Page 48 of A Minute Past Midnight

I turned back toward him and smiled. “Thank you.”

His expression softened as he reached over and kissed my forehead. “Thirty-four looks beautiful on you.”

I chuckled. “Thank you again.”

“You sure you don’t want me to turn this plane around?”

I frowned. “What?”

“You said you didn’t want anything for your birthday.”

“Exactly.”

“I could turn this plane around and take you shopping.”

I burst out laughing. “Samir.”

“What?”

“You are unbelievable.”

He shrugged. “You’re carrying my shorty. I think you deserve everything.”

I shook my head. “You’ve already done enough.”

The look he gave me should have warned me. Instead, I simply smiled and rested my hand over his.

Little did I know, my birthday was nowhere near over.

By the time we arrived in Bali, I was exhausted but excited.

The scenery alone was breathtaking. I had never seen anything quite like it. The tropical beauty, the warm air, and the lush greenery looked like something taken directly from a postcard.

Samir had explained that we were there to look at a property a family wanted to renovate and expand. Apparently, they had recently purchased the home but wanted a different vision for it. Samir had been asked to help oversee some of the plans, or at least that was what he told me.

During the entire drive to the property, I watched the scenery pass outside the window while Samir remained unusually quiet.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Perfect.”

“You sure?” I asked, turning toward him.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re being weird.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Weird?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Of course you don’t.”

He laughed and reached for my hand. “Relax, Cinderella.”

I looked down at our intertwined fingers. “I am relaxed.”