Page 64 of The Prince's Game
“Ah, so I would have to trade my clothes for residence on your jet?” I pretended to consider. “Yeah, I could accept that deal. I would need a wardrobe for off the jet, you know, to attend my client appointments, but I have no qualms about working naked. Would the pilots mind?”
His eyebrows pulled down. “The pilots would have to be locked indefinitely in the cockpit. If you lived on this jet, you would be exclusively mine.”
“Oh yeah? And would you be exclusively mine?”
The mood shifted between us from light and easygoing to something serious. He tucked a damp lock of hair behind my ear. “Would you like me to be exclusively yours, Sarah?”
Yes, but . . .“Only if you want to be.”
“And if I did?”
“Then yes, I would.” I nuzzled his jaw. I loved the way his unshaved chin felt against my skin.So sexy.
“Come, I have a gift for you.”
“The package I was supposed to open a few hours ago?”
“That would be the one.” He led me into the main cabin, where our clothes were in a pile on the floor.
“You’ll finally tell me where we’re going when I open this, right?” Not demanding he tell me earlier was a testament to how much I trusted him.
“I will.” He walked over to one of the cabinets near the television and returned with a neatly wrapped ten-by-ten-inch box. “So I stopped in New York on my way to you. I thought you might like this for our trip.” He rubbed the back of his neck and handed me the gift. “I don’t know much about these, but my research indicated this to be one of the best. You might already have one, too; I don’t know.”
Nervous Evan was endearing and so very human. I smiled at him. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”
He folded his arms over his bare chest and gestured with his chin. “Go on. Open it.”
“Okay.” I started on the edges of the gold paper and tore it across the middle. Abby and I used to make the biggest mess during the holidays, shredding gift wrap all over the living room. It was a competition as to who could make the best pile. I refrained from doing that now and removed the paper in a civilized fashion. The back of the box didn’t tell me much, but the front had my lips parting in awe. “Holy crap, Evan.”
“Well, no, it’s a camera.”
“Yeah, an expensive fucking camera. The resolution and shooting speed on this thing . . .” I tore open the box to admire the gorgeous machine. It was one of the top name brands, too, and the best in the market. “I definitely don’t have one of these.” I couldn’t afford it.
“That’s good, then.” His cheeks reddened. “You’re always talking about good lighting and taking pictures, so I thought you might want a camera for our trip. It’s April, so I don’t know if we’ll get to see much of the Northern Lights, but we should be able to get around the roads in Iceland pretty easily to take photos during daylight. I hear the sights along the Golden Circle are gorgeous, and the glaciers will be covered in snow.”
I lowered the camera. “We’re going to Iceland?” My travel bucket list wasn’t extensive due to my work schedule and lack of extra funds, but Iceland was in my top five. I never mentioned it to him. “What made you choose Iceland?”
“Uh, was it a bad choice?”
“Hell no. It’s an amazing choice, but why Iceland? I’ve always wanted to go there, but it’s not common, is it?”
“Well, no, but it’s the only European country I haven’t visited and also the only European country Mershano Suites isn’t located. I’m considering changing that, but I wanted to experience the country for myself first. And knowing you love photography, I thought it would be a fun place for you to play with the lighting you’re always talking about. Not to mention the stars at night.”
I set the camera down on the table so I could throw my arms around him. He caught me around the lower back and lifted me into a hug, laughing. “I take it you approve, then?”
“Of course I approve. Iceland?!”
He kissed my temple. “They wanted me to take you to Spain, but that didn’t suit. I wanted to experience something new with you, and we’re starting with the hot springs. That’s where we’re going to meet the crew, but I planned it so we could have half a day alone as a normal couple before they show up. I rented a car and everything. Should be fun.”
“Where are you thinking you’ll want a hotel? In Reykjavík?”
“Maybe. I have a few locations in mind, but that’s not what this trip is about. I want to experience the country and culture, see if it’s worth investing in, and go from there.”
“Why not make it about both? We could explore some of the locations along the way, see what you think, and sightsee at the same time. I could even take photos for you and be the official Mershano Suites photographer.” With the amazing camera he bought me, I could easily pass as a professional.
He lifted a dark eyebrow. “You wouldn’t mind scouting a few places?”
“Why would I mind?”
