“I promise this’ll be fun,” I chuckle and help her into one of the seats and take the one next to her.
When we’re both seated, buckled, and ready to go, the pilot switches on the rotors and we’re off. We’re flying for about ten minutes when a gust of wind causes things to get a little rough, and Olivia’s hand smacks down onto mine. She has a white-knuckled grip on my hand.
“It’s okay. I make this trip all the time,” I murmur through the mic into her ear. Throughout the entire ride it takes us to get to the landing strip in Corpus Christi, I talk to Olivia about minuscule things while I point out the lights of the city.
After we land, I help her out of the helicopter and guide her over to the car I had arranged to wait for us. My driver opens the door for us, and I help her into the back seat, then climb in behind her. Adam, my driver, closes the door behind me. He’s worked for me from the time I took over the business for my father. Before that, he was a kid on the street who was stealing just to have food in his stomach. I took him in and gave him a job, a place to live, and a purpose towantto live.
“So, where are we going now?” Olivia asks.
“It’s a surprise. It’s our first date, I wanted to be alone with you without any interruptions,” I murmur, turning in the seat to meet her gaze. I lift a hand to run it along her cheek, but she immediately shivers and pulls back from my touch. I take my hand away, worried she fears me somehow, for some reason, and clear my throat. “I want you to know how special I find you and I don’t see this as . . . solely a business arrangement between our families.”
Olivia’s breath hitches, and I give her a smile that shows her I’m serious about everything.
Adam comes to a stop, and I know we’ve made it to our destination. I offer her my hand, and she surprises me because she accepts, taking my hand in hers. I’m not missing the way she’s gnawing on her bottom lip, though. I step out and help Olivia follow suit. I turn her around to see her surprise and the way she gasps has me grinning from ear to ear.
Flowers lay on the sand, leading to a table with lit candles, and the ocean is the only music playing in the background.
I meant what I said to her, and this is one way I can show her she’s special to me. This isn’t just a contract. This is something I want to be more than that. She’s special enough for me to do something like this. And I’ve never wanted to put together a surprise for anyone else.
Olivia is the only one I’ve felt this way about and it won’t ever change. She deserves something like this, and I intend to not only give it to her every chance I get but show her at every opportunity.