Page 31 of My Billionaire Neighbor's Secret

“Sshh…” I whispered back. “Shut up. Someone might hear you.”

She just grinned even more and kept on clapping as Carter got off the stage.

Dinner followed. It was mind-blowing, to say the least. Prime Luxent Hotel certainly served some of the best-tasting dishes in Sin City.

“I heard their chef has been with them since the very beginning,” Rasha said as she closed her eyes to savor the taste of her dessert.

We were already wrapping up the eight-course meal and I felt very full. But it was surely satisfying to the appetite and the palate.

“Kudos to the chef!” I said. “Everything was awesome. I don’t think I can stand up anymore.”

“Me too,” Rasha seconded, making us both laugh.

After dinner, we separated ways and mingled with others. I hadn’t seen Carter yet again, and I knew the chances of us getting together for a chat that night were slim.

An hour passed. I couldn’t find Rasha anywhere, so I decided to just head out to the spacious deck attached to the grand ballroom. It also led to the well-manicured garden beside the enormous swimming pool.

I was surprised to find a coffee booth on the deck, serving various coffee-based blended drinks to the guests. I got a caramel macchiato and sipped from the cup as I walked along the path leading to the garden. There was a bench where I could sit, relax under the stars, and just enjoy my coffee in silence. The loud music from the ballroom sounded muffled from here.

I took off my heels and flexed and pointed my tired feet. A cold breeze made me shiver. I realized that the warmth of the coffee wasn’t enough to compensate for the cool weather outside.

I had not brought a coat, so it was best to return indoors.

Just as I was about to stand up, I felt something thick and warm being draped over my shoulders.

“It’s cold out here,” the familiar male voice said, making me shiver again. But this time, it wasn’t from the weather.

Carter sat beside me. He was wearing the white long-sleeved shirt underneath his tuxedo coat which he’d wrapped around me. He also had a cup of coffee in his hand. “Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.

“Not at all,” was my simple answer. I didn’t let on that. I was surprised he was there. Was he looking for me or did he just happen to head out here too?

“I was looking for you…” he then said, facing me and gazing at me so deeply that my heart began to pound wildly against my chest.

“Why?” I whispered. Having his coat around my shoulders made me feel cozy and protected as if he was the one hugging me. I missed that feeling.

He inched closer to me and took my free hand casually in his, rubbing and stroking it. “I just…” he said slowly. “… thought that maybe we could have that drink now.”

“Oh,” I said in surprise. Then grinning, I showed him the cup I was holding in my other hand. “Well, here we are.”

“Hey, I’m really sorry I didn’t call you sooner after that day at the orphanage,” he said apologetically. He sounded sincere. I wanted to ask why but of course, I didn’t.

“It’s alright,” I fibbed. “I was busy, anyway.”

“Yes, I had a lot of work to attend to as well,” he told me. “But you were always on my mind, Leigh.”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard him call me by my first name. Perhaps it was because we were now alone. It was just the two of us. Or maybe it was an allusion to our bonding moment at the orphanage.

“The truth is…” he continued as I listened. “… I was hesitant because I’ve never been good with dating. I’ve certainly never gone out with someone like you.”

I chuckled. “What do you mean?”

“An independent, powerful woman who’s not just very beautiful but also brilliant,” he said.

That made me laugh. It was flattering, but I wasn’t sure if he was just sweet-talking me.

“I’m serious,” he insisted.

“But admit it,” I said. “That wasn’t your first impression of me.”

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