Page 41 of Kiss Me Forever

"What's that?" Andrea asked as she pointed to a spiral staircase that seemed to end at he ceiling. "The stairway to nowhere?"

He grinned. "We call it the stairway to the stars." He led her across the room, pushed a button, and the ceiling over the staircase opened up.

She followed him up the stairs to the roof. As she stepped out, she said, "Oh, my God, this is amazing. What a view."

"It's what sold me on this building."

She walked around the deck, pausing here and there to take in a new part of San Francisco, finally ending up by two large telescopes. "Who uses these?"

"Anyone who wants to. Despite the city lights, you can do some serious stargazing with those telescopes. You'll have to come back at night." As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. His goal was to finish this interview off today or tomorrow and not extend future invitations to Andrea.

"That would be interesting," she said. "I studied a little astronomy in college, but I don't remember much." Pausing, she tilted her head, giving him the thoughtful look he was coming to expect.

Andrea was always trying to figure him out. And while at times he appreciated her desire to really get to know the man behind the games, her scrutiny always put him on edge. He wasn't used to anyone trying to get past his barriers. Since he'd gotten rich and famous, he'd acquired more walls between himself and others, and fewer people tried to breach his defenses. But Andrea was doing everything she could to slip past his guard, and he needed to keep his wits about him. That would be a lot easier if he didn't like her so much.

"What?" he asked when her stare went on far too long.

"Just thinking about how you like trains, planes and games and now telescopes. You're always thinking about ways to escape, to soar, to get your feet off the ground."

"Very perceptive. Is that going in your article?"

"We'll see. Do you think you would have been so focused on looking up and outward if you hadn't lost your parents, hadn't ended up having to fend for yourself at a time when most kids are coddled and protected?"

He shrugged. "Who's to say? I don't like to play the 'what if' game. It doesn't get me anywhere."

"I thought you liked to play every game," she teased.

He tipped his head. "Good point. But while my past is part of who I am, I think what drives me comes from the inside. You and I are not very different, Andrea. You have as much ambition as I do."

"Maybe, but I obviously haven't been as good at turning my ambition into profit or fame."

"Well, I have a few years on you. I have no doubt that you're fully capable of getting everything you want."

"I hope so. But again we're starting to talk about me, and this interview is about you," she reminded him.

"You're more interesting. What did you do this weekend?"

She hesitated. "I had brunch with my friends."

"The bridesmaids?"

"Yes, we planned my sister's bachelorette party."

"Where are you going—Vegas?"

"No, Vegas is not Laurel's style. We're going to do a spa retreat in Napa. One of my friends, Maggie, works at a fancy hotel up there. She's setting it all up."

"Sounds nice. What else did you do?"

She stared back at him. "You talked to Mick, didn't you?"

"Apparently, so did you." He hadn't been surprised to hear from Mick about Andrea's visit, and while Mick had assured him that no dark secrets had slipped past his lips, he couldn't help wondering what Andrea had gotten out of their conversation.

"Mick has a lot of respect for you, and he's a loyal friend. But you already knew that, Alex."

"I did."

She stared back at him, more puzzlement in her eyes. "Who is your best friend, Alex?"

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