Page 34 of Shameless
He hugged me and said, “Let’s go home.”
So I walked out next to him, and we boarded a limo. My friends headed to a separate one as Michael held my hand.
As I stared at him, I realized he was wonderful, and I wasn’t exactly faking.
When we stopped at the building in Soho, he waited outside the door, and we headed inside. My friends and his were already there.
Once we stepped in the door, I found servants had plates and furniture in my taste all over the place already.
I wanted to ask how he’d done that, but Hope came and squealed in front of me and said, “OMG, you have a pool in the penthouse!”
As her husband-to-be was also a trillionaire, I laughed and said, “I’m sure Charlie can get you one.”
She tugged me toward my friends. As Michael winked at me and joined the men, she told me, “I never thought about it. We go to his parents every weekend, and they have a pool.”
Miley was pointing at the skyline near the window, while Isabel was still gazing at the pool. My friends were my rock.
“We’ve seen the mansion,” I said. “Well, come over anytime.”
Then I heard Jeff Norouzi, and my ears buzzed as he spoke. “So, Michael, how does it feel?”
Michael tugged on his neck and said, “Great. Britney’s the prettiest woman I ever met.” He seemed nervous.
Instantly, my stomach tightened. We were lying, and he was probably at a loss with what to say.
Jeff continued, saying, “My mother is upset she’s out of town and can’t wish you well.”
Michael met my gaze, and I quickly turned toward my friends. He then told Jeff, “We’ll be back and see her then.”
Roman Norouzi, Michael’s friends, said, “And it’s about time we all get to see your home in London.”
Xerses, another Norouzi, quickly added, “You’ve never invited us before.”
I craned my neck and asked, “Really? He kept it quiet.”
Charlie laughed and quickly asked, “Does that surprise you?”
I walked over to the guys as we were all in the same room and close. I hugged him as I said, “No, but I like Michael’s steadiness.”
We ate, and my friends and I toured the house that I was going to live in.
As the laughter faded, Hope hugged me and said, “We’ll leave you two alone now.”
We walked the small party to the door and waved like we were in some sort of TV sitcom.
Maybe I thought too much about images I’d seen.
As we closed the door, I met Michael’s gaze and said, “I think they think we’re in love.”
His blue eyes grew harder to read. He stepped back and said, “Let’s go swimming.”
As he took off his clothes and left a trail down the hall, I said, “I don’t know where my bathing suit is.”
At the natatorium door, he slipped off his boxer briefs and said, “I’ve seen you naked. I dare you.”
My eyes widened, and I placed my hands on my hips. “You’re daring me?”
He nodded and dove in.
