Tears swell up in my eyes, and my heart pounds heavily inside my chest. This beautiful, wonderful man gazing at me is amazing and if I’m not careful he’s going to steal my heart. Truthfully, he already has a part of it with his kind ways and sense of humor, and he’s well on his way to owning the rest. “Thank you, Peter. I really appreciate it. You’re very kind, you know that?” I murmur.
He smiles and wipes away my tears again. “You deserve it, Angie. I’ve never met anyone like you, starting with that fit you threw in the viewing room.”
I half-snort, half-cry.
“And what do you think I’m like?”
“Honest. Hard working. Sassy. And you have a heart full of love. It echoes so loud that I can hear it from miles away, and it makes me want to hold you tight to make sure no one ever gets a chance to dim your light.”
My heart flutters and then soars over the edge, and I gaze into those blue depths with deep emotion welling in my soul.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “For everything. I think you have a lot of love to give, too,” I say quietly, pressing my hand against the solid thump of his heart. Meeting his eyes, I see heat flair in them.
“Is that what you think? That I’m a good guy?”
“Yes,” I nod. “Oh, I see your obstinance, and the part of you that is powerful and commanding. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t a good person, or that you don’t take care of others in need.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “You sure about that, honey? Maybe I want something from you in return.”
I look at him, my insides quivering.
“That’s okay because I’m yours, Mr. Wilshire. You know that already.” With that, the meal is done, and he stands and smiles, holding his hand out to me.
“I think I promised to show you a golden lasso after we finished dinner. What do you say we go to my office and take a look? I know you’re still eating, but I can ask them to pack up this food and deliver it to my suite upstairs.”
I know where this is leading, but the truth is that I want it. With a smile, I take his hand and he leads me out of the restaurant, back into the lobby, and then down a long hallway. The floors gleam, and the chandeliers glow with a golden light. Finally, we come upon what appears to be a private elevator, and step inside. The ride to the top is filled with stolen glances and smiles, and there’s definitely an electrical current sizzling between the two of us.
Soon enough, the doors whoosh open and we enter another hallway which has a plush, golden-beige carpet and flickering sconces along the walls. Then, Peter escorts me to the only door, and opens it. That’s when the oxygen exits my lungs because inside is the most impressive office I’ve ever seen. Behind a huge mahogany desk are triple height floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the Atlantic City boardwalk sparkling in the night.
“Goodness,” I breathe. “This is beautiful. I don’t know how you get any work done up here because I’d be distracted by the view all the time.”
But the handsome man wants something, and he steps up behind me and runs his warm palm down one of my arms, sending goosebumps across my skin. “I can think of a much more beautiful distraction than this view of the ocean,” he growls in my ear.
“Really?” My voice is low and a little breathy. “And what might that be?”
He slowly spins me around, and sure enough, there’s a golden lasso displayed on one wall. It loops here and there, the sparkling filaments gleaming in the light, and Peter smiles, his eyes dark.
“See? There really is a golden lasso, like I mentioned,” he says.
I draw in a deep breath, the air sizzling between us. “Yes, there is, isn’t there? It’s gorgeous. I had no idea.”
“No, sweetheart. You’re the one who’s gorgeous,” he growls. His eyes are dark and hooded and I forget to breathe for a second as he looks at me like he’s going to devour me. “What do you think, sweetheart? Do you want me to tie you up with that?”
“Um,” I clear my throat, my heart racing. “Come again?”
The hotel magnate flashes a wicked smile and steps over to take the golden lasso from the wall. It gleams sinuously, the length at once dominating yet sexy. “I could tie you up with this. I think it would be fun and you’d come so hard, baby.”
Then he puts his hands on my hips, and pulls me close so that our bodies are flush. I let out a low moan, feeling his hardness press against my belly, and squirm a bit, making him moan as well.