Perfectly Inappropriate

She admired his masculine form and his semi-hard cock before focusing away from all that. “I’ve made plans for us this morning.” She hopped out of bed, quickly moving to her bag on the floor to grab some clothes. “Get dressed.”

“You made plans?” he asked behind her.

She searched her bag for a pair of shorts and a blouse. “Yup, and it’s a surprise.”

He hesitated. Then his voice lowered, “A surprise?”

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder, trying not to notice how unbelievably hot he looked wearing nothing but that towel around his shoulders. “Yes, and if you’d hurry up and get ready then you’ll find out what we’re doing.”

Two things happened almost simultaneously: He hurried to get her panties off and a condom on. Then they had an incredible quickie that left her screaming in pleasure.

And an hour later, Olivia was still tingling in all the right places when they drove up to the empty field. Right in the middle was a hot air balloon. She took a quick look at Noah who had turned off the car.

He gave her a side glance. “We’re going on a hot air balloon ride?”

“Surprise.” She smiled, not seeing any signs of horror crossing his face. “It’s the number one thing to do in Bedford, and it’ll take us right over Westchester. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

His eyes laughed at her, then he opened the door and got out. She supposed he wasn’t afraid of much. But as he stared out at the balloon, she caught his smile. A new smile. A little freer and full of intrigue. “What made you do this?” he asked, turning to her.

She figured honesty was the best way to go. “Because I thought you’d like to do something non–work related. Was I right?”

He snatched up her hand and pulled her close against all his strength and warmth. Holding her tight against him, he dropped a soft kiss to her forehead. “Most definitely right.”

Point for her—he liked this.

“Olivia Watts?”

She leaned away from Noah and spotted a salt-and-pepper-haired man near the basket. “Yes, that’s me,” she called.

“Come, then.” He waved them forward and patted the basket. “Let’s enjoy this beautiful day.”

She turned to Noah and smiled. “Ready?”

He leaned down, getting close again, and lowered his voice to a sexy rumble. “You should be well aware by now that I’m always ready.” He chuckled, probably at the heat flooding her cheeks, and leaned away. He took her hand and they strode side by side toward the basket.

Olivia learned something about herself right then and there. She felt really good making other people happy. That smile on Noah’s face made her day complete. Even more so, because that smile lasted from the time they got up in the air and through the last hour while their pilot guided the hot air balloon high above the city then took them lower along the river and farms.

“God, this view is beautiful,” she said, stunned by the beauty of the world from up high. She’d never photographed nature, always people, but this view took her breath away. The world seemed so different from up here. Like all the big problems that people created simply didn’t exist anymore. Or at least, seemed smaller and less important.

“You’re right, the view is stunning,” Noah said.

When she glanced his way, she found his hands resting on the side of the basket, but he wasn’t looking at the nature below. She laughed and nudged his arm. “This view, silly. The trees and stuff.”

He gathered her in his arms. Those warm eyes of his melted her on the spot. “I prefer the other view better.”

She rested her palms against the hardness of his chest. “You’re happy?”

“I’m happy.” He smiled.

“Good,” she said with a sigh of relief. “Because this whole thing was beginning to feel very one-sided.” At that, he lost some of the softness in his expression, so she added, “You can’t be the only one making someone’s life better.”

He stared at her for so long she began to wonder if she had said something wrong. But then his mouth dropped to hers and he kissed her passionately. Far more intimately than he’d done before. His kiss tasted like emotion and realness and so much more.

By the time he pulled away, Olivia had forgotten how to work her legs, and leaned against the basket for support.

He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “Thank you for today, Olivia. This is…”—his honest smile caught her breath—“…no one has ever done anything like this for me before. I’ve enjoyed this day immensely.”

She returned the smile. The sincerity in his voice, and the emotion in his potent kiss made her realize that today might have been the first time in a long time that anyone had done something for Noah without a motive behind it.