He gasped. “Live a little? That’s what you’re suggesting to me right now?”
His eyes dropped to her chest, and then raked back up to her eyes. Her entire body prickled as if it had been dashed with cold water—and then lit on fire. She couldn’t deny how good it felt, especially after the horrifying time she experienced in that dressing room, and even worse, the bathroom back at his apartment. “This is a sophisticated dress,” she tried to explain, straightening her shoulders as if that made her answer more acceptable.
“A sophisticated date might be all right with it, but you agreed to be my date, remember?”
“Did you just insult yourself?”
“Leila,” he sighed, and just like that his anger turned into something else. At first, she didn’t recognize what, until his eyes found hers again, and she it saw it rooted deep in them. He was hurt. “You’re intentionally trying to tempt me. This is our first official date. I’ve waited four years for it, and damn it, I’m trying my best to be a gentleman, but it’s like you’re trying to provoke me into screwing it up.”
Her heart sank to her toes as she realized how much tonight really meant to him. “I wasn’t intentionally trying to ruin it,” she tried.
“Then what are you doing?” he asked, breathless.
She bit her lip, laughing humorlessly as her eyes diverted to her feet. She hadn’t planned to tell him about it. It didn’t mean anything; she knew that. It was ridiculous to dwell on it. “Back at your apartment, when I was in your bathroom…three different women called and left some very disgustingly detailed voicemails for you.”
He deflated into the seat. “They call,” his fingers grazed her hand before he took it, “but it doesn’t mean I answer.”
“I know.” She nodded. “They even mentioned how long it’s been since they’ve heard from you.”
He squeezed her hand tighter. “Then what is it?”
“She was describing her lingerie the same time I realized I’d drastically misjudged my dress size. Then, if all that wasn’t bad enough, every dress I picked out in there didn’t come in the size I needed. I had to settle for this one by default.”
“And that is upsetting to you…” he said, though by the questioning tone in his voice she could tell he was guessing.
“Yes, Henrik, that is upsetting.”
He gave her a dumbfounded look.
“I know it sounds stupid.”
“No. It’s not stupid. Everyone is insecure, Leila. I just never thought you’d be insecure about how you looked, or especially how I reacted to you.”
“It’s a new development,” she said, then groaned.
“One that isn’t necessary,” he laughed, “if you can’t tell by the drool I’m trying to suppress every time I look at you.”
She smiled, and despite her best effort, she felt herself blush. “I know you wanted this night to be perfect, but we’re not perfect. I don’t know how you expect any kind of relationship we have to be.” When he smiled, all she saw was that boy who stole her heart four years ago. “So, instead of trying to be a gentleman, could you just be regular ol’ Henrik tonight?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “You know me.”
“I do.”
“I’m handsy.”
“Yes.”
“Outspoken.”
She nodded in agreement.
“And generally inappropriate in almost every situation,” he added. “The entire Rangers organization is going to be there tonight, along with both our siblings. Trust me, tonight isn’t the night to request this from me.”
“Then this isn’t a real date,” she told him matter-of-factly, “because I don’t want some fake, play-by-numbers relationship. I did that before, remember? Look what it got me. I want to see the real you, or nothing. And if it doesn’t work out, then we’ll know we at least gave it a shot. But if we’re going to do this, and it’s real, then I want you, not you on a leash.”
He watched her evenly, studying her every blink and twitch. “Have you been drinking? Because it just sounded like you said we’re dating.”
She let out an audible huff. “I thought we were entertaining the possibility, you know, for future consideration.”
“Future consideration, huh?” His worry melted easily into a mischievous grin. He leaned up and knocked on the window that separated them from the driver up front. “Hey, Ken,” he announced, “care to take the long way around?”
“What are you doing?”
He gave a noncommittal shrug. “You said you wanted a real date with me, and if you plan on using it to make up your mind about me later, I want to make sure I make a good impression.”
She felt her breath hitch as he turned his eyes back on her. He inched closer. “You bring extra lip gloss in that little bag of yours?”
Again she nodded, her body frozen in anticipation as he drew even closer. “Good. You’re going to need it if you want to convince Austin that I didn’t do this—”
She sucked in a breath, but he already closed the small space between them, his lips on hers, his hand capturing her hair as he tilted her head back, allowing her to sink into him. He parted her lips with his tongue, and the butterflies in her stomach danced.
It had never been like this with Derek.
Natural. Effortless.
His lips automatically set the perfect rhythm while his hand grazed down her side, clutching her hip as she leaned into him. Every cell in her body sparked with an insatiable desire that only he could contain. She gasped against his lips, holding his face with both hands as she tried to catch her breath. “How long does the long way take, exactly?”
“Ten minutes at best,” he breathed, confusion rooted deep on his face. “Why?”
The disappointed groan escaped her lips before she could stop it, and he smiled as she eagerly pulled his lips back to her.
***
Henrik still grinned like an idiot when he stepped out of the car. Honestly, she was too. She attempted to adjust her dress back into proper position. It was trickier than she thought. Henrik snorted next to her and tugged the edge of the fabric at her waist to help move it back into position. “Thanks,” she sighed.
He shrugged. “It was my fault. I warned you that I’m handsy.”
She looked at herself in the reflection of the blacked out car window, noting her own wild expression. Not to mention her hair. It was a train wreck. Henrik laughed behind her.
“It isn’t funny.” She desperately tried to tame the stray hairs.
“It is very funny, actually.” He wrapped his arms all the way around her, pulling her back into his chest. “I still can’t believe you thought I’d want those women, or any woman, when I have the opportunity to be here with you like this.”
She tried really hard not to smile. She turned around and faced him. The new Henrik really was impossible to deny. She held onto him, enjoying the moment.
“Your lips are swollen,” she pointed out, “and sparkly.”
“I really don’t care at this point.” He grinned proudly. “I’m done hiding.”
She looked at him longer, and then he sighed.
“Okay, that was a lie. I’m still scared of your brother. Wipe it off.”
Laughing hysterically, she cleaned his face. When she finished, he tucked her arm under his elbow, then turned her around to face the front door and the crowd that would surely be waiting. “You ready for this?” she asked. “A public display? It kind of makes it official.”
He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. “I’ve been ready.”
Chapter 22
HENRIK’S PERFECT DATE
They were late, and it was obvious. The auditorium overflowed with guests, all mingling against the dimly lighted backdrop of the stage. At least forty tables were arranged beneath the podium, double the number from last year, which to Henrik meant one thing. Double the number of people he’d be required to appease. Luckily, their arrival went relatively unnoticed as they snuck in, except by Sam, who stood at the edge of the bar by himself. He immediately walked over, a small smile on his lips.