The Collector's Curse

【01】Next Order of Business

Drive me to the airport...

The moment I saw his reaction, I realized how cruel my teasing had been. Ulrik went through all the stages of grief before I could remedy my mistake, though, and when he opened his mouth to protest, I spoke again, hoping he would forgive me for my thoughtless joke. I had made him work for it hard enough—as he deserved—and now his anguish could come to an end.

"I have a plane ticket that needs canceling."

That also left him stunned, recalculating everything. When he got my meaning, though, elation crossed his face.

Offering him a smile, I bent his way slightly. "You were about to argue, weren't you?" I asked, cocking up an eyebrow at him. He didn't even have to reply, as his guilty expression spoke for itself. Gently scolding, I reminded him, "You said you'd let me go if I chose to."

"I suppose that makes it the only lie I uttered tonight."

"You promise?"

"Yes, I've been genuine about everything else."

"Even your wish to build a lasting relationship with me?"

"Especially that."

Somehow, I couldn't help but worry that he didn't truly mean it. How could he? It was as though the world had been flipped upside down, leaving me with whiplash and some form of jetlag. I needed more time to get used to the idea, and a whole lot of reassurances.

After giving it a quick thought, I decided on the safest course of action. "I'm willing to give it a try, but you are on probation, Ulrik. For now, we're just... seeing how it goes, familiarizing ourselves with the idea. And when the time feels right, we'll decide on a more official status."

"You give the pace, Mila."

"Perfect."

Silence stretched, leaving only my thoughts to fill it. But they all vanished when he lifted his hand to my face, softly running the pad of his thumb over my cheekbone. His genuineness reassured me, taking away some of my worries.

"You won't regret staying," he swore, his eyes locked on mine.

"I better not. One more fuck up, and I'm gone for good. This is your last chance, Ulrik."

"It's a lot more than I deserve, so I won't mess it up."

"Your self-awareness is commendable. Now, what are you waiting for, Ulrik?"

Confused, his brows furrowed as he tried to guess what I meant.

Bending toward him, I gave him a smile. "You may kiss m—"

His lips were on mine before I could even finish the sentence, his hands framing my face as he intently pulled me onto him.

Things slowly got out of hand, the cool air inside the car turning to heat. In our kiss, I could taste his relief, his appreciation, and his gratitude. I had a hand still distractedly clutching the dessert, and the other one was molded on his nape, keeping him as close to me as I could. The wide console between us was annoying, but we still made do. Especially with his arms pulling me to him like a savage, wrapped around my middle and shoulders.

Pulling away slightly, he planted his eyes deep into mine.

"I thought I'd lost you for good. Don't ever scare me like that again."

"You deserved to suffer a little more."

That compelled him to retake my lips for some reason. He truly adored my fieriness, didn't he?

"You are...the most...aggravating...woman I've...ever met," he groaned in between kisses, still not over my teasing. Neither of us were ready to let go, busy releasing all the tension that had built up.