Mira

"But… how did you get into the apartment and pack this suitcase?"

"Elise helped me."

Her joy is infectious.

"How big is this surprise?"

Gripping the suitcase handle, I blow a strand of hair out of my line of sight. My palms are slippery. I know nothing about Elliot's plan, but a suitcase this size seems excessive.

"It'll be worth it, you'll see," Lena says with a laugh. "Don't worry, I even packed your sexy clothes."

My sister winks at me, and my cheeks instantly catch fire.

"No, you didn't! How did you even find them?"

"A sister never reveals her secrets. Have fun!"

With that, Lena rushes into the bathroom and locks herself in.

"Elise will be home soon. She'll make you something to eat."

"Bye, Mom! And stop worrying about me!"

When I open the door, I find Elliot leaning against the frame, his hands in his pockets.

"Well, well, look who's here."

"Hi," he says, flashing me a faint smile.

When he bends to place the softest kiss on my forehead, I nearly melt into the doormat. A shiver runs through me from head to toe.

He steps away, taking his addictive scent with him, and lifts my luggage.

"We need to go. The plane is waiting for us."

"The plane?"

No way!

---

In less than an hour, I feel as though I've turned into one of Wondervale's princesses. But instead of a prince on a white horse, I've ended up with Elliot,exactly the kind of morally questionable hero I love encountering in my books.

"We're here," he tells me, squeezing my thigh with his large hand.

"Are we stopping somewhere before our flight?"

Through the car window, I examine the area we're in, which is clearly not Orlando airport.

The hint of a smile passes over Elliot's lips, as if I've said something cute. Someone opens a gate, and the driver takes the Rolls-Royce onto a runway.

A sleek black jet is parked there as if this were a casual Friday outing. I can't believe my eyes.

"Are you kidding me?"

"I'm not the joking type."

"Liar."

I'm rewarded with another smile.

"When you said a plane was waiting for us, I thought you meant an airliner."

"Oh, no!"

"Oh, right, because mini pretzels and crying babies are so horrible!"

Elliot nods, patting my thigh reassuringly.

"Exactly. You get it."

The more time I spend with him, the more I realize that not only is he out of my league, he's in a completely different atmosphere!

"Are we seriously taking a private jet?"

"Yes."

When the driver opens my door, I give him a quiet "thank you." As I get out, I freeze the moment I see the red carpet beneath my feet. Elliot circles the car to join me.

"Worried you'll get addicted to this lifestyle?"

"That's the last thing on my mind."

I take a first hesitant step onto the scarlet fabric. I don't think I've ever seen one in real life, only on TV. My sneakers look out of place sinking into the plush carpet, and my stained jeans look completely ridiculous.

Ahead of me, he buttons his jacket while glancing over his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"You look like you stepped out of a Tom Ford catalog, while I look like I shop at some second-rate thrift store. This isn't even a Michael Jordan sweatshirt because they didn't have one," I say, gesturing at the sweatshirt I'm wearing.

The corners of his lips twitch.

"I like your style," he says, devouring my body with his eyes.

Elliot slides his hands into the back pockets of my jeans, then pulls me against him.

"I like my style too, but it's not exactly right for taking a private jet."

"According to whom?"

"Me!"

"How would you know when you've never taken a private jet?"

I swear and look up at the sky. Why does he always have to be right?

"You're so annoying sometimes!"

Elliot kisses my forehead as if rewarding me for being so adorable when I'm exasperated.

"Shall we hurry? We wouldn't want to be late."

He removes his hands from my pockets before placing one against the small of my back. With a gentleness I appreciate, he guides me toward the stairs and into the private cabin.

I didn't think the inside of a private jet looked like this. The toe of my sneaker catches on the black carpet, and I lose my balance with a little cry. Elliot's arm catches me before I can fall flat on my face.

"Graceful as ever, Mira," he teases.

Elliot supports me as far as an enormous seat three times the size of one on a typical airplane. I stroke the beige leather to make sure I'm not dreaming.

"What does that look on your face mean?" he asks as he sits across from me.

"Nothing."

"You're uncomfortable."

My cheeks are burning. I should be grateful to be taking a trip instead of stressing about things that don't matter.

"No, I'm fine."

"You may be the only person I've ever met who's intimidated by my money and wants nothing to do with it."

"Whereas most people are mainly intimidated by your personality."

My comment earns a quiet laugh from Elliot, warming my heart. When I flash him a smile, his eyes light up.

"I like the way you make me feel."

"What do you mean?"

"With you, I feel like I actually exist."

"Well, you're setting the bar pretty low."

He laughs again, and this time I join him.

---

All right, fine, I wouldn't admit it to Elliot, but dating a billionaire has its perks.

Perk number one: flying to New York simply because he decides it's the perfect place for a date.

Perk number two: visiting New York!

When the jet lands on the runway, I can barely contain my excitement. The moment Elliot revealed our destination, I bombarded him with questions about the city.

"I've never seen anyone so excited to go to New York."

"Are you kidding? This is a dream come true!"

"Wait until you get off the plane before you say that. I'm sure the smell alone will change your mind."

"What kind of person hates New York?"

"The same kind of person who likes Chicago."

"Take that back!" I exclaim, giving him a light shove in the shoulder.

"No," he replies, grinning. "Not until you come to Chicago with me and confirm what I already know."

At the idea, I feel as if my heart might explode. Planning ahead is a new stage for our supposedly casual relationship.

"We can't just hop on a jet and leave whenever we feel like it."

Elliot tilts his head to one side, looking puzzled.

"Why?"

"Because we have jobs and responsibilities."

"Let me work all that out with your boss."

I shake my head and pretend to be disgusted, but my heartbeat goes wild. Our conversation is interrupted by the pilot announcing that we can remove our seat belts.

When the flight attendant opens the cabin door, all I can see is a blanket of white.

"Snow! Real snow!"

I bound down the stairs two at a time to scoop up a handful of glittering powder.

"We got lucky," Elliot remarks, stopping beside me.

"Lucky? Why?"

"It usually doesn't snow this early in the season, but they've just had a blizzard."

"If that isn't fate, I don't know what is!"

I throw the snow into the air and watch it fall around me. Then I close my eyes and laugh. When I open them, I find Elliot studying me.

The staff quickly takes care of our luggage, and in the blink of an eye, we're settled into the back of a car. Elliot holds on to my hand, drawing circles over my skin with his thumb. Each rotation sends a spark of energy up my arm.

Throughout the drive, I watch the lights and the throngs of people filling the streets. It reminds me of the crowds in Wondervale, only more aggressive, as if everyone has somewhere they're expected and everyone else needs to get out of their way. I love it!

We stop in front of a glass-and-steel skyscraper.

"You live here?" I exclaim, tipping my head back to watch the top of the building touch a cloud.

"Sometimes. It's one of my properties."

"What?! How many do you have?"

He only shrugs in response.

"What's it like being richer than God?"

"Lonely."

The word weighs down the atmosphere. I'm tempted to wrap my arms tightly around him. I can't imagine what it's like to have so much money that people stop treating you like a human being. After Elliot's confession, I promise myself I'll stop gawking at everything as if my surroundings might disappear at any moment.

"Okay. I'll calm down and pretend none of this fascinates me."

"Don't do that. I… It's fun seeing things from your perspective."

Fun? Really? Who knew this man was capable of feeling so much joy? I'm so surprised he used that word that it takes me a second to process the end of his sentence.

He likes seeing things from my perspective. My treacherous heart tightens. Damn it! I really should have listened to Elise. There's no way this relationship is going to stay casual; we're bound to end up developing deeper feelings for each other. But why would he have pursued me the way he did, including when he was Grant, if he wasn't interested in something more with me?

I don't believe Elliot is using me just for sex. If he were, why fly me to New York in his jet?

As we cross a stunning lobby with thousands of gems hanging from the ceiling, Elliot's hand finds the small of my back again. He doesn't need to press a single button for the elevator. As if he commanded them with his mind, the doors open to reveal a gleaming cabin lined with mirrors.

His hand remains against my back during the ascent. I'm tempted to move away so I can catch my breath, but he smells so good.

"This is some date," I remark.

"Stop. We haven't even gotten to that part of the evening yet."

"I just want you to know you're setting the bar too high for other guys. After this trip to New York, I'll never accept another movie date."

Nice one, Mira. Mention the men you'll date in the future so he'll think you're not getting attached to him.

"That's because you're more of a drive-in kind of girl anyway."

Elliot takes my hand and pulls me closer. He tilts his head toward me, and when I close my eyes, I feel his lips press against mine. I hold on to him as his tongue strokes my lower lip, politely asking me to open for him. My body begins to tremble.

The ping and then the opening doors interrupt our kiss. Elliot takes my hand again and leads me into a penthouse that would make an architect drool.

"I may never agree to leave this apartment. I hope you realize that."

I head straight for the enormous two-story picture window that offers a panoramic view of the city.

Elliot wraps an arm around me to admire the view with me while playing with the hem of my sweatshirt.

"You'd give up Wondervale to live in New York?"

"No. I love Wondervale. I could spend the rest of my days there without ever getting bored."

He looks at me with a strange expression I can't decipher.

"Really? Why?"

"My whole family lives there. It would be crazy to give that up for a city where I have nothing."

"Hmm."

His hand caresses the bare skin of my stomach.

"What about you? Are you happy to leave your city life behind to live in Wondervale?"

I know I should avoid questioning him, but curiosity wins out.

"I didn't think I could ever be happy in Wondervale again. Now I'm not so sure."

"Oh, really?"

"I may have met the one person who makes the place bearable," he replies, looking me in the eyes.

At those words, hopeful little butterflies take flight in my stomach. I'm truly a lost cause.