Page 89 of BillionHeir
“Oh,” I say, looking over at the elegant dresses on display. “It would be terrible to let these gorgeous gowns go to waste, wouldn’t it?”
“And on such a fine night,” he says, going along with me.
“What did you have in mind?”
“A wise man never reveals his plans,” he says cheekily. He makes a show of looking down at his watch. “You have aboutan hour before we need to leave. Is that going to be enough time?”
“I will make it work,” I answer. I grab the rack of dresses and roll it with me into the bedroom. “Be out in a bit!”
* * *
“The Shard?” I ask as we pull up outside the tallest building in the UK and all of Western Europe.
“Only the best views for you, my love.” His eyes are practically glowing as he helps me out of the SUV.
I step out in a little black dress with an emphasis on the ‘little’ part. My shoulders are exposed and the hem stops well above my knee. I wasn’t sure if it was right for tonight, but I feel great in it, so I figured, why not?
I didn’t have much time to get ready, so I swept my hair up off my neck into a nice French twist and accentuated my look with a dramatic smokey eye and red lip. If Max’s reaction when I came out of the room was any indication, I would say I put myself together quite nicely.
“Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?” he asks, pulling me close and practically growling the words into my ear.
“You might have mentioned it,” I giggle. I love having this kind of effect on him.
He kisses my cheek before taking my arm and leading us into the building. Max walks past security as though he owns the place, and for a moment, I question if he does.
He takes us straight to a lift that has obviously been waiting for us where an operator pushes the highest button there is, floor 68. We stand there quietly for what seems like an eternity as we rise higher and higher into the sky. When it finally slows, I can feel a swirl of nerves in my stomach.
There is something special in the air tonight. Something different about the relationship between Max and me. I suppose I could attribute it to everything he has done for my mother today, but that is not it.
Things have shifted for us. When he told me he loved me, and I said it back, it felt like a bond was formed between us, stronger than anything I have ever felt. Now, standing in his arms in a lift, everything just feels so right.
The doors announce our arrival and Max tightens guides me out into a large enclosed 360-degree viewing room with windows from the floor to the ceiling. The lights of the city glitter beneath us, stealing my attention and my breath.
“I have never seen such a magnificent view.” My voice comes out breathy while I struggle to take it all in.
“I have,” Max whispers into my ear.
I turn to look at him and all his attention is on me.
I feel my cheeks heat under his focus. If I didn’t love him so much, I might be intimidated by this kind of scrutiny.
But I do. And it just so happens that he loves me too.
The thought makes me smile, lighting me up from within.
“What has you so euphoric?” he asks, describing how I feel exactly as he brings a hand up to my face, smoothing his thumb over the ridge of my cheekbone.
“You,” I answer, fluttering my lashes and turning my body toward his, craving the physical connection I can only get with him.
Suddenly, it occurs to me that we must be putting on quite the show, nearly grinding on each other before we can even make it properly into the room.
I peel my eyes away from Max’s face to look around. There is no one else here except for a pianist softly playing a grand piano in the corner. The room is mostly empty except for a bar in the center and benches near the massive windows that give us the most incredible view of London. Then I notice the one solitary table with a crisp white tablecloth and dishes and cutlery set for two. In the center is a bottle of champagne on ice.
“It is just us?”
Max just nods as he leads me to the table, only releasing me when he has to pull out my chair for me to sit.
I take my seat and smooth my dress as he takes the place across from me.
