Chapter 101

Richard lifted her higher until, for once, Elena was actually looking down at him.

"Stop messing around—"

She braced both hands on his shoulders, then suddenly paused.

"Wait. Were you serious about that?"

Richard looked up at her.

"Partly. What I said before was the simplified version."

He lowered her back to the ground but kept one arm around her waist.

"Seeing something visually appealing can engage the brain's reward system. But with a child that young, I wouldn't reduce what happened to one thing. Your face, your voice, the way you smiled at her, the dancing—all of it gave her something pleasant to focus on instead of what had been upsetting her."

He pinched her cheek.

"And you didn't sit there telling her not to be sad. You entered her little world and gave her a solution that made sense to her."

Elena listened intently.

When he stopped, she blinked.

"You sound suspiciously like an expert."

Richard looked mildly surprised.

"You like hearing about this?"

"Of course!"

She nodded vigorously.

"It's interesting. This is how we actually understand people instead of saying things like, 'Kids are difficult,' or 'Kids get upset over nothing,' or 'She only likes you because you're pretty.'"

Elena wrinkled her nose.

"People say things like that as if dismissing someone's feelings automatically makes them more mature."

Richard watched her for a moment.

"Anything else?" she asked eagerly. "You had more theories, didn't you?"

His mouth twitched.

"The dancing probably helped too."

"How?"

"Watching movement can make people internally simulate parts of what they're seeing. You gave her something active and absorbing to focus on. Then you invited her to copy you."

Richard glanced toward the lawn where Mia had been dancing a few minutes earlier.

"She went from sitting there thinking about her mother being away and Puffy being damaged to trying to move like you. For a few minutes, she wasn't just watching something beautiful. She was participating in it."

Elena's eyes brightened.

"Oh!"

She grabbed his arm.

"I used to do that when I was little! Sometimes I'd be in a bad mood, and then I'd watch my dance teacher perform and suddenly feel better."

"Exactly."

"That's so interesting."

Richard looked at her animated expression and bent down to kiss her.

Elena froze.

Then her face immediately turned red.

She glanced toward the security team in the distance.

Jonathan, meanwhile, had somehow found a reason to be outside the pavilion and facing in another direction.

Elena quietly buried her face against Richard's chest.

"Did you study psychology?"

A low laugh rumbled above her.

"No."

She looked up.

"I studied cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary biology."

Elena stared at him.

"Both?"

"Yes."

"Are those even close to each other?"

"There's some overlap depending on what you're studying, but academically they're separate fields."

Elena still looked astonished.

"I thought someone from your family would study something more... practical. Finance. Economics. Business."

"My father thought the same thing."

Richard sounded entirely unapologetic.

"His health was already failing by then, and choosing subjects he hated was one of the few ways I could still get under his skin."

Elena stared at him.

Richard's expression didn't change.

"I enjoyed it."

Given everything she knew about Richard's father, Elena couldn't exactly blame him.

"And I genuinely liked the subjects," Richard continued. "I used to talk about them more."

"Then why did you stop?"

"Most of the people I dealt with outside university weren't interested."

"Why?"

"Because the circles I grew up around valued utility, measurable outcomes, and control."

Richard spoke casually, as though discussing someone else's life.

"A lot of people enjoy believing their decisions are entirely rational. They're less enthusiastic when you point out that reward, fear, social conditioning, and unconscious bias may be influencing those decisions long before conscious reasoning catches up."

Elena considered that.

Richard's mouth curved slightly.

"Imagine spending your entire life being told you're one of the people controlling the world, only for biology to remind you that you're still an animal with a nervous system."

Elena stared at him.

"Well... yes."

Richard raised an eyebrow.

"What else are they expecting? To become silicon-based life and move to Cybertron?"

Richard laughed.

Elena wrapped both arms around him.

"If they don't want to hear about it, forget them."

She squeezed him.

"You can tell me instead."

Richard's expression changed almost imperceptibly.

"Only me," Elena added.

His arms closed around her.

The hand against her back tightened, drawing her firmly against him.

"All right."

His voice was quiet.

"For you."

They stayed that way until Richard's phone vibrated.

He checked the screen, replied to two messages, then slipped the phone away.

"Come on."

Before Elena could ask what he meant, he lifted her again.

"I'm going to teach you golf."

"Golf?"

Elena blinked from his arms.

"I don't know how to play."

"I know."

"You know?"

"That's why I said I'd teach you."

Elena gave him a look.

Richard carried her back toward the golf cart.

The winter sun was warm against them as the cart followed a winding path deeper into the course.

They eventually reached a secluded practice area separated from the main fairways by a stand of trees.

It was quiet here, with only the occasional sound of birds carrying across the grounds.

Several practice stations had been prepared ahead of time, and a full set of clubs rested nearby.

Richard selected a seven-iron and tested its weight in one hand.

"Come here."

Elena jogged over, her white pleated skirt moving lightly around her legs.

She stopped in front of him and reached for the club.

Richard didn't give it to her.

"Watch first."

He dropped a ball onto the short grass and nudged it into position with the clubhead.

His stance was relaxed, feet planted comfortably apart. He settled over the ball, made one smooth backswing, and struck.

The contact was crisp.

The white ball climbed into the clear sky before dropping far downrange.

Elena stared after it.

Then she turned to Richard.

"That went so far."

"About one-eighty-five."

Her eyes widened.

Richard rested the club lightly against the ground.

"Nothing special."

Elena looked from him to the distant landing area.

Then back at him.

He held out the club.

"Your turn."

Elena took it and stepped onto the grass.

"What do I do?"

"Start with your grip."

Richard moved behind her.

Elena expected an explanation.

Instead, his arms came around her.

His chest settled lightly against her back as one hand covered hers on the club, repositioning her fingers.

Elena went still.

"Richard."

"Hmm?"

"Are you teaching me golf?"

"Obviously."

His voice was perfectly serious.

He adjusted her other hand, then ran his fingers lightly along her forearm to reposition her elbow.

"Relax."

Elena stared straight ahead.

"That's difficult when my instructor is practically hugging me."

"Your posture is wrong."

"My posture was fine before you got this close."

"No, it wasn't."

He lowered his head as he spoke, his breath warm against the side of her neck.

Elena's fingers tightened around the club.

"Feet a little farther apart."

She obeyed.

Richard's hand settled at her waist.

"Now turn from here."

He guided her gently through the motion.

Elena tried it once.

"Again."

She repeated the movement.

His palm returned to her waist.

A little lower this time.

Elena glanced sideways.

Richard appeared completely focused on the lesson.

Suspiciously focused.

She tried again.

"No."

"What now?"

"You're using your arms too much."

He stepped closer.

Elena could feel the warmth of him through her clothes as he reached around her, one hand covering hers while the other rested against her hip.

"Let your body turn with the club."

He guided her through the backswing.

Slowly.

Far more slowly than seemed strictly necessary.

Elena turned her head.

Their faces were suddenly very close.

"Richard."

"Yes?"

"Are you sure I'm the one who needs this much practice?"

"You're a beginner."

"And you're taking advantage of that."

The corner of his mouth lifted.

"Maybe a little."

"I knew it."

Elena tried to step away.

Richard caught her around the waist before she made it more than half a step.

She laughed.

"Hey!"

"You still haven't hit the ball."

"Because my teacher keeps distracting me!"

"That sounds like an excuse."

Elena narrowed her eyes.

"Fine."

She turned back toward the ball.

"Move."

Richard released her.

Elena adjusted her grip exactly as he had shown her, planted her feet, and swung.

The club cut through nothing but air.

Elena froze.

Richard was silent.

She slowly looked over her shoulder.

"Don't."

His mouth twitched.

"Richard."

"I didn't say anything."

"You're laughing."

"I'm not."

"You are!"

"I'm trying very hard not to."

Elena marched toward him with the club still in her hand.

Richard took it from her before she could decide whether it might have alternative uses.

"Again."

"No."

"One more."

"You just want another excuse to stand behind me."

This time, Richard didn't even bother denying it.

He drew her back against him, placed the club in her hands, and adjusted her grip.

"Focus, Ellie."

His lips brushed lightly against her temple.

Elena's ears turned red.

"You are the worst golf instructor in the world."

"And yet you're still here."

His hand returned to her waist.

Elena tried very hard to remember where the ball was.

"Now," Richard murmured near her ear. "Keep your eyes down."

"That would be easier if you stopped doing that."

"Doing what?"

She turned her head to glare at him.

Richard kissed her.

It was quick, almost innocent.

Which somehow made it worse.

Elena stared at him.

Richard straightened.

"Eyes on the ball."

"You—"

He was already smiling.

Elena took a breath, faced forward, and swung.

This time, the club connected.

The ball shot across the grass and climbed into the air.

Not especially high.

Not especially far.

But it flew.

Elena's entire face lit up.

"I did it!"

She spun around without thinking.

Richard was still directly behind her.

She collided with his chest.

His arms closed around her automatically.

For a second, Elena simply stood there, caught between him and the club still loosely held in one hand.

Then she looked up.

Richard was watching her.

That particular look made her suddenly suspicious again.

"Were you actually trying to teach me?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Mostly."

"Richard Sterling."

He laughed and bent to kiss her forehead.

"You hit the ball, didn't you?"

Elena stared at him for a moment.

Then she poked him hard in the chest.

"I want a new instructor."

"No."

"That wasn't a request."

"Still no."

He took the club from her and set it aside before pulling her back into his arms.

Elena tried to look annoyed.

It lasted approximately three seconds.