The Billionaire's Gamble

There’s a sleek black sedan sitting by the curb, windows tinted black. It’s not a limo, but as might as well be in this neighborhood. It sticks out. “This is a nice neighborhood,” Nolan says. “Seems quiet.”

“Yeah, too quiet,” I say bitterly.

“What do you mean?”

I try not to let my disdain for the situation seep into my voice too much. “Some company is trying to buy the neighborhood so they can turn it into yet another set of condos and corporate structures. The reason it’s quiet is because most of the people are gone. They’ve been bought off.” I look around the neighborhood, an eerie sense of foreboding in my stomach, like this is the last time I’ll see this place. It feels like a premonition. I hope it’s not.

Nolan’s brow furrows, and he looks troubled for a moment, but then he’s opening the door for me into the fancy car and I forget all about it as I slide across the leather. He joins me, reaching over to take my hand on the seat. “Ready for an adventure?” he asks.

10

Nolan

I knew that I had to see her again. What I didn’t know is how exhilarating it would be. There’s something about Dani that has reached inside me and won’t let go. Everything she says, she says with absolute conviction and passion and authenticity. In the world I live in, almost no one has that. Everyone has their own agenda whether it’s trying to haggle for a better stock price or trying to get a promotion or trying to negotiate a better deal. No one says what they mean.

But Dani does. She doesn’t hide her emotions, and I love that they’re there for me to read. Plus, she drives me crazy. I would have taken her in that tiny guest room bed if she hadn’t reminded me where we were, in her sister’s house with the husband who looked at me like I was some kind of wild dog. I’ve seen that look before, and nothing good comes from it.

Even with that, I didn’t want to stop. I want more of her, all of her, and I know that we’re not going to be able to do anything for hours. But when we do…

I stop that thought in its tracks. I’m already fighting the fact that I’m hard whenever I look at her—I don’t need to think of all the things I’m going to do to her once I get her alone. Once I get her to scream my name again—

Stop, Nolan.

The plane is circling for a landing above New York now, and Dani is looking out the window at the skyline. I already have plans for what we’re going to do today. I want to show off my city in the best way I can, and hopefully she’ll fall in love with it. There’s nothing quite like sharing your favorite places with someone.

The smile on her face is the best damn thing I’ve ever seen. She glances at me. “It looks exactly the way I thought it would. But not at all like it either. Does that make sense?”

“Perfectly,” I say, laughing. “New York always has a way of doing that—being everything you expect and nothing you expect at the same time.”

“That must be annoying.”

I shrug. “It’s New York. If you live here you’re used to contradictions.”

“What are you doing today?”

For the first part of this short flight we ate breakfast, talked a little more about her sister and brother-in-law. This is the first time she’s asked me what we’re going to do. I’m tempted to spill the whole plan, but that would ruin the surprise and I want to see the look on her face. I want to see her pure reactions to every moment, so I decide to hold back on the details. “I have a meeting with some of our international managers in a couple of hours. That meeting will likely last until the end of business.”

She makes a face. “Sorry.”

“There are worse things in the world than being stuck in a meeting.”

“That’s true.”

I take a sip of what’s left of my coffee. “I’ll take you to the office with me, but you won’t have to stay there. I’ve already called ahead.”

“Oh?” She raises her eyebrow at me. “And what will I be doing while you’re in your meeting?”

“Shopping.” I can’t keep the smirk off my face, especially when she nearly chokes on her own coffee.

“What?”

“My assistant is going to take you to get some clothes, since you don’t have any. After that, she’ll take you to my apartment, and I’ll meet you there for dinner.”

Her face darkens, and I already know what her next question is going to be. “You’re wondering where you’re going to stay.”

“Yeah.”

“You can stay wherever you’d like. My apartment is three floors, and if you want to stay with me you can, there’s no pressure. If that makes you uncomfortable for any reason, I’ll find you a hotel room that’ll knock your socks off.”