43. Chapter Forty Three
Chapter Forty Three
Cole
I lead Annie through the back exit of the restaurant, away from the flashing cameras and prying eyes.
She follows without question, though I can tell she’s curious. Her brows are drawn together slightly, her lips parted like she’s debating whether or not to ask what the hell we’re doing.
She waits until we’re in the car before she finally does. “Okay, I’ll bite. Where are we going?”
I glance at her as I pull away from the curb. “You’ll see.”
She huffs. “You love being cryptic, don’t you?”
I smirk. “It’s one of my many charms.”
She mutters something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like “arrogant ass.”
I grin, but let it slide.
The drive isn’t long. Traffic has lightened up, and within ten minutes, we’re pulling into the private entrance of Silver Screen Studios. The lot is quiet at this hour, most employees gone for the night, but the security team waves us through without question.
Annie straightens in her seat as I park. “Wait. Why are we here?”
I cut the engine and turn to her. “You’ll see.”
She narrows her eyes. “I swear to God, if you say that one more time—”
I chuckle, stepping out of the car before she can finish the threat. She sighs but follows, wrapping her arms around herself as we walk toward the entrance. The lobby is dimly lit, sleek and modern, the floors polished to a mirror shine.
Annie glances around, looking both impressed and confused. “Seriously, Cole. What are we doing here?”
I press the button for the elevator and glance at her with a small smile. “Just trust me.”
She eyes me warily. “That’s a big ask.”
I place a hand over my heart. “I’m wounded.”
She rolls her eyes but steps into the elevator with me as the doors slide open.
As we ascend, she gives me a sideways glance. “Are we going to your office? Are you trying to get a quickie on your desk out of me?”
I laugh and shake my head. “No.” I give her a flirtatious look. “But now that you mention it...”
“Not a chance,” she says, laughing.
When the doors finally open, I step out and lead her down the hallway, but instead of turning toward my office, I push open the door to the stairwell.
Annie stops short. “Oh, come on.”
I glance over my shoulder. “What?”
She glares. “I wore heels, Wagner.”
I smirk. “It’s just one more flight up.”
She lets out a dramatic sigh but follows. “If I trip and die, I’m haunting you.”
“Noted.”
I push open the final door, stepping out onto the rooftop.
The city stretches out before us, the skyline glowing against the night sky. The air is cool, a gentle breeze drifting through, but the real surprise is set up in the middle of the rooftop.
A large screen stands against the backdrop of the city, ready to play a movie.
In front of it is a comfortable setup—a low, cushioned couch piled with pillows and blankets, making it look more inviting than anything I could have planned. To the side, a table filled with an assortment of bite-sized hors d’oeuvres and desserts sits waiting.
I glance at Annie, watching as she takes it all in.
Her lips part slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. “You had all this planned? ”
I clear my throat, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Not exactly.”
She turns to me, incredulous. “What do you mean? Do you just always have this set up on the roof? Just in case?”
I chuckle, rubbing the back of my neck. “No. I had help.”
She blinks, shaking her head like she can’t believe what she’s hearing.
I exhale, explaining. “I was going to take you to Le Petit Délice—it’s this new dessert place that’s gotten popular. But after seeing how uncomfortable you were at the restaurant, I figured you wouldn’t want to sit under another spotlight.”
She stares at me for a beat before speaking. “So instead, you arranged for all this? In like ten minutes?”
I shrug. “I have some people on call to thank for that.”
She lets out a short laugh, looking back at the setup. “Unbelievable.”
I take a step closer. “Good surprise or bad surprise?”
She gives me a look. “That’s not even a question.”
I grin, motioning toward the seating area. “Come on. Get comfortable.”
As she moves toward the couch, I follow, watching the way she softens as she takes it all in again.
“This is amazing,” she murmurs, brushing her fingers over one of the blankets. “I can’t believe you did all this. ”
I sink down next to her, close but not too close. “I sent a text. Don’t give me so much credit. But I wanted this date to be about you. Not for us to be somewhere you’re not comfortable.”
She meets my gaze, something soft flickering in her eyes.
I grab the remote and smirk. “Now, let’s start the movie.”
She raises a brow. “What are we watching?”
I hit play. “An advanced screening of Silver Screen Studios’ latest project.”
Her jaw drops slightly as the screen lights up.
And just like that, the night is ours.
***
The drive back is quiet, but it’s a comfortable kind of silence. Annie leans against the window, her fingers lazily tracing patterns on her thigh, and every so often, I catch her stealing glances at me.
I smirk. “You keep looking at me like that, and I’m going to start thinking you had fun tonight.”
She huffs out a laugh but doesn’t deny it. “It was okay, I guess.”
I raise a brow. “Just okay? You ate like forty mini cheesecakes, Annie.”
She laughs. “I’m eating for two now, remember?”
“That was like eating for ten.”
Annie hits my arm. “Don’t judge.”
I smirk. “Never.”
I turn onto the long private drive leading up to the house, the lights from the mansion soft against the night sky. By the time I park, Annie is already halfway through the garage.
“Eager to escape?” I ask.
She grins. “Depends. Are you going to get all broody and intense again?”
I exhale through my nose, shaking my head as I follow her through the door.
The house is quiet when we step inside, the soft glow from a few lamps illuminating the foyer. Everyone is in bed, just as I expected.
Annie sighs, kicking off her heels with a relieved groan. “God, I love these shoes, but they are not meant for walking. Or standing. Or sitting.”
I smirk, watching as she wiggles her toes. “You didn’t have to wear them.”
She gives me a look. “Please. Like I wasn’t going to go all out for our first official date.”
Something about the way she says that—our first official date—sends a slow, warm pulse through my chest .
I step closer, watching the way her breath hitches as she tilts her chin up to look at me.
“Did I meet expectations?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
She pretends to consider. “You were missing the rose petals and violin player, but other than that…”
I slide a hand to her waist, pulling her a little closer. “I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”
Her lips part slightly, and she doesn’t pull away. “So there’s a next time?”
I brush my thumb over her hip. “That depends.”
She swallows. “On what?”
I lower my head just enough that I can feel her breath against my lips. “On whether or not you kiss me right now.”
She lets out a small, breathy laugh. “Oh, is that how this works?”
I nod. “It is. All good dates end with a kiss. Or more.”
For a second, I think she’s going to keep teasing me, but then she closes the distance, pressing her lips against mine.
I don’t hesitate. I pull her in, one hand at the small of her back, the other sliding up to cup her jaw. She lets out a quiet sound against my mouth, her fingers curling into the front of my shirt, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from backing her against the wall and deepening the kiss.
The house is quiet. Everyone is asleep .
We should go to my room. We should stop.
But I don’t want to.
Her hands slide up, tangling in my hair as she presses herself closer, and damn it, I want more.
I tilt my head, taking the kiss deeper, slower. She melts into me, sighing against my lips, and I know that if we don’t stop now, I won’t want to stop at all.
So I pull back, my breathing heavy, my forehead resting against hers.
Annie blinks up at me, her lips kiss-swollen, her expression slightly dazed. “Well,” she breathes, “I’d say the date ended pretty well.”
I huff out a laugh, still trying to get my pulse back under control. “Yeah,” I murmur, brushing my thumb over her jaw. “I’d say it did.”