“Right.”Nora’s gaze is unblinking.“The year before, I had other things on my mind.”
I laugh.“I’m sure.In any case, don’t worry about it.I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
“Why not?”Her eyebrows pull together in a puzzled frown.“You don’t like birthdays?”
“Not my own, no.”My parents routinely forgot it when I was a child, and I’d learned to forget it as well.“In any case, that has nothing to do with this gift.If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”
“No.”Nora clutches the necklace possessively.“I love it.”
“Then it’s yours.”Stepping toward her, I tilt her chin up with my fingers and press a brief kiss to her lips before stepping back.“Now you should get ready.Your parents are waiting to have lunch with you.”
She blinks, staring at me.“What are we doing tonight?You told them we already have plans.”
“We do.I’m taking you to a restaurant in the city.”I pause, looking at her.“Unless you want to do something else?It’s your choice.”
“Really?”Her face lights up with excitement.“In that case, can we do something crazy?”
“Such as?”
“Can we go to a nightclub after dinner?”
My first inclination is to say no, but I bite back the words.“Why?”I ask instead.
She shrugs, looking slightly embarrassed.“I don’t know.I just think it would be fun.I haven’t been to a club since—” She falls silent, biting her lip.
“Since you met me.”
She nods, and I recall the conversation we had after lunch with her friends.There had been a certain wistfulness in Nora’s voice when she spoke of going out and having fun, a longing for things she thought she’d never experience.
“Which club do you want to go to?”I ask, unable to believe I’m even entertaining the idea.
Nora’s eyes brighten.“Any club,” she says quickly.“Whichever one you think is safest.I don’t care where we go, just as long as there’s music and dancing.”
“How about the one where we met?”I suggest reluctantly.“My men are familiar with it from before, so it’ll be easier—”
“Yes, perfect,” she interrupts, beaming at me.“Can we take Rosa with us?I know she would love it too.”My expression must reflect my thoughts because she swiftly clarifies, “Just to the club, not dinner.I also want the dinner to be just the two of us.”
I sigh.“Sure.I’ll have one of the guards drive her, so she can meet us at the club after dinner.”
Nora squeals and throws her arms around my neck.“Thank you!Oh, I can’t wait.This is going to be so great.”
And as she heads out for lunch with her parents, I get together with Lucas to figure out how to secure a popular Chicago nightclub on a Saturday night.
“Wow, Julian, this is amazing,”Nora exclaims as we walk into the high-end French restaurant I chose for our dinner.“How did you get a reservation?I heard people have to wait for months…” Then she stops and rolls her eyes.“Oh, never mind.What am I saying?Of course you of all people can get a reservation.”
I smile at her obvious excitement.“I’m glad you like it.Let’s hope the food is as good as the ambience.”
The waiter leads us to our table, which is in a private nook at the back of the restaurant.Instead of wine, I order sparkling water for both of us, and also request the tasting menu after first explaining the restrictions associated with Nora’s pregnancy.
“Very good, sir,” the waiter says, bowing slightly, and before we know it, the first course is on our table.
As we nibble on asparagus risotto and langoustine ravioli, Nora tells me about her lunch and how happy her parents were to celebrate this birthday with her.“They got me a new set of paint brushes,” she says, grinning.“I’m guessing that means my dad’s no longer as skeptical about my hobby.”
“That’s good, baby.He shouldn’t be.You have an amazing talent.”
“Thank you.”She gives me a glowing smile and reaches for her water glass.
As we talk, I find myself unable to look away from her.She’s radiant tonight, more beautiful than I’ve ever seen her.Her strapless blue dress is sexy and elegant at the same time—though much too short for my peace of mind.When I saw her coming down the stairs tonight, in that dress and her silvery high-heeled shoes, it was all I could do not to drag her back upstairs and fuck her for three days straight.It doesn’t help that she used some kind of make-up that makes her lips shiny and extra-lush.Every time she wraps those lips around a fork, I picture her sucking my cock and my pants get uncomfortably tight.
