then he winks at me and we part.

“Stop looking at me.” “I made it with lots of love, so I need to see you fall in love with it,” Kai explains. “He’s weird like that,” Angel says through a mouthful. “What’s your excuse?” I question Daniel. “Seeing you try something new.” He grabs his phone and holds it up. My cheeks burn. This can’t be happening. “What are you doing?” “I’m going to record your first spam musubi experience.” I hear the smile in his voice, but now I’m self-conscious because everyone is staring at me.

“Yeah, I’m too hot to fight over a guy. If I ever do, please take me out.” She scowls. “Look at me, I’m gorgeous. I shouldn’t have to vie for any man’s attention. Fuck that.” She pretends to gag.

White dots dance in my vision, my heart and lungs slowly shutting down from the lack of oxygen until I lock eyes with my favorite pair.

“Te gusta?” “Mamá, por Dios es mi⁠—” “Tell me the truth,” she incessantly demands. “I’ve only known her for six weeks.” “Your father knew me for a week and knew I was the one.” “Yeah, well this is different,” I retort and attempt to pull my head back, but she has a strong grip on my chin. “She’s really pretty.” She is, she really fucking is.

I really need you.

He holds the note up for me to read. I’m so happy you’re here!

“I needed this. I needed you,” he murmurs against my chest, the deep rasp of his voice vibrating against me.

“It’s just a hug,” I heedlessly reply. “A hug that came from you. This is all I wanted.”

I cradle his cheek, gently caressing it with the pad of my thumb. “You matter, Daniel.”

“Don’t hide,” I softly say, letting those two words seep in our bubble and hoping he’s absorbing them, hearing them, feeling them. “I’m right here.”

“I’m not going to stroke your ego, Garcia.” “But I want you to stroke it,” he utters throatily then tenses like he’s realized what he said but doesn’t correct himself. “Just once. That’s all I want. Please,” he gruffly says. The last word leaving his lips is an impatient and eager plea; it’s far too enthusiastic but also heated with urgency. “Josefine, please.”

I click my tongue, sighing like I’m disappointed. “That wasn’t good enough.” “Please, Josefine, just say it once. Only once, that’s all I want. Please say it,” he pleads incessantly and then switches to Spanish. My weakness. “Por favor dímelo. Nomás una vez. Hago lo que tú quieras.”

Is it really out of your system? It’s not out of mine.

Instead, I say, “One day, it’ll be you and me down there.” He looks up at me, smiling wide, those dimples on display. “One day.”

She and that kiss is all that I’ve been thinking about, dreaming about, wishing about. God, it’s all I fucking want,

I rub the nape of my neck, dropping my gaze to the floor. My heart rockets, taking off, and fireworks explode. She doesn’t need to be in front of me anymore. I don’t need to see her smile for them to appear. Just the mere thought of her makes me feel…me.

Angel smiles, clicking his tongue. “You’re so fucking cute. You’re going to make me throw up.”

An explosion of yellow. A variety of yellow flowers with the exception of a few whites scattered here and there litter my kitchen and living room. The last time I saw this many flowers was when Mom passed, but these aren’t those kinds of flowers.

he got her a shit tons of flowers for Valentine’s Day!!!mh heart hurts

“So, you, me, the couch. It’s a date.” I hear the hitch in her breath and catch the way her chest rapidly expands for a second before it falls. “We live together. It doesn’t need to be a date.” “It’s Valentine’s Day. Humor me, Jos,” I playfully supply. I’d prefer it to be real. I want it to be real. I want and need her but…I’m too fucked up. So, playing pretend will probably be the only way I get to have her.

She’s still staring at me with that same patient look of hers. She doesn’t have a lot of that, I’ve noticed. But for me, her eyes are drowning with all the patience in the world.

“Use me,” he desperately fills, cutting me off so urgently I almost don’t think I heard him right until he repeats it. “Use me. Distract me. I don’t care what you do but use me.”

“Josie, my sweet ray of sunshine, be so for real.” “What?” I answer, bemused. “He bought you flowers.” She waves her hand over to the yellow flowers littering my house. Yeah, I still can’t get over that and Vi lost it when she saw them and I told her they were from him. “These aren’t just because flowers. These are I care about you flowers. I think about you flowers. I want you flowers. You mean a lot to me flowers. No guy goes out of their way to buy a shit ton of flowers if you don’t mean something to them. These are I like you flowers.”

“So what are you doing here?” I ask. “Celebrating with you, of course.” “You realize we’re standing on the staircase. Pretty positive this doesn’t count as celebrating.” “It is as long as you’re spending it with the person you want to be with.” He stares at me so endearingly, it makes my skin itch again. “How we celebrate doesn’t matter, as long as I get to be with you.”

He stares at me like I’m his most prized possession—something delicate, something important to him. And I hate that because I’m not special, yet he makes me feel like I am.

I couldn’t decide which yellow flower to get, so I got one of each. Although I didn’t mean to get two dozen of each, but it was the best mistake of my life. Whenever we’re in the kitchen or living room, I’ll catch Josie smiling as she’s looking at them. She’s even taken a few to her room. And she’s been diligently replacing their water, so they still look good for it being two weeks since I gave them to her.

She shouldn’t but I can’t help that my body begs for her in the way it never has for anyone else. Begs, yeans, needs. My body is desperate. No, I’m desperate.

I remember everything about you.

I’m not what she needs, but she’s who I want.