An American Cinderella

“You’re here!” I cried, standing up quickly from my table and running over to greet him. This time, I knew how to greet him.

I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body up against his. He wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me into his embrace while still holding the bag of food with his other hand.

“If I had known that would be your reaction, I would have come with food a long time ago,” he teased once I pulled back slightly. He kept his arm around me, though, not wanting to let me go.

“I thought you said you couldn’t come,” I said, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m so glad you did.”

He kissed my cheek. “I couldn’t stay away.”

The way he looked at me with those blue eyes made heat flutter from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes. It was like being covered with sunshine and wrapped in rainbows when he looked at me.

“Come sit down and we’ll eat. I can grab another chair from next door,” I told him, turning and motioning to my table. I took a step and moved a box to clear a path. “It’s kind of messy in here, but...”

“I can’t stay.” Henry’s smile faded. “I snuck out of a meeting and when Liam finds out, he’s going to murder me.”

“You’re not staying?” I repeated, not wanting to understand.

He shook his head and set the food down on the table. He put both hands on my shoulders, his eyes going to mine. “But I wanted to see you. I needed to see you, especially because of the way I had to leave last night.”

I tried to keep my face from falling, but it was like Christmas was canceled. I didn’t care about the food. I cared about Henry.

“When can I see you again?” I asked. My voice came out softer and full of the sadness I was trying to keep contained. “Because I want more than just a delivery service.”

The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly. “Soon. I’m hoping that when I get back to my brother, some of my work will be sorted and I will get some free time again.”

I nodded, unsure of when I would have free time again.

“How long until you have to leave?” I asked.

He looked down at his watch. “I was supposed to leave three minutes ago.”

“Damn.”

He made no move to go, so I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him again. The familiar heat began to grow, aching in my middle for so much more than just a kiss. I knew that it couldn’t happen, yet I let myself pretend for just a moment.

He pulled back, panting slightly. “You’re going to make me so late.”

But he put his hand in my hair and kissed me again, telling me that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I loved the way his tongue moved with mine, the way his lips caressed mine. He knew how to kiss better than anyone I’d ever met.

His phone started to go off. The ring was loud and noisy, set to sound like an alarm clock going off.

“Wow,” I said, pulling back. “That is a loud ring tone.”

Henry sighed. “My brother’s idea. Since I yelled at him for sending Andre to do his dirty work, he said I needed to listen to my phone more. This was our compromise.”

I winced as the sound continued. He pulled it out and rolled his eyes.

“Yes, king brother?”

I could hear his brother on the other end, but I couldn’t make out any of the words.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Henry said into the phone. “I don’t know why you can’t find me. Go to the conference room and I’ll be there in just a minute.” He hung up the phone.

“You have to go, don’t you?” I asked, hating the unsatisfied ache in my middle.

He nodded. “I do.” But he didn’t move.

Instead, he kissed me one more time until the annoying ring started up again. He hit silence with a grimace. “That’s going to get me in trouble later,” he said. He pointed to the bag of food. “I got you macaroni and cheese since you said you liked noodles. There’s more downstairs with Gus for the rest of the office.”

“Wait. You’re on first name basis with Gus now?” I asked, surprised that my surrogate father would approve of any male in a five foot radius of me.