Page 90 of The Prize

“I trust you.” My lips pressed his tenderly.

He smiled against my mouth. “I want to bring the room alive for you.” Tobias stepped back and gestured his thanks when the waiter cleared the table. Two more staff helped carry the table out.

Bring the room alive?

My heart soared when three ballerinas trotted in and all of them wearing blue leotards and lush tutus with fresh yellow flowers in their hair, gliding elegantly toward the center of the room. My palm flew to my mouth to suppress my gasp of joy. Tobias lit up at my reaction and took my hand and led me toward the far wall so we could watch them from there.

As the piano music flooded in from hidden speakers, the dancers performed their classic ballet, sweeping around the room, pirouetting, their toes pointed to the floor as they artfully danced and they rose and dipped in a continuous movement.

“This is beautiful, Tobias.” My breath caught at the majesty of the dancers who quite suddenly posed to mirror the extraordinary 1889 masterpiece known asBlue Dancers, bringing to life a living, breathing Degas.

“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.” My eyes stung with tears.

“Oh, Zara, I knew you’d love it.” He hugged me into him.

Tobias had reminded me of the profoundness of art, how it soothed and brought devotion back into my life, proving once more that human expression was pure in all its forms, and I felt my faith soar and my heart ascending to new heights.

Tobias rolled his eyes playfully. “And to think you would have been happy with chocolate pudding.”

“You certainly know how to raise the bar,” I whispered.

A dizzying altitude that leaves me breathless.

Tobias’s surprise was awe inspiring and my heart was filled with gratitude for this incandescent performance. When the dancers ended their exquisite performance I thanked them profusely, so grateful they’d honored us by being here tonight.

After thanking Sarah Belle for helping him pull together this evening, we headed down the steps toward the waiting limousine.

“Let’s go home,” Tobias said as he sat beside me on the leather seat. “I want you all to myself.”

We sat at opposite sides of the car, him with his long leg crossed over another and staring out at the Manhattan view, and me on the other side, reeling from the most incredible date I’d ever experienced. Tobias took all this generosity in his stride as though spreading fairy dust over everyone was as easy as it looked. I knew he’d gone to great lengths to make tonight happen.

The divider slid up between us as this unknown driver navigated the evening traffic.

I was still reeling from the day, mesmerized how something so terrifying had turned into a wonderful memory and as I looked over at Tobias I swooned at all he’d done for me today and all that he was doing.

“Tobias,” I whispered.

He turned to look at me as though rising out of a daydream. “Come here.”

Scooting over, I fell against his hard chest and breathed in his sultry cologne that comforted and I reveled at how we fit so devastatingly well together. The strength of his arms wrapping around me, the kiss of his lips to my forehead, his deep sigh reassuring me all he’d told me tonight was true.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WELEFTTHEHOUSEwith the midmorning sun bearing down on Manhattan. This crisp day had forgotten it was autumn. The drive to 5th Avenue was the brightness I’d craved and I rested my head back and watched the way the light refracted off the high-rises.

Yesterday’s near escape from Eli on Liberty Island had left me shaken and the thought I’d have to face him again caused a wave of dread. When Marshall pulled up outside The Plaza hotel I felt that same adrenaline surging through me. Tonight, ourMona Lisawould be snuck inside here and placed on show for one person to see it and believe her real.

And it would be done.

Tonight could go one of two ways. I’d either let that masterpiece slip into the hands of that dreadful man, or I’d snap and hack at the canvas with the first sharp object I could get my hands on in a fit of madness. I chose to keep that crazy thread of thoughts to myself.

Tobias had told me we were here to check on the final arrangements for his charity ball, the event that provided him with an excuse for his trip to New York. I turned my gaze to look at him and he was predictably relaxed and swoon worthy in the fine cut of his pin-striped suit. Even his seductively ruffled hair reminded me of when he’d visited Huntly Pierre to discuss hiring me from my firm. He’d taken my breath away when I’d strolled into our London conference room and lain eyes on a devastatingly gorgeous man, unsuspecting that he was about to break down the walls of my reality.

His erotic cologne was doing crazy things to my senses and reaching me in ways only Wilder could with that alpha stature threatening to burn up everyone who circled his stratosphere.

My formal black dress and heels matched his business attire and together our appearance would convey we were all business and ready for our prearranged meeting with the hotel staff.

“My number’s programmed into the phone I gave you. Do you have it on you?”