Chapter 111 Don't Go Too Far
The stars hung deep in the sky, a silent audience to the rhythm of the city.
The car windows had eavesdropped on Leopold's soul-stirring whisper, "I want you," and now they were guarding the secret of Caroline's frantic heartbeat. Life, it seemed, was a clumsy dance of stumbling into joy and surprise.
His sincerity was overwhelming; her attraction, undeniable.
Suddenly, her cheeks were on fire. Caroline quickly rolled down the window, letting the night breeze chase away the heat and the blush.
The red light turned green. A smile played on Leopold's lips as he started the car, his hand never leaving hers, casually tracing circles on her fingertips.
In the dim light, every sensation was magnified. He wasn't doing anything, really, but her body was already starting to respond. Caroline had to force her gaze out the window, trying to regulate her breathing.
Leopold misinterpreted her silence, thinking his sudden appearance had upset her. He cleared his throat. "Honey, are you mad at me?"
Caroline's mind was still replaying his words. "No," she mumbled, her brain feeling like a fuzzy cloud.
Wouldn't she even look at him?
Oh, she was definitely mad.
Leopold's entire focus shifted to placating her. He unconsciously stroked the palm of her hand, and the strange, electric feeling she had just managed to suppress came rushing back.
"I'm sorry, okay? Don't be mad," he coaxed, his voice soft and low. "It was fine when I couldn't see you, but the second I did my possessiveness went into overdrive. It won't happen again, I promise."
He pressed another kiss to the back of her hand. Her pulse did that traitorous flutter. "I'm not mad."
"If you're not mad, then turn and look at me."
From her angle, she could just see her reflection in the side mirror. As a streetlight flashed past, she saw that her face was beet red. If he saw this, he'd never let her live it down.
Scrambling for an excuse, she said, "You're not familiar with this area. Focus on driving."
Remembering their last outing and her love for hot dogs, Leopold spotted a small cart on the side of the road and slowly pulled the car over.
Caroline was confused. "What are you doing?"
Leopold parked the car, his eyes fixed on the vendor. "There's a place selling hot dogs. I'll get you one."
She'd had a few drinks at the party and hadn't eaten much. Now that he mentioned it, she was actually kind of hungry.
She got out of the car with him. At the cart, Leopold, with his towering height, addressed the owner. "One hot dog with ketchup, please."
A husband-and-wife team was running the cart. The woman smiled, pointed to her ear, and shook her head. Then she pointed to a sign taped to the cart. It read: [I have a hearing impairment. Please point to the menu to order. Sorry for the inconvenience.]
Leopold noticed and gave a slightly embarrassed smile, pointing to the sign for ketchup. The woman nodded cheerfully.
As the woman prepared the hot dog, her husband assisted, their movements a seamless, practiced dance.
A little girl peeked out from behind the cart and walked up to Leopold. "Thank you for buying my mom's hot dogs," she said, her voice still holding the lilt of childhood.
Caroline crouched down, a gentle smile on her face. "You're welcome."
She noticed the little girl also wore a cochlear implant, and her speech had a slight, tell-tale difference.
The couple watched them interacting with their daughter, their faces soft with kindness. They probably hoped these small interactions would help their child practice her speaking and listening skills.
Leopold squatted down to the girl's level. "How old are you?"
"Seven," the girl replied.
"Are you in elementary school?" Caroline asked.
"Yep, first grade."
Leopold, in true professor fashion, asked the one question every kid dreads. "Have you finished your homework?"
Caroline's smile vanished. "Who asks a kid that? That's so annoying."
The little girl giggled. "I finished it."
Leopold smiled faintly. "Wow, you're amazing. You must be a great student. Next time I come, I'll bring you some workbooks."
Caroline could see the smile on the little girl's face freeze with a kind of polite horror. She nudged him reproachfully. "Can you say something a kid actually wants to hear? If not, just go stand over there."
She took the little girl's arm. "Don't listen to him. I already told him off for you. He just likes to joke around."
The girl's happy smile returned.
Caroline chatted with her for another moment until a small bell dinged from behind them. The woman was using the bell to signal that the hot dog was ready.
Leopold had already paid. He took the hot dog and signed "thank you" to the couple. Caroline copied his gesture, offering her own thanks.
The world might be imperfect, but there were always people trying to mend it with kindness.
After saying goodbye to the little girl, they got back in the car.
Caroline took a bite of the hot dog as Leopold started the engine. "Is it good?" He asked.
"Delicious."
She held it to his lips. Leopold took a bite, the sweet and tangy ketchup melting on his tongue. He imagined her lips would taste just like this tonight.
"Honey, for the hot dog's sake, can you forgive me?"
Caroline kept her eyes down, chewing slowly. "I told you, I wasn't mad," she mumbled.
Leopold glanced at her. "Not mad? Then why were you ignoring me?"
"Who's ignoring you?" Caroline offered him another bite.
The fact that she was feeding him was proof she wasn't angry anymore. Relieved, Leopold rested his hand naturally on her thigh. "Did you lose weight while I was gone?"
"Nope."
"It feels like you did."
"I weighed myself yesterday," Caroline said. "109.5 pounds. I was 109.3 before you left. I actually gained weight."
A wicked grin spread across Leopold's face. "Is that so? Well, when we get home, I'll have to check exactly where you gained it."
Caroline's chewing stopped. She slowly turned her head, one eyebrow raised in a look that was pure challenge. "Or maybe I should inspect you first. See if my property has been tampered with."
Leopold's tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek, a smirk fighting to break free. "As if."
"Why 'as if'? The world is a very open place these days. And where you were, prostitution is legal. With no one watching, you could have had all the 'entertainment' you wanted. It must have been great."
"It may be open over there, but I follow our laws wherever I go. Don't worry." He shot her a meaningful glance from the corner of his eye. "You'll know tonight."
"How would I know? There's no way to verify something like that."
Leopold pressed his lips together, suppressing a laugh. "Fine," he finally said. "Then you'll just have to endure me tonight. For the last twenty-something days, I've been holding back... from you, and from my own urges. And now you're accusing me of cheating? Well, tonight, I don't have to hold back at all." His large hand began to stroke her thigh, sending electric shocks through her entire body.
"Don't you dare go too far," Caroline warned.
Leopold slammed his foot on the gas. She could feel the raw, sexual energy radiating off him, and her heart leaped into her throat. "Slow down!"
Leopold said word by word, "I'm in a hurry!"
The moment they were home, Leopold's eyes were on her like a predator. Caroline held up the half-eaten hot dog. "I'm not done eating. Wait until I'm finished."
Right in front of her, he began to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time. Caroline couldn't meet his scorching gaze, her eyes darting away.
Suddenly, the hot dog was snatched from her hand. Her wrists were bound together with his discarded shirt. "What are you doing!"
He gave her no time to react. Leopold's arm snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She could feel the intense, burning desire coming off his body in waves. He guided her bound hands over her head, forcing her to drape them over his neck. Pressed tightly against his powerful chest, her head was cradled by his hand. He lowered his shoulder, and a kiss born of longing and madness crashed down on her, overwhelming and absolute.