His gaze moved to me as he spoke this last sentence. He kept his eyes on me, waiting for a reaction. Niklas’s hand gentled, caressing me, leading me away from my instinct to counterattack. Brad was looking for weakness, and I wasn’t going to show him any.
Niklas took a deep breath. “It’s tough coming back to Detroit, but for Caroline, I’d do just about anything.”
Niklas finally met my eyes and smiled. This performance in my parents’ front hall was for Brad, but the warmth and tenderness in his gaze told me his words were genuine.
I sighed, letting go of my frustration at being outmaneuvered. He had foregone defending his reputation in favor of showing his devotion to me. He had set himself at my feet, right in front of Brad.
The move was a direct hit. I didn’t have to look at Brad to know this. His simple statement captured exactly what Brad would never do for me; he had made this clear when I left for my trip. Brad hadn’t even considered following me. Niklas knew all of this, and he had used it to his advantage. Still, even in this power struggle, Niklas’s affection rang true.
When I looked back at Brad, his veneer of calm cracked. He seemed to sense he had lost this round, but the furrow of his brow suggested he didn’t quite understand how it had happened.
“Nice to finally meet you, Brad,” said Niklas, extending his hand again. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”
Once again, Niklas was on top of his game. If Brad was still considering staying for dinner, Niklas had just revoked the invitation.
Brad seemed to struggle with whether or not he should shake Niklas’s hand. After a brief pause, he reached out his own hand for a quick handshake. I hid my smile. Brad was doubtless perceptive enough to understand that a physical challenge in the form of a handshake was pointless against an athlete. But as I watched the scene unfold before me, I couldn’t let go of the fact that I had so easily stepped out of the ring, letting the men take over. I didn’t want Niklas solving my problems for me.
“We can talk more when you come for your things,” Brad said.
Before I thought better of it, I found myself nodding. I needed to finish this myself.
“I’ll call you,” he finally muttered before he turned and walked out.
I stared at the front door as it closed. I looked up at Niklas, but he wasn’t looking at the door. Instead he frowned down at the flowers in my hand.
“That’s the second time I’ve seen some other guy give you flowers in front of me.”
I shrugged. “There are things I like better from a guy than roses.”
But my comment didn’t make a dent in Niklas’s expression. I bent down to set the flowers on the floor and stood back up, coaxing his gaze onto me instead.
“You’re right, Niklas,” I said. “You do work well under pressure.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Brad? That guy can say whatever the hell he wants about me,” he said, resting his hands on my arms. “I thought he was going to go after you,” he added softly. “If he had, I’m not sure I would have been as calm about it.”
Niklas was letting me know his weakness wasn’t his own reputation or problems. It was me.
I took a deep breath. “I appreciate your support, but I could have handled Brad myself.”
Niklas pulled back and looked at me, his eyes wide. “Of course I know that. I’m talking to the same woman who put the Greek hotel owner in his place when he double-charged us, aren’t I?”
I felt the corners of my mouth turn up. Niklas rested his hand in my hair at the base of my neck.
“Caroline, I came out because I had to see the guy you spent the last four years with,” he said gently. “Not because I didn’t think you could handle him.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and urged him down for a kiss, but he broke it off quickly.
“Your parents,” he whispered. “I’m not sure this will make the best first impression. And I don’t think your mother is my biggest fan. Yet.”
I laughed and released him, letting my hands drift over his broad shoulders, down his hard biceps and around his waist.
“Did you tell my father you play hockey?”
Niklas nodded.
“Well? How did he take it?”
“Fine.”
