Page 13 of Billionaire's Runaway

“I’ll go change my clothes then,” I said, breaking away and taking a Luke-free breath. New panties were a must, and there was no way I was going to the Four Seasons dressed in my old T-shirt while he looked like some high-end magazine model. “I’ll be right back. Do you think Four Seasons has French toast?”

“If they don’t, they will by the time we leave,” he promised.

I licked my bottom lip then sank my teeth into it as I nodded. Right… He was a billionaire, and he made things happen. What he wanted, he got. That would take some getting used to, too.

Six

Luke

Watching New York through Laura’s eyes was kind of amazing. I didn’t know that I’d ever been excited by the city before her. My family had lived adjacent to NYC, in Tarrytown, for my whole life, so the lights and the crowds and the noise were all just background to me.

But Laura was a breath of fresh air. She squealed like a little kid at the zoo, ate candy at almost every place we visited, and pulled me physically by the hand into shops and through different attractions. It was amazing. And I didn’t know that I’d ever had as much fun.

“Are you ready for dinner?” I asked, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling in her in for a kiss.

“I could eat,” she admitted. “Where are we going?”

“You asked to go to a five-star restaurant. I have reservations for us atPer Se.”

“Really?” She gasped, a huge smile stretching her beautiful face. We’d talked about the luxurious dining there when we’d passed earlier.

“Of course.” I had to release her to grab my phone. I shot a text to our driver to come pick us up. We were at the wrong end ofthe city and had done quite a bit of walking today. I wasn’t about to make her walk miles to dinner. “Rick will be here in a few minutes with the town car.”

“What’s your life like?” she asked suddenly, peering up at me with a small smile on her lips.

“What do you mean?” I tugged her hand and led back to the small park we’d just passed through and urged her to sit on a bench with me.

“I mean, what’s it like to be a billionaire? You just swiped your black Amex everywhere we went today. You send a text, and car is coming to get us and take us to dinner somewhere I’m pretty sure will cost more than I can fathom, but I’m betting you won’t blink at it. You flew halfway across the country in a private jet to rescue me then immediately flew me back. I mean…my God, Luke. What is that like?”

“First of all,” I told her. “If you wait another year or so, you’ll be so used to it you won’t even think about it. My life is your life, now. You’re free to swipe my Amex anywhere you damn well please. But don’t think for a second I take it for granted. My father worked his ass off to build our company, and my brothers and I continue that legacy. My parents were anti-spoiling, so we didn’t get handed anything we could ever want. It’s normal for me to work twelve to fifteen hours a day sometimes. I don’t just push paper in my ivory tower. I’m on the job sites, I’m lifting steel and climbing scaffolds, right next to my guys. I’ve worked for every penny I have, Laura. And I’ve done it so that, when you came along, I could give you the world.”

“That last part was beautiful,” she said. “It’s all total bullshit, but it was nice.”

“You’re such a brat,” I hissed, swooping in to kiss her. “It wasn’t bullshit. I do work really hard.”

“Oh no!” she said quickly, her hand squeezing my arm. “Not that part. The part about me getting used to it. I don’t think I could ever adjust to that much excess. Especially knowing how hard you work for it.”

My car pulled up then, so I led her to it then helped her inside before climbing in as well. Traffic was a disaster, as usual, and it took half an hour to make it up to the restaurant. Since I wasn’t sure how long we’d be here, I told Rick to just head home, and we’d grab a taxi or walk back to the penthouse, which wasn’t too far away. He didn’t look happy, but he didn’t argue with me. Probably because Laura was there.

Rick had been with my family since I was a kid, and he took his job extremely seriously. He absolutely hated it when any of the Cassels offered to take public transportation, but I hated to keep him out until all hours of the night, especially when I knew he was driving back to Tarrytown where he still lived.

“Have a nice time, young lady,” Rick offered as he held the door for us.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling brightly. “It was lovely to meet you.”

“You, as well,” he said, bowing slightly before closing the door and walking around to the driver’s side again. “Mr. Cassel, will you be heading into the office tomorrow morning?”

“If I do, I’ll call you. I’m undecided, at the moment.”

“Yes, sir.” He got into the town car and pulled away as I guided Laura to the restaurant entrance.

“Is he always that formal?” Laura asked.

“Never. Not once in the thirty years I’ve known him.” I laughed. “He’s a great guy, and I think he assumes I’m trying to impress you.”

“Do you usually try to impress women?” she asked, her tone light, but the fire in her gaze let me know she didn’t like the idea.

“No. In fact, I haven’t had a lot of time for women at all.”

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