“Morning,” he said softly. His brain had ceased to function. All he could do was struggle with his panther hissing and growling as it tried to pounce on her.
Claim her!
Olivia’s cheeks colored, and she looked away, finally bringing her eyes back to his.
“Did you … get the pic I sent?” Her voice was small and hesitant, her eyes furtive as she glanced back at him. He grinned, almost trembling.
“Yes, I did … thank you very much.”
“You liked it?” Her voice rose with excitement.
“I loved it.”
Their eyes met, and a shared feeling flowed between them. It was a magnetism so strong that Henry took a step forward, ready to devour her right there in the doorway. Instead, he raised his hand and cleared his throat as he tried to bring himself back under control.
“Are you ready?” he asked. She nodded.
“I’ll just grab my bag.”
Henry shuffled back from the door. Excitement and anxiety were surging in him now, competing with each other as his strongest emotion. He turned and walked back to the car, allowing himself to pace a little.
I need to calm down.
How can I? She’s so beautiful that she’s literally scrambling my brains.
He opened the car door for Olivia, waiting for her to get in and shutting it with a slam. As he jumped in the driver’s side, he looked over at her, and the soft smile on her face filled him with joy and confidence.
He didn’t know why he was so nervous, only that he wanted to impress her. He also knew she wouldn’t be impressed by his fancy jets and yacht. Olivia wanted to be appreciated in a completely different way … Henry had to get to know her and show her that he was really paying attention to her.
He had not thought today’s date through very much. It was almost a spur-of-the-moment-type thing. His nervousness returned for a second, and he pushed it away.
As he drove, they fell into another discussion about different artists and their favorite pieces. In postmodern art, they couldn’t agree on anything, but they managed to find common ground in classical art.
Olivia challenged him to come to a modern art show sometime and see some installations. He groaned aloud as if she were suggesting he submit to torture by flaming knives. She laughed, delighted by his attitude.
Henry pressed his foot just a little harder to the accelerator as familiar shapes suddenly grew on the skyline. Olivia looked toward them, her eyes slipping back to him with wide-eyed wonder.
“We’re going to the amusement park?” she asked, breathless with excitement. He nodded, grinning.
When he looked over at her, his heart soared to see the joy on her face. It looked like he’d done the right thing. He parked as close to the main gates as he could, and the whole time, Olivia just watched the huge attractions getting closer and closer as if she were mesmerized.
He took her hand and led her up to the gates. As he paid for tickets, he saw her smile widen, brightening her eyes. She even bounced on her toes like a little kid, and Henry was flooded with affection for her. The panther within wanted to wrestle with her. Her playful nature seemed to be bringing out the very best in him. It was unexpected but welcome.
When she took his hand and squeezed it, Henry felt warmth flooding him, a rush of excitement tempered with contentment. It was not an emotion he could hope to understand, but it lifted his heart as if it could make him fly.
They hurried through the food stalls, feeding each other cotton candy while they decided where to go first. Henry steered her gently toward the roller coaster, bursting with anticipation. He couldn’t wait to give her the experience that she’d been denied after her father died.
He wanted to heal her in the only way he thought he could. The thought of his father crept in. A dark cloud that stole his joy. He knew exactly what Nicholas would think of this date and of Olivia.
As they finished the cotton candy and the shadow of the roller coaster began to fall across their path, Olivia suddenly went very quiet. Her face was drawn as she looked up to the heights of its sturdy rails.
Henry saw her lip tremble as her eyes shimmered with tears. He gripped her hand, wondering what was going on. She’d been so excited a few minutes before, but now it seemed like she was falling apart.
Olivia pulled her hand away from his and walked over to the base of the ride. She looked up at it as if it were an oracle or magical item, something that could listen to prayers and grant wishes. He could see emotions flooding her face but couldn’t tell what they were.
Henry could hear her heart beating faster, could feel her breath becoming shallow and light. He hurried over to her, gently touching her arm. She kept looking up, observing the roller coaster as if she couldn’t even see him.
Olivia gasped, one hand going to her chest. Tears poured down her face as her expression twisted. Henry’s own heart constricted in his chest, worry for her tearing him apart.