Page 81 of The Billionaire's Ride

A waiter comes by with a cocktail napkin, and I thank him before he walks away. “What are you doing here?” I blot my black jeans with shaky hands, staring at her.

“I told you I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she says, her soft sage-colored eyes are even more beautiful in the gallery light. “How have you been?”

I hesitate, debating how to answer. I want to tell her that I miss her like mad but I settle for a cool, “All right,” in case she rejects me again. “What about you?”

She takes her own beat, swallows hard, and her expression crumples. “I’ve been miserable since you left New York. You never called me back, and I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hear from me, but I just had to come see you. I miss you.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” She stares at me with those big eyes and something in me begins to melt. I want to pull her in and kiss her, but maybe this isn’t what I think this is. “Can we go outside and talk for a minute?” she asks.

“Sure.”

She hints at a smile and takes my hand, pulling me through the crowd. The touch of her skin feels new and unnerving but at the same time, familiar and right. Outside, she leads me up the street, away from the bustling event, and turns to me. I stuff my still-shaky hands in my pockets.

Kate starts to step closer but then appears to think better of it. “Drew, I’m sorry about how I reacted to what you said. I wasn’t expecting you to say that, and I got scared.”

“Maybe you were right to be.” I let my gaze drop to the sidewalk, getting caught by her feet in a pair of red stilettos sandals. Why does she have to have the sexiest feet? The sexiest everything.

She takes my hand. “No, I wasn’t. Life is a crazy, crazy ride, and I realize now that it could be so much better if we could ride it together.” My thoughts exactly. “I know there are a lot of reasons we should walk away from each other, but I don’t care about any of them. And if you don’t either, I want to ask if you’ll meet me in the middle.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, hopeful.

“Stay here, in New York, with me. So we can see what this can really be.”

“You’d leave L.A. to be with me? Why?”

“Because, Drew . . . I love you too.”

Well, look at that. Good girl Kate fell for me. She loves me too! She loves me enough to leave her California life and start a new one with me.

This time, I don’t hesitate. I step closer and press my lips to hers, kissing her the way I’ve wanted to every day since I left. She holds my face in her delicate hands, caressing my stubble.

I’ve never been so happy at the prospect of being with one woman in my whole life. “I love you, Kate,” I whisper on her warm mouth. I wrap her in my arms, breathing her in, and grin like a teenager in love. She’s mine. And I’m hers.

“Come with me.” I take her hand and lead her back to the gallery, this time searching for my family. I find them in the same place I found Kate, staring at my display.

“Hey, guys, I want to introduce you to someone,” I say and they all turn around, looking unsure of what’s happening. “This is Kate, my girlfriend.”

“Ooh, girlfriend,” each of them say in their own way. I introduce them one by one and reintroduce Mick last. My family greets her with warm smiles and handshakes, except for Dahlia who hugs her like they’re long, lost friends.

“It’s about bloody time,” Mick says, patting my shoulder.

“There’s more,” I say, and my family stands at attention. “I’m moving here to New York, so we can be together.”

Kate grins at me and squeezes my hand while Dash and Mick congratulate me, Kent gawks in surprise, and Dahlia hugs us both, grateful I’ll be living in the States like her.

My hand wanders below Kate’s waist, along her beautiful, soft curves, and my imagination begins to run wild about what’s underneath her sexy red dress. Having her by my side for real, my entire body relaxes. It’s a big step, but I know I’m home. With her.

“You and me in New York, huh?” I ask, holding her close.

She keeps my gaze. “Yeah. Just Kate and Just Drew.”

I smile, knowing there is no one better than Just Kate who allows me to be Just Drew. “It’s going to be a wild ride.”

“Is there any other kind worth taking?”