Page 130 of As the World Falls

I smirk, and Tobias fakes a gagging noise as he sets his unfinished muffin down on the counter. “You guys make me sick,” he mutters. “I’m out of here.” Cecilia twiddles her fingers at him, waving him goodbye as I chuckle and walk toward her. I stand at her back and wrap my arms around her as she stretches over the kitchen counter.

“You have a dirty mind, babe.”

“I think it’s because you dirtied it. I can’t even think straight now.”

“Well, I’ll let you recover for the day and regather your wits. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

“Like what?”

“You’ll see.”

She turns around in my arms. “Are you saying you planned a surprise for me?”

“I suppose I have.”

“You’re not at all what I expected you to be.”

“So, you say. Now, eat more breakfast before we go. I don’t want you to be hungry.”

“I’m so full. You’re going to have to roll me back to the car,” Cecilia groans as we walk out of the restaurant where I had taken her to dinner.

I laugh, taking her hand in mine. “You ate a piece of tiramisu and a chocolate mousse after dinner. Of course, you’re full.”

She glares at me. “Are you saying this is my fault?”

I flatten my lips, stifling my grin. “No, it’s wholly mine for wanting to spoil you.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, too,” she agrees. “Plus, I couldn’t decide which I wanted, so I had to get both.”

“The tiramisu was better.”

“I’d have to agree.

“Now you’ll know what to get for next time.”

“I think next time I want to try the raspberry cheesecake, but we should still get the tiramisu just to be safe.”

I laugh now. “You have a bit of a sweet tooth, don’t you?”

She grins. “A little bit, yes, but I was also starving today after all the shopping you made us do.”

“It wasn’t a lot.”

“It was way a lot,” she retorts. “Why do you even need a new bookshelf? You have a huge one in your living room with plenty of space.”

We stop in front of my car as I unlock the doors and open hers for her. “Get inside, it’s getting chilly out.”

She thins her eyes at me without moving. “I have a jacket this time.”

I lean in, kissing her once, softly as I whisper to her. “Get in the car and let me take you home, Cecilia.”

She smiles against my mouth. “See, if you’d just ask like that in the first place, then you have a better chance of me listening.”

I kiss her once more. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She drops into the seat, and I shut the door, round the car, and get in. I took my time driving us home, wanting to ensure that everything was ready for her when we arrived. She was going home to a bit of a life-changing surprise…hopefully a good one.

Forty-five minutes later, after two fake wrong turns, we finally pulled up to the house after I got the okay from my security, who helped with my plan today. Cecilia passed out inthe passenger seat after we made our way back onto the highway after I pretended to have gotten lost on the way home.

I watch her momentarily, taking in her peace and pure beauty, wondering how she’d look next and react once I took her inside. She was beautiful here, and I wanted to keep seeing her like this. Sleeping in my car on our way back to our home together, where she can relax and find peace. I didn’t care how fast it was because this thing I’d been feeling for her was fast. It was like a disease that you think is just a cold you need to get rid of, but the next thing you know, it’s filling your organs and seeping into your bones until it’s become your whole existence, the very thing you breathe.

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