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The engine purred beneath the hood, reminding her once again of the expensive piece of machinery under her rear end. It was probably worth more than three of her mother’s homes combined.
“My parents’ house,” he said, pulling out onto the street.
The blood drained from Emily’s face. She gripped her skirt in her hands and willed herself to breathe. Surely, he wasn’t taking her to meet the parents already. It was much too soon for any of that.
Michael glanced at her face and then down to her white-knuckled grip on her skirt. He laughed and shook his head. “Relax, my parents won’t be there. They’re in Europe at the moment. But there’s something there we need.”
She exhaled slowly, her heartbeat returning to normal. “I don’t suppose you can tell I’m a bit nervous?”
“No, not at all.” His lips twitched with the hint of a smile.
“I’m not really a fan of surprises,” she said with a forced laugh. “In ninth grade, my mom threw me a surprise birthday party with friends and family. It just so happened that my very first boyfriend dumped me right before I was supposed to show up. I arrived home in a flood of tears to a barrage of confetti.”
“That’s tragic.” He glanced sideways at her. “I’m sorry your boyfriend was a jerk.”
“Story of my life.” She gave him a small smile. “And a good reason why I haven’t dated for a while. I seem to attract those kinds of guys. The ones that’ll use you and discard you. Makes me wonder if there are any good ones left. I know, pretty bad for someone who runs a dating service.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
He frowned at the road ahead, severe lines appearing in his forehead. Emily had the sudden urge to reach across and smooth them out, to feel his skin beneath hers. Instead, she clasped her hands together and focused her gaze on the road ahead of them as they sped through town and eventually turned off into a gated community.
“We’re here.”
Michael pulled up to a wrought-iron gate. Emily gaped out the window at his parent’s house, if you could even call it a house. The gorgeous white limestone building stretched out the length of a city block and dozens of windows with iron work blinked at them through the darkening, stormy evening.
The home was two stories high with an annex on one side that towered above the rest with a glass roof. An immaculate green lawn greeted them, along with a giant stone fountain spurting water at least ten feet high. Michael typed in a code on the pad outside his window and the gate opened, revealing a limestone drive lined with purple flowers.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered.
Michael chuckled and drove them forward, the gate closing behind. “Welcome to Knight Manor.”
?
As Michael parked the car and helped Emily out of her side, he tried to brush off the heavy sense of guilt that had settled on him during the drive over. He’d been looking forward to this date all week, planning every little move. First, a private helicopter tour of the city, then a rooftop landing and supper at La Forêt, his favorite French restaurant. He wanted to see Emily’s enchanting blue eyes light up as she gazed down upon the city. He wanted to show her something she’d never seen before.
But their conversation had dampened that excitement. She’d mentioned her disappointing history of boyfriends. As much as he tried to deny it, he was in the same camp as those jerks. He really was just using her to get information on her business. Even if he showered her with diamonds and luxurious dates, he wouldn’t be able to deny it. This was a business transaction after all. And Emily was merely a beautiful pawn.
“Now, are you going to tell me what we’re doing?” she asked.
Emily held down her skirt as a gust of wind suddenly came up. She looked awfully pretty tonight. Her cheeks had a rosy glow to them and she’d covered her lips in a pink gloss. She’d worn her curls loose with only a few of the front strands pulled back. Her floral skirt revealed toned and shapely calves that made it hard not to stare.
“Come around back,” he said, holding out his hand. “Then, you’ll know.”
She gave him a skeptical smile, but took his hand anyway. His skin thrilled where her hand touched his. He gave her an appreciative sideways glance, thankful that she was the kind of woman who seemed up for a challenge, despite her professed hatred of surprises. She seemed to trust him already, which was what made this all the more painful.
He led her around his parents’ home to the backyard where a tennis court, pristine swimming pool, marble gazebo, and grand patio stood. The yard was just as immaculately kept back here, but with a more extensive flower garden. Emily’s keen gaze took in her surroundings, her eyes widening until he thought she was going to go into shock.
He had to admit, it was all a bit much. His parents had purchased the property during his high school years. Before then, they’d lived in a beautiful home in the suburbs. Of course, that was when his father’s smart investments had taken him from a millionaire to a multi-billionaire and landed him squarely on the list of the richest men in America.
At the far corner of the property stood a large cement pad. Michael led Emily in that direction, never letting go of her hand. When her wide eyes finally looked in that direction, she gasped and pulled him to a stop.
“Is that...?”
“My family’s private helicopter,” Michael finished with a small grin.
The Bell 429 helicopter was the latest in air travel luxury. It was his father’s most recent purchase, a necessity in order for him to move to their satellite locations throughout the area and conduct business. Its blades turned slowly as the pilot waved at them. Michael tugged gently on Emily’s hand, pulling her once again in its direction.
“You have got to be kidding me.” She skipped to keep up with his long legs, her mouth open in shock. “When you said your treat, I figured a movie and dinner or something. Not this. This is too much.”
