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Sightseeing and lunch. I can call?
I stay in my inbox, waiting for his reply, wondering what’s going on that he’s trying to reach me, but didn’t bother calling my phone. Bill’s email comes back quickly.
FROM: [email protected]
Subject: RE: RE:
No need. Enjoy the day. I will call tomorrow.
I stare at the message in shock. This may be the first time in my life that Uncle Bill has said his shit can wait. Hell, he must really be eager for Ani to get to know my personality and finish this job. So was I until yesterday. Now, I’m not annoyed that she’s being thorough. She should be thorough. I’m going to have to live with this design for a long time.
Tapping my phone against my thigh, I shove it back in my pocket and glance across the car. Like she usually does, Ani’s face is almost pressed up against the glass so she can look out and up. My fingers curl into a fist as I fight the urge to reach over and stroke her hair. I know I wanted Ani out of my home and life ASAP, but now, I’m not so sure. I’m rather enjoying this brief interlude we’ve fallen into. Much more than I would have thought.
Ani stares up at the building when we emerge from the town car onto the sidewalk.
“This doesn’t look like a restaurant,” she says, sounding uncertain, but I chuckle, leading her inside and to the elevators.
“The entire building isn’t a restaurant. Only the top floor.”
Anica
I almost blush at David’s words, but we exit the elevator and I forget how to do anything – even breathe. I manage not to stumble forward when David guides me, his hand firmly on my back. I barely notice as the host and staff scramble to find us a table. The only thing to shake me out of my awe is when we sit down. I gasp and turn my face to the window right beside me.
“Looks like I made the right choice,” David drawls, sounding smug. When I turn to him, he’s smirking at me.
“This is incredible David, thank you,” I breathe, turning my eyes back to the view in wonder. We’re looking straight out at the Empire State Building. At the top of it, where we were standing less than an hour ago.
At my words, David’s smirk falters slightly, a look I can’t place flashing across his face. But it’s back, and I’m pretty sure that he took a photo of me on his phone. Whatever. He can tease me later. Right now, I want to drink in this heavenly view.
I couldn’t tell you what we ate, or drank, or even talked about. I probably should have paid more attention – because this was probably a fantastic time to get to know more facets of David’s personality. But right now, I can only focus on one facet, and that’s the idea that he remembered one throwaway line about sightseeing I mentioned on our very first night together andwent out of his way to make it happen for me – including this incredible surprise.
“I could live here,” I sigh as we leave. David chuckles, hitting the button to call the elevator.
“I could look into moving, I suppose,” he mutters as we step into the elevator. I take one last peek at the view of the Empire State Building before the doors close, and grin up at him as images of the view of Central Park from his terrace come to mind.
“Don’t you dare,” I tell him firmly, pointing my finger in his face. David laughs. Like, throws his head back and laughs. I stare at him, wanting to commit the picture to memory.
That’s something to incorporate into my designs. When he lets his guard down – considering we are alone in the elevator right now – David proper belly laughs when he’s amused. It’s a sight to see. He has small laughter lines around his eyes, something that I’ve never noticed. You can’t see them when he smiles, only when he laughs like he is now. I grin at him.
“Are we going back to the office now?”
David shakes his head. “No, the sightseeing tour isn’t done yet.”
The town car is waiting for us at the bottom of the building and, true to his word, David takes me on a proper sightseeing tour of New York City. In between stops, he’s on his phone. Answering emails, by the looks of things. That’s fine by me. I don’t need constant conversation when I’m too busy staring out the window at everything we pass. Besides, it’s insightful thatDavid hasn’t thrown off work for today, like he asked me to. He’s still working in between our downtime.
When we finally arrive home, it’s already dark. David disappears into his bedroom and when he comes back out, he’s dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Blushing, I excuse myself, hurrying to change as well. I feel ridiculously overdressed in my work clothes when he’s more casual than I’ve ever seen him. Well, apart from when he’s in bed. My cheeks heat at the thought. Who would have guessed that when I accepted this job, I would know whatDavid Brooks Westerhavenlooks like when he’s in bed. Not me.
Settling on jeans and a loose sweater, I shove my feet into moccasins and tie my hair back in a ponytail. Emerging, I look around to where David is over at the front door, accepting take away bags from the doorman. He turns with a grin, holding them up to me.
“Look, I cooked.”
Idiot. A giggle escapes me as I roll my eyes at him, but move to grab some cutlery. David leads the way upstairs, fetching a bottle of wine from the wet bar. It’s kind of nice, sitting up here, admiring the view while we eat our takeout Italian, drink wine, and chat about everything and nothing.
Eventually, it’s time for bed. If I have any more wine, I might do something silly, like try to kiss him. He gets to pick when we sleep together. Not me. I flash him a grin, standing and collecting some of the takeaway containers.
