“Yeah, but you’re a girl. I’m pretty sure our minds have gone to very different places about this.”
“Try me.” She lifted her chin and held my gaze firmly. Confidently. “I’m not as delicate as my brothers seem to think.”
I almost groaned again, for a very different reason this time, but I managed to swallow the sound before it came out. “Yep. Our minds have definitely gone to very different places.”
She chuckled and gave her head a light shake. “Okay, Westwood. It’s time to tell me what we’re really doing here. Somehow, I don’t think you brought me here to talk a bit of business and a lot of family traditions, so what did we really get all dressed up for?”
“I’m glad you asked.” I pushed my chair back smoothly and stood. Then I walked around and pulled her chair out before offering her my arm. “There’s a lounge upstairs with a view of the whole city. It’s one of my favorite places in all of New York.”
“You brought me to one of your favorite places? And it’s a lounge in one of the most expensive restaurants around? Why am I not surprised?”
Even as she said it though, I heard the mild undercurrent of surprise in her voice and I saw it flickering in her eyes. She stood up and took my arm, allowing me to guide her to the lookout point right at the top of the skyscraper.
The lounge was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides, the circular area offering exactly the view I’d promised. New York stretched out below, the cityscape twinkling a little extra with all the Christmas decorations already covering every inch of the streets.
“Wow.” Her voice came out a little breathy from where she stood beside me, just staring at the seemingly endless, glittering expanse. “That sure is something.”
I was looking only at her as I replied. “It really is.”
Tables were scattered around up here as well. A string quartet played softly in the corner. All I could see was her in that red gown, though. I’d pre-ordered the most absurdly expensive bottle of champagne on the menu because I’d figured why not?
If we were really going to play this game, I intended on doing it right. A waiter who’d known we were coming nodded at me when our gazes locked and the sommelier brought over our champagne.
Aurelia’s eyebrows jumped all the way up when she saw it. “You do realize drinking that is ridiculous, right?”
“Of course. That’s the point. It’s reserved exclusively for only the most special occasions, and this is one of them.”
Before she could react, I dropped down to one knee and finally pulled the ring out of my pocket.
Those blue eyes widened all the way, then narrowed to slits as her head started shaking. “Harrison, no. Absolutely not. Get up. People are going to think you’ve lost your mind.”
“Most already think that,” I said, flipping open the velvet box in my hand. The diamond caught the light, sending a prism of light across her face. “I might as well lean into it.”
She groaned. “You cannot be serious. Here? Now? Do you even have a speech prepared?”
I grinned up at her. “Oh, I had one. It went something like, ‘Neither of us are doing anything better right now and we don’t mind each other, so let’s skip the boring part and get married.’”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “That sounds more like a hostage negotiation than a proposal.”
“Clearly, you’ve never been held hostage.” I slid the ring out of the box and caught her wrist before she could pull away. “It’s a pity you’re not better at negotiating, though. You should’ve asked for two rings. Maybe a beach house and a plane.”
She tried to argue, whispering fiercely as she widened her eyes at me again. “People are watching, Harrison. This is totally going to end up on the internet.”
“Good,” I said as I slipped the ring onto her finger. “Let them see. Let them all watch us both get exactly what we need.”
As the ring slid home, it was done. The diamond sat proudly on the ring finger of her left hand, obscenely large and so damn perfect. The crowd around us erupted in cheers, clinking glasses and whistles echoing against the windows.
Aurelia covered her face with both hands. “You’re impossible.”
“Correction. I’m engaged.” I got to my feet, turned to the crowd, and gave an exaggerated bow. “Thank you. Thank you. She said yes!”
Laughter sounded from around the room and she blushed so hard, her cheeks were a glowing pink despite her makeup. I caught her hand, lifted it high so every table would be able to see the rock, then pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles.
When I looked up, her eyes were already locked on mine, and for one disorienting moment, it didn’t feel like a joke or even a deal. It felt real.
Dangerously, intensely real.
The cheering died down and the staff whisked us to a table by the windows for dessert. Our champagne was chilling in a bucket beside us. Aurelia leaned forward, tapping the stem of her glass with a manicured finger. She arched an eyebrow at me. “So, genius, how exactly are we going to tell our mothers that we’re engaged? They don’t even want to talk about each other.”
