That’s if we make it out alive.
TWELVE
HOLT
I’m almost certain Selene hasn’t taken a breath until we’ve landed back on solid ground. She hasn’t pulled her hand from on top of mine. I wish I could say I kept my focus on the view the entire ride over to our destination, but I didn’t. I couldn’t look away from her.
She’s too beautiful. Like staring directly at the rays of sunshine peeking between the tree branches and skyscrapers surrounding us. Hidden in plain sight, full of sass and fire, she’s show, glimpses to another side of her I’ve rarely seen, if only during the past two days. It’s a side I want to see more often.
She kept her maroon-painted bottom lip permanently tucked under her teeth and her hand clutched over mine. My fingers ached to graze her skin, to pop every single one of those buttons on her tiny vest open and reveal what was hidden underneath. Her leg was pressed to mine, and my dick twitched at the thought of having her sitting on my lap. It also leapt, along with my heart, at the idea of me being the one to keep her steady and calm when she was obviously spiraling into an anxiety attack.
Once we land, I take Selene’s shaking hand and escort hertoward the waiting, open elevator doors at the opposite end of the landing pad.
She doesn’t ask where we are or where I’m taking her. I’m glad she’s finally taken the advice I gave her back at the car to trust me.
She clutches onto me and glances around at the surrounding buildings in silence. But once we’ve stepped into the elevator to take us straight to ground level, I can’t take her silence a second longer.
“Are you not going to ask where we’re going?”
Her hand falls away from mine as she leans against the wall of the elevator and closes her eyes. “I’m still trying to catch my breath.” She lifts her hand and presses it to her bare chest. I watch as the swell of her breasts rise and fall with her hand, like watching the tide rolling in gently across the sand.
“Besides…” She licks her lips and pushes off the wall. “You told me to trust you. Are you taking that back?” She tucks her long, blonde hair behind her ear and clasps her hands in front of her. Her breasts push together, and I want to sink between them so fucking badly.
There’s the glimpse of her fiery side again. I fucking love it.
“No.” I rub at my chin. “But for all you know, I could be taking you to some nondescript basement to kidnap you and chain you to a bed.”
“Oh.” She grins, all her anxiety gone. “I don’t think you’d do that. Too risky.”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I like to live on the edge. Clearly, you think so. Don’t tell me that wasn’t a scenario that played out in that wild mind of yours.”
“Kidnapping me or chaining me to a bed?”
Her question practically knocks me off my feet. Fuck, this woman is incredible when she’sout of her shell.
“I’m not down with the kidnapping, but I can’t say I would say the same about chaining you to a bed.”
It appears I’ve knocked her off her feet, too. Her mouth snaps shut, and her eyes drop. Heat blooms in her cheeks, spreading down to her chest.
“Fine, I’ll ask then. Where are we?”
“The West Village,” I tell her, just as the elevator stops. “Casa di Luce.”
“Really?” She pops an eyebrow before she tips her head back in laughter. “While the helicopter ride felt like forever, when I think back on it, it was pretty short.” Her laughter fades and her smile goes with it as her green eyes shoot white hot heat into my veins. “Why did you choose this place? Other than it probably has a million eyes that will keep this rumor mill well oiled.”
Her words remind me how much she doesn’t know about me, only what she thinks she knows. “This place has special meaning.”
The doors open directly to the restaurant. Decorated in gold and black tones, it’s wrapped up in a million memories. And now, watching Selene walk in front of me, with her head tipped up in awe, I have a new one to store away.
Her mouth twitches, and I see the thoughts clearly working in her mind. She’s retreating again but not completely. Not like usual. She simply allows me to take her hand and escort her to the front desk.
I tell the host I have a reservation, and she escorts us to the back of the restaurant. I hold Selene’s chair out for her. She glances over her shoulder at me before scooting forward. Something tells me she isn’t used to this.
I know this date is meant to be for show, to continue the rumors I started the other night at the auction. The media is an ugly, starved beast, constantly searching for its next story. If Idon’t keep the story of Selene and me alive, the lawsuit with Rome will come back to rear its head.
But I won’t lie, I have other motives with this date. Once I barged in to Selene’s yoga class yesterday, I haven’t wanted to stay away.
No. Scratch that.
