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And never with Fiona.
“It’s so beautiful,” she says, rushing towards the floor-to-ceiling window, curtains pulled back to give an unobstructed view. “It’s like I’m on top of the world.”
Is it too cheesy to say that’s how she makes me feel too?
She puts her hands flat against the glass. Sunrise isn’t as impressive, but lights far below still gleam like the jewels on Fiona’s fingers.
The jewelry I put there.
“Do you really own the hotel?” she asks over her shoulder.
“My family owns it,” I correct.
“I’m not sure how to respond to that.” She leans her forehead against the window, looking down. “Whoa.” She laughs. “Have you ever tried this?”
I remember when my grandfather first bought the hotel and my sisters and I were allowed to explore. I was twelve, and the view from the Presidential Suite two floors up had taken my breath away. I had been in the same position Fiona had been in, clutching Riese’s fingers because she couldn’t look down without screeching with fear.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been amazed by anything like that.
Fiona pushes back. “Of course you have,” she says with a self-conscious smile. “You’ve done everything.”
“Not exactly everything.” The innuendo falls flat because now I’m gripped with a paralyzing fear. “Do you have any idea how much money I have?”
Less than twenty-four hours ago, Fiona had looked at me with disdain and more than a little irritation. What changed her opinion of me enough tomarryme? I’m good, but not that good, and we haven’t even gotten to the really good stuff.
The only reason I can think of is…
“How much money? I have no idea. Why?” She finally takes off the floppy hat and throws it on the table by the window before coming to me standing helplessly in the middle of the room.
The fear is from the thought of losing her and the sharp-tinged assumption that my money is the only reason she’s here.
Why couldn’t I have thought of that sooner? Like before I made her my wife?
“Do you think—youdothink!” she marvels. “I couldn’t care less if you were a prince or a pauper.”
“That’s what they all say,” I say in a hollow voice.
“Yes, but I mean it.” She stands a few feet away from me, and the urge to pull her close and bury my face in her apple-scented hair and forget I said anything is overwhelming. “Mase, yourgrandfather, and probably his father before him, has done very well for himself.”
I have to chuckle at the understatement.
“I don’t care about that,” Fiona continues. “Good for them. You are an extremely talented professional athlete who makes oodles of money. Yay you. I’m an archivist who works for an arm of the Canadian government and they pay meverywell for what I do. This is nice—” She sweeps her arms around the room. “But it’s not necessary. I can go book us another room if you want to stay there.”
“That’s silly,” I mutter.
“So is thinking I’m one of your shallow, selfish ex-girlfriends,” she says in a calm voice. “But I understand why you think that. Just know that I’m me; I’m not into the trappings of fame or a wealthy family, and I like you despite that. And I think that’s why you like me. I can’t really think of any other reasons,” she finishes with a rueful smile.
I give in to the urge and wrap an arm around her waist and tug her towards me. “I can think of quite a few reasons.”
“My impetuous streak?” she suggests with a small laugh. “Because that’s never been a thing before. I don’t do things like this.”
“Visit the luxurious hotel room of a strange man?”
“Marrythe strange man, regardless of whether his family owns the fancy hotel.” She presses her forehead against my chest so she doesn’t have to look me in the eye. “I married you.” Her voice is muffled but I can hear her words clearly. “And the most amazing thing is that I don’t regret it. I’m not overthinking it, or freaking out, or trying to figure out exactly what made me say yes rather than run back to my own room. I should have been the first one to leave last night, gone back to my room and read in bed for a half hour before going to sleep. Alone. But instead of that, I went on an adventure with you, and here I am.”
“I’m really, really glad you didn’t go back to read in your room.”
Fiona laughs as she tilts up her head. I love the sound of her laugh. I love the way she smiles at me, the way her eyes narrow as they study me, like she sees me.
