Hearing that really never gets old. I smiled and looked down, fidgeting with my dress. Sometimes he made me feel like such a lovesick puppy.
“No interruptions this weekend, right?” I asked.
I looked up in time to see his expression harden a little. There was still that whole business of him taking off last night after I told him about his uncle paying Rachel to follow me. I didn’t want the stress of that hanging over us but it needed to be resolved. My heart jackhammered in my chest the longer he went without saying anything.
“No interruptions,” he finally responded. “Except for the fancy dinner we’re going to later tonight.”
“I didn’t really bring anything for a…” My voice trailed watching his lips curve in a wide grin. “You have clothes waiting for me there, don’t you?”
“Maybe. Is that alright?”
“This whole playing tag-a-long with the billionaire thing is going to take awhile to get used to.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” he teased. “Think of it as a gift.”
“But I didn’t get anything for you,” I pouted.
“None of that. You’re with me. That’s the greatest gift I could ask for.”
“You are quite the charmer.”
“You still think so?”
“Yep.”
“Care to join me someplace a little more comfortable?”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Where would that be?”
Flashing his hundred-watt smile, he guided me to the back of the plane.
“Door number one or door number two?” he asked.
“Does it matter?”
He stood between them, leveling a dark stare on me that quickened my pulse. “I’ll choose then.”
Opening the door to his right, I saw a decent sized bedroom. The skin on my shoulder warmed immediately from his touch.
“We have two hours. I’m going to get you out of this dress and make the most of them.”
Completely ruled by my overwhelming desire to tear all his clothes off, I followed him into the room and became intimately acquainted with the mile high club.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Windows surrounded me, rather than walls. No matter which way I turned, I had a fantastic view. The window to my right boasted the emerald green foliage of Central Park. At this moment I preferred the one to my left. Rolling onto my side, I drank in the never-ending beauty of Alastair as he slept. We’d arrived at his family’s penthouse at around three in the morning, exhausted from our in-flight entertainment. Smiling, I stretched my legs along the soft sheets. Bright and airy, the bedroom was drenched in gorgeous earth tones giving off a relaxing, almost resort-like vibe.
I rested my head on his bare chest, content with listening to his steady breathing and rhythmic heart beat. It sped up a little when I placed my hand on his stomach. Stirring gently, he covered my hand with his.
“Good morning, beautiful.” His voice always sounded richer and way more sexy when he first woke up.
“Morning. Did you sleep alright?”
“Yes, love,” he said, nuzzling into my neck.
“That tickles,” I giggled.
“My hair again? I’ll shave it off.”
“You will do no such thing,” I scolded him in mock horror.
Reaching for my waist, he gave it a few quick squeezes. I made a half-hearted attempt to stop him. I hadn’t been the victim of one of his tickle assaults in a while and sort of missed it.
“Do you know what time it is?” he asked, curling his body into my side. Something warm and hard poked into my thigh.
“I can take a guess.”
“Can you?” He hovered over me, his eyes clouded with sleep and lust. Leaning back, he sat up and pulled off his boxers then removed my cotton pajama bottoms and underwear with a wicked grin. Caging me against the mattress, he pressed his forehead to mine and used his left knee to part my legs. I shifted beneath him, my breathing becoming shallow and quick. Honestly, I could do this all day and night. Every nerve ending tingled.
“I love waking up with you. My Lia,” he sighed, sliding into me slowly. Burying his nose in my hair, he whispered, “My love.”
I hooked my legs around his hips, allowing him to push in deeper. He filled me completely, the slight discomfort from his size an added sensation of pleasure. Running my hands over the toned, knotted muscles in his back, I sunk my nails into his skin.
“Look at me,” I requested. My pulse raced seeing his raw emotion. The love that burned in his eyes was so pure and so unfiltered it gave me chills. “I love you, Alastair.”
“Lia.” Breath hissing through his teeth, he pulled out to the tip then thrust in as deeply as he could, over and over.
* * *
Despite our best intentions to go out, the only sightseeing we did revolved around what views the numerous, massive picture windows allowed us to see. This penthouse was unreal. The walk-in closet was the size of my entire apartment. And yes, there were clothes in there for me. Countless dresses, shoes, tops, jeans and basically any other article of clothing a girl would die for lined an entire wall. I didn’t bother asking him if he’d picked all this out himself. I had a sneaking suspicion he’d hired someone but would never admit it to me.
“There’s a staircase in here?” I asked, widening my eyes.
“It leads up to the main sitting room. Come with me.”
I followed him up and took a second to absorb my surroundings. A panoramic view of New York City encircled us. I could see everything; the Empire State Building, the new World Trade Center, Central Park, the Hudson River. All of it was amazing and breathtaking. I didn’t even pay much attention to the beautiful furnishings in the room. I walked over to one of the countless windows and looked down. People scurried on the sidewalks below, rushing to some unknown destination like ants marching in a perfectly choreographed scramble.
“Do you like it here?” Alastair asked.
“It’s…yeah. Wow.” I tore myself away from the view and noticed him standing with his hand in his pockets. “How often do you come here?”
“Once or twice a year. Probably more now that I’m in charge of everything. Katherine and Jason used to stay here on holiday but ended up buying a smaller one a few blocks away.”
“So, then, this is all yours?”
“Mostly.”
Confused, I tilted my head to the side. “What do you mean?”
He moved closer to me in slow, calculating strides. “It’s ours.”
My jaw dropped. “What?”
“You’re the only other person I want here. You can come and stay whenever you’d like. Here.” Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he passed me a set of keys complete with the little fob needed to unlock the main doors and gain entrance to the garage.
I held them, feeling the weight in my hand. “But I don’t…this is…”
He pressed his lips to mine, cutting off any further protests. The only thing stopping me from melting into a puddle was the echo of what Stephanie said last night. Engaged? I’ve only known him since April. It’s what, July twenty-third? It’s too soon. We still have so much to…
“Amelia Grace.”
I snapped out of my own head and saw Alastair grinning at me.
“Maybe I’m wrong but when a man kisses his girlfriend he sort of hopes he has her undivided attention.”
“Sorry,” I said, chagrined.
“There’s no need to fret about what I said to you, love. I want you to feel comfortable here. I want you to think of this place as another home. If you only want to come here with me, that’s fine. But it is yours to use as you please.”
“It’s just…I don’t want you to think you have to shower me with all this luxury to make me happy. I don’t need it, Alastair. I need you.”
“I know,” he said quietly, cupping my cheeks. “That’s one of the many reasons why I love you. I want to share this with you. I want to share everything I have with you. All of it is worthless if I don’t.”
&
nbsp; My heart fluttered at how open he was being with me. “Okay, okay. Let’s not get too carried away with the sentimental stuff, Holden.”
“Too soppy?” he smirked.
“For someone who is a no-relationships-non-dater? Yeah.”
“So my efforts at romance are falling flat? Is that what you’re saying, Meyers?”
“Your efforts are just fine. Ease up on the cheese factor,” I teased.
Folding his arms, he appeared thoughtful. I could see something brewing behind his pretty green eyes. He slid a finger along his lips and grinned.
“Cheese factor? I see.”
In a flash I was at the mercy of his hands as they squeezed my waist. I yelped and tried unsuccessfully to gain freedom from the tickle attack. Seeing him so carefree made my heart soar. I almost forgot about the unresolved issues we still had to deal with. For the time being, I pushed those concerns aside and enjoyed this playful interlude. Breathless, I finally broke free and perched on one of the couches.
“Satisfied?” I panted.
“Almost.”
The dangerous look in his eyes as he moved with precision in my direction made me weak in the knees. When he was about a foot away, he stopped.
“Stand up,” he ordered softly.
I did without hesitation. He made no move to touch me or kiss me. He just stared. Not in a creepy way. He stared at me with eyes filled with wonder, adoration and gratitude. I loved seeing him so unshielded.
“You have that look,” I whispered.
His mouth curved into the beautiful, shy smile I loved. “We should get ready for our fancy dinner. The reservations are for eight.”
“It’s only five-thirty.”
“Then it should be more than enough time for you.”
He’s teasing me? Smart ass.
“See, now, that’s too bad,” I said, grinning slyly. “I was going to invite you to shower with me but you had to go and throw some snark.”
Not giving him a chance to respond, I turned on my heel and went to the master bathroom. He didn’t join me, which led me to believe he had something up his sleeve. After taking a long, lazy bubble bath, I scrutinized the clothes in the massive closet. Since this was a fancy dinner I chose a short, champagne colored cocktail dress with a gorgeous lace bodice. The silk hem fell just above my knees. I found a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choo heels in the same color and scurried off to the bathroom to fix my hair. I knew he preferred when I kept it down, so I let the chestnut waves fall naturally without much fuss.
A soft knock on the door startled me a bit.
“Are you ready?”
I dabbed some gloss on my lips and let him in.
Wow.
Alastair looked like he just stepped off the cover of GQ in a dark blue suit and white shirt with no tie. It was unbuttoned at the top, giving him an aura of powerful elegance that not many men could pull off. Tracing a languid gaze over my curves, he grinned.
“I’m glad you chose that dress. I had a feeling you’d look gorgeous in it.”
“Good to know I didn’t disappoint.”
“Never,” he smiled, offering his hand. “Let’s go.”
* * *
There haven’t been many times in my life where I felt out of place. Since I’d dated a senator’s son, it wasn’t abnormal for me to be in the company of dignitaries and other highly ranked political types at social gatherings. I could usually turn on the charm and keep up with the conversation. As I stood next to the Mercedes SUV outside one of Manhattan’s premiere French restaurants, I stared at the black Bentley with ‘diplomat’ plates parked in front of us. For some reason, it made me nervous.
The restaurant had been partially cordoned off due to the dinner reservations for the Italian diplomat, his fiancée and her brother. Adversely, this affected our reservations.
I watched Alastair as he spoke with the maître d’. He was professional and polite with the man but I could tell something was bugging him. His expression was stony. When he finally waved me over I flashed him the biggest smile I could muster. I wanted him to be relaxed and open, like he’d been all day.
“Everything all set, chief?” I asked, running a hand up his arm.
He nodded and led me into the dining area. Our table was against a window, tucked in the corner. From where I sat, I could see the diplomat’s table. He looked to be in his mid-thirties and was seated next to a pretty blonde with a pixie haircut. I didn’t want to stare for too long so I turned my attention back to Alastair.
He was statuesque. Confused and concerned by his change in demeanor, I reached across the small table and held his hand.
“Don’t let this little snafu get to you. It all worked out. We’re here and I’m hungry.”
Marginally softening his expression, he handed me a menu. We studied them in silence until the server arrived to take our orders. After they’d been placed and the wine poured, I lifted my glass to make a toast.
“Thank you for inviting me to New York with you this weekend. I’m really enjoying myself.”
Smiling slightly, Alastair clinked his glass to mine. His eyes flickered and danced in unison with the candle on the table. He looked amazing. If only those tiny worry lines around his eyes would go away.
“You’re a little too quiet for my liking, Holden. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
My heart rate kicked up as I thought back to Stephanie’s proclamation. I have to stop behaving like this. I’m being ridiculous. He’s not going to propose. Stop. Obsessing.
“I could ask you the same question, kitten. I can practically see the wheels spinning out of control in there.”
“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” I laughed.
“Among other things.”
Oh good. He’s relaxing.
“So what else do you have planned for us this weekend? Are we ever going to see the outside or do you intend to keep me occupied again?”
The stony façade melted away and was replaced with a sexy, sultry stare. “As I’ve told you before, my intention is to keep that look on your face permanently. If it means we sacrifice a little sightseeing, then so be it. However,” he paused, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip, “your wish is my command so if you’d rather venture out into the city, we can do that.”
His feather light touch scrambled my thought process. So did the low timbre of his voice wrapped in that mesmerizing English accent. How he could be so damn seductive and successful with it time and time again floored me. He knew it, too.
“I’m not much of a challenge for you, am I?”
“Quite the opposite. You challenge me in ways I never thought possible.” His expression faltered as he withdrew into himself. Watching the transformation broke my heart.
“Hey,” I whispered, touching his cheek. It took a minute but he dragged himself out of whatever thoughts he’d succumbed to and grabbed my hand, kissing the knuckles.
“Have you thought any more about coming to live with me in Glasgow?”
Our entrées arrived at that moment so I was given a small reprieve before answering. I even managed to have a bite of the butter-poached lobster. It was so tender and sweet, I had to put the fork down to savor it properly.
“Is it good?” he asked with a smug grin.
I rolled my eyes and swallowed. “Are you enjoying watching me eat?”
“Always.” He started cutting into his steak. “You didn’t answer my question about Glasgow.”
“I want to,” I answered slowly, “but I—”
“If you’re worried about a job, I already told you there’s a position open for an executive producer. I can get you an interview.”
My curiosity muscled over my trepidations, forcing them to be quiet. “What’s the show?”
“It’s a news magazine program called The Archer Hour. They’ve overhauled most of the staff and want to take it in a new direction. From what I’ve heard, finding a new executive producer has been challenging.”
“Why?�
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“The host is a bit of a pill.”
“Most television personalities are. What else is wrong with the show?”
He shrugged. “Not much, really. I reckon the whole problem is nobody wants to work with Julian Archer.”
“Is he that bad?”
“I’ve met him a handful of times and most of our interactions revolved around him trying to get me as a guest on the program. In my eyes, he’s a pain in the ass but you may see it differently.”
I had another forkful of lobster and thought about this scenario. It would be a nice change to have a new job and be in charge of my own show. I highly doubted this Julian Archer fellow would be any more difficult to handle than the personalities I currently worked with. It was certainly something to consider, especially with all the drama happening at the station now.
“You’re not worried that he might try to make me coerce you into being on the show because we’re involved?”
“I won’t let that happen. Our private life isn’t a bargaining chip.” His eyes hardened like marbles.
“Alright.” I lifted my hands. “Just thought I’d throw it out there.”
“I think you’d do brilliant work. They need someone like you. You’re smart, don’t take any shit from anyone and can go toe-to-toe with a big personality.”
“Thank you for the ego boost, chief.” I smiled and raised my wine glass.
“Send me your CV when you get back to Orlando. I’ll forward it on to the hiring manager.”
The reality of moving out there and living with him lifted my already good mood to new heights. Maybe this was the next logical step in our relationship. An overly ecstatic grin tugged at my mouth.
“Okay. We’ll see what happens.”
A huge, gorgeous smile brightened Alastair’s face. The sight of him so happy was contagious. We both grinned at each other like lunatics for a couple minutes before continuing with our meals. No sooner had we finished our main course, the server presented us with the chef’s special dessert of the evening, which was comprised of small fruit tarts, decadent cheesecake and assorted financiers. Each one was more delicious than the next. When I couldn’t stuff another morsel into my body, I leaned back in the chair satisfied.
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