Page 9 of Rescued By Four Alphas
I signal for the check, which appears almost instantly. I don't even look at the total before handing over my card.
"In a hurry?" Dahlia asks innocently.
"You know exactly what you're doing."
"Do I?" She takes a final bite of soufflé, licking the spoon clean in a way that makes me want to drag her into the bathroom and bend her over the sink.
"The things I'm going to do to you when we get home..." I murmur.
"Promise?"
The server returns with my card. "Thank you for dining with us, Mr. Blackthorn, Dr. Baldwin. Chef Michel hopes you enjoyed your meal."
"It was wonderful," Dahlia says. "Please tell him thank you."
I help Dahlia from her chair, positioning myself to hide the obvious bulge in my pants.
"Let's go to the rooftop garden first," I suggest as we exit the restaurant. "I have something for you."
"Can't it wait until we get home?" She presses herself against my side. "I have something for you, too."
"Patience." I kiss her temple. "This is important."
She sighs dramatically but allows me to guide her to the car. The drive to my downtown office building takes only minutes. I park in my private garage and escort Dahlia to the executive elevator.
"I haven't been here in ages," she comments as the elevator whisks us to the top floor. "Not since that day I stormed into your office and called you a corporate parasite."
"The day I fell in love with you."
She looks up at me, surprised. "Really? Was it that day?"
"The moment you told me to go fuck myself when I offered you a job." I pull her closer. "No one had spoken to me like that in years."
"So, it was my charming personality that won you over?"
"That and your incredible ass in that pencil skirt."
She smacks my chest. "You're a pig."
"Your pig." I lead her through my office to the private staircase that accesses the rooftop garden.
The space has been transformed since her last visit—strings of fairy lights illuminate winding paths between lush plantings. A small table with champagne on ice awaits us in a secluded corner.
"Evan..." Dahlia breathes. "This is beautiful."
"I had it redone for you." I guide her to the table. "For us."
She turns in a slow circle, taking in the city lights that stretch to the horizon. "It's perfect."
I pour two glasses of non-alcoholic champagne and hand one to her. "To us."
"To us." She clinks her glass against mine. "And our growing family."
We sip in silence for a moment, enjoying the view and each other's company. Then I reach into my pocket and withdraw a small velvet box.
"What's this?" Dahlia asks as I hand it to her.
"Open it."
