Is that what it means to be super rich? That you don’t even notice small things like that?
“I think she’ll like them,” Henry said, putting them in the basket.
“Fine,” Olivia answered, not wanting to argue about cookies. She was happy that the conversation had turned away from flirting.
Henry was so handsome and smooth that it unsettled her to have him pay so much attention to her. Even more unnerving was the way women responded to him. Everywhere they went in the store, heads turned.
The women looked Henry over with appreciation, and they glared daggers at Olivia. The longer it went on, the more uncomfortable she became. Dark thoughts arose in her mind to support her doubt.
He’s still the enemy, a traditional patron against the new way of doing things. He said he would consider my ideas, but will he?
Olivia kept her distance from Henry as they finished up with the groceries and headed back to pick up Maureen. Maybe if she stayed out of direct proximity, he wouldn’t be able to affect her physically.
The theory worked until they dropped Maureen off. Once she was happy and comfortable, she told them to resume their date.
“Have fun,” she said, winking as she waved them to the door. “Too much fun.”
“Mom,” Olivia muttered, trying to cover her embarrassment. Henry gave her a warm smile, and Olivia felt her insides melting again. Suddenly she couldn’t wait to resume their date.
The conversation on the way back to the street fair was easy but not especially flirty. Olivia felt like Henry had pulled back a bit, too, and she was relieved.
They bought a massive serving of deep-fried Oreos and sat under the trees at the park as the evening crept up on them. Olivia didn’t even notice the stars coming out or the artists packing up because she was so engaged in the conversation.
“Do you want to take a final look around?” Henry asked. Olivia looked up, finally seeing how late it was.
“Yes, actually,” she said, looking at the few stalls that were left. “I didn’t end up getting much work done.”
She got out her phone to take a few pics of the remaining stalls, feeling silly for neglecting her job but not regretting a single moment of it. It bugged her just a little that Henry had still not opened up about himself, but they certainly had a lot to talk about when it came to art.
On the way out, Henry casually put an arm around her shoulders, and Olivia leaned into him, enjoying his warmth. There was something about his clean, sharp scent that intoxicated her. Even though she had doubts nagging at her, she didn’t want to pull away.
He drove her home and insisted on walking her up to the door. Olivia could feel an urgency in the air as if the night itself anticipated something huge and exciting was about to happen.
“I’m sorry for the disruption,” she said, meaning it. “It kind of ruined our date.”
“No, it didn’t,” Henry said, shaking his head. “Your mother is delightful.”
Olivia laughed softly. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard her described that way before.”
Henry laughed too. “I might have a different definition of the word. Anyway, I don’t want you to worry. I had a great time. I’ve got family, too, and I know how it can intrude on your life when you least expect it.”
Olivia looked into his eyes, curious about the hard edge that had crept into his tone. This was the closest he had come to telling her something personal about himself. As she looked into his face, Henry stared right back. The intensity that had built between them in the grocery store returned in force, creating a cloud of frantic butterflies in Olivia’s stomach. The magnetic pull to Henry was so extreme that she couldn’t fight it even if she wanted to.
He bent down, gently touching her chin as he lifted her face to his. Olivia felt doubt rising in her, but it was easy to ignore.
His lips touched hers, and Olivia melted into his arms. He held her tight, pulling her against his chest as he kissed her. Olivia let herself go, her mind beyond thought and her body humming with pleasure.
When Henry finally pulled away, Olivia let out a little cry of disappointment. She saw Henry smile, but he didn’t come closer for another kiss.
“Good night, Olivia,” he said, turning to head to the car.
“Good night,” she whispered, watching him go.
The doubts that had risen in her right before the kiss came crowding back. Olivia was determined not to fall for him.
I’m just at the mercy of my hormones, nothing more. I need to stay strong.
She struggled with herself, the common sense part of her brain telling her in detail why it could never work and that she should give up now.