Page 108 of Company Ink

I bite my lip, the sweet flowery aroma filling my lungs. "You'resoextra," I giggle as Adrian helps me inside the car. "A bouquet would've been just fine."

"Not for you, Cassie," Adrian grins sliding in next to me. "You deserve all the beauty in the world."

I roll my eyes. "So mushy," I tease, my heart fluttering like a horny love depraved teenager. "But thank you, they're lovely." I pick one up and smell it. "I'm not entirely sure how I'll bring them allupstairs but thank you."

Adrian presses his lips together as the limo begins moving. "I hadn't thought that far ahead," he admits with a chuckle. "Perhaps we can coordinate an assembly line of sorts."

"Good idea! I'll recruit all my neighbors to help," I quip.

"You try to be romantic..." Adrian shakes his head, his eyes alight with amusement. "You're a difficult woman to please, aren't you Cassie?"

"Me?" I feign offense. "I'm a simple girl. Very low maintenance."

"People who are low maintenance seldom advertise themselves as such," Adrian retorts playfully.

"Oh, shut up." I give him a slight nudge with my elbow. "So where are we going right now? You were super vague on the phone last night."

Adrian smirks. "I hope you don't get seasick."

"Oh my God, are you taking me kayaking under the stars?" I pout. "Adrian..."

Adrian sighs. "Think bigger, querida."

"A tugboat?!" I joke, my eyes widening. "You shouldn't have! I've always wanted to honk one of those horns!"

Adrian closes his eyes. "You are so—"

"Charming? Witty?Funny?" I bat my eyelashes. "I know, I know. You're so lucky."

Adrian cocks his head to the side. "I was going to sayannoying."

I snap my fingers. "Yes! That too. All part of the package."

Adrian chuckles. "Show me where to sign."

The marina is dark, only the lights from the docked yachts illuminating the area. Adrian holds my hand as he leads me down the labyrinth of paths, past boats that are worth more than three of my parent's houses. They're huge, sturdy, extravagant. I'm in awe, but there's something about being here that is causing my anxiety to spike. This better not be a reoccurring feeling. I love boating. I love the ocean. But right now, I feel a bit queasy.

"What do you think?" Adrian asks, stopping in front of an eggshell-white yacht, dim light glowing from all three decks. God, this thing's got to be at least twenty meters wide.

"You own a boat?" I ask, tilting my head back. "It's...big."

Adrian lets out a laugh, gesturing for me to step aboard. "Cassie, this yacht costs three million dollars, a luxury, even for me." We climb the stairs up to the top deck. "But tonight, it's ours."

I look out into the harbor, the setting sun has left deep red and purple hues lingering in the sky, the moon visible through the clouds. "Are we staying docked?" I ask, my eyes flickering to the dining table set up in front of us, covered in a lace tablecloth, wine, and silver china.

Adrian waves his hand in the air, making eye contact with the captain on the bridge. "Not for long," he says. "Please, sit down."

"You know, you're setting the bar really high for all future dates right now." I place my purse on the table, smiling. "I might just get used to this."

Adrian's eyes scan my face, soft, light. "Don't worry, Cariño, I'll try to keep you amazed," he whispers, reaching for my hand, stroking my palm with his long fingers. "So, tell me, how was your week? Are your parents all packed?"

"Yeah, pretty much. My mom sent me a video of the house. It's completely empty. Just boxes everywhere." I sigh. "I never realized that the entire house was wrapped in wallpaper until everything was gone."

A server strolls by carrying a tray of antipasto. "Your starter," he says, placing it down and quietly leaving.

Adrian retrieves the white wine from the chiller. "They're leaving next week, right?"

I nod. "Yeah, it almost feels surreal. A part of me doesn't believe it. They've lived in Seattle all their lives, I'm worried for them. They don't speak Spanish. My mother is horrible with directions. I don't know. It seems like such a drastic move."