He was trying to change the subject and she wasn’t sure why. “Diesel,” she said, leaning across the table urgently, gripping his forearm. “You got tested, right? I told you to that day you visited me in the hospital.” When she’d told him that she wasn’t looking for a relationship and that he should move on and find someone else. “I know the doctors told you to. I made sure they did.”

He froze, his eyes dropping to where she was touching him. When he looked up, the sweetness was gone, replaced by a hunger that made her suck in another breath, shivers racing all over her skin. She let him go, breathing hard, wanting to look away again, but unable to.

“Did you get tested?” she whispered. “Please tell me you did.”

He leaned forward in his chair until their faces were only inches apart. “Every six months for the last eighteen,” he whispered back. “But I knew I’d be negative. You were working in the emergency room at the time. I knew you wouldn’t knowingly place anyone in danger, so you had to be undetectable. Undetectable means untransmittable, right? That’s what the experts say.”

“Right,” she murmured, but his closeness had shivers running down her spine. Her gaze slid to his lips, wishing she could feel them on her own. Just once. But once would never be enough. So she eased back into her chair and closed her eyes, flattening her hands on the table, willing her heart to slow to a normal rhythm.

Which would be so much easier if he weren’t looking at her. Even with her eyes closed she could feel his gaze, heavy and wanting.

And she wanted, too. So much.

She swallowed hard. “Every six months?”

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I’m fine, Dani.”

“I should have asked you directly long before today. I’m sorry.”

She flinched when his hand covered hers, large and warm. “Given how your uncle and aunt have been treating you, I guess I understand why you didn’t want to bring it up,” he said calmly. Soothing me.

The seconds ticked by as neither of them moved. He sat patiently, his thumb caressing her skin, as shame washed through her.

Look at him. He deserves that much. She opened her eyes and found him staring at her, just as she’d known he would be. There was no recrimination in his gaze. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she managed to choke out. “I still should have asked you. Thank you again . . . for saving my life.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I wouldn’t have been able to watch you die, even if I’d known your status before you were stabbed.” He held her gaze for several more hard beats of her heart, then pulled his hand away.

She almost grabbed it back. Almost.