“Because we have jobs and responsibilities.”
“Leave dealing with your boss to me.”
I shake my head, pretending to be disgusted, yet my heart accelerates in my chest.
Our conversation is cut off too soon by the pilot announcing it’s safe to take off our seat belts.
The flight attendant opens the cabin door and all I see is white.
“Snow! Real snow!” I take the steps two at a time and pick up a handful of glittering snow.
Rowan stops beside me. “We got lucky.”
“Lucky? How?”
His eyes stay glued to my smile. “There usually isn’t snow this early in the season but they just had a storm the other day.”
“If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.” I throw the snow in the air and watch it all fall around me like powder.
I close my eyes and laugh, only to open them to find Rowan staring at me.
The staff makes quick work of our luggage, and before I can blink, Rowan has us settled into the back of a town car. He clutches onto my hand and draws idle circles with his thumb. Each rotation sends a jolt of energy shooting up my arm.
I stare out the window the entire time, taking in the bright lights and endless amounts of people. It reminds me of the Dreamland crowds, but more aggressive. Like people have places to go and people to see, so everyone needs to get the hell out of their way.
I absolutely love it.
We pull into the valet of some high-rise building covered in glass and steel.
“You live here?” I crane my neck back, taking in how the skyscraper touches a cloud. A real freaking cloud!
He shrugs. “Sometimes. It’s one of my homes.”
“One?!”
He shrugs.
“What’s it like to have more money than God?”
“Lonely.” His word carries enough heaviness to taint the air around us.
I’m tempted to wrap my arms around him to give him a squeeze. I can’t begin to imagine how isolating it is to be surrounded by so much wealth to the point that people stop treating him like a real person. After Rowan’s confession, I make a promise to myself to stop gawking at everything like it might disappear any second.
“Okay. I’m going to act cool from now on and pretend none of this phases me.”
“Don’t do that. I… It’s fun to see things from your perspective.”
Fun?! Who knew the man could experience such joy. I’m so caught up in that admission that it takes me a second to realize the rest of his statement.
He likes to see things from my perspective. My chest tightens, betraying me. Dammit. I should have listened to Claire. There’s no way things can stay casual between us without developing more intense feelings beyond liking one another. But why would he pursue me as Scott and Rowan if he wasn’t interested in taking things further?
I don’t think he’s using me for sex. There would be no reason behind carting me off to New York if that was the case.
Rowan’s hand finds the small of my back again as he leads us through an outrageous lobby with thousands of dangling gems suspended from the ceiling. He doesn’t need to press a single button on the elevators. Like he willed them himself, the doors slide open, revealing a shiny car of mirrors.
We step inside and the doors shut behind us.
His hand remains placed against my back. I’m tempted to step away and catch my breath, but he smells too damn good. The air thickens around us as he stares down at me.