Diamonds Are Forever - Brooke St. James Page 0,45

stood up, getting in front of me before reaching out to help me up. Seeing him from that angle, standing over me, he was breathtaking. He wore a confident smile, expecting me to put my hand in his, which I promptly did.

Drew took me by both hands and pulled me to my feet. I was looking at him the whole time, and he went ahead and used the opportunity to lean in and kiss me. He placed a quick, soft kiss on my mouth. I stretched up and kissed him back, holding back a smile at the amount of reaction that was happening in my body.

"Let's go to the desk and get you a room. Then we can go up to my room so I can change. We'll walk to your hotel to get your things. Is it close enough?"

"Yeah, but I already paid for it tonight. I'm sure they wouldn't be happy about giving me my money back since it's so late. Why don't I just stay there tonight and we can switch our reservation over tomorrow?"

Drew stared at me. The lights from the chandeliers were reflecting in his eyes, causing them to sparkle.

"No," he said with a little smirk.

He said it so softly and nonchalantly that I said, "No, what?"

"No, please?" he answered, looking hopeful. "Please just stay here. We can ask the people about a refund, but I really don't care. I'd rather just pay for two rooms and know where you are. I really don't want you to come all the way to New York and then go sleep in a different building. I just wouldn't feel right about it."

Drew put his arms around me and leaned in close to me as he spoke. He put his mouth right next to my ear.

"Please," he said.

The feel and sound of his warm breath on my ear had me leaning into him.

"You'll rarely hear me mention money, Lucy, but for the sake of talking you into staying, I'll just say that I have enough of it to do this. I can pay for three rooms tonight, and it won't be a problem at all. Please let me do that. I want you here."

His hand rested tenderly in the arch of my lower back, and I was nodding as I spoke, already agreeing.

"Okay," I said. "I'd love to stay here. Thank you."

Drew pulled me toward the desk where we made a reservation for the next three nights. Tonight, I would stay down the hall from him on the same floor, and then tomorrow, I would move into the room next door to him and stay there for the following two nights.

Once we finished at the desk, we made our way to the elevator. Drew held my hand the whole time we were in the lobby, and he pulled me to him when the elevator doors closed behind us.

We were finally alone. He was leaning against the wall, holding me to him and staring down at me with a mischievous expression. The sights and smells were all different in New York City. I was dazed by the newness of it all, and then Drew went and did things like grinning down at me irresistibly and making my head swim.

Drew kissed me in that elevator. He was a gentleman about it, but he kissed me deeply, which was a surreal experience in a semi-public situation. I was overcome with desire, happiness, and relief.

We went into his room for a few minutes so that he could change clothes for the trek to my hotel. And before I knew it, we were in the elevator going down and he was kissing me again. He was sweet, patient, and tender, but he was irresistibly persistent—touching me lightly and kissing me any chance he got.

I just loved him.

I didn't tell him as much, but I knew I loved him. It was the real kind of love—the be-together-forever-love.

We decided to walk to my hotel. It was a nice enough part of the city, and I felt safe with Drew. We encountered more people than I thought we would, seeing as how it was after midnight. We passed a few restaurants and bars that were open, and we walked slowly enough that we could take in the sights and sounds. Drew reached out for me constantly, and I stayed close to him, feeling like there was no place I'd rather be.

It took us a half-hour to get to the other hotel and another half-hour to grab my