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“We’ll see about that,” I heard him mutter as he opened the door for me.
I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The car was spacious beyond belief, and I exhaled and stretched my legs out as Sean got in with me. Lucas was dressed smartly, too, in a tux and a bow tie, and he looked so adorable that I wished I could hug him.
“You’re looking very handsome, Lucas,” I said, smiling at him. “I’m sure Brianna will notice.”
He colored, his cheeks going red. “Thank you. I hope so,” he said in a low voice before turning to the window. “How much longer before we get there?”
Sean leaned in closer to me while responding to Lucas, and when he was done, he didn’t settle back in his seat. If anything, he put his hand on his knee, next to mine, and his fingers lightly grazed me. Lucas slipped his headphones on while I turned to Sean.
When I tried to remove my hand, he lifted a thumb and held my hand in place. The touch was soothing, and my skin heated under his.
“I’m going to do the talking with Will tonight when Lucas meets Brianna,” he muttered in a low voice while I turned to him. “If Will so much as looks in your direction, I’m going to kill him.”
A shiver ran down to my toes. I noticed his body tense as I angled closer. His lips parted, and he was breathing faster than normal.
Shit.
He was affected by my presence, just like I was with him. The knowledge made my head spin.
In the hazy darkness, I squeezed his hand and let go quickly. He looked like he was barely restraining himself from pulling me to his chest.
“Well, flattering as that statement was, let me remind you that I’m not your woman, and our goal is to help Lucas meet Brianna,” I whispered back. “So, no murders tonight, please.”
The side of his lips twitched. “You don’t object to bloodshed on days Lucas isn’t there?” he asked from my right.
I was done with feeling so twisted up around Sean. I was done fighting our attraction. I wanted Sean even if it was a terrible, terrible idea.
“Feel free to vampire your way around town when Lucas isn’t around,” I said, trying to keep my voice from betraying what I truly felt.
He chuckled while Lucas removed his headphones and pointed to a building we were passing.
“It’s The Met, Lucas,” Sean said in response to Lucas’s question. “Perhaps we’ll go there one day together,” he said just as the car slowed down to a stop, and we were at Lincoln Center. “Thank you, Chris,” he said to our driver.
Chris got out and opened the door while Sean helped me and Lucas out. I stepped out and stared at the breathtaking view in front of me.
The city lights danced in the distance, reflecting off the tall, glossy skyscrapers towering in the night sky. The air was charged with the energy of New York City, and I couldn’t believe I was a part of a luxury party for once. Clutching my year-old pursethat had been a purchase from T.J. Maxx, I stood on the bustling street corner as other well-dressed people walked up the steps.
Feeling a bit nervous, I looked at the grand facade of the Lincoln Center. The front of the building was lit up in colors of orange and blue. As the three of us walked in, I saw immense wealth all around.
The men were in dignified tuxedos, and the women were wearing gowns that were similar to mine, helping me blend in. I was one ofthem—the social elite. A world I’d only had glimpses of in TV shows or heard of from secondhand sources at work.
Noticing my expression, Sean switched places with Lucas, standing next to me.
“All okay?” he asked, his eyes taking me in.
My heart was pounding as I tore my attention away from the crowd to focus on him. I felt a calmness spread through me when he met my gaze.
“I didn’t know you were expected to wear such clothes here,” I muttered, feeling foolish at my naivete and thinking back to what I’d almost worn tonight.
“When you’re with me, you don’t need to worry about trivialities like that, Chloe,” Sean said, taking my hand and walking up the last of the steps. “I’ll take care of you.”
I closed my eyes, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. My days had been a constant stream of worrying. If it wasn’t about Henry, it was about money and paying for his needs. Someone had told me that I ought to understand my life was not Henry’s, but being a caregiver to him since I had been eighteen had solidified my identity into that. I hadn’t beenjust Chloefor a long time. A woman who got to indulge in her once-far-off dream of living in a different world. A world where there was time for pleasure every day. It was the difference between expecting to dress up on a Friday night versus considering what movie to pass out to, alone on the couch, by ten at night.
“I love this,” I muttered. “If this is a dream, please don’t let me wake up.”
Sean chuckled as we joined the line of people walking in, just behind Lucas. In the distance, staff in matching attire welcomed the guests, and as we entered the lobby, I heard music fill the space.