“Willow, why are you interrupting me? Don’t I deserve to know the background of the man who is about to whisk you away for a weekend?”
“You do, Sir,” I replied. “Please go ahead.”
“Investment securities. How did you get into it?”
“I met a man who was a wizard with numbers, when he found out I was quite good with them too, he took me under his wing and mentored me. Things progressed from then.” I had told no lies.
A silence ensued then, but luckily her mother stepped in to break the ice. “Would you like some pecan pie?” she asked and I sent her a smile. “I would absolutely love some, Sally.”
She pressed her husband’s shoulders as she headed into the kitchen.
36
Willow
“I am so sorry about my father giving you the third degree.”
He only laughed as he clicked his seatbelt into its latch. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I would have done the same. He’s a great father.”
“He is,” I replied dreamily, and relaxed into the first-class seat. This was life. Being whisked away from it all with a tall, hot man for the weekend.
I felt his large warm hand rest on mine, so I slid mine underneath and linked my fingers with his. He turned to me with a smile, and as I watched his beautiful face and gentle eyes, I couldn’t understand how and why this angel had just appeared out of nowhere.
“Isn’t it weird that I feel as if I know you from the past?”
Instantly I felt him go tense, and I hurried on to explain. “My mom mentioned it,” I said. “Her words were ‘he acts like he’s known you forever’.”
He seemed to relax then, a small smile teasing the corners of his lips. “Perhaps I have. In another lifetime.”
I wasn’t completely dismissive of the idea. “Perhaps you have,” I said. “I wouldn’t know, would I?”
At the seriousness in my tone, he turned to me. “No, you wouldn’t.”
His grip tightened on mine and something sparked in the air between us. “But we haven’t met in this life, have we? I mean before, in the past?”
He smiled, but he looked away. “You haven’t.”
“Are you sure?” I pressed on. I was aware it must be irritating for him that I kept asking if he was connected to my forgotten past. I’d even told myself I should give it a rest and stop trying to make him fit into my drama, but I simply couldn’t help myself. He was so familiar. He felt like the man I’d been waiting for. The man from my dreams.
He returned his gaze to me. “Why do you think you have?”
“Well, the way you act. We’ve only known each other for a short time but you seem so … decided on me.”
“I take my commitments very seriously. And I’m not decided on you yet. We’re going away together and I’ll be watching out for horrendous habits I can’t accept.”
I laughed. “Well, I’ll be watching you too. Who knows if you secretly have some fetish that you hide under all this cool, infallible exterior.”
His response surprised me. “I do,” he said. “And that’s why I’m especially looking forward to this trip. I can’t wait to fully unleash myself at you.”
A bolt of excitement zapped through me. I wanted to have his fetishes unleased on me. “Why do I believe you?” I whispered.
He shrugged. “Maybe because you know I always say what I mean.”
“Uh, oh. I shouldn’t have agreed to this trip, should I?”
His smile almost made my heart burst. It was full and gleaming like a wolf’s. “Maybe you shouldn’t have.”
When we arrived at our hotel room a few hours later, I was stunned by the splendor and luxury all around me. I was a simple girl from a small town. This, I had only seen in movies. I didn’t even dream of it, because it seemed as unreachable as marrying a prince.
The hotel lobby was all marble and chrome, and when we got to our suite I gasped. What an expansive, beautiful room, with a glorious four poster canopy bed, and an oversized lounge. Out on the terrace was our own swimming pool and Jacuzzi, and it all overlooked the panoramic view of the ocean.
“Wow!” I exclaimed as I took it all in.
He tipped the young man who had brought our suitcases for us and followed me towards the windows. I turned to him with eyes brimming with excitement. “This is very, very extravagant. I’ll have to work a whole year and some to pay my half.”
“Don’t worry about it. The moment you’re able to I’ll ensure that you pay me back.”
I laughed. “Don’t you need some kind of collateral?”
“I do,” he drawled. “I’ll collect it tonight.”
My eyes widened, especially as his ‘friendly’ threat on the plane came to mind. “You’re not one of those charming serial killers, are you?”