Page 206 of The Rebel Billionaire

Our mouths meet, and the stress of the day melts away. She feels like home.

I pull back. “I need to grab a shower,” I say. “Then I want to spend some time with you.”

“I’ve been sitting outside your office door, and you’ve seen me at least once every hour. Not to mention the time we spent with Callie.”

“It’s not the same at work.” I harrumph.

Her smile freezes. “Do you think she was really all right with finding out about us?”

“Callie? One thing I’ve learned over the years is that she tells it like it is. If she was unhappy, I would have known, even if she said nothing to you.”

No one was more surprised than I was that she’d been on board. She knows how badly I fell apart after Loretta left and has been very protective when it comes to the women in my life.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” I say, shrugging out of my suit jacket and starting on the buttons of my shirt.

Brooke licks her lips. “Want some company?”

“Absolutely,” I say, scooping her up and swinging her over my shoulder before heading for the stairs.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she says, laughing against my back.

* * *

“I have a surprise,” I say later, collapsing back on the bed, pulling her against me.

“A surprise?” Brooke says, rolling onto her stomach, her head resting on her hands.

“We’re going on a date,” I say.

Her expression falls.

“Alex,” she says.

“Don’t panic, not a public one. Well, at least not in the sense that anyone will see us.”

She inclines her head, her lips tilting.

I have her.

“I don’t understand,” she says.

“You will,” I say. “Tomorrow night, dress for comfort and pack an overnight bag.”

* * *

“Alessandro, what are we doing here?” she says, turning to stare at me. Her eyes are full of questions.

I press a kiss to her open mouth, silencing her.

“A little bird once told me about her favourite movie and how she wanted to do a night tour. Gabbi told me you didn’t make it at Christmas, so… Welcome to the American Museum of Natural History, Brooke,” I say.

“But…”

I place a finger over her lips. “No need for buts. It’s just us and museum security. No one else knows we’re here.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means what I said. I’ve booked us our own Night at the Museum tour.”