Before I can answer his question, Carson goes up and pets the black cat perched on top of a book stack. It immediately purrs in content from his attention.
“You’re a cute guy, aren’t you? With your big green eyes and your little purrs of perfection,” Carson coos to the cat. “You know, I have a thing for green eyes.” He nods his head toward me. “My girl over there has the most bewitching emerald eyes. I think you’ll like her too. But lay off the charm, I don’t share.”
“I didn’t realize you were a cat person. You and Kenna’s dog seem so close,” I interrupt his conversation with the cat.
“Ranger is the greatest dog of all time, hands down. But I don’t discriminate. I like a good pussy as much as the next guy.” He tries to play off his comment with a shrug.
I playfully hit his arm. “We’re in public. What is wrong with you?”
He bends over in laughter. “Easy, Austen. You’ll upset the little guy. How about I chill over here with my new friend while you go treasure hunting,” he suggests.
“Alright, be back soon,” I tell him as I reach up on my tiptoes to smack a chaste kiss on his cheek and give the cat a quick scratch behind the ears.
I’m still on cloud nine almost two hours later as I finish doing my hair and makeup while Carson is on the video call with his therapist. When I walk back into our bedroom to get dressed, I halt when I spot something on the bed.
There is a familiar black dress on the bed, a pair of black stiletto pumps that have red bottoms, a black clutch, and a pair of what look to be diamond stud earrings. There is a note on top of the dress:
Dream Girl,
I know you said you didn’t need this dress, but it was made to be worn by you. Do me a favor? Put this on and meet me in the lobby at six. I can’t wait to continue our first date.
Xoxo,
Golden Boy
Damn him for being the sweetest man in the world. I can’t find it in me to be upset with him for purchasing the dress when he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart.
After pacing in front of the bed a few times, I let out a defeated sigh and slip on the Versace dress and Louboutin heels. Grabbing the earrings, I stand in front of the full length mirror in our room and with shaky hands, fasten them in each ear.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, I grab my phone and the clutch from the bed and check the time. I take the steps down to the lobby, where Carson stands at the base of the steps with his back to me.
I feel like Rose inTitanicwhen Jack is waiting at the base of the steps for her. This moment turns even more surreal as Carson turns toward me in his sky blue suit that makes his eyes look like an even lighter shade of aqua, and the most enigmatic smile spreads across his face.
“Austen,” he breathes when I get to the bottom of the stairs. “You look fucking exquisite.”
No matter how many times he compliments me, I still blush each time.
“Thank you. For the compliment and the outfit. You shouldn’t have, but I love the gesture nonetheless.” I pause to take him in, grabbing the lapel of his jacket. “You look very suave in this suit.”
With me still standing on the last step in heels, I come as close as I’ll probably get to being eye-level with Carson. He wraps me in his arms and kisses me like he’s been deprived for months instead of hours.
When he pulls away, his eyes are hazy with lust. “If I wasn’t starving right now, I’d take you back up those steps and have my way with you,” he admits as his stomach grumbles.
I mock gasp. “My lord, you use such dishonorable language.”
Leaning in, he brushes my hair back. “I have no intention of doing honorable things with you tonight, my lady,” he rasps before nipping at my ear.
The move has my nipples pebbling and desire pooling in my core.
We walk hand in hand to a restaurant in the hotel that looks like we’re sitting at a bar top of a private kitchen.
“What is this?” I ask Carson as I take in the space.
“We’re actually doing a private cooking class with the executive chef this evening,” he informs me as he shrugs out of his suit jacket and sets it on the back of a bar stool.
“Wait, for real?”
“Yeah, I figured there’s no better place to learn how to cook for my girlfriend than Italy.”
