Page 71 of Billionaire Romantic
The seats are made of thick leather that could actually be Italian. Everything about the car screams luxury. “Nice car, Maddox.”
“Thanks. It’s a V8 Maybach. Limos always seem so showy.”
“I guess you don’t need to be showy when you’ve got so much big dick energy,” I tease him.
He pulls me onto his lap. “Don’t get sassy with me, gorgeous, or my big dick will get even harder than it already is and I’ll have to take you over my knee. I’m supposed to be taking it easy with you, remember?”
I lean into him as he holds me close. I can feel the hardness of said big dick energy underneath me but I honestly feel too sore, too replete and toousedin the best kind of way for anything other than just taking comfort from his all-encompassing warmth.
“This is your car from now on. If there’s ever a need to go somewhere without me, which there shouldn’t be. It’s bullet-proof. On call 24/7. The driver is a Navy SEAL with executive protection agent training.”
“What?” A disbelieving laugh escapes me.
“You can never be too careful,” he says, in his grizzly bear voice.
Before I can protest that I have no need for such a thing, the car pulls to a stop and the SEAL has already opened the door for us.
Noah helps me out and I notice we’re on Fifth Avenue, in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
I notice then that someone’s next to us on the sidewalk. It’s a small, elderly woman with a cane, slightly hunched-over and wearing a bright yellow headscarf. She stops walking and squints up at us. “Well, if it isn’t Noah, my knight in shining armor.”
Noah turns. “Enid.” He sounds happy to see her, like she’s an old, dear friend. “How are you? On your way back from Mabel’s?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. I don’t usually visit her in the evenings but her hairless cat Nigel snuck out onto the fire escape so I had to help her lure him back in. He wasn’t wearing his sweater and she was afraid he’d catch a chill. He refused the cat treats but the little bastard came back inside for the filet mignon, so all’s well that ends well.”
Noah laughs. “Glad to hear it. Enid, this is Lucky. Lucky, my friend Enid.”
Enid studies me for a few seconds. “Lucky, your mother is obviously a wise and whimsical woman. She chose the perfect name for you. I’d say without a doubt you’re the luckiest girl in New York City, landing this one. He’s a gem and a keeper. Take it from an old woman who’s been married five times, to two duds, two shady philanderers and one love of my life: hang on to him with everything you’ve got.”
“Well, thank you for that advice, Enid.” I look up at Noah and he’s grinning at me.
“Yeah, Lucky. Hang onto me with everything you’ve got.”Damn, the man is gorgeous.To Enid, Noah says, “Can we help you get home, Enid?”
“Nope,” she says. “I’d forgotten how beautiful the city is this time of night. I’m enjoying my stroll. You two enjoy your evening. I’m sure I’ll bump into you again sometime.”
“I hope so,” Noah replies. “Have a good night, Enid.”
Enid shuffles off.
Noah lifts me into his arms.
“Luckiest girl in the world, I tell you!” Enid calls after us.
Noah chuckles.
“What are you doing, Steel?”
He kisses me as he carries me through an extremely luxurious lobby and into an extremely luxurious elevator. “I’m a romantic, Irish. Of course I’m going to carry you over the threshold.”
“What threshold?”
“The threshold to our future together. The thing is, when a Lucky Irish walks into your life, it’s impossible to even think about letting her out of your sight for the rest of time. The only choice is to shower her with gifts while doing everything in your fucking power to make every single one of her wildest dreams come true. That’s just the way it is. So buckle up, Sunshine. I haven’t even gotten started.”
I laugh but at the same time my heart breaks a little more. Maybe break is the wrong word. It’s like there’s a fissure in there, forcing open a part of me that was locked away for a long time. Hopefulness, maybe. Belief that all the beauty of life could be realized.Love.
It’s making my head spin because it’s happening so fast butI love him so much.
The elevator doors open into a stylish, no-expenses-spared foyer with thick, tinted glass windows on either side of it, a marble black and white checker-board floor and an over-the-top chandelier that could look at home in a Scottish Highlandshunting lodge. Noah punches a code into a keypad and the ornate carved wood-and-steel doors open.
