Page 55 of Pretty Little Game

Cassio nods, his eyes dancing. “You like them?”

“I love them,” I confess, lifting them to my nose and breathing deeply. “They’re beautiful.”

“So are you. I’ve never heard anyone with a voice like yours, and sometimes, I just don’t understand how I got lucky enough to call you mine.”

My heart warms, and I lean across the console to kiss Cassio fervently. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he murmurs, gently combing a stray curl behind my ear. His lips brush mine, and he groans longingly. “God, I love kissing you.”

I giggle. “You’re just saying that to make up for earlier.”

“Is it working?” he asks, grinning mischievously.

“Maybe.”

“Well, I have another surprise for you.” Reaching into the back seat once again, Cassio pulls out a bottle of red wine. “I was thinking ahead, so I bought a corkscrew, too,” he brags.

“Aren’t you the brilliant planner?” I tease.

“Come on. Let’s take a walk.”

Setting my flowers gently on the dash of my car, I slip out of the driver’s seat and lock my car as I join him by the front fender. The air is crisp and fresh, a perfect temperature for my crimson cashmere sweater and black leather leggings with matching ankle boots.

Though my shoes aren’t the best for a hike, I find the trail easy enough to traverse, the path smooth, leaf-covered dirt that transitions into wood planking as Cassio leads me toward a stunning patio overlook that stands high above glassy waters. The brightly colored trees reflect beautifully in the mirrored reflection.

“Lover’s Leap Outlook?” I ask dryly as I spot the name carved into the railing beside an information plaque.

Cass chuckles as he gives my hand a squeeze. “I promise I didn’t make you drive an hour and a half just so we could stand on an aptly named deck.”

“That’s a relief.”

I follow him to the railing’s edge and look out over the breathtaking view as he opens the bottle of wine and hands it to me.

“Sorry, I didn’t think to pick up glasses,” he says.

I accept the bottle with a grin. “I think I can slum it this one time.” I raise it to my lips and take a swig before passing it back to him. “Mmm. That’s nice. Is that a Bordeaux?” I’m no sommelier, but I know enough about wine to recognize the complex, full-bodied flavor.

He finishes taking a drink before raising the bottle to eye level and looking at the label. “Good guess. And I should hope it tastes good. It’s a 1959 Chateau Lafite Rothschild from France.”

I accept the bottle from him. “Sounds fancy. Is the name supposed to mean something to me?” I ask before taking another drink.

Cassio laughs. “Not really, I suppose, unless you’re familiar with fine wines. This one goes for around five thousand dollars.”

Fighting to keep the wine in my mouth, I sputter and choke as my eyes bug from my head. I’ve had my fair share of expensive wines when Ilya takes me out to dinner, but I never realized how expensive one bottle could be.

Amusement plays across Cassio’s lips as his eyebrows raise. “You okay there?”

Swallowing hard, I cough to clear my throat and raise the bottle to look at the label myself. “You spenthow muchon this bottle? Don’t get me wrong. I love fine dining and know that you get the quality you pay for. But I didn’t realize one could drink straight from the bottle at a price like that.”

“Well, seeing as all our dates have to be remote, hidden destinations, it’s not like I get to spoil you in any other way.”

Smiling broadly, I grip the lapel of Cassio’s fine Italian blazer and pull him close. “You don’t need to spoil me at all,” I insist, bringing him down for a kiss.

His arms snake around my waist as he holds me for a long moment, deepening the kiss.

“Maybe I don’tneedto, but I don’t see the harm.”

Nuzzling against his chest, I rest my ear over his heart, deep contentment filling me as I listen to its strong, steady thrum. “What made you bring me here?” I ask. “Of all places we could have gone.”

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