“What would you like to know about me?”

“Nothing. I’m not going to lunch with you.” Blue-green eyes scanned the surrounding hallway. “In fact, being that we’re in a hospital, it just occurred to me that you could be an escaped mental patient. Maybe I should call for help.”

He gave up the battle with his smile. “I’m taking you to lunch, sunshine.”

“Like hell you are, trail mix.”

“My name is Daniel.”

“And who are you here to see, Daniel?” She tilted her head, one elegant hand reaching into his pocket to pluck out Helen’s number and wave it in his face. “Besides the nurses.”

God. Damn. Daniel felt as though he’d been dealt a knockout blow. For the first time in at least a decade, he’d been rendered completely speechless. She didn’t wait for a response, just winked at him as she turned and sauntered toward the front desk, tossing Helen’s number into the trash as she passed. After a brief stop at the nurse’s station, she turned down the corridor without looking back once.

She. He hadn’t even found out her f**king name. Disgusted with himself, Daniel mobilized, catching sight of her just as she stopped outside one of the hospital rooms. Unaware that he watched, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, appearing to steel herself for what lay on the other side. Something foreign clutched inside his chest at seeing her so vulnerable, but Daniel hung back, knowing she would resent any intrusion.

Finally, she straightened her spine and reached down to push open the door. Daniel followed slowly, but froze completely when he heard Jack’s weakened voice emanating from inside.

“Story.”

“Hey, Dad.”

Chapter Three

Daniel fell back a step. Jack’s daughter? At least he’d found out her name, he thought bitterly. Story. Story Brooks. Fate had a funny way of screwing with him. He meets a woman who knocks him on his ass, makes him crazy for the sight and taste of her, only to find out she’s his friend and mentor’s only daughter. Until today, he’d hardly given a thought to the rarely-spoken-about Story. He and Jack didn’t make a habit of swapping stories about their personal lives. Their relationship was based around negotiation tactics and training methods. In their five-year association, he’d probably mentioned his daughter once in passing, and Daniel, sensing she was a sensitive subject, had let it drop.

Knowing her identity in advance wouldn’t have made a difference, though. His reaction would have been the same no matter how or when they’d met. Shaking his head to clear it, he refocused on the conversation taking place in the next room.

“You shouldn’t have come all this way. I’m going to be just fine after a little R & R.” Jack wheezed, making Daniel flinch. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I’m just surprised that you came.”

“Surprised I’d drop everything to come take care of my father who I only speak to on birthdays and holidays? I’m a little surprised, too.” She paused. “I’ve never been to New York, though. It seemed like a good excuse.”

“I see you haven’t changed one bit,” Jack responded good-naturedly. “Story, I should tell you…your mother mentioned what happened last night. I’m sorry.”

Daniel frowned, wondering what Jack meant.

“Don’t be sorry,” she said briskly. “It’s not as if it’s your fault.”

“Yes, well…” He trailed off. “My colleague should be here any minute. He has the spare key to my place. I’m sure you want to get settled in.”

Daniel took that as his cue to stop eavesdropping like a teenager and face the music. He walked inside, his gaze immediately colliding with Story’s confused one. Keeping his face clean of any recognition, he diverted his attention toward Jack.

“Ah, speak of the devil and he appears.” Jack gestured with a weak wave. “Daniel, meet my daughter, the kindergarten teacher. Story just flew in from California this morning.”

He pasted on what he hoped was a warm smile and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Story.”

She didn’t move. Jack watched them expectantly from his reclined position in the bed and Daniel widened his eyes slightly at Story to nudge her into action. With a little head shake, she placed her hand in his, the contact generating a burst of static.

“Um. Likewise.”

Jack addressed his daughter once more. “Detective Chase here started as an apprentice and is now an expert negotiator in his own right. We’ve been working together for about five years.”

She bobbed her head once. “That’s…great.”

“Kindergarten teacher, huh?” Daniel couldn’t keep the amusement from his face. He never would have pegged the girl who’d told him he was full of shit as a kindergarten teacher. “I’m sure the kids keep you on your toes. And vice versa.”

“You seem pretty sure about a lot of things,” she said under her breath.

It took considerable effort to maintain his casual posture with her standing so close, talking to him in that husky way of hers. He felt anything but casual. The need she’d stirred in him moments before, when they’d only been strangers, hadn’t been diminished by learning she was Jack’s daughter. In fact, it grew stronger by the second.

From the hospital bed, Jack cleared his throat, catapulting Daniel back to reality. “Story, would you mind grabbing me a cup of coffee from the cafeteria? The stuff they’re bringing me isn’t worth a damn.”

Her hand slipped from his. “Sure, Dad.”

As he watched Story disappear through the hospital room door, he felt Jack’s gaze burning into the side of his head. He pasted a casual expression onto his face and turned. “You didn’t mention your daughter was coming to New York.”

“Don’t even think about it, Danny.”

Damn. “Boss?”

Jack pointed toward the hallway, a look on his face that clearly said, you’re not fooling anyone, buddy. “Whatever you’re thinking, forget it. She is in no place right now to field your advances.”

“Why is that?” Daniel asked. Jack gave him a black look and he backpedaled. “Not that I’m interested in…advancing on her. Obviously. I’m just curious about the second part. Is something wrong?”

Jack sighed heavily. “The trip was…spontaneous. The ass**le doctor she was planning on marrying in two weeks’ time broke off their engagement last night.”

Daniel’s heart pounded furiously in his chest, drowning out the beeping machines. She’d been engaged up until last night. Her distant expression when he came upon her in the hallway crept into his mind. Now he knew why that particular look had bothered him so much. Heartbreak. “Son of a bitch.”

Jack shrugged his broad shoulders. “Fisher wasn’t right for her. Some distance from the situation will do her a world of good.”

“Distance. Right.” Daniel drifted from the conversation, wrestling with the image of Story and this Fisher. A man who’d apparently hurt her enough to send her flying across the country. The notion didn’t sit well with him. When Jack cleared his throat, he snapped out of his dark thoughts, only to find his mentor watching him closely. Too closely.