Crossroads

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 was turning into a 3000 word monster, so I'm splitting this into two chapters. This part is a little fluffy, but it sets up what I know you all are really waiting for. Please vote and comment below!

The subsequent six weeks after their first date found Daniela and Angel getting closer and closer. Falling into an easy rhythm, they began hanging out more almost immediately, and spent most of their free time together. From slowly meeting each other's friends to movie nights with Camila, things were getting serious faster than Daniela could have ever imagined. So fast that she was surprised that they hadn't crossed sex off of their to-do list.

"Do you think I'm not giving enough of a green-light? Am I somehow putting myself into the friend zone without realizing it?" Daniela looked over her shoulder as she walked with Lauren from the elevator to the hospital cafeteria. With Lauren's nursing clinical under full swing, they now had two days a week in which both women were at the hospital during the same shift, and they often tried to take a lunch break together. "No Dani, I do not think you have backed yourself into the convent corner," Lauren rolled her eyes as they strolled the long corridor. "But why hasn't he tried to make a move?" Outside of their usual heated makeout sessions, Angel had done nothing to initiate sex with Daniela, and she was worried her shy nature was preventing this next step. 

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because he's trying to be a nice guy? Maybe he wants something different for himself and is trying to take things slow. Either way, if it's bothering you, I think you should bring it up to Angel," Lauren stopped and checked the time on her phone as they approached the long lunch line.

"Bring what up to Angel?" Both women whipped around to see Angel leaning against the railing with a huge grin. "Hey you! What are you doing here?" Daniela reached up and pecked Angel on the lips. "Thought my two favorite medical professionals might be hungry. I stopped by Pop's on the way here." Producing two bags from behind his back, both women cheered their lunchtime hero for the surprise. "I knew it would be worthwhile to keep you around," Daniela teased as she took her bag. "Do you have a second to sit with us and eat?" Angel nodded as they turned and walked towards the courtyard.

Once they neared the elevator, Lauren slyly looked at her phone and came up with an excuse to leave the lovebirds to eat on their own. "You're still coming tomorrow night, right? I need you there for when she flips out about her Texans losing." As the Houston Texans had made it to the Super Bowl, Angel took the opportunity to host a Super Bowl party once Daniela told him what a die-hard fan she was. "Of course! We started cooking yesterday." Hugging Angel goodbye, Lauren winked at Daniela and left to head upstairs.

Eating quickly as she had to get back to her rotation, Daniela slowly lost the courage to bring up the sex issue with Angel as they sat underneath the palm trees. "Who all is coming tomorrow night?" Daniela inquired as she stretched her legs across the bench. "My brother. Some guys from the club. That's about it," Angel shrugged as he rubbed Daniela's calf through her scrubs. "Are you still taking this week off?" Angel asked as he started massaging the other calf. One of the only perks of Daniela's poorly paid internship was the generous vacation time, and she had been planning on taking a full week off to rest and reset. "Yup. Got it approved," Daniela smiled as she sat upright. 

"Bring a bag tomorrow night. You could spend the night if you get smashed," Angel offered casually as they stood up. Daniela's shock at his offer must have come across as displeasure, as Angel quickly backpedaled. "I just mean so you don't have to drive home! I have a guest room," Angel felt his neck flush as he walked her back inside the hospital. "Okay. Thank you," Daniela internally began kicking herself for fumbling this obvious offer to spend the night with Angel. "Of course. Have a good rest of your shift!" Angel hugged Daniela goodbye as he gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Heading back towards his bike, Angel immediately began doubting his assessment of the past six weeks when his phone vibrated with a text from Daniela.

I hope I didn't just make that awkward.

No. Why would you think that?

Because I got weird when you offered to let me stay tomorrow night.

Not at all.

I'd just rather stay in your room instead of the guest room...if you think you can make room for me...

I'll have to move my Beanie Baby collection, but there's definitely room for you in my bed whenever you want to be in it.

Beanie Babies, huh? I pegged you as more of a troll doll kinda guy...

Nope. Just look like one.

Not even

Angel felt his heart soar as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot. He'd been trying to take things slow, but was unsure if Daniela felt the same way about him. She had been the first woman to really make him think of what he wanted from his life, and he would hate to ruin that by falling into his normal patterns. Despite it taking an incredible amount of willpower, he was grateful for the opportunity to get to know her better before moving to the next step.

That night, Daniela and Lauren spent hours finishing up all the food they had prepared for Angel's party, as well as hyping Daniela up for her potential sleepover the next night. Their conversation regarding the topic continued into the next day up until it was time to leave for Angel's house. "Daniela, so help me God if you don't prove to me you have on a bra that matches your underwear, I will call your mother right now and tell her what you're doing tonight," Lauren stood blocking the door as Daniela stared her best friend down. 

"I promise, I'm not wearing a sports bra." Daniela stomped her foot playfully as Lauren glared at her. "I don't believe you." Lauren shrugged as she leaned against the door. The standoff lasted a few seconds more before Daniela cursed and ran back into her bedroom. "I hate you!" Daniela yelled out playfully as she tore apart her dresser looking for the balconette bra she knew was hiding.

"Look, you're letting Angel go behind the velvet ropes tonight. As your friend, I cannot let you do that wearing a bra that came from CVS." Lauren laughed as the two women left their apartment for Angel's house.