“It’s breathtaking,” I breathe with wonder, looking out at the Empire State Building. “You have such an incredible vantage point. It honestly feels like we’re hovering in the clouds.”
Cyrus nods and wraps an arm about my waist. “Yes, it is beautiful, isn’t it? I feel fortunate to be here with you.”
My heart flips over in my chest and I snuggle up against his hard form. After all, how did I get so lucky? This date is turning out better than I expected and I lean against him before he presses a kiss to my head.
“Now sweetheart, enough about me,” he says. “Again, I want to hear about you. I know you’re working in advertising at an agency in the city, right? How are you enjoying it?”
I laugh a little.
“It’s okay, I suppose. Yes, I’m at Ligne NYC and I suppose I like it. It was better when my best friend at work was still with me, but Leslie went out on maternity leave. But she’ll be back when her baby’s older!”
He grins.
“Well, it’s always good to have a friend at work, but what if she doesn’t come back? Will you stay?”
I take a minute to consider. To be honest, I don’t know. I went to college and majored in advertising, and have never considered doing anything else.
“I’m not sure,” I say slowly. “I guess I just never thought about it. I mean, I do love the creative aspects of my position like brainstorming new campaign ideas and pitching them to upper management and clients.”
Cyrus nudges my leg and shoots me a smile. “Okay, but why does it sound like there’s a but coming?”
I sigh.
“You’re right. I like getting to be creative, and I think that’s what drew me to marketing in the first place, but I think the job changes as you grow more senior. The more time I spend at Ligne, the clearer it’s become that once you get into a managerial position, your job shifts away from advertising itself and becomes more administrative and sales focused. It’s like the higher up the ladder you go, the less advertising you actually do. Does that sound bad?”
Cyrus thinks for a moment.
“I think it only sounds bad if it doesn’t interest you.”
I frown. “That’s the problem. I don’t think it does. I took this job to explore my creative self, and I think it’ll be stifled the longer I stay.”
Cyrus nods.
“Then don’t do it. You should do something you love. Everyone deserves that, honey.”
Sighing, I look out at the sun as it sinks over the horizon. “I guess I’ve never thought about it that way. I picked a career I knew I could be successful in and ran with it. I never really considered how things would grow and change the more senior I got.”
The gorgeous billionaire nods thoughtfully.
“Well, if you could pick any career now, then what would you want to do?”
I shoot him a small smile. “I don’t know.” Shrugging, I laugh. “Maybe I’ll open my own bakery so I can make my own merry-go-round cakes and compete on The Great British Baking Show.”
He smiles and pulls me in close for a kiss before growling, “Well, if that’s what would make you happy, the maybe you should seriously consider it.”
I roll my eyes.
“Really? I think my family would have a fit if I quit my job to become a home-baker.”
Cyrus laughs.
“Maybe that’s where you’d start, but things change. Most of the contestants started out as talented home bakers, and a lot of them have their own pastry shops now. So you never know.”
I smile, my heart put at ease.
“Maybe,” I murmur. This man is so supportive, and I appreciate that. I like how he pushes me to find work that I love, no matter how bizarre and improbable it seems. Then, the billionaire meets my eyes and speaks in a serious tone.
“Whatever you choose, baby, I know you’re going to be amazing.” My spirit leaps because if anyone else said those words to me, I’d laugh and brush it off as them just being nice. But there’s a sincerity in Cyrus’s tone that makes it clear he believes every word he just said.
I smile and put my hand in his, enjoying this incredible man’s support and adoration.
“Thank you, Mr. North,” I murmur. “I appreciate it.”
He leans forward for a kiss, those blue eyes growing dark.
“No problem, honey. You know I’m always here for you.”
With that, he seizes my mouth in another devastating liplock, and I melt into his embrace. After all, this man is the man I’ve fantasized about for years now, and actually being with him has surpassed those fantasies. If anything, the real Cyrus North is a thousand times better than the hero of a romance novel, and although I know I shouldn’t, I start believing in the happiest of happy endings for myself and this incredible man.