The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 154

Chapter 154

Emma’s POV:

Maggie beamed at us, her eyes crinkling with genuine warmth as she handed over two leather bound menus and a vintage fountain pen

You two look absolutely perfect together,” she said, her French accent softening the words into something almost musical. Like you stepped right out of a romantic film.”

My cheeks burned. I wasn’t used to this-being part of a couple that people noticed.

Daniel’s fingers traced an absent pattern on the chair back, and I felt goosebumps rise along my spine despite the warmth of the cafe.

What would you like?” I asked softly, turning to him. My voice came out smaller than I’d intended, almost shy.

“I used to get the croque monsieur and the hot chocolate. They make it with dark chocolate from a little shop in the Latin Quarter. He turned

to me and asked. “Want to try what I had as a student?”

I nodded, my eyes full of anticipation.

Daniel picked up the pen Maggie had left behind and pulled the order pad toward him, writing our table number with his left hand.

I watched as he began scribbling our order-and my eyes widened.

The handwriting was barely legible. Not just messy, but genuinely chaotic-letters running together in a cramped, abbreviated scrawl that looked more like a secret code than actual French words.

“Will Maggie even be able to read that?” I asked, half-joking, half-genuinely concerned.

Daniel glanced up, one corner of his mouth quirking upward. “Harvard Med students all write like this,” he said, his tone light but matter-of- fact. “We call it ‘medical shorthand.”

I studied the illegible script again. “It looks like… organized chaos.”

Accurate description.” He set the pen down and leaned back, that hint of a smile still playing at his lips. “Should we test Maggie’s expertise

Before I could respond, he turned toward the back of the café and called out, “Maggie? We’ve placed our order.”

Maggie appeared at our table, wiping her hands on her apron. She picked up the order slip, squinting at Daniel’s handwriting for exactly two seconds before nodding. “One croque monsieur, one French onion soup, two hot chocolates with extra cream.”

She glanced at Daniel with fond exasperation.” You medical students’ handwriting hasn’t improved one bit. Still looks like a spider fell into an

inkwell and had a seizure.”

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Daniel laughed a real laugh, warm and unguarded. “This is one of our features.”

Maggie swatted his shoulder affectionately before heading back to the kitchen, and I felt something shift in my chest.

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9:04 am P P P P

Chapter 154

I glanced at the slip again, then back at him. “But… the way you just wrote that order, even with your left hand gestured at the messy but clearly practiced scrawl. ‘You could definitely write beautifully if you wanted to.”

His lips curved slightly.

“So how did you learn to write so well with your left hand?” I asked.

Daniel was quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing the rim of his water glass. Then he said, very quietly, “Because I’m naturally left-handed,

Emma.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I’m left-handed.” He picked up his water glass with his right hand, took a sip, set it down with precise control. “The right-hand writing is….

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