Page 99 of Tempting Promises
“I feel like a sardine getting shaken around. There are so many freaking people. It’s noisy as fuck, I can’t hear myself think, and your whole smell-the-city thing is really a bad idea.”
I sigh heavily. He’s going to be a tough nut to crack, that’s for sure. “Fine. Maybe Times Square isn’t your thing. That’s okay, this is the city that has it all. Let’s go.”
I pull his arm, dragging him uptown, where I know he’ll love. Rowan pulls me to his side, his hand clutching my waist. “For your protection.”
Sure it is. I roll my eyes. “There are a million people walking around, no one is going to get mugged.”
Rowan scoffs. “Please, I do have access to the news. There are also a million crimes committed here, so let’s not pretend we’re in Mayberry where Opie is just riding his bike around town.”
“Don’t worry, Rowan, I’ll protect you.”
He laughs once. “Yeah, but who will protect me against you? You’re the most likely suspect if I go missing.”
“This is true, but . . . I like my odds.”
I pull him along, up 5thAve until we reach Central Park. It’s everything I love about this city. A quiet oasis in the city that never sleeps. My smile grows as I allow the peace to settle over me.
“See over there?” I point toward the west where there are a bunch of buildings.
“Sure.”
“Do not ruin this for me,” I warn. “I lived in the cream-colored building in between the glass and the dark brown. My parents had a three bedroom on the top floor. I can remember waking up and seeing the park every morning.”
“So, the view you have now?”
I give him a dirty look. “This view is nothing like what we have at home.”
“It’s grass.”
“It’s not just grass!” I say in horror. “It’s a huge park. It has trails and ponds and horses pulling carriages. There are people everywhere who are just taking a break from their busy lives, reading, or having a picnic.”
Rowan crosses his arms over his chest. “Okay, it’s a big park, and I guess we don’t have a whole sub-city that is nothing but a park, so I’ll give you that. However, we have trails, you took one to get to my house. We have ponds and we have creeks if you want to take it a step farther. Horses? Well, we know we have those and contrary to whatever garbage you think, some people in Sugarloaf can read and eat.”
He is not going to sway me on this, damn him.
“It’s not the same and you know it.”
Of course, just then a car horn blares, one that the guy is just laying on nonstop.
“You’re right. Not the same at all.”
I’m not even sure how to top this. I thought this country boy would appreciate that we have some of that here too.
Seems I was wrong.
“Okay, food. That’s what we need.” I change tactics. Guys love to eat, and Rowan needs to experience the cuisine here. It’s different and amazing. No matter what, there is nothing like the options we have here.
“We ate at the party.”
“Did we?” I throw back. While there was finger food, it was nothing, and I can always go for a pretzel and hot dog.
“All right, wow me with your food.”
I smile, taking his hand in mine and tugging him toward the street vendor. It’s just now six at night and I feel like this is the best time for some food from a truck. “You have to have a dirty water dog.”
“A what?”
“A hot dog from the cart.”
