Page 21 of Beck and Call

I nodded.

"It's early in the evening, and there are a lot of tourist attractions in this part of the city. It's still a popular time for tourists to travel here. It slows down in the winter, but even then there are always some tourists that brave the cold to come."

Not far from the station I saw it. "That's what you wanted to show me, isn't it?" The Brandenburg Gate was pretty much the only tourist attraction I was aware of in Berlin. I was more of a Francophile than anything else, and like most young girls I'd fantasized about seeing the Eiffel Tower. Still, images of the Brandenburg Gate had left an impression, and it was the only thing I'd mentioned in passing to him as wanting to see.

Beckett took my hand and we walked closer to it. "Yesterday was a long day, and you've been a huge help. I wanted you to have some memories of your first trip to Europe that isn't inside a factory or a board meeting."

I bit my lip. There were all kinds of emotions that wanted to spill out of me. I wasn't sure how long this version of him would last before he became the mogul again. I preferred passionate Beckett over his businessman persona. Maybe once I knew what held him back, I could stop trying to guard my emotions. Falling for him would be easy, but I needed to know he would be there to catch me.

Forcing my thoughts away from my feelings, I took a moment to really absorb what was in front of me. The gate was incredible. Six columns held up the carved stone beam topped with a large horse-drawn chariot. Nothing about this structure screamed modern. The metal horses and chariot were covered in patina, leaving them a mossy green. I could have stared at it all night, just imagining the time building such a spectacle made sense.

Beckett squeezed my hand, regaining my attention. "Berlin isn't most American's first choice when traveling to Europe, but most people miss out on a lot in life. Sometimes, I have to stop and remember that my life isn't only responsibility and acquisition. Being here with you feels like waking up from a deep sleep. I wanted to make sure you don't miss out on anything, even if there's barely time to squeeze it in."

I kissed his cheek and leaned into his side. "Thank you for bringing me here."

Magic seemed to surround us. The weather was unseasonably warm for the time of year. The fresh air and lively energy made me feel as though I'd taken a power nap. As my energy rebounded, it seemed his did as well.

"How many times have you been to Europe?"

He looked off to the side. "Are you going to hate me if I can't remember?"

I shook my head. "Hate you? No. I just can't imagine ever forgetting something like this. We really do come from different worlds."

"Does it bother you? There's probably more different about us than similar. I'm fifteen years older than you, which is a pretty big divide to start with."

It wasn't like I hadn't considered it. "Honestly?" I asked.

He exhaled as if he was frustrated, but I caught him smirking before he schooled his features back to what seemed to be his trademark neutral expression. "No, lie to me. I love it."

He waited for a moment. "Of course the truth. Always tell me the truth, even if you think I don't want to hear it. Very few people in my life have the balls to tell me what they really think."

"I think our age difference is kinda hot. I don't want you to be the boss–"

"Too late, I am actually your boss," he reminded me.

I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't speaking of our relationship during business hours. I meant it isn't like I was looking for someone to take control over me, but I haven't met a man my age I was interested in."

"I like control, Evie. There are going to be times I drive you insane with my demands, and I will be demanding. Also, don't fool yourself, we only have one relationship. I don't care if we are in my office, or in my apartment. You're mine, and I plan to show you that as often as possible."

A shiver travelled down my spine. "Why do I like the sound of that? I'm an independent woman, and I like that about myself. But then you growl something about office sex, and I'm wet. Are you like a sex magician?"

He laughed. It was a loud rumble of a sound that shook his body and made me stop just to watch him. "You are never going to be boring. Where does your mind come up with the stuff that comes out of your mouth? One minute you seem shy, then the next you're telling me you're wet in a crowd of people when I can do fuck all about it."

I shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not sure all the stuff that comes out of my mouth is vetted by my brain. At least not when I'm with you."

He chuckled, but I couldn't stop the words that kept spilling from my mouth. "How much control do you need in a relationship? Because, I think we have at least one thing in common, a pathological need to control our own lives."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he bit the inside of his cheek. "Probably more than you're going to want to give me. I'm going to cross boundaries, Evie, especially if I don't know where they are. There are going to be times you get angry with me. You need to tell me when that happens. It's the only way we're going to stand a chance."

I took his words in, along with the scenery as we moved through the city. There were so many places I'd love to come back and see in the daylight when they were actually open.

I stopped walking. "I'm really confused. When we first met–"

"Three days ago," he interrupted.

"Fine, three days ago, you tried to warn me off. Now you're telling me you're going to want too much from me. What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Nothing. Everything," he said.

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