Page 28 of Shining Through

How could she argue that? She’d snapped at him once because she’d jumped to a wrong conclusion. He was being considerate, and she wasn’t a rude person by nature. Just cautious. There was nothing wrong with that was there?

“All right, fine. If my room isn’t ready, I’ll join you for dinner.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. The smiling clerk assured her it wouldn’t be much longer. She thanked him and returned to the car. “Dinner it is,” she said. “And since you came to pick me up, I’d like to treat you.”

“Another night, I will enjoy that very much. But I have chosen the perfect place for your first night in Vancouver. Everything has been arranged, so this time, the pleasure will be mine.”

He pulled into the busy downtown traffic with the same cool assurance he’d shown on the highway. The wind ruffled his hair, and Tabitha admired his handsome profile. His cheekbones and jawline were so perfect they could have been sculpted, but a faded scar and a bump across the bridge of his nose added masculine allure. Along with his darkly lined eyes and long lashes, it was a face a woman wouldn’t grow tired of admiring. She didn’t doubt for a minute he could have any woman he wanted.

Another reason she had no business getting involved with him. And the sooner she settled that in her mind—-and his—-the better.

He drove east from the hotel along Vancouver Harbor. Just past a waterfront plaza, he slowed, and slipped the car neatly into a parallel space. “The restaurant is further on, but I wanted to come here first, so we could take a picture at the Cauldron from the Vancouver Games. It might bring us luck for Grenoble.”

He reached for the dark suit coat that lay across the back seat. For the first time, she noticed his sharp, vintage clothes. He wore a crisp white shirt and a skinny black tie with a red and white boomerang pattern. He slipped on the jacket and tugged it into place. The skinny 1960s lapels made him look like he’d stepped from an episode ofMad Men.

She smoothed her travel wrinkled cotton sweater as she climbed out of the car. “It’s not fair. You’re dressed up, and I’m in the jeans I threw on this morning.”

He smiled. “You look beautiful, even in the jeans you threw on this morning.”

Another compliment. No matter how much she liked hearing them, it was time to set the ground rules. “Um, that’s nice of you to say, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me today…”

He paused on the sidewalk and raised his brows. “But?”

As awkward as this was, it was time she said what needed to be said. “But I came to Vancouver to work with Misha on my skating. And with you too because I admire your,” her cheeks burned hot, “passion, on the ice.”

“Just on the ice?”

His tone was light and playful. He wasn’t taking her seriously. Her mouth tightened, and she crossed her arms over her body. “Look, as much fun as we had in Chicago, what happened there needs to stay there.”

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and gave her a long penetrating look. “Do you think I am pushing you for something more?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to know for sure.” The heat in her cheeks spread up around her eyes and down the back of her neck. “I don’t have a lot of experience with situations like this.”

“You mean with sex?”

His directness startled her, and she glanced around at the people passing by on the sidewalk. A busy downtown street felt like entirely the wrong place for this conversation. Then again, she’d started it. She dropped her gaze and pushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. “Yes, sex,” she muttered. “And the rest of it, too.”

“Tabitha.” His low voice wrapped gently around her name and he stepped forward, taking her hand. “This is not to push you into something you are not ready for. I pay you compliments because you deserve them, not to lure you into bed.”

At that, an elderly woman turned and glared. Not at Daniil, but at her. Talk about double standards! Tabitha pushed her hair back again. “Come on, let’s walk.”

They continued on toward the Cauldron. An uncomfortable silence tainted their stunning surroundings. Vancouver Harbor was drenched in the warm golden light of late afternoon sun, and the mountains in the distance formed a stunning backdrop. Too bad she couldn’t appreciate them. She’d hoped that being honest would make things clearer, not more confusing. Daniil gave a wary glance. “It seems you don’t have a high opinion of me,” he said, quietly. “Did I offend you?”

She didn’t want to get into an embarrassing conversation about untrustworthy Russians or Mafia Dad rumors. “It’s not just you. Like I said, I don’t have much experience with men. How could I? I missed out on college and dating to spend half my life in an ice rink! On the other hand, my mom and my sister have plenty of experience. Most of it hasn’t been good.”

His slow nod suggested he was trying to understand, rather than dismiss her feelings. “So because of them, you think the worst of me. Like today at the airport when you thought I left you stranded.”

“It’s not you personally.” But she knew she wasn’t being entirely honest. Brett had said he was trouble and even if the rumors weren’t true, his suspension was fact. To say nothing of his recent arrest. Though the fact he was competing in Vancouver suggested the whole thing was behind him, knowing he’d been in trouble in the first place, troubled her.

She had a squeaky-clean, drama-free image and intended to keep it that way. She’d never had the luxury of messing up. Being Little Miss Perfect wasn’t necessarily fun. At times, it was damn exhausting, but what choice did she have? Daniil obviously hadn’t lived that way and though she didn’t want to judge him, or resent him, a part of her couldn’t help it.

The brush of his hand against hers made her stop walking. She turned, and they faced one another in the busy plaza.

“Believe me, Tabitha. I didn’t invite you to Vancouver so I could have sex with you. Not that I would mind,” he said, offering a tentative smile. “But I understand that you don’t know me, other than what you may have heard. Which I assume isn’t very good?”

The humorous glint in his eyes had softened into something different. Sincerity, maybe even shaded by regret. Was it possible that he’d learned from his mistakes and wanted to change? If so, she respected that. “I’m afraid not.”

“But just like you are more than an Ice Queen, there’s more to me than people think. So maybe we get to know each other and then decide what comes next. No hurry. No pressure.”

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