People actually asked us to pose for photos once Harrison and I managed to pull away from each other. Not wanting another PR disaster, I made sure we were accommodating enough to be considered polite—while working on getting out of there as fast as we could. After not kissing for what felt like years, we just couldn’t stop trying to make up for lost time, and I wanted us somewhere where we could be alone, ASAP.
“What’s next?” I asked Harrison as we strolled down the concourse hand in hand.
“We need to connect with your driver and let them know you’re taken care of for the evening. Then dinner, and after that, who knows what else might happen?”
He winked at me, and my entire body electrified. I was ready for himnow.
But his mention of my driver reminded me that I actually had grown-up responsibilities here.
“I like that plan, but I still have stuff I need to sort out.” I started to worry as I considered my new reality. “I’m here for a month, and as a new business, I don’t feel like I can back out of this potential partnership. Wakefield is taking a risk on me.” I turned to look at Harrison. “I need to stay.”
He squeezed my hand. “You’re worried about thirty days? My love, we have a lifetime ahead of us. A month is nothing. Plus, I have some new business to attend to here as well, and plenty of things I can handle remotely with Susan holding down the fort in the office. You won’t get me out of your hair for a few weeks at least.”
I grinned up at him. OfcourseHarrison supported my dreams. He knew how hard I worked to get here, and that I had no desire to be a trophy girlfriend. He stood back while I checked in with the driver Wakefield had sent, then steered me over to a couple standing off to the side of the crowds.
It was a guy who looked familiar standing next to a beautiful young woman. They beamed at us as we approached.
“You remember Kevin,” Harrison said as we got closer to them. “He flew us to my dad’s party, and he flew me here today.”
“That’swhy he looks familiar,” I said. I held my hand out to him. “Hi, Kevin. Nice to see you again.”
He slapped my hand away and pulled me into a hug. “It’sgreatto see you under these circumstances. Gwen, please meet my baby momma-to-be, Sydney,” he said.
I glanced down the woman’s torso and spotted a small bump pushing her shirt out.
“Hiiii,” she said as she swallowed me into a hug as well. “I cannot tell you howthrilledI am to meet you!”
I laughed, overwhelmed by the greeting. “Wow, he dragged both of you over here for this?”
“Dragged?” Sydney made a face. “How about ‘promised this tired, pregnant lady a five-star vacation with plenty of spa time’? I said yes before he finished asking the question.”
“It’s a win-win across the board,” Kevin added. “I needed to get some international flight time, this guy is meeting with Rolls-Royce about their line of jet engines, and my beautiful wife just needed a break. We’re all exactly where we need to be.”
“Not quite,” Harrison said. “Let’s find our car and get out of here.”
An hour later, the four of us were checking into the Ashford Intercontinental Hotel in Mayfair. It was just as gorgeous as the Carmel property, but in a totally different way. It felt ripped from the pages of a Regency romance, a mix of old-world grandeur and modern convenience.
It was no surprise that Harrison made sure to get Kevin and Sydney taken care of before us. Hospitality was in his DNA.
We were still attracting attention, no doubt because I was struggling to navigate the crowded lobby clutching an oversized bouquet of roses. I felt overtired and buzzed at the same time, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to come down from my high.
But maybe I didn’t have to? Maybe this sort of happiness was my new level-set?
The elevator door closed, leaving us blissfully alone in the mirrored car that moved at a snail’s pace. I took advantage of it.
“Hey there, tiger.” Harrison laughed as I practically scaled his body. “There are cameras in here.”
“Who cares, maybe the security team deserves a show?” I said as I wrapped his tie around my hand and yanked him closer to me.
“Well,hello,” Harrison murmured.
He dropped his mouth to mine, and we kissed until we hit the top floor. The door opened, paused, and started to close again before we found the strength to push away from each other.
Harrison jogged my suitcase down the hall to our room, making it clear that I wasn’t the only one ready to strip down and get to business. He fumbled with the key card.
“Wait a sec…” I pointed at the little gold plaque next to the door. “The honeymoon suite? Is this another Drew joke?”
Harrison smiled mischievously. “Nope, that was all me. I figured it would be good practice.”
