He smiled then, a real one that transformed his face. “Yeah, I was on the west coast. Baseball, not football.” His voice carried a hint of nostalgia that made him seem younger somehow, more accessible.

Her attempt at not being impressed faltered as she imagined him in a baseball uniform. “Really? My father played baseball. What position?”

“Left field.”

“Ahh, so the slowest one on the team?” She couldn’t help the bit of tease in her voice.

He laughed, the sound warming the space between them. “Ouch. But actually yeah, I was too tall.” His long frame shifted on her couch as if to demonstrate. “Couldn’t crouch properly for the infield. I was third in the order though…” He mimed a batting stance, “just fall forward and then it’s all in the wrists.”

“All in the wrists, huh?” She found herself grinning despite herself.

“Works every time.” He settled back into the couch with an easy confidence.

As they worked side by side, Juniper’s elbow accidentally knocked over a stack of papers, sending them cascading to the floor. She cursed under her breath, bending down to gather them up. To her surprise, Daniel was right there with her, his hands deftly scooping up the scattered documents.

“Sorry, I’m..” she started.

“No worries,” he said at the same time.

As they reached for the same piece of paper, their fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity across her surfaces. She jerked back, her heart pounding, and in her haste, bumped against the bookshelf behind her.