Page 130 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince
“But of course, Miss. Let us head that way now.” He waved his hand to usher us in the opposite direction.
Soon we began the two hundred and sixty-seven step climb to the rooftop. Halfway there, we stopped to look down at the main floor below and at the intricate designs of the ceiling above. I’d always loved neoclassical architecture.
After a few minutes, we continued our trek through a door which opened up to a view of the city. It was an open walkway that led us to another set of stairs which would bring us into the area of the dome itself. This view was a taste of what we would see at our final destination.
My legs were on fire, but my heart was flying.
“We’re so close.” I reached for Dean’s hand again. It was damp with sweat.
He gave me a tight smile.
“You okay?” His naturally tan skin had grown a shade paler. I ignored our guide waiting for us at the next staircase and pulled Dean to a stop.
“Definitely.” His voice had taken on a strained tone. “We should catch up. Isn’t this the part you’ve been waiting for?”
“Dean, you don’t look good. If it’s the heights, we can ask to go back. It’s just us. We won’t hold anyone up.” He’d never mentioned he was afraid of heights.
He let go of my hand and cupped my cheeks. “No way are we stopping now. You’ve waited a lifetime for this, babe.” His lips met mine, giving me a soft, lingering kiss. If our tour guide hadn’t been waiting on us, I’d have pulled his head down and deepened it.
“I love you,” I whispered to him.
“I love you.” He grabbed ahold of my hand and smiled. Already his pale coloring had improved, and he seemed better.
Maybe those fairytales had something on kisses, making people feel better after all. I laughed to myself at my silly thoughts.
We made our way into the dome and turned right to go up another short staircase, then down a hall, and left to another staircase. Just before climbing this one, I paused.
“You okay?” Dean asked.
I nodded. My emotions were overwhelming me, and I needed a minute.
He brushed a piece of hair that had fallen across my face and tucked it behind my ear. “You’ve imagined this day for years. It’s okay to be worried it won’t live up to your expectations.”
My gaze lifted until I met his eyes. “I know. It’s just—” I couldn't finish my thought. I’d already said the same thing to him time and again since we’d arrived.
“What would ruin the moment?”
My forehead creased as I considered his words. “I don’t understand.”
“What is the worst thing that could happen when you get up there?”
“Not feeling like they’re there. Seeing the space and having it feel like every other place I’ve been to before.” My voice broke and tears streamed down my cheeks.
He gently wiped away my tears and kissed me. “What’s the best thing that could happen?”
“I feel closer to them. And I get to enjoy a space that was special to them.” I sniffed. “We make a new memory and enjoy the view of the city. Mom really loved the view.”
“Exactly. How about we go up there for the view and see what happens next?”
“Okay.” I smiled at him. “Thank you for understanding.”
I drew in a deep breath then let it out.
“Ready?” he asked and held out his hand.
“Ready.” And I was. Tiny baby butterflies still fluttered around in my stomach, but for the most part, Dean was right. It was time to start thinking about the best thing that could happen once we made our way to the roof. And I’d start with the view and my arms around the love of my life.
At the top of the stairs, I noticed Remi standing off to the right with a wall behind him. He gestured for us to go left. Already I could see the blue skyline stretching out before us and the large columns that held up the dome.
