“What happens if you don’t?”
Sigmund chuckled. “His parents would probably disown him.”
“That’s not true,” I retorted.
He squinted. “Really?”
I knew why he was doing this. He’d been against my pursuing Felicity from the very beginning, and he was trying to derail things. Even if some of what he’d divulged was partly true, I’d hoped for a little time with her before she ran for the hills.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be tonight?” I asked him.
“No, actually. No plans at all.”
I glared at him.
After he took his plate into the kitchen, I picked up Felicity’s, and then mine. “I’ll be right back,” I told her. “Can I get you more champagne?”
She shook her head, seeming a bit unnerved by our conversation. “No, thank you.”
In the kitchen, I gritted my teeth and whispered, “Great job trying to scare her away.”
“I’m doing you a favor. How is it fair to get her hopes up when you know damn well you don’t have a future with her? Look at how she came here tonight. She’s clearly dressed to impress and not exactly playing hard to get anymore.”
“You don’t have a right to manipulate things. I planned to be honest with her about my situation. But it wasn’t your place to throw everything out there in the span of one dinner.”
Felicity appeared, entering the room holding the tray of empty clam shells. From the concerned look on her face, I could tell she’d either heard everything we’d just said or suspected we’d been arguing.
“Please sit and relax,” I said, holding my palm out. “I’ll take care of that.”
“It’s okay,” she insisted.
Together, we brought everything from the table into the kitchen in silence. After, we took turns washing our hands at the sink.
Handing her a towel, I said, “Let’s go out back for a moment, shall we?”
“Sure.”
I grabbed our champagne glasses, along with the bottle of Dom, and some strawberries from the fridge, and carried them outside.
“Are you okay?” she asked once we stepped onto the back deck.
“Sure.” I placed everything on a table. “Why do you ask?”
“You seemed uncomfortable when I was asking about your life back home, particularly when Sig took it upon himself to speak for you. Why do you seem ashamed of who you are?”
“Because it’s not who I am. Who I am has nothing to do with where I come from or the expectations placed upon me.” My tone was harsher than I’d intended.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. That was a dumb way to word it. What I meant was…you shouldn’t feel like you have to hide anything just because your life is different than the norm. Most people would be quite impressed, actually.”
“You’re not most people, though, are you? None of that impresses you in the least. In fact, if anything, it’s a deterrent in getting to know you better.”
She stayed silent, neither confirming nor denying.
I exhaled. “The dilemma of my life has always been balancing what I want with what my family wants for me. The latter typically wins.” I looked up at the starry sky. “I know I’m fortunate in many ways, but there are days when I wish I could just live a normal life, not have to take anyone else into account when it comes to my own happiness. With you today—out on that water—I was happier than I’ve been in a very long time.” I shook my head. “Sorry. You didn’t sign up to be my therapist tonight. I’m supposed to be entertaining you.”
Felicity placed her hand on her chest. “Are you kidding? Out of all the brief times we’ve spent together, this moment is my favorite. Today I feel like I’ve gotten to experience the real you. The vulnerable side. Vulnerability is…sexy.”
“Sexy, eh?” I laughed. “Should I start crying, then?”
“You don’t need to go that far.”
“Okay.” I smiled.
Our eyes locked, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her.
She shivered. “It’s chillier tonight than I thought. I should’ve brought a sweater.”
“Be right back.” I ran inside and grabbed one of my jackets.
I returned to the deck and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Thank you. That was very sweet.”
“Well…” I grinned. “I wouldn’t want you to freeze your nutsack off.”
* * *
Felicity
Track 6: “Blowing Kisses in the Wind” by Paula Abdul
I can’t believe he knows about that. “You Googled me. Congratulations.”
“The day you turned me down, I was feeling a bit low. That night, I missed looking at your face. So, yes. I went online, searched your name, and found that unexpected pot of gold.”
“That’s my one claim to fame.”
“It was hysterical.”
“Seriously, what is wrong with people? They have no lives. I mean, it was funny, but it wasn’t that funny. To get millions of hits?”
“It wasn’t just what you said. It was the freaking adorable look on your face when you realized you were on live television. It’s also the fact you’re beautiful. That’s why it went viral.”
“I don’t see myself that way,” I said. “I never have.”
“That doesn’t change the truth.”
“I feel like I look different from everyone else. I mean, there are other people with red hair and freckles all over their body. But how many do you run into on a daily basis? Very few. We’re a rare breed.”
“Precisely. You’re uniquely beautiful. But it’s not just your skin and hair that set you apart. It’s your eyes, the way they seem to pierce through everything with genuine wonder and interest. I can see the good in you just by looking into them. And you have so many features I love. Your nose has the slightest ridge in the center. Your lips and their natural red color, even when you’re not wearing lipstick. And yes, the freckles. Don’t get me started on them. They are my weakness.”
I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat. “You’re insane.”
“I’m insanely attracted to you, yes.”
His blunt admission caused my entire body to heat. I had to look down because it was too much—not just the way he was looking at me, but because I was incredibly attracted to him, too. Leo wasn’t just handsome. He was scorching hot from head to toe. The more I looked at him, the more out of control I felt. The more I wanted him to kiss me. Every time my eyes landed on his full lips, I could feel my tongue buzz with the need to taste them.
“Did what I just say make you uncomfortable?”
Adjusting his jacket around my shoulders, I said, “It’s not what you said about me. It’s how you make me feel, how attracted I am to you, too. It’s very mutual.”
His breath seemed to hitch, and before he could respond, I decided I needed more champagne.
I reached for the bottle on the table. “Do you mind if I have some more of that?”