Page 14 of Billionaire's Runaway

“Good,” she said. “I don’t share.”

“Neither do I,” I agreed, pulling her into my arms and kissing her. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” she said.

“How is that even possible?” I asked, unable to stop myself when I thought of all the junk we’d eaten today.

She just laughed and looked around. When her gaze finally caught on the restaurant’s blue door with huge panes of glass to either side, giving a peek at the interior, she gasped and held a hand over her mouth.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

“Yes, you are,” I agreed, unable to take my gaze from her.

“Stop it.” She rolled her eyes. “Come on. I want to go in.”

I wanted to, as well. I had a plan in mind. Earlier today, I’d purchased an engagement ring. It had been impulsive as hell,but when Laura had been distracted in a jewelry store we’d stopped into at one point today, I’d covertly pointed to what I wanted and handed over my black card. I’d hoped to surprise her by proposing at the Empire State Building. Granted, that would be super touristy, but she’d been so excited to go. I thought I’d the element of surprise on my side, and she’d accept I really did want her to spend the rest of our lives together. There just been about a million people on the observation deck with us, and the moment had been all wrong.

So now, I was on Plan B. Propose at the chic restaurant.

We headed inside, and I was thrilled my assistant, Roz, had been able to get them to hold a table for me. Since I’d had no idea what time we’d arrive for dinner, it must have taken a bit of coercion and probably a lot of cash to keep a table for us without a reservation for an actual time.

“How did you do that?” Laura whispered as we were led through the busy restaurant to a table situated by the window.

“I have no idea,” I admitted. I helped her into her seat before sitting across from her. “My assistant is a magician, I think.”

The waitress came over and took our drink orders while we perused the menu. By time she returned, we were ready to order food.

“This place is beautiful,” Laura said as she looked around. “Thank you.”

“For what?” I asked.

“I don’t know…everything. Rescuing me. Bringing me here. Showing me the city today. Spoiling me rotten. It’s been the best day I’ve had in a really long time. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” I told her. “This is just the beginning, you know? I plan to give you the whole world.”

“I kind of feel like you already have,” she admitted.

The moment couldn’t have been planned more perfectly. I reached into my pocket and pulled the ring from its box, watching her look around the restaurant.

“I wonder how many guys propose in this place,” she said, still not looking at me. “They probably think it’s so romantic. How cliché, right?”

“Right,” I said, the ring pinched between my fingers, my mouth suddenly dry. A waiter walked by carrying a tray with two champagne flutes. He paused to tell another waiter his order was ready, and I quickly dropped the ring into one of the glasses without him noticing. “Totally cliché.”

She turned back to me and smiled. Her hand stretched across the table, and I closed my fingers around hers.

“So tomorrow,” I started but was interrupted by a squeal.

“Oh my god!” a woman yelled from a table behind us. “Yes! Mark! It’s gorgeous! It’s huge! Yes.”

I turned to see a blonde woman standing up, staring at the ring she’d just slid onto her finger. She was crying, and the man she was with, Mark apparently, looked like a deer in the headlights.

Oops.

“See,” Laura hissed, giggling behind her free hand.

“You’re very astute,” I told her, turning back to her. “So, what do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Can we finish tonight first?” she asked.

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