The server’s annoyed tone broke through the haze ofneedsurrounding Lila and me, and I looked up to see the male’s brow raised in amusement. I guess itwasobvious we were done drinking, huh?
I reached for my wallet. “Just close us out,” I told him with a grin. “I have to get my princess home.”
Lila had turned pink in that way of hers, and I supposed it was because the server had seen us.
“You don’t have to do that,” she whispered as I signed the check—and left a 100% tip to make up for not ordering much. “I can pay for half.”
I snorted and dropped a kiss to her forehead as I helped her out of the booth. “This wasmydate, remember? When you choose, you can pay. I assume there’s an artexhibit or a derby or a fox hunt you can take me on next time.”
Giggling, she fell against my side, her body language relaxed and loose. “You have a poor opinion of me, don’t you?”
“I have a poor opinion of hoity-toity people, Princess. I’m just teasing you.”
“Good.” Her finger dug into my side as we reached the door. “Because axe-throwing was my favorite date nightever, and I would probably take you back there.”
“Deal. Where did your past boyfriends take you?”
I’m not sure why I asked her—it’s not like myKteerwas pleased to think about her with another male. But I felt like I’d shared so much of myself tonight…
Lila had whirled to send me a shocked look just as I pulled open the outer door, and we were hit by a gust of wet air. I eyed the awning above us warily—the only thing protecting us from the downpour—as we stepped out and looked up and down the empty street.
To my surprise, Lila wrapped her arms around herself and answered my question, even though she wouldn’t look at me.
“My boyfriends took me places you wouldn’t like.”
I put my arm around her. “Fox hunting and derbies?”
She snorted but burrowed a little closer. “We’d go to dinner at their country clubs or to art galas or someplace to be seen.”
Ah. “Like the ballet?”
Blue eyes darted up to mine, then away. “The ballet was forme.”
It was something she liked, someplace she’d chosen. I squeezed her. “And me.”
“Yes. I never—” Lila bit down on the words, then seemed to reconsider. “I really enjoyed the ballet with you, Kardok. I’ve seen that troupe perform before, and I’ve seen that show. But seeing it with you felt…”
I remembered why we’d gone to see them in the first place; to experience the emotion of the dance. “Felt,” I murmured.
“Yes,” she sighed, tipping her head against me and watching the rain fall off the awning. “And despite this date ending in a storm, it’s been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
“Doesn’t have to end, Princess,” I rumbled. “There’s plenty of other places we could go?—”
“No.” To my surprise, Lila pulled away from me, a big smile on her face as she stepped out of my hold, out from under the awning…
Into the warm summer rain.
Wearing a big smile, my princess tipped her head back and threw her arms out. She spun in a circle there on the empty sidewalk, the water quickly soaking through that black silk blouse, her head thrown back, her face to the elements…
A look of pure joy on her face.
Wild.
Wicked.
Primal.
With a growl I felt rather than heard, I stepped out from under the awning as well, joining her in the deluge. She was spinning like she was on the ice, and I reached out and caught her, like she’d been teaching me to do. I lifted her, and my princess didn’t hesitate; she arched her back, spread her arms, and allowed me to spin her.
