“What are your thoughts?” she asks me.
“Princess, you know how I feel.”
“I want to hear why or why I shouldn’t get married,” she says.
“I’m not going to come between you and King,” I say.
“I still want to hear it,” she states.
“Let’s enjoy the night for a bit and then we can talk,” I say as I open the door to the store.
“Oh, chocolate,” she says, forgetting the discussion. She pulls me in and I can’t believe it’s four floors of chocolate. I laugh as she grabs a bag and fills it with different colored candies. She’s like a kid in a candy store. Oh wait, she is in a candy store.
Satisfied with her bag, she checks out and we keep walking.
We stop at the Coca Cola® store and she goes in, I follow.
“They have a taste test, we should do it,” she says and I snort.
“Whatever you want, princess,” I buy the tray and we take a seat, sipping each cup, laughing at the ones that aren’t that great and the faces we make. I feel so relaxed and I’m glad she’s having fun.
We stop at the fountains and I can’t help but hold her as we watch the dancing waters. The music is calming and relaxing. She’s enjoying herself and I don’t want this feeling to end.
We walk across the street to the Promenade and decide to do the High Roller. Everyone else is long gone by now. We enter our pod and as soon as the doors close, I answer her question. I kiss her.
“Holden?” She looks up at me, wondering what came over me.
“Does that answer your question?”
“In a way,” she whispers.
“I’m not like Lane or Lennon, whatever you call him. I’m not going to go all crazy. But I don’t want you to marry Kingston. I want you to be with me. I can’t ask you to call it off, I wish I could. I do love you, though. Every minute makes me fall more. Do you feel things when you kiss me?”
“I do. I can’t explain it, but I do. I wonder if Kingston loves me or if it’s because of all the adrenaline of what’s happened.”
“It could be, but I’m not him,” I say, pulling her close to me.
“I do care about you and I know there is something there,” she says.
I take her hand and kiss her palm before cupping her cheek. She reaches out to me and I pull her closer, needing her close.
“I didn’t tell him your secret,” I whisper and I feel her nod.
“Thank you.”
“I want you so badly, this is killing me inside. I need you,” I say.
“This would be easier if I’d turned him down,” she says sadly.
“Maybe, but Lane would have tried to destroy any relationship you had.”
“I wish I could just run away and forget all of this, but then I wouldn’t know any of you,” she says.
“I don’t want you to run away, but I want you to follow your heart,” I say.
“Yeah,” she murmurs.
I hold her as we watch the lights of the city. Is this goodbye?