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She doesn't know about my dark secrets, and I don't want her to.
And that's why I planned the surprise for her. A romantic table for two without anyone else around, just the two of us. And the view will be absolutely unparalleled. Why am I so nervous? I have an excellent plan, something that she will almost definitely love, that's romantic, personal, private, and beautiful.
I pull the lapels of my jacket, wishing I had a pair of sweatpants and a casual sweater to wear instead. I swear on the cruise she'd been more impressed with me being relaxed than she had been with me being dressed to the nines. It's a far cry from the type of woman I'm used to. If any of the women I casually date saw me in something other than a suit, they'd probably faint.
With one last glance at myself in the mirror, I decide it's time to check and see how things are coming along. I make my way out of my office, down the hall to the elevator, and take it up to the roof. A few moments later, I step out of the door into the chilly evening air.
The sun is low, hanging low over the horizon, ready to set very, very soon. Our table is already set up with candles and flowers and two comfortable chairs. All around us, the city is already lit up and I inhale. Right after my dad died, this was the one place I felt I could breathe and clear my mind.
I'm going to share the space with Zoe. She is the first woman I've ever brought up here; even Felicity hasn’t come up to the roof. It's a special moment for a special woman. Even though Zoe might not understand the significance, it's significant to me. Maybe one day I can describe how incredibly important this place is to me, but for tonight, I just want to enjoy her company.
I walk past the table and make my way toward the edge of the building. Clasping my hands behind my back, I gaze out across the buildings around mine, watching windows light up in the growing darkness.
My phone chimes and I glance at it, seeing my access message that he is escorting her to the elevator. I'm appreciative of the warning and take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Placing both hands on the railing, I scan the buildings and think about my father’s wisdom. I think about how women have only ever served one purpose to me before. I think about how far I’ve come in this life, and how far I’ve yet to go. But mostly I think about how important it is to not fuck tonight up.
A few moments later, I hear the door open and turn around.
She's standing there, framed in the doorway, looking stunning in a hunter green warm knit sweater over fitted black leggings with warm brown boots that come up just under her knees. It's not the type of outfit I'm used to my dates wearing, but she looks absolutely beautiful, and I wouldn't trade her look for anything.
Her gaze locks with mine, and her teeth flash white as her open mouth curves into an inviting smile. I want to walk over, pull her into my arms, and kiss her deeply, but I refrain.
Instead, I let her come to me. And she does, walking over with slow steps, her attention never leaving my face. “Hi, Damien,” she says in a low, sweet voice that sounds like Christmas morning. “It’s beautiful up here. But there’s something I have to tell you.”
She's piqued my interest, and I lean in to hear her better.
“Telling me your secrets already?” I ask as a shiver rolls through her. Her eyes widen as if she’s stunned by her own reaction to my words, and I see goosebumps race up her neck as her cheeks go pink.
“Yes,” she says. Her voice lowers, and her words come hesitantly. “I'm afraid of heights.”
Wouldn't that just figure?
Without thinking about my actions, I pull her into a hug. Her arms loop around my shoulders and she holds me tight, her breath warming my face as her curves press to my body.
“I just wanted to do something special for you.” I wish I'd known she was afraid of heights before planning this date - I'd have gone with something a little less sentimental and a little more phobia-friendly.
“Oh, Damien, it's beautiful and it is special. It's my fault for not telling you I'm afraid of heights.” Her fingers lace with mine as she leans in close, keeping her soft body against mine in a way that wakes a dark hunger in me.
“I can't tell you how much it means to me that you’re here tonight.” I want her to know that this means a lot to me.
She smiles up at me. “Are you kidding? I'm just glad that you're entertaining the idea of having a date with me after I took so long to call you.”
I chuckle. “Three days is not an unreasonable amount of time.” What I don't want her to know is that it absolutely felt unreasonable while I was waiting. I take her hand and lead her toward the table. I'd hired an incredible chef to cook dinner for us and I know it’s about time.
I pull her chair out for her, and she sits down as I gently scoot her back in. “Wine?” I ask, taking my seat and picking up the bottle from the chilling dish beside the table. She nods, stars shining in her eyes as she looks up into the nearly-night sky. The last rays of sunlight are dying, and the stars are out.
I pour some wine into her glass and then mine. She lifts her glass in my direction. “To new starts.”
I lift mine. “To you, to us, to tonight.” We both take drinks of the delicious deep red as the chef brings out our plates. All around us, the city lights twinkle as the mouthwatering aroma of steak, shrimp, and asparagus greets our noses.
She glances down at the food, then gives me a disapproving glare. “Okay, who told?”
She's too damn smart for her own good. Of course, I'd reached out to her friends to ask what her favorite dish was, but I didn't expect her to catch on.
“I swore to take my secrets to the grave, little lady,” I say, while making an x across my chest with my index finger.
“Well, there's at least one secret you have to share,” she says, popping a hot shrimp into her mouth, then pressing the back of her hand to her lips as she smiles at the chef and gushes about how good the food is. He nods at her before leaving.
“And what secret is that?” I ask, cutting a bite of my steak before meeting her stare over the table.
