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“What’s wrong?” Paisley doesn’t miss the shift in my mood. She never does. “You look sad.”
I lift her hand to my lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles as we pull up at the entrance to The Wisteria. “I’m fine.”
She makes a huffing sound that tells me she doesn’t believe me.
She’s a smart woman.
I’m not fine. Seeing the way Paisley faces the world has shone a light on the mistakes I’ve made and I don’t expect that to end anytime soon.
Because there are many of them.
Twenty years ago I walked away from the life I was born into so I could prove I was better than my father.
Unfortunately, my view was short sighted, narrowed by the same man I never wanted to control me again.
Yet here I am. Living a life he formed. Following beliefs he created.
And it’s time for that to end.
Paisley’s door opens and the doorman helps her out as the valet takes my spot. I reach Paisley’s side and link my fingers with hers as she stares up at the lights draped across the front of the building. “It’s beautiful.”
“That’s why I chose it.” The Wisteria goes all out for the holidays and the building is nearly covered in roped lights twisted into intricate designs. “I knew you would like it.”
Her free hand smooths down the front of the cape I picked from the racks of options Bianca gave me. “You do seem to know what I like.”
“It’s because you have good taste.” I lead her toward the building. “That’s why you chose me.”
“I’m not sure I chose you.” Paisley tries to hide her smile as we walk through the doors and into the warmth of the lobby. “If I remember correctly, you chose me.”
“And I’d do it again.” I slide her cape off and pass it to the man at the coat check. “But this time I wouldn’t let you leave.”
“Mmm.” Her head tips and she gives me a skeptical look. “Let me leave?” She lifts a brow. “We’re remembering things differently again.”
“It’s unfortunate you have such a bad memory.” I pull her into my arms and nose down the side of her neck. “Because I would hate for you to forget what I do to you tonight.”
Her hand slides up my chest to bracket around the front of my neck. “Who says it won’t be me doing things to you?”
It didn’t take Paisley long to learn how to bring me to my knees in every way possible.
She’s the most determined, focused individual I’ve ever met. She constantly strives to get better at everything she does.
Everything.
“Should I start looking through drawers to find your naughty notebook?”
Her head tips, eyes coming to meet mine. “I threw all my notebooks away.”
Her admission soothes my soul, shaving down the hard edges she’s been sanding away little by little.
I came into this focused solely on what Paisley could provide me. What I would gain from her presence in my life.
Somewhere along the line that changed. I don’t know when it was. I can’t narrow down specifically how it happened, but somehow I started to care about what I could give her. How I could make her life better.
“All of them?”
She lifts one shoulder in a small shrug. “I’m not sure they were as good for me as I thought they were.”
I’ve never been more proud of her.
