Keeping my voice low, I turn to look at him over my shoulder.
“Is that why you grabbed your wallet?” I argue.
He simply smiles and kisses the corner of my mouth as Joe hands Dahlia her champagne and a bottle of water to me.
While he’s pouring Talon’s drink, Talon slips a hundred-dollar bill out of his wallet.
Joe balks when Talon tries to hand it to him.
“Sir, I’m well compensated for my time, and when I had to have that emergency appendectomy last year, you paid me for five days I didn’t work.”
“That’s because you’re irreplaceable, Joe. I want you to stick around. This tip is for a job well done.”
Talon slides the bill across the counter and salutes Joe with his drink before holding his arm out for me to take.
I almost forget that Dahlia is on our other side until she opens her mouth again.
“So, Talon, how long have you been…” she trails off, very clearly searching for how she wants to finish the question. “Into men?”
Talon stops short, seemingly having also forgotten she was there.
“Dahlia, I hardly think now is an appropriate time or place. Not to mention, I don’t believe the answer to that question is any of your business.”
For a brief second, I’m convinced she’s going to throw her champagne on Talon, but she collects herself, her saccharine smile promising retribution in ways I can’t begin to imagine.
“Of course. My apologies. Enjoy the show.” She walks away like an untouchable ice queen, immediately gathered up by another group of well-dressed theater patrons, and doesn’t spare us another glance.
“Let’s get to our seats, otherwise I’ll be stopped all night,” Talon says.
I follow him up the ornate curved staircase to the mezzanine and then back down a much shorter set of stairs to our row.
Thefrontrow.
The most sought-after tickets in the whole place.
I stare at my seat for a solid minute, trying to absorb the fact that I’m here.
Talon chuckles as he gets comfortable next to me.
“You didn’t really think I’d accept any other seats for your first show on Broadway, did you?” I shake my head, but stay silent because, once again, I don’t know what to say. He tugs on my coat, encouraging me to take it off. When I do, an usher appears at the end of our row.
“I’ll be happy to take those for you, Mr. Devereaux,” he says, holding out his gloved hands like our jackets are precious items.
Considering the price tag that came on mine, I guess it is.
When I finally take my seat, Talon immediately laces ourfingers together and places our hands in his lap, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand repeatedly.
“I don’t have the words for how incredible this is, Talon. Thank you,” I tell him, turning to face him in my seat as the theater begins filling in around us.
His free hand slides along my jaw as he leans toward me.
“There’s more, but you’ll have to wait until after the show.”
“More?Talon, I don’t think I can handle more. There’s already beenso much. Besides, all I want isyou.”
Not only is it true, but I constantly feel the need to remind him of this. I fell for Talon long before I knew who he was or how much money he had. And while it’s true, money can certainly help in a lot of instances, it can’t buy happiness. Talon makes me happy simply because of the man he is, not because of his net worth.
“I know,” he says. “And that means the world to me.”
