The Billionaire's Marriage Proposal (Billionaire Bachelors #4)(24)
“We need to hurry if you want to see the Royal Treasury,” he told her, when she was lingering over some intricate china.
“Oh, I definitely want to see that,” she said and didn’t even try to protest when he took her hand in his, once more. He smiled as he realized he was making progress.
They went through the Royal Treasury and she got to see the family’s jewels and even the coronation robes worn during the ceremony in which they were crowned King or Queen. Jennifer found the robes stunning and couldn’t believe the great shape they were still in.
She was surprised by the size of the crowns. They were nothing like what she saw in her favorite princess movies. They were large pieces of Gold, with huge gems she was sure cost an arm and a leg, but she’d much rather wear a delicate tiara with small, sparkling diamonds. She thought the weight from the crowns would have most certainly given the King and Queen Headaches.
She let out a giggle, making Trenton look at her with his brows raised. She just shook her head and turned back toward the displays. They came to one with a rusted nail and she read the plaque.
“Oh, look at this - it says it’s a nail from the crucifix of Christ. Do you think it’s true?” she asked him.
“I think it certainly could be true,” he offered and she rewarded him with a stunning smile, as she ran her hand reverently across the case. He looked at the rusted piece of steel and tried to find it as exciting as her, but he’d seen it many times before. He wished he’d done this tour with her for his first time. He knew it would’ve been a completely different experience for him.
As they walked out of the Treasury, her stomach gave a loud growl and Trenton laughed out loud. She looked at him a bit horrified. She hadn’t even realized she was hungry, but suddenly she was starving and wanted nothing more than a huge plate of food after all the walking they’d done.
Trenton made a phone call and a car showed up in minutes. Jennifer thought about arguing with him, but her feet were hurting and she was starving. He looked at her, as if he was waiting for the argument, so she deflated and slipped into the backseat. She missed the sigh Trenton let out. He was tired himself, and didn’t feel like a huge argument, at least not until after he’d eaten.
“I’m going to take you to one of Vienna’s favorite places,” he told her.
“That sounds great. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I can’t believe I’ve only eaten at the hotel since we got here. Don’t get me wrong, the food is great, but it’s nice to experience the local culture and you simply can’t do that from a hotel room,” she told him.
“I understand, and I’m glad we have the time for you to play tourist,” he told her with a chuckle. The car dropped them at Plachutta. The place was crowded, but he had no problem securing them a table and there was a waiter at their table within seconds. She sighed, thinking again that money most certainly did equal power.
“Try the Tafelspitz, it’s one of the most renowned dishes of Austria and this place makes it better than any other,” he told her. She let him order her meal, not knowing what she’d like and not understanding the menu, anyway.
The dish was fantastic with a beef so tender it fell off the bone and was surrounded by a host of vegetables, in a delicious broth. The meal came with fried potatoes and delicious warm bread and different sauces.
By the time they finished their meal, she felt like her stomach was going to split open, it was so full, but she somehow managed to take a few bites of the decadent desert. By the time he paid the bill and ushered her back to the car, she was falling asleep on her feet.
The day had been exhilarating, but exhausting, and she didn’t know how she’d make it back to the room. She slowly followed Trenton to the elevator and swayed on her feet as he opened their hotel room door.
Trenton took one look at Jennifer’s face and knew he wouldn’t be able to take her to his bed that night. She couldn’t even keep her eyes open, let alone have the energy to make love. He’d have to make sure they didn’t put so much on their agenda the next day, because he couldn’t go another night with nothing more than a cold shower.
He watched her stumble into her suite and decided he’d check on her in a few minutes to make sure she’d at least made it to her bed. He was exhausted, too, but he realized it had been the best date he’d ever been on. She was so genuine and full of life, and things seen through her eyes were much better than the jaded people he was so used to being around.
He drank a double shot of bourbon, checked on Jennifer, and then took a long, cold shower, before crawling into his own bed. He was surprised when his eyes shut - he was just about as tired as she’d been. He fell asleep with a small smile on his lips.
***
Jennifer woke up and jumped from the bed. She was eager to start her second day as a tourist in the city of Vienna. She didn’t know where they were going, but she knew it would be great. She quickly showered, dressed and then practically ran to the dining area.
Trenton was already seated and drinking coffee and she didn’t even stop for pleasantries. The sooner she finished breakfast, the faster she could be out on the streets, exploring the city more.
“You know you can actually slow down, nothing is going to disappear if you have a decent breakfast,” Trenton told her as she piled the food in. She grinned at him like she was an excited child.