Chapter 163

• Finally, they broke the kiss, lips parting with a soft, lingering reluctance, their foreheads resting together for a breathless moment as the world steadied around them. Howard looked at her, his piercing blue eyes softening into a tender smile that crinkled the corners, tracing the flush on her cheeks and the way her swollen lips curved in quiet satisfaction. "Let's have dinner," he murmured, his voice low and warm, laced with a playful promise.
• She smiled back, radiant and surprised, her hazel eyes sparkling under the penthouse lights. "Dinner?... Here?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, fingers still idly tracing his chest through his open shirt.
• Howard nodded, that boyish grin widening as he savored her wonder. He shifted, gently placing her beside him on the couch, her bare legs brushing his before he stood. With quick, assured movements, he buckled his pants, zipped up, and tugged a fresh white T-shirt over his head from a nearby chair, the fabric hugging his broad shoulders perfectly. Then, without warning, he scooped her up in his arms bridal-style—effortless, strong, her body cradled against his chest like something precious and irreplaceable. She let out a delighted gasp, looping her arms around his neck as he carried her toward the huge balcony of the apartment, the city skyline twinkling below like a sea of stars.