Chapter 15
HARRISON
First and foremost, Aurelia was becoming my friend. I did my best to remember that as I sat across from her at a ludicrously priced restaurant. It was the kind of place Callum would hate and Sterling would try to buy shares in.
In other words, it was me, and it definitely suited the occasion.
As I looked at her in the low, flickering candlelight of our private room, however, the thought of what I was about to do clashed with that idea of friendship in my head.
I was painfully attracted to this girl and the ring in my pocket was practically burning a hole in my pants, but she was a friend.
Sort of. Not a girlfriend or a longtime crush.
I’d never touched her and I probably never should.
This was supposed to be about business. About proving something to our families. About doing what I needed to do with a friend, a person I was growing to trust, not a romantic entanglement.
So I listened patiently as she told me about the Van Alen holiday traditions.
I tried to ignore the way my cock twitched whenever she leaned forward a little and flashed a hint of cleavage.
Most of all, I tried to keep reminding myself that even if she was breathtaking, what we had was entirely platonic.
“It could be awkward this year because I resigned, but I’m still looking forward to it,” she was saying when I finally managed to stop being distracted by my thoughts.
“My brothers always get each other these gag gifts, and over the years, it’s become a competition about who can buy the others the most obscene thing.
You should see some of the stuff they’ve gotten each other.
I have no idea where they even find it.”
My eyebrows drew a little closer together. “You’re not part of this tradition?”
She briefly averted her gaze, shrugging before she looked at me again. “No, not really. They claim not to want to offend my delicate sensibilities.”
“I’d like to offend your sensibilities,” I teased, but I was also being perfectly honest. If she had any idea of all the things I’d thought of doing to her, with her, she’d know that her sensibilities wouldn’t be delicate for very long if we ever hooked up.
“Do you think I could get in on the action this year? You and I could do gag gifts, too.”
“You don’t have t—”
“I want to,” I said immediately, cutting her off. “Aurelia Van Alen, will you please allow me the honor of offending the shit out of your sensibilities?”
She smothered her laughter with one hand in front of her mouth, then nodded enthusiastically. “I’d love that, but only if you’d allow me the honor in return.”
“Done. May the most obscene gift win.” I pumped my eyebrows and groaned out loud when I realized what I’d just done. “Uh, for the record, you do know that I only have brothers, right?”
“So do I.”
“Yeah, but you’re a girl. I’m pretty sure our minds have gone to very different places about this.”
“Try me.” She lifted her chin and held my gaze firmly. Confidently. “I’m not as delicate as my brothers seem to think.”
I almost groaned again, for a very different reason this time, but I managed to swallow the sound before it came out. “Yep. Our minds have definitely gone to very different places.”
She chuckled and gave her head a light shake. “Okay, Westwood. It’s time to tell me what we’re really doing here. Somehow, I don’t think you brought me here to talk a bit of business and a lot of family traditions, so what did we really get all dressed up for?”
“I’m glad you asked.” I pushed my chair back smoothly and stood. Then I walked around and pulled her chair out before offering her my arm. “There’s a lounge upstairs with a view of the whole city. It’s one of my favorite places in all of New York.”
“You brought me to one of your favorite places? And it’s a lounge in one of the most expensive restaurants around? Why am I not surprised?”
Even as she said it though, I heard the mild undercurrent of surprise in her voice and I saw it flickering in her eyes. She stood up and took my arm, allowing me to guide her to the lookout point right at the top of the skyscraper.
The lounge was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides, the circular area offering exactly the view I’d promised. New York stretched out below, the cityscape twinkling a little extra with all the Christmas decorations already covering every inch of the streets.
“Wow.” Her voice came out a little breathy from where she stood beside me, just staring at the seemingly endless, glittering expanse. “That sure is something.”
I was looking only at her as I replied. “It really is.”
Tables were scattered around up here as well. A string quartet played softly in the corner. All I could see was her in that red gown, though. I’d pre-ordered the most absurdly expensive bottle of champagne on the menu because I’d figured why not?
If we were really going to play this game, I intended on doing it right. A waiter who’d known we were coming nodded at me when our gazes locked and the sommelier brought over our champagne.
Aurelia’s eyebrows jumped all the way up when she saw it. “You do realize drinking that is ridiculous, right?”
“Of course. That’s the point. It’s reserved exclusively for only the most special occasions, and this is one of them.”
Before she could react, I dropped down to one knee and finally pulled the ring out of my pocket.
Those blue eyes widened all the way, then narrowed to slits as her head started shaking. “Harrison, no. Absolutely not. Get up. People are going to think you’ve lost your mind.”
“Most already think that,” I said, flipping open the velvet box in my hand. The diamond caught the light, sending a prism of light across her face. “I might as well lean into it.”
She groaned. “You cannot be serious. Here? Now? Do you even have a speech prepared?”
I grinned up at her. “Oh, I had one. It went something like, ‘Neither of us are doing anything better right now and we don’t mind each other, so let’s skip the boring part and get married.’”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “That sounds more like a hostage negotiation than a proposal.”
“Clearly, you’ve never been held hostage.” I slid the ring out of the box and caught her wrist before she could pull away. “It’s a pity you’re not better at negotiating, though. You should’ve asked for two rings. Maybe a beach house and a plane.”
She tried to argue, whispering fiercely as she widened her eyes at me again. “People are watching, Harrison. This is totally going to end up on the internet.”
“Good,” I said as I slipped the ring onto her finger. “Let them see. Let them all watch us both get exactly what we need.”
As the ring slid home, it was done. The diamond sat proudly on the ring finger of her left hand, obscenely large and so damn perfect. The crowd around us erupted in cheers, clinking glasses and whistles echoing against the windows.
Aurelia covered her face with both hands. “You’re impossible.”
“Correction. I’m engaged.” I got to my feet, turned to the crowd, and gave an exaggerated bow. “Thank you. Thank you. She said yes!”
Laughter sounded from around the room and she blushed so hard, her cheeks were a glowing pink despite her makeup. I caught her hand, lifted it high so every table would be able to see the rock, then pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles.
When I looked up, her eyes were already locked on mine, and for one disorienting moment, it didn’t feel like a joke or even a deal. It felt real.
Dangerously, intensely real.
The cheering died down and the staff whisked us to a table by the windows for dessert.
Our champagne was chilling in a bucket beside us.
Aurelia leaned forward, tapping the stem of her glass with a manicured finger.
She arched an eyebrow at me. “So, genius, how exactly are we going to tell our mothers that we’re engaged?
They don’t even want to talk about each other. ”
“Easy. We’re not going to tell them.” I popped a strawberry into my mouth, pretending to think it over. “Not yet, anyway.”
“Now there’s a brilliant plan.” She pursed her lips, but I saw the smile she was trying to hold back. “We’re just going waltz into our respective family Christmases with matching rings on matching fingers and hope for the best?”
“We could. It’s not a bad idea, but that’s not quite what I had in mind.” I reached for my champagne, savoring the way her eyes narrowed in annoyance at how calm I was about this. “First, we figure out why they hate each other. Then we make a plan.”
“How are we going to figure it out?” she asked, suspicion ringing clear as a bell from her tone. “Did you miss the part where I said they don’t even want to talk about each other?”
I smiled. “I’m going to need an invitation to your mother’s holiday ball.”
She laughed. “You want to crash Regina’s crown jewel of the season?”
“I’m a very devoted fiancé,” I cut in smoothly. “Any future mother-in-law will love me for it.”
She rolled her eyes, but I caught her lips curving into another smile before she hid it behind her glass. “Fine. I can secure an invite, but we’ll need to be careful.”
“We will be, but all her guests will be too dazzled by you in that dress to notice me,” I said. “Don’t even worry about it, Aurelia. We’ll be fine.”
Her gaze softened just a fraction, like she was genuinely reassured by my confidence, which was surprising. She even smiled a little as some of the tension eased out of her features. “Are you really flying home in the morning?”
“Yep. Mom promised Sterling we’d only be gone a couple days. When are you getting in?”
“At the end of the week,” she said softly. “We’ll regroup when we’re back on home turf?”
I nodded. “Let me know as soon as you’re inbound and we’ll meet up.”
Her hand drifted to the ring, her fingers toying with it absently, spinning it against the light. “I can’t believe you actually bought this thing.”
I leaned back, watching her and feeling emotions I couldn’t quite name. That was my ring. I’d put in there, and seeing it on her finger?
I swallowed hard. “Don’t tell me you’re regretting it already?”
She hesitated but shook her head, her smile small but genuine. “No. I love it.”
There was almost a shyness to the way she said it. Pride surged through me, hot and heady. She was like this over a ring I’d chosen. Something that marked her as mine, even if it was only business.
Suddenly though, I didn’t want it to be. I didn’t want it to feel like pretend. Or like she wasn’t really mine.
She spun the ring again with the faintest smile tugging at her lips. I leaned in before I could stop myself. “If that’s what you like, I’ll deck you out in gems.”
Her gaze flicked up, the expression in her eyes sharp but amused. “That’s a dangerous promise, Westwood. I have expensive taste.”
“So do I,” I countered with a smirk, lifting my glass in mock salute. “It’s not a promise though. It’s a guarantee and, happily, one I can afford to make.”
She laughed, shaking her head before turning back to the wall of windows. The thought that burned through me as I watched her was a lot more troubling than the promise I’d just made, but the fact was that I would do a lot more for her than cover every inch of her in precious stones.
In that moment, I realized I would do anything for her. Is this how my brothers felt just before they toppled like dominoes? This peaceful certainty? The acceptance? The way the room seems to shift when she’s in it?
No. It couldn’t be. They were all nauseatingly in love. And me? I wasn’t.
Or at least, that was my story and I was sticking to it.