She chuckled softly but didn’t contradict him. “Life should never be boring.”
Wade watched a touch of sadness creep into her eyes. Sadness that he knew he was partially responsible for. It made him want to sweep her into his arms and kiss her until she was too wrapped up in them to be distressed. He wanted to distract her with something so fantastic she wouldn’t think about the past for at least a few days.
“I want to take you to New York.”
She looked up, startled by the sudden change in topic. “New York? Why?”
“I want to make amends for the past and take you someplace as exciting and beautiful as you are. I want to spend New Year’s Eve with you in Times Square.”
“Are you kidding me?” She laughed. “I’d pretty much prefer to be anywhere over freezing to death in a mad crush of people in Times Square. I’ll be happy to watch the ball drop via my television, though thank you for asking me.”
Wade smiled and reached across the table to take her hand. “We’re going to New York. Pack your bags because I’m picking you up Monday morning. We’re going to see a show. We’re going to eat some great food. And when that ball drops, you and I are going to be right there to watch it.”
Tori squirmed but didn’t pull away. “I don’t know, Wade. As nice as that sounds, I don’t want to spend my night outside in the cold with a million other people. I’d rather spend it alone with you.”
Wade smiled; a plan was forming in his head that would satisfy both their desires. “Who said anything about being outside?”
Eight
“Oh. My. Dear. Lord.”
Wade tipped the bellhop and followed Tori’s voice into the penthouse suite’s master bedroom. He found her standing in front of the wall of windows that lined the room from floor to ceiling. The view overlooked Times Square and the hustle and bustle of the theater district. He’d had this exact view in mind when he renovated this building. His architect had designed this suite, and these windows, for the precise experience Wade had planned for tonight.
“This is amazing. You can see everything from here. How did you get us a room like this on such short notice?”
“Easy,” he said, sneaking up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and tug her against him. “I just called and asked for it. Although it helps when you know the owner and renovated the hotel.”
“Ah…” she said, curling into his warmth. “I should’ve known better than to think you’d be down there with the crowds tonight. Look how many people are already standing around and there’s hours to go.”
“I’ve done that before,” he said, biting at her earlobe. “When I was younger and poorer. It was fun. But I’d much rather watch the ball drop tonight with your naked body pressed against this glass.”
Tori responded by arching her back and pressing her hips into his throbbing desire. He growled against her neck. “And the best part is that these windows are one-way glass.”
“Nobody can see in, even at night with the lights on?”
“Correct.” Wade’s hand snaked across her stomach and up to caress one firm breast through the silky fabric of her blouse. Tori gasped softly when his thumb brushed over the hard peak of her nipple. “No one can see me do this, even if they were right on the other side of the window.”
“That should prove interesting,” she whispered, near purring.
“Indeed,” Wade said, undoing the top button of her shirt. “We have all night to test our theory.” He moved down for the second button. Then the doorbell rang.
Blast. He’d ordered room service, hadn’t he? It seemed like a good idea at the time. He just hadn’t realized how much driving in the car with her would turn him on. Maybe it was the memories of their drive home from the restaurant that had made it hard to focus on the road.…
Tori pulled away, smiling when she saw the pained expression on his face. “Sorry. Are we expecting someone?”
“Dinner.”
She arched an eyebrow and breezed past him to the front door of the suite. “You mean you aren’t taking me out somewhere?”
“On New Year’s Eve? In the theater district? No, sorry. You said you didn’t like the crowds, and there’s no way to avoid them tonight unless we dine in.”
Tori opened the door, and a man rolled in a cart covered in silver domes. He pushed the cart over to the dining room table and transferred the platters, unveiling them one by one. There was lobster, prime rib, herb-roasted potatoes, haricots verts and a platter of plump red strawberries with a bowl of chocolate fondue in the center. Last of all he placed on the table an ice bucket containing a bottle of champagne, and two glasses.