Page 112

Once we arrived on the ground floor, everyone else stepped out, and Chase and I went straight to his car. I was going to put my worries aside for the evening and simply enjoy this wonderful man.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chase
––––––––
"Where are we going?" Hannah asked.
"I've got reservations at a restaurant. I think you’ll like it."
She smiled big. Fuck yes, that filled me with so much pride. Before Hannah, I only felt like that when I sealed a deal or made headway in a business case.
Even by my standards, today had been a shitshow. The SEC contacted us—the Sterling brothers, specifically—this morning, saying they needed to deepen their investigation, that the suspicious transactions they’d been tracking for months were still ongoing. I usually didn’t pay attention to their investigations because they turned out to be a waste of time. But something about this one was rubbing me the wrong way.
Still, I was determined to push the issue to the back of my mind and focus on Hannah. I’d promised her a date before the SEC’s news, and I didn’t want to cancel it.
I knew she was looking forward to it.
And so was I.
In the past, whenever I had an issue at the office, I buried myself in work. Now, I simply wanted my woman.
I took her to a restaurant that was literally on the beach.
"Wow," she exclaimed, glancing around. It was an outdoor restaurant. They placed the tables on the beach itself and recommended taking off your shoes to avoid getting sand in them. We both took them off, leaving them at the entrance.
A waiter led us to a table in the first row, right by the water. They’d set candles along the perimeter and on each table.
"This is so romantic," she said.
"I figured you'd like it," I murmured in her ear as I held her chair for her to sit down. Then I bent at the waist, kissing the side of her neck. The scent of her skin was addictive.
It was all I needed after a long, difficult day. Hell, I neededher. I'd barely kept myself in check during the day. I was tempted more than once to find an excuse—anything would do—to call her to my office.
After I sat down, I watched her intently while she looked around, taking in every detail.
"What are we having?" she asked, then glanced at the menu in front of her. "Oh, it’s a surprise. That's going to be interesting."
"Anything you don't want?" I asked.
She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. "Nope, I'm up for everything."
I felt a stirring in my boxers.
Get yourself together, Chase.
The waiter came over and explained how the evening would go. They wouldn't reveal any food or wine. I guess it really was all going to be a surprise.
"So this is a wine tasting too," Hannah said, practically bouncing in her seat. "I'm loving this more and more. This evening will be epic."
"That was my plan," I said. After the waiter left, I added, "And I've got a surprise for you at home."
"I can't believe you're telling me that.”
“I didn't mean sex. Or, well, notjustsex. I meant dessert."
"Now I can't wait to finish dinner so I can get my goodies."