Steel Hearts - Patchwork Princess Ch. 02

"Okay, give me until the end of the week, and I will see if I can get the permits you need from the council. I can't promise anything, but I know a few people," he said carefully.

"You do? Can you? That would be awesome!" she gushed enthusiastically after having been poised to debate the merits of her idea with him.

"It might cost you a little, but we can probably keep that between us," he said in a low voice.

"Is that right?" she narrowed her eyes at him. "We already covered this. Offering to help me does not invite you into my bed."

"I hope not because one of my brothers will be doing the heavy lifting on this. I don't think Steve is your type, but I could be wrong, and he is the one with the contacts I plan to exploit," he teased.

"Your brothers?" she queried.

"Yeah, I belong to a brotherhood. The man who founded it lost his family in the war too and gave everyone who wanted to get out of that life a place to go that offered protection and security," he explained. "Saxon Steele created the Steel Heart Brotherhood, and we, the guys you met today and I, are part of that bigger organisation."

"Oh, I see," Holly said.

"This food is getting pretty cool now. Have you had enough to eat?" Teddy asked, starting to pack away the debris from their dinner.

"Yes, thanks, I'm so full right now," she patted her belly and watched as he jumped from the tray and deposited the remains of the dinner in a nearby bin. It was twenty-four hours since he had come back into her life again, and she was here with him, ogling his masculine physique as if the years apart had never happened and her crush on the older boy she was promised to was still intact. He didn't seem to be lying about trying to find her or believing she was dead. Could it really hurt to indulge his invitation to get to know him again? She knew him, or at least she had known him well. She could set well-defined guidelines, like not just coming and going as he pleased from the shop or her home as he had today. Giving in and playing by her own rules would eliminate all the pressure he and her friends put on her about dating. It wouldn't be a hardship to kiss his full lips or press against his powerful physique.

"What are you smiling about?" Teddy quizzed as he hoisted himself back up into the tray of the Ute and pulled a couple of pillows behind his head and back to recline.

"That taking up your offer to date might have more benefits than I realised. My stalker might back off at the very least," she sighed and arranged herself to recline back on pillows as he had. "Not really the night for stargazing, is it?" She tilted her head to look up into the clouds.

"I dunno. I'm pretty happy with the view," Teddy replied and smiled when she turned to look at him as he stared at her. "So, you're gonna be my girlfriend after all," he teased.

"I didn't put that label on it," she protested.

"If we're dating, that makes you my girlfriend," he said unequivocally.

"I said I was considering taking your offer to date, not that I had accepted yet. There would need to be some ground rules," Holly said confidently, taking control of negotiating this boyfriend/girlfriend status he seemed far too eager about making a reality.

"Go on," he said curiously, reaching out to take her hand.

"Okay, if we are dating, that doesn't mean you can just waltz in and out of my business or apartment as if you own them. You don't. I do, and I would like a warning of your arrival if you plan to visit me at either space," Holly outlined her first rule even though Teddy was making it hard by circling his thumb over her pulse point in her wrist as he held her hand.

"You have other boyfriends you need to stash before I get there?" he chuckled, showing it wasn't a serious question. "I will agree to the rule regardless. I will respect your personal space and ask to be invited in when I visit. What else?"

"Exclusivity. I don't share attention well. Plus, I don't want to know details about your exes or how many there are, but if one is about to get in my face while we are out together, a heads-up would be good. Nothing worse than being blindsided by a bitchy ex," Holly said.

"Okay same goes," he agreed. "It will probably go better for them if an ex greets you with a hug or a friendly kiss if I know beforehand; otherwise, I can't be held responsible for my reaction to someone touching my girlfriend," he explained honestly. "What else?"

"Make a date. Don't just show up and expect me to be free and feel like I want to go out or have company to chill at home. Two dates a week sounds like enough to me," she said practically, thinking of one weekend date which could last a day and one weeknight like tonight. "You probably should be open to me asking you out to specific things I want to do too," she said.

"A minimum of three dates that I initiate with room to negotiate a Netflix and chill night in addition to the three. And any date you initiate does not affect my three plus a chill at home night," he countered her offer on rule number three.

"We will see how time pans out for us. How about a minimum of two and a maximum of four, including a chill night, and we negotiate anything I wish to initiate," she countered his counter. "Also, there will be no three-date rule. Sleepovers will be negotiated at the time and place of my choosing," she said, not planning on ever being in a place where she wasn't in control of exposing her body and how much of it she revealed, but he didn't need those details yet.

"Negotiated at a time and place of 'our' choosing," he negotiated, "I can't have you throwing me down in the back of this truck just to ride me like a cowgirl for your own thrills," he teased. "Seriously, it's something we will talk about and nothing you have to worry about me pressuring you about tonight or maybe this week. We can talk about it next week," he continued to tease.

"Those three rules are enough for now," he said, his voice lowering and becoming husky. "Have you thought about it enough now? I'm not stupid enough to assume those rules meant you were saying yes. I need to hear it, Holly. Say yes to being my girlfriend, and I will be the very best of boyfriends," he promised.

"Look, I know you think you know me, but you don't. So, for the sake of being sure and proving a point, I will give you until Halloween to show me that you can be the best of boyfriends and that I can spend time with you without wanting to shove you into fast-moving traffic," she agreed.

"How romantic," he grinned but reached out, sliding one hand behind her head and wrapping the other around her body as he moved closer and bent his head to kiss her.

Holly gave into the moment, parting her lips as she felt his tongue run over the crease of her mouth and accepting the smell, taste, and feel of him more intimately than she had in a very long time. A small moan escaped her, and she gasped into the kiss as he pressed more firmly against her, showing how aroused he was by pressing his erection into her belly. She moaned softly again, and Teddy rolled Holly to her back and looked down into her face.

"I think I should take my girlfriend home before I forget what I agreed to and start renegotiating rule three tonight," he murmured and leaned down to kiss her swollen lips again. His hands skated up and down her ribs, gently caressing the sides of her breasts as he pulled on every ounce of self-control he had. Tonight had gone much better than he had thought it would, and he wasn't about to undo all the progress they had made by being impatient.

Remembering his dream, he reminded himself that he had personal experience that this woman was definitely worth the wait. He could be patient when he knew the end goal was exactly what he wanted.

*****

Two weeks later, Holly sighed as she pulled into her car space at the shop and headed to the coffee house, where she started her mornings with her friends. It had taken her some fast-talking and more than one ultimatum not only to Teddy but to Nicky and Carter to let her have some time alone last night. She needed some time to think about the twists and turns her life had taken in the previous weeks since Teddy had pushed his way back into her life and talked his way around her rules without actually breaking them.

He'd been everywhere! He was in meetings with the other store owners on their street who wanted to be involved in the party. He sat beside her, lending support without taking over, which was the only reason she hadn't fought him on being there. However, he'd taken the lead in the meetings with his contacts in the council and the Lord Mayor's office. She had been in the support role by his side at those meetings. It had been one thing after another as they pulled together all the necessary pieces to structure the Halloween event. If she was honest with herself more than anyone else, he and his team had been invaluable in making the essential permits materialise for them. Now that they were in the planning stages for what to do with the licenses they had secured and how to best advertise the event. It was challenging to promote an event when they were still finalising the entertainment and food vans that would be available during the evening event. It seemed she and her team were busier than ever, despite Teddy and his team taking on some of their workloads.

She'd thought long and hard about her childhood sweetheart last night. It seemed ridiculous that she still held him at arm's length when he had proven himself worthy of her trust and affection over the last few weeks. He had not only been the patient, attentive and adoring boyfriend he had promised to be but also a willing advocate and partner when it came to the business idea she had been trying to push ahead. Not only himself but Teddy had put his whole crew at her disposal, it seemed.

She'd missed Teddy last night. It was rare that he had stayed the whole night and never in the same bed as her if he did. But it was also rare that she fell asleep without the feel of his goodnight kiss resonating on her lips and the memory of his body pressed to hers in a tight embrace. Since her recovery, she had never let a man get so close to her, but she seriously considered letting Teddy close enough to see her scars after her night alone. His kisses and caresses turned her on more than she ever thought possible, to the point where she was frustrated with herself for always stopping things before they went too far. She could only imagine how he felt.

"Earth to Holly! Where did you go?" Nicky asked curiously.

"Sorry I didn't sleep well last night," she sighed. "What were you saying?"

"That you need to get laid, and I know just the man who's up for the job," she laughed.

"I'm glad I didn't miss anything important then," Holly rolled her eyes and looked at Carter. "Is the delivery from Magda the only solid thing on the calendar for today?"

"Yeah, but I can handle it if you need some time," Carter offered. "Or we can reschedule.

"No, it's all good. I want to go through what we will need to order for the Halloween Event now that sponsors are also coming on board," she said, her enthusiasm for the idea igniting again. "I want to meet with Magda, then we will see. Maybe my self-appointed bodyguard will loosen the leash a bit further if I ask nicely."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Vanessa snorted. "That guy has it bad for you. Even without the creepy messages, he would be around all the time. We all know it. He's like a big growly dog who turns into a cute puppy when you're around," she teased.

"You should give the guy a break and jump him already. You know you want to, and it will relieve all the tension both of you are feeling," Nicky nodded.

"Jump him," Holly blinked, startled that anyone would use that expression about her doing it.

"You know, bump uglies, take a trip to pound town, feed the kitty, do the no-pants dance, polish the porpoise, ride the canoe into choochkie creek! Boink!" Nicky grinned.

"Thank you for those visuals. I got it at jumping him," Holly groaned. "Can you never say coochkie creek when referring to sex again, please?"

"Sure, what would you prefer? Smack the salmon? Ride the baloney pony? Slam the ham?" Nicky then nodded, seeing the expression on Holly's face. "You're right food metaphors are so overdone. Leave it with me. I will come up with something better by the time you're ready to do it," Nicky teased, knowing that sex was not something Holly craved like an average person.

"I've heard worse," Nessa laughed. "At least she didn't say stir the upskirt yoghurt. That one's just gross," she laughed again at the disgusted look on her friends' faces.

"Pound the punnai pavement?" Nicky added the suggestion before settling on, "Shag! Can we all agree shag is a good euphemism?"

"Nicky, stop," Holly smiled, shaking her head at her friend. "I will think about giving the guy a break if you two never start spouting those terms again." She pointed between Nicky and Nessa.

She didn't need them pushing her. She had practically talked herself into the idea as she went through the usual morning routine. Well, maybe not sex but perhaps a little more than she had allowed so far. They were exiting the coffee house when her phone buzzed to life, and she pulled it from her pocket with a smile.

"I got this," Nicky smiled and headed to the counter to get their refills as Holly answered the call.

"Good morning. What happened to the twenty-four-hour embargo?" Holly laughed.

"This is about as long as I could make it," he chuckled back. "I just needed to hear your voice and know you were safe."

"It's all good. I was going to call you this morning anyway," Holly said, still smiling. "I wondered if your boss would let you have a half-day today and if you would like to go for a drive with me?" she asked.

"With an invitation like that, I think my boss would insist," the pleasure in his voice radiated down the phone.

"I have a meeting this morning that I need to be at, but I'll text you when it's done, and we can make plans. It's a little bit of a road trip, so if we don't leave until this afternoon, you might need to pack an overnight bag. Is that okay?" Holly asked in an unemotional tone trying to hide her nerves.

"More than okay," he replied, not hiding his delight with the suggestion. When Holly stayed silent, he added, "Don't worry. There is no pressure for anything more than spending some uninterrupted time alone with you."

"Okay, I'll call when the meeting is over, and we can make a plan from there," she said, letting her anxiety make her second-guess herself. "Bye, Teddy," she added quickly and ended the call. When she stood up, she saw Carter watching her with a smile.

"I can handle the meeting alone," Carter repeated. "I know you will only spend the time second-guessing your invitation. An overnighter? That's a big deal. Are you sure that's best for a first night together?"

"I need him to see where we were and talk about the recovery. I don't know if anything can or will happen, but this feels like the next step. I need him to know and understand before he sees the damage," Holly said quietly, her trepidation in her voice.

"Okay, but you call me no matter what time if you need me," Carter said, looking into Holly's eyes and holding the stare until she nodded. "Promise me, Holly. I need to know you will reach out if you need to, those memories can suck you into bad places, and Teddy won't understand what to do."

"I will call if it all goes up in flames, I promise. You know where I am headed and where I will stay, but I will call the caretakers to be sure everything is fine before going, to be sure. Okay?" Holly added, and it was Carter's turn to nod quietly with a concerned look on her face.

They opened up the business together, and Magda arrived early to deliver the small order they had made and a range of product books and samples to look at with the street party event in mind. Magda was terrific in the service and pricing she offered. The women were lucky that she had taken over the company when the previous owner and supplier suddenly decided to retire just before the covid crisis. Lately, however, she seemed overly interested in their personal lives more than the business, sharing stories and photos of her grandchildren and probing into their lives. Being such a private person, this made Holly uncomfortable, but Carter had shrugged off the ill feeling saying it was just a sales technique to make them seem more like friends or family than just customers. Much like Angelo at the coffee house.

"You seem anxious today, Holly," Magda commented as Holly flicked through a catalogue looking at the smoke machines and wondering if dry ice would be the better option.

"She's eager to leave work early today and get away for a romantic weekend," Carter teased but frowned at the look of startled displeasure on Magda's face before it was smoothed over with a smile.

"That sounds wonderful, but most people escape the bigger cities and come here. It is more difficult to find a getaway when you already live in paradise, true?" Magda asked.

"Oh, our plans aren't set in stone yet. I think we will play it by ear, maybe even stay home," Holly sighed. "We have only had a couple of dates. So I'm not sure we are at the weekend away stage," she shrugged.

"Good, pretty young girls like you should not always be so eager," Magda nodded. "I'll take the order as it is so far, and if you decide on the smoke machine or anything else later, you call me. We have the numbers to mobiles now, so it is easy, no excuses," she waggled a finger at the two young women. Then she packed up her belongings and left as if suddenly remembering something else she had to do.

"Go now before you change your mind entirely," Carter ordered Holly. "Call him, or I will call him to come and get your ass out of my way."

"Fine, I'm leaving. I'll call Teddy on my way home," she agreed.

*****

The lakeside cabin was small but well maintained by the people she hired to check on the property continuously once she moved back to the coast. Holly had taken Teddy on a tour of the small world she had endured while recovering. The hospital and rehab facility, the physiotherapist's clinic, and several other places she ventured to for food and study when she had lived here for the years of her recovery. Now they stood on the back porch enjoying the sunset with a glass of the Mateus Rose wine she liked.

"Did you bring me here hoping that hearing the truth about what happened to you and that you still carry the physical and emotional scars would scare me away?" Teddy asked softly. "Did you think any of this would do anything more than make me curse the people that kept us apart when you needed me the most?" He didn't want to tell her how much he resented her Nana for lying to him, even if he could partially understand her behaviour as thinking she was protecting Holly while he was still involved with the underworld.

"Teddy, I need you to understand. It's not that easy to push it all aside. Not when I can see and feel the scars and discomfort every day," she said quietly. "If you'd just been an impatient asshole like every other man I've dated, this would be much easier, but you're not. You're sweet and kind, and you have been infinitely patient with me, which leaves me in an unfamiliar place. So you see, I haven't, I mean, I have but not willingly or with much awareness of what was happening..." her voice trailed off.

Teddy realised what she was trying to say and had no words, so he stepped forward and took her in his arms, holding her tight and bending his head to kiss her sweetly. Then, once he had his thoughts marshalled, he drew back and took a settling breath.

"I hear you, and I understand what you are saying. But believe me when I tell you there is no rush for me. On the contrary, I am more than happy that you are even considering this and that you are here having this conversation with me and helping me to understand everything that happened while we were apart," he said quietly, feeling his anxiety to be everything she needed, rise alongside her own.