Chapter 31

Sara

Okay. I wasn’t completely naïve about the world around me, but what Ryan was showing me was un-freaking-believable. I was totally freaking, not believing what was going on around me. If it wasn’t enough that we had flown to New York in a luxury personal jet, when we arrived, they pulled Ryan’s Mercedes around to meet us. He helped me into the car, and I sat in awe as he raced toward the city. We were driving through Manhattan in a Mercedes Benz that probably cost more than my house when I bought it. And Ryan, he looked so different in that environment like he was a completely different man but in a good way.

Awestruck, I watched the city pass by me as we drove through. It was so much different than anything I had ever experienced before. The buildings were tall, reaching higher than I could see out of the window. The sidewalks were packed with people, some looking like they had to get somewhere fast, some tourists, and some just enjoying a stroll through the city. There were more people on one city block than I had ever seen out and about in Bonanza. I looked forward as the car began to slow, and Ryan took a right-hand turn into a parking garage beneath one of those tall, shiny buildings. As we went lower into the space, I blinked, trying to adjust to the darkening of the lights. We pulled up at a gate, and Ryan grabbed the key from his visor, waving it over the stand outside. The gate slowly slid open, and we drove forward into his private parking garage.

“Is this just yours?” I asked.

“Yep,” he said. “It’s my building, too, so I snagged a private parking area.”

“Oh,” I said with a chuckle.

We slowly crept down through the garage passing row after row of expensive cars. I wanted to ask him if they were his, but I had a really good feeling I knew the answer to that already. Finally, we reached the end, and he pulled quickly into the space. He closed the moonroof and hopped out of the car, coming around and opening my door. I reached up and took his hand standing up and stretching my arms over my head. I turned to grab the luggage, but he had already shut the door.

“Don’t worry about that. Someone will be bringing it up,” he said. “There’s a service elevator.”

He nodded to the side as two people smiled and walked toward the car. He tossed the keys to one of them and put out his arm for me to take. I shook my head and walked with him to a private elevator with large golden doors. We got inside, and I looked around feeling like it was nicer than my own bedroom. There was a bench that stretched around the entire thing, plush carpet on the floor, and everything was absolutely spotless. I held my hands in front of me and watched as he put a key in, and we started going up all the way to the top floor.

When we got out, there was someone waiting, holding the front door opened. Ryan thanked them and walked me inside, shutting the door behind us. The place was absolutely stunning, and I had a hard time not letting my jaw drop to the floor.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll give you the tour.”

We walked from the front area through a doorway into a large open space. The living room was sunken in, and the entire front of his penthouse was floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Central Park. My eyes grew big as he walked me through, showing me the huge kitchen where everything was marble, the private dining room through a separate doorway, and the guest bathroom that looked like a giant bathhouse with a square tub resembling a small pool. I followed him down the hallway and stopped in front of two large double doors.

“And this is your suite.” He smiled, opening both of the doors and walking in.

I gasped. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I felt like a princess in a castle. There was an attached bath with the same large tub, a sitting room, and a bedroom with a bed so big, I was pretty sure I could sleep with four other people and still have room for a couple of cats and dogs. It was so overwhelming, and I couldn’t believe this was where I would be staying. I was so distracted, I nearly fell right over my luggage, which had already been delivered to my room.

“Make yourself at home here,” he said. “Anything you want is yours. I’m going to leave you to get comfortable and go unpack my suitcases.”

“Okay,” I said, staring at the huge painting hanging above the bed.

He chuckled and walked out, closing the doors behind him. I tiptoed around the room looking at all of the little trinkets and lavish furniture strategically placed throughout. I oohed and aahed at everything like I was in a museum. When I felt I had a good handle on everything in the room, I pulled up my suitcases and started unpacking. My small-town wardrobe looked out of place in that lavish room, but it was what I had to work with. When I finished putting everything away, I slid the suitcase into the giant walk-in closet and quietly opened my doors, going to find out where Ryan had run off.

I walked past each room and peeked inside, shaking my head at the décor. I didn’t know if he had the place decorated or if he had done it himself, but it was breathtaking. Finally, I found Ryan in his personal office on the phone. He smiled and nodded at me, sitting behind a big mahogany desk, tapping his fingers on the wood. I had to admit, sitting there like that, he looked both commanding and downright sexy. There was no use in denying it, especially to myself, but I kind of hoped he wouldn’t be entirely a gentleman while I was there. I had already had that thought before we even got on his plane. No matter what my feelings were about him on a romantic level of trust, I still thought he had a rocking body, and my attraction to him wasn’t slowing down in the least.

When we were still on the plane, I had snuck several glances at him, and I had to admit, it made the heat rise in my chest. He was so sexy, so handsome, especially looking extremely important surrounded by his luxurious lifestyle. I was starting to warm to the idea of a fling with him while I was in New York. I was definitely not looking for any other prospects, and my desire for him had not gone away. I didn’t know how long I would actually be in the city, but I knew it would only be for so long. Still, while I was there, being right down the hall from him, watching him walk around the house, I was definitely going to lose my resolve, and I wasn’t sure that was an entirely bad thing. Would it be so wrong to have a short-term relationship with a hot billionaire before going back home and living off memories for the rest of my life? I sure didn’t think it sounded like a bad idea, nor did I really feel bad at the thought of walking into it knowing it was only temporary. Hell, he had done it, and I had done it in the beginning when I first met him, so why would it be any different there?

I stood there in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching him talk. He finished his conversation and hung up the phone, looking at me with those seductive blue eyes. He smiled charmingly and looked me up and down, bringing a flash of heat to my face. Maybe I wasn’t as brave as I thought I was.

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m starving.” I smiled.

“Good,” he said, standing up. “Come on. There’s an excellent little Italian bistro down the street. I’ve missed their food.”

I nodded and followed him out of the apartment, hoping what I was wearing would be okay. We rode the elevator down to the lobby and made our way two blocks down to the restaurant. The hostess held the door for us and smiled as we entered. Suddenly, I felt completely out of place, noticing that it was a bit fancier than I’d thought. However, before I could say a word, we were immediately shown to a table in a private dining room off to the side.

“Do you mind if I order for us both?” he asked. “The food here is absolutely to die for.”

“Not at all,” I said, staring down at a menu written in Italian.

The waitress came into the room and filled our water goblets before turning and telling us the specials. I felt like I was in a foreign country, not used to Italian food like that. He ordered for both of us, and when the food arrived, my taste buds danced. I had never had something so decadent in my life, and I was pretty sure I could eat there every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. Ryan just sat across the table from me smiling and chuckling at my responses and eye rolls to the food. He had ordered several bottles of wine to go with the dinner and every time I turned around, my glass was full. It was really good wine, nothing like what Alison and I drank from the General Store back home. In fact, as I sat there in the chair, watching the waitress clear the table, I started to think the wine had been a little too good. I could feel myself loosening up, and I realized I was definitely buzzed.

When we stood up to leave, I wobbled back and forth, grabbing the chair for support. Okay, maybe I was wrong, maybe buzzed was a bit of an understatement. More like more than a little drunk with the floor looking slightly slanted in front of me. I had not expected to drink that much, but I had completely let down my guard and threw caution to the wind.

“Well there.” Ryan laughed, coming around to help me. “Someone let the wine go straight to her head.”

“Shhh,” I said. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” he whispered.

He put his arm around my waist and led me back out to the street where the warm spring air felt good on my skin. I was really glad I only had to walk a couple of blocks. Otherwise, Ryan might have had to carry me. Still, I couldn’t deny it felt really good to have him touching me again. As we started to walk away from the restaurant, someone shouted out Ryan’s name. I looked up to where the voice was coming from and saw a man rapidly approaching, a phone in his hand.

“Ryan,” the man said. “Does Natasha know about your new girlfriend yet.”

“Bugger off,” Ryan said, shooting him a dirty look.

He took my hand and pulled me rapidly up the street muttering under his breath about the damn paparazzi. I had completely forgotten about the media and how intrusive they were in Ryan’s life. Just hearing the name Natasha brought me right back to my senses and put a serious damper on my mood. When we got home, I felt this overwhelming crushing sadness, something I had forced myself to ignore when I’d broken things off with him. I thanked him for dinner and closed myself in my room, wanting nothing more than sleep.