Catch Him(8)

“I did as well. Are you free tomorrow?”

She was. She didn’t have another shift until the following evening. For a second she considered saying no. As if too much of a good thing might ruin what she’d just had, which had been perfect.

Then she realized how ridiculous that sounded in her head. “I am.”

“Excellent,” he began as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they started back to the parking garage. “Now, tomorrow I will not be buying you expensive clothing and shoes.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Which means I will be using my considerable powers to talk you into having sex with me. I thought I would put that out there now, so there is no mistaking my intentions.”

Sinead nodded. “Understood. However, as a cautious woman, who is wary of handsome strangers, I will be doing everything in my power to resist your incredible charms so you understand I’m not an easy lay. Just so there is no mistaking my intentions.”

David stopped her then and took her hand, sinking his hand into hers until their fingers were locked. He pulled her back to him. “Tell me I’m not a stranger to you still?”

No, she thought. He didn’t feel like a stranger. Instead he felt like someone she’d known for a long time. Which was scary and probably should have set off alarms. But she was still on her princess-for-a-day date, so she didn’t listen to any of them.

“You’re not a stranger.”

“Who am I?”

“You’re David.”

He lifted his free hand and ran his thumb along her bottom lip. “Have you always been like this?”

“Like what?”

“So damn open. So much just yourself.”

“What else would I be?”

He sighed. “Exactly.”

“Are you going to kiss me?” Because a princess-for-a-day date isn’t really a princess-for-a-day date without a kiss.

“Yes. I rather believe I am.” He leaned down to her and she made an effort to push herself up toward him. But instead of blending his mouth with hers, he whispered against her lips, “Eventually.”

She pulled back and snarled at him. “That’s just cruel.”

“You’re not the only one who can be a challenge.”

She laughed. “Well if you’re not going to kiss me you can take me home. My feet have had it in these shoes. Besides, if you’re taking me out tomorrow I need my beauty sleep.”

He cupped her face in his palm. “No, my lovely. You do not.”

This time he bent down and he did kiss her gently on the lips. When she raised an eyebrow, he smiled.

“What can I say? I guess I’m easy after all.”

They made their way to the parking garage where he had parked the car, and he drove home on the directions she gave him. When he stopped the car, she now understood the routine and this time she was too fast for him. She knew he would want to walk her to her apartment, and she was taking no chances of him seeing her father. She popped open her door and as fast as she could move in the killer heels, she crossed the street toward the complex.

“Text me with times tomorrow,” she called over her shoulder.

“Are you running away from me?” he called out to her.

She turned back to face him. “You said you wanted a challenge!” This time she was the one who waved while he leaned back on his Porsche and waved back.

Then he called out to her. “Forget something?”

When she looked back over her shoulder she saw him removing the box from the trunk of the car.

Shit. Her real clothes. Her favorite sweater. Suddenly she felt like Cinderella after midnight. With no other option, she made her way back to him.

Sinead stopped in front of him and held her hands out for the fancy box the department store had wrapped the clothes up in.

“You ruined the best blow-off line ever,” she told him.

He flashed her a smile. “Sorry, love. You can try again tomorrow.”

“Night,” she said as she took the box and made her way back home.

Once he was out of sight, she let herself do what she had wanted to do all night and sighed like an actual princess who might have met her Prince Charming. She was too practical to know it would last. He was only here for a limited amount of time. Still, she could only imagine the look on her face right now. Something she would have to be careful to hide from him tomorrow, as he’d already pointed out she was fairly obvious.

Tomorrow. Another chance to be with him. Another chance to be wooed by him. Maybe another chance to kiss him. She wanted to dance, she wanted to sing. Wanted to raise her arms in the air and twirl.

Her. Sinead O’Hara. A girl who had never twirled in her life.

Most of all she wanted to feel like this again. How strange to not even realize what a funk she’d been in until she was pulled out of it by the most unusual of circumstances.