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“Hey.” He raises a hand in an awkward wave.
“I’ll put those in water for you.” Rix takes the flowers.
“Thanks.”
Tally passes me my clutch.
Dad crosses his arms and takes on his bodyguard stance. “Hollis.”
“Roman.”
This is so awkward.
“I’ve invested twenty-one years in my daughter. I expect you to bring her back in the same condition you took her out in,” Dad says.
“A little strong on the dad game, Roman,” Rix mutters.
“Okay. Thanks for that, Dad. That’s our cue to leave.” I grab Hollis’s arm with one hand and the doorknob with the other.
He covers my hand with his and turns to my dad. “I love your daughter. I promise to treat her like the precious gem she is.”
“Nice.” Dred snickers.
Tally’s hand covers her heart.
And now I’m all melty again.
Hemi pats my dad on the shoulder as I usher Hollis out the door. At least he has my emotional support team as backup.
I rapid-stab the down button on the elevator, willing it to come immediately, in case my dad wants to impart any other pearls of wisdom, or punch Hollis in his gorgeous face.
“That went better than expected,” Hollis says conversationally.
“You’re not bleeding, so I consider it a win.”
The elevator doors slide open, and Hollis puts his hand over the sensor, waiting until I cross the threshold before he follows. He pushes the button for the parking garage, and then the doors are sliding closed and we’re alone.
He moves into the corner and leans against the mirrored wall. “Are you okay?”
I shrug. “I have a lot of feelings.”
“Do you want to share what they are?”
“I’m nervous, excited, scared.” Horny.
He nods. “I’m all the same things.”
“What are you scared of?”
“That I’ve done too much damage, and you’ll decide I’m not worth the challenges this relationship will bring with it,” he says.
“We’re getting real already, huh?”
“Seems that way.” His smile is soft. “What are you scared of, Princess?”
“That you still have my heart, and you’ll break it again.”
His eyes close, and he exhales a pained breath. “Of all the things I wish I could undo, that tops the list, Princess. I hope to prove I meant it when I said I’ll never do it again.”
