Chapter 109

Elena's teeth sank into the back of Richard's hand.

This time, she didn't hold back.

Richard drew in a sharp breath as her teeth pressed into his skin. When she finally released him, a clear row of angry red marks had appeared across the back of his hand.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Elena was still glaring at him, cheeks flushed, looking entirely satisfied with her revenge.

Richard looked down at the bite marks.

Then back at her.

Something in his expression changed.

The sharp sting hadn't cooled the heat between them. If anything, the unexpected bite seemed to have done the opposite.

His body went still behind her, his arm tightening around her waist.

And then, slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"You bite hard."

His voice was rougher than before.

Elena's confidence faltered just a little.

Richard didn't pull his hand away. Instead, his other hand settled more firmly around her waist and drew her closer until there was barely any space left between them.

He caught her chin and turned her face toward him.

Their eyes met.

The amusement was still there, but something warmer and darker had settled beneath it.

Richard lifted the hand she had bitten and studied the marks once more, as though he found them far more interesting than he should have.

Then his thumb brushed slowly across the corner of her mouth.

"Ellie."

His gaze lingered on her flushed face.

"You're adorable."

Elena glared at him.

"I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Sorry."

Richard kissed her cheek.

"Please keep talking to me. I'll actually be upset if you don't."

Elena blinked.

She had only said it to punish him.

But he sounded so unexpectedly serious that some of her indignation disappeared.

Her gaze dropped to his hand again.

Those teeth marks really were quite obvious.

"You're impossible," she muttered.

She leaned back against his shoulder, then reached for his hand again.

This time, her touch was careful.

Her fingertips traced around the red marks without pressing them.

Richard watched her for a moment before turning his hand over and wrapping his fingers around hers.

Then he brought her hand to his mouth.

A kiss landed softly against one knuckle.

Then another.

And another.

"It doesn't hurt."

Elena looked at him suspiciously.

"You already lied about that once."

Richard's mouth twitched.

"This time I'm telling the truth."

He kissed the tip of one finger.

"If you're still angry, you can bite me again."

"Who wants to bite you?"

"You seemed fairly enthusiastic about it."

"I was angry!"

"I noticed."

Elena elbowed him lightly.

Richard laughed and caught her before she could move away, pulling her back against his chest.

"Stop laughing."

"All right."

"You're still laughing."

"I'm trying not to."

She huffed and tucked herself deeper into his arms.

Richard reached for the overcoat he had discarded earlier and draped it around her shoulders. The heavy fabric nearly swallowed her whole.

Elena adjusted it around herself until only her head remained visible above the collar, pale-blonde hair spilling loosely over Richard's shoulder.

He looked down at her.

The sight apparently pleased him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"That face is never nothing."

Richard bent and kissed her forehead.

"Go back to being angry with me."

"No."

"Why?"

"You bite."

Elena stared at him in disbelief.

"You told me I could!"

"I know."

His arm tightened around her.

"I liked it."

Elena's face immediately heated again.

"Richard!"

His quiet laugh followed her as she buried her face against his neck.

"Stop talking."

"I thought you said you weren't talking to me."

"I changed my mind. Now you're not allowed to talk."

"Understood."

A few seconds passed.

Richard lowered his head.

"Ellie."

She pinched his waist through his shirt.

He finally stopped.

Mostly.

The Rolls-Royce moved smoothly through the winter night, its low engine hum barely audible inside the insulated cabin. Richard kept one arm around Elena while his other hand moved slowly over her back through the coat.

Gradually, the heat of their earlier teasing faded into something quieter.

Elena rested against him, watching the city through the window.

Then something white drifted through the beam of a streetlight.

Another flake followed.

Then dozens.

"It's snowing again."

Elena lifted one finger and touched the cold glass.

A snowflake struck the window almost directly beneath her fingertip and melted, leaving behind a tiny trail of water.

Outside, the city was changing beneath the snowfall.

They passed through an older neighborhood first, where rows of brick buildings stood close to the street, their stoops and awnings beginning to gather a thin layer of white. Bare trees lined the sidewalks, and snow collected along parked cars and black iron railings.

Farther ahead, the downtown skyline rose above the older neighborhoods.

Glass towers glowed against the winter night, their windows scattered with light. Traffic signals reflected red and green across the wet pavement, while storefronts and restaurants cast warm pools of gold onto the sidewalks.

Snow drifted between the buildings and softened the hard edges of the city.

Elena watched it quietly.

"Pretty."

"Mm."

Richard lowered his chin onto the top of her head.

For a while, they simply watched the city pass.

"Cold?"

His arm tightened around her almost automatically.

"No. It's really warm in here."

Elena shifted around in his arms until she found a more comfortable position, then wrapped both hands around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest.

His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear.

"Richard."

"I'm here."

She was quiet for a few seconds.

Then, muffled against his shirt, she said, "In the future... when you have business dinners, events, things like that... if there's somewhere you want me with you, I can come."

Richard looked down at her.

Elena's eyes were still on the window.

"Even if you don't really need me," she continued. "If you think you're going to be bored, I can come anyway."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

"I can charm difficult little girls for you."

Richard's eyebrow lifted.

"Is that what you did tonight?"

"Mia liked me."

"She did."

"And I can sit next to you while you negotiate." Elena yawned. "Watch you terrify everyone."

Richard laughed quietly.

"I terrify everyone?"

"You know you do."

"I thought I was very pleasant tonight."

Elena finally looked up at him.

"You have a very different definition of pleasant."

"Apparently."

Her eyelids were beginning to grow heavy.

"But I mean it," she murmured. "If there are places like this... you can take me with you."

The humor in Richard's expression softened.

He had spent most of his adult life attending dinners, negotiations, receptions, and private meetings because they were necessary. Who sat beside him had rarely mattered.

Elena was offering to be there simply because she wanted to be.

Richard brushed a loose strand of pale-blonde hair away from her cheek.

"All right."

Elena blinked sleepily.

"That's it?"

"What else would you like me to say?"

"I don't know."

She thought about it.

"Something romantic."

Richard smiled.

He lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Then I'll bring you whenever I can."

Elena considered that for a moment.

"Acceptable."

"High praise."

She smiled against his chest.

Outside the window, the snowfall grew heavier. White gathered along rooftops, fire escapes, parked cars, and the branches of bare street trees as the Rolls-Royce moved from the older neighborhoods toward the quieter residential streets.

Elena stayed curled against Richard for the rest of the drive, wrapped in his coat with one hand resting loosely over his chest.

Before long, her breathing began to slow.

Richard looked down at her.

"Ellie?"

No answer.

He smiled, pulled the coat a little higher around her shoulders, and let her sleep.

Snow continued to fall beyond the windows as they headed home.