Page 47 of Hotter on Ice

“I’m willing to try just about anything, as long as it’s with you.” His voice was soft, that gruff, gentle rumble she had missed so much this week, so she squeezed his hand, and together, they walked into the crowd.

Henning looked down at the loveliest, most amazing woman in the world. Somehow, he was the one holding her hand right now. Love, not fear. It was the answer to everything, really. “Where are we going?”

“To find Max and Natasha. And I think the rest of the Blackmore Inc. crew is here, too,” she added with a mischievous smile.

Henning raised his eyebrows, and then started to laugh. He just let himself go, laughing and shaking his head. “Is this a test? Right in front of all the guys I work with.”

“No backing out, right?” She kissed his hand. “But no, it’s not a test. I told Natasha I’d come find her right away when I arrived. She’s been a little worried about me this week.”

Her sister had been worried about her. His smiled faded. “It was a hard week?”

She nodded, and, fuck, it was painful to see it all over her face.

“I hurt you,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

She bit her lip and nodded.

He slowed to a stop and lifted his hand to her face, resting it on her cheek. “It was an awful week for me, too, if that’s any consolation.”

“Maybe a little bit.” Her lips twitched in a hint of a smile. “But I guessed it would be. I just didn’t think you’d do anything about it.”

He slipped his hand to the base of her neck and pressed his lips against hers. “But I did.”

He wanted to stay like that, holding her, kissing her, but there would be time for that later. So he let her go, and they walked across the patio, decorated with flowers, toward the French doors that led inside. There was plenty of open staring at him as he and Alya wove their way through the crowd hand in hand. He could feel the gazes that traced his scars, then dropped to his hand that covered hers. It would probably always be like this, but as long as it didn’t hurt Alya, he didn’t care.

They were about to go inside when Natasha walked out alone. Her mouth fell open the moment she caught sight of them.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, her brow wrinkled.

Henning cringed. Shit. Alya told her sister everything, which probably meant Natasha hated him at this point. The last thing he wanted was to upset either one of them again. But Alya squeezed his hand, reminding him that he wasn’t alone, that they were in this together.

Then Natasha broke into a smile. “I’ve got to go tell Max I lost the bet.” Natasha wrapped her arms around her sister’s waist and kissed her cheek. “But you look so much happier than you did all week, so I guess I’ll get over losing it.”

A little relief flooded in, and Henning let out his breath. It was going to be okay.

Natasha gave him an assessing look. “Henning Fischer?”

He nodded, kissing Alya’s sister on the cheek.

She smiled. “Come on. We’re all inside, out of the sun.”

Natasha led the way across the open room, to a lounge area on the far side. But Alya slowed to a stop at the entrance, letting Natasha go ahead. The voices of the other Blackmore Inc. men echoed in the room. Henning squeezed Alya’s hand.

“You okay?” he whispered.

But when Alya turned around, her face was lit with a smile of pure happiness. “I’m so much better than okay.” Her blue eyes sparkled and danced as she looked at him.

“Only you, Alya,” he whispered, brushing his lips over hers. “That’s all that matters.”

She stood on her toes and kissed him back, her mouth soft and warm. After days apart, the fire between them sparked and sizzled, almost irresistible. But this was so much more than attraction. This moment was a dream he had never allowed himself to hope for.

“Thank you for coming, Henning,” she said, her voice serious.

“I’ll always come for you.”

Always. A word he hadn’t believed in for so long. Until Alya.

Then, slowly, they entered the lounge. All the Blackmore Inc. principals were seated around a low glass table. Derek Latu and his wife, Laurie, were on one side of a long sofa. Derek and he grew up together, and he was the reason Henning had come to Blackmore, Inc. after he left the AFP. Right now, his friend’s gaze moved between Alya and him, and his smile was wide. Jackson McAllister leaned against Cameron Blackmore’s chest on the other side of the sofa. When Henning started at Blackmore Inc., if anyone had told him the CEO would fall head-over-heels in love, enough to chase a woman halfway around the world, he would have laughed. Then again, the same could probably be said about Henning. But seeing Cameron and Jackson gave him another surge of happiness. Cameron had made mistakes, and they were still together. Marianna Ruiz and Simon Rodriguez were there, too, squashed together on an oversize chair, Simon’s arm draped over his fiancé’s shoulder, holding her close. Their story began years ago, back in Miami, and it was another testament to the resiliency of love.