Chapter 28
Lucas
WhileTessasleptinthis morning, I arranged for a quiet day, admiring the skyline before ending it with a breathtaking sunset view.
The High Rise Tower was the tallest hotel on The Strip, owned by the man himself, Dane Emerson. I called in a favor, having him close his rooftop observatory for twenty-four hours so I could spoil my princess and show her exactly what I had to offer.
I know I didn’t need to go all out, but that was the kind of man I was—one who loved to splurge and never settled for anything less. I only hoped that Tessa wouldn’t roll her eyes once we reached the top, thinking I’m nothing more than a show-off.
Before leaving, Tessa changed into a clean outfit—casual chic,as she called it.
I gave her all the time in the world to get ready, patiently waiting on the edge of her bed as she went back and forth deciding whether or not to wear the wig.
When Tessa couldn’t come to a decision after about thirty minutes of grunting and growling at herself in the mirror, I stood from the mattress and stepped up behind her as she pressed her frustrated palms into the vanity.
I took a second to admire just how perfect we looked together in the reflection, before gripping her biceps and rubbing gentle circles along her shoulder blades until she relaxed in my hold. I could feel the tension in her body melting away the longer I massaged her upper back, digging my thumbs into the muscle.
When she had calmed down enough to lift her gaze to meet mine in the mirror, I removed the wig, tossing it across the bathroom and into the shower before pressing my lips against her soft, silky hair.
“Where I’m taking you today, you won’t need to hide. It’ll just be you and me, nobody else.” I murmured against her scalp, taking a deep breath as I shut my eyes and soaked in every ounce of her.
“I-I don’t—”
“Use this as a first step in trusting me to protect you, princess. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I want you to feel every bit of the freedom you ran away to have.”
She calmly rotated in my arms, her eyes sparkling to life when they connected with mine as if a weight had slowly been lifted, a heavy burden she’d no longer have to carry on her own. One that Levi and I would more than happily shoulder for her.
We drove straight from Tessa’s apartment to High Rise. It was late afternoon by the time we arrived, and I parked the Mas in a private garage that Dane had built to protect his luxury car collection. He lived in the penthouse of his hotel, so he was always available to his staff when needed. Not to mention, he held the best view on The Strip, bar none.
I escorted Tessa to the elevator and, once inside, I pressed the button for the rooftop, which was located two floors above Dane’s residence.
“How can you be sure that no one will see me?” Tessa had started playing with the ties on her blouse, twirling them around her fingers and balling her hands into shaky fists. Tendrils of hair fell over her face as she stared down at the floor. I never thought someone so flawless could ever feel so self-conscious.
The sight alone nearly broke me.
Just like at her apartment, I took my girl’s trembling hands in mine and raised them to meet my lips, pressing a tender kiss to the backs of her fingers as Tessa lifted her head slightly.
“Because I know the owner, and he assured me that the entire rooftop would be closed to the public until tomorrow morning. We have the whole evening to ourselves…” Tucking a loose strand behind her ear, I grazed my fingertips along her jawline before resting the side of my index finger just under her chin to lift, keeping her eyes locked on mine. “And I hope that by the end of today, you’ll understand just how deep my feelings have become for you.”
I didn’t want to take things slow, not with her. I wanted to be twenty years from now, settled down with our family, showering her with all the love and affection I could give.
The elevator chimed, and right before the doors opened, I stepped aside to give Tessa the first look of our evening—the strings I had managed to pull in under a few short hours.
A wave of warm air filled the space with the sweet aroma of fresh-cut roses and gardenias. Tessa stepped forward, the welcoming scent almost carrying her through the vases of flowers that lined a path to the outside.
The rooftop of High Rise was half-covered to allow for year-round use. When it stormed, the clear dome provided an unobstructed view of the lightning and rain, which had become one of the biggest attractions to date. I swear that some tourists only came during the rainy season, just for the opportunity to sit and safely admire the weather.
My brother and I came here a few times when Dane had closed the observatory off for a members-only therapeutic escape. It was nice, a little fragment of peace and tranquility in a world filled with chaos.
“Lucas…” Tessa breathed as she exited through the sliding glass doors and stepped out onto the leading rooftop. Taking slow, creeping steps toward the guardrail, she peered over the edge. “It’s—It’s…”
“Incredible?” I finished at her pause, stopping with my chest pressed to her back as I framed her against the rail, gripping the metal bar on either side of her hands. “Levi and I were alwaysjealous of this view. The one from our penthouse is decent, but nothing like this. We come here once a month to take a break, slow down, and unwind from reality.”
“I could see why… I’ve never experienced anything like this…”
Tessa leaned into me, and I bent my head down to nuzzle against the side of hers, wishing that we could stay in this position forever. I was never a romantic; that was Levi’s calling—hell, he could make couch rotting seem like a romantic gesture,and he did, but with her… I’ve never felt more weak at the knees with undying devotion.
“Just wait, once that sun begins to set, it becomes even more mesmerizing.”
