Page 89 of Knot That Serious

The elevator slowed as they reached the top, the ascent smooth and barely noticeable before the doors silently opened.

“Is this where you tell me you’re a mob boss?” Eli teased.

Raj shook his head. “The places your mind goes…”

He led her to the roof entry point and paused with his hand against the push bar. “Ready?”

“Yes, yes, come on,” Eli whined, and rolled her hand in a circular motion for him to hurry.

An expectant grin curled his lips as he pushed the door open. Cool air brushed past them to whistle through the hallway.

“Oh my god!” Eli practically shouted as she walked past him. Her voice was lost in the wind. “We’re so high up!”

The city stretched out before them, lights dusted across the landscape like sprinkles.

Her eyes were lit up just the same, sparkling as she stopped a few paces back from the rail.

“You’re not scared of heights, are you?” he asked.

“Not necessarily, but anyone would be crazy not to be a little nervous up here.” She shrugged and took a step forward.

His nerves had nothing to do with the height of the building, but he didn’t tell her so.

He lifted his hand and rested it gently on her waist, leaning over her shoulder to peer down over the edge with her. “It’s okay—these railings are reinforced steel.”

“How would you know?” Eli snorted.

Raj shrugged, his smirk slipping into a smile as she tilted her head to look up at him. “I designed it,” he said. “Saw it through construction up until the end.”

Her lips parted, and she stepped around him, his hand sliding away as she gazed around at the roof terrace.

“No fuckin’ way,” she said. “The lobby, with the skylight ceiling? That was so pretty. And so is this!”

For a roof, it was pretty nice. The only notable thing about it, really, was the pavilion with tables and potted plants beneath a wood and iron windshield.

It was noticeably quieter as they walked in the doorway, and Eli beamed.

“Twinkle lights!” she sang. “I love it.”

Raj snickered as she picked a picnic bench and stepped up to touch one of the strands.

He cleared his throat. “Let me show you to your table, miss,” he said theatrically, holding out his arm.

She hopped down, eyes sparkling and smile wide. “Hmm, I wonder which one it is?” she mused, and let him lead her to the only table with a tablecloth and tote bag occupying it.

“I have to say, this is hella romantic,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “I thought this was a fake date. You could’ve taken me to the park, you know. Totally free. I’m a cheap girl.”

Raj grinned, cheeks deepening in a flush, and unzipped the tote bag. “I don’t half-ass anything,” he said with a wink.

Then he shrugged. “Plus, this will give you plenty of cannon fodder for Beckett.” He made himself hold her gaze as he continued. “I’m courting you, and even if it’s fake, I want to do it right. You deserve to feel special.”

There. He said it.

And Eli’s cheeks went as pink as her hair.

“Well, I do. I mean, no one’s ever done anything like this for me. Do they just let you in because you were the architect?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed. He pulled the bottle of wine out first, presenting it to her like a waiter would. “And this, my dear, is a truly rare bottle of… citrus moscato.”

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