Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(49)

Letting my anxiety go, I rush to Alex and wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard. He wraps his arms around my body and pulls me close as he kisses me back.

“Move along, please,” one of the security guards calls out angrily, which makes us jump apart from each other.

Alex takes my overnight bag and flowers, then places them in the back seat before opening the passenger door of his navy Maserati for me. He shuts the door and jogs around the front of the car and slides into the driver’s seat then pulls out into the traffic.

“Thank you so much for this.” I grin, sinking into the soft leather of the seat. “Wasn’t looking forward to catching a cab.”

“My pleasure. I was worried you’d think I was creepy showing up like this. Well, my friend, Jasper, told me it was, and I started second-guessing myself,” he says quickly, sounding nervous.

“If it were anyone else, then yeah, I probably would have, but I’m glad it’s you,” I confess.

Alex turns, looks over at me, and I can see the relief written on his face. It’s cute that he was concerned that his romantic gesture would be creepy, and, I guess, he’s right in some ways because normally it would be. But seeing him standing there waiting for me, I’ve never felt more wanted in my life.

“How did wedding dress shopping really go?” he asks.

“Disasterously. Liv’s overbearing mother chose the dress. Liv hates it. The problem is she feels so guilty that she’s taking the blame for her father’s heart attack because she followed Axel to LA. Because of that, she’s kind of rolled over and given up,” I explain.

“I’m sorry. I know if Jasper was in the same position, I would be doing everything in my power to support him, even if I thought it was the biggest mistake of his life. I feel ya,” he tells me.

I let out a heavy sigh, exhausted by the weekend.

“Outside of that, how have you been?”

“Work is crazy, but I love it. So many new projects I’m working on. I’ve just found out one of my commercial projects has been nominated for a design award.”

“Really? That’s amazing, Ivy. Huge congrats. I bet you’re going to win,” he says confidently, finishing it with a wink.

“It would be nice, but being nominated is, in itself, impressive.”

“Come on, it would be awesome to win as well.”

“It would … dream come true,” I tell him honestly.

“I’ll be cheering in the background for you. As will my mother and Pierre, of course,” he states.

“I missed seeing Pierre this weekend due to the last-minute wedding dress shopping. I’ll have to find a weekend to see Pierre in Paris instead.”

“Well, actually, Pierre is going to be at my father’s birthday party in a couple of weeks. You should come … you could catch up there,” Alex offers as if inviting some random girl to his family’s home isn’t a big deal.

“I wouldn’t want to impose on a family function. I’ll see him another time.”

“You could meet my mother too. You promised to help me become the favorite child, remember?” He chuckles.

“I did promise that.” I smile.

“Think about it … the offer is there. Also, if you are there, then my mother will stop trying to play matchmaker and stop trying to marry me off to her friends’ daughters. I can’t go on any more blind dates with her friends’ daughters,” he groans out.

“I’m a very charitable person,” I joke.

“I need all the charity I can get to keep those women at bay.”

“Sounds like you might need me.”

“Oh, I definitely need you,” he says, turning to look over at me, his green eyes filled with heat. The way he said ‘need’ gave me the feeling he meant it in a completely different way, and a shiver runs down my spine because I know I need him too. The car falls silent, letting the words hang between us as sexual tension swirls between us.

Alex’s hand slides out and squeezes my knee.

It’s not long until we arrive at my home in Chelsea.

“I love these homes,” Alex states as we stop out the front on a small, cobbled stone laneway that runs along the front. It fills my heart so much that he appreciates these kinds of homes. I fell in love with the mews when I was exploring the city as a student and these little laneways with picture-perfect homes that look like they could be in a fairy tale fit into my perfect home. Once I saw them, I knew when I was rich enough, I would purchase one for myself, and two years ago I did.

Steve hated them. He liked modern, minimalistic, all chrome and glass homes that, for me, have none of the class that the mews represents. He only wanted the best of the best, but the problem with that was there’s no real heart and soul to the place, and they felt like a sterile hospital to me. His home always felt cold just like his soul, I guess. So once I left, I bought my dream home, the one he talked me out of so many times.

“Thanks, I love my home,” I tell him proudly.

“Bet it looks amazing inside.” Alex grins.

“Would you like to come in and see?” I ask.

“I’m trying to be a gentleman, Ivy.” His voice drops as he looks over at me. “If I come inside, I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to keep my hands to myself.” My teeth bite into my bottom lip, and I mull over the conundrum. “Do not tempt me, Ivy,” Alex warns. “Let me grab your items, kiss you goodnight, then once I’ve taken you out on a proper date and only then will I consider finishing the night being invited in, okay?”