Naughty Neighbor: Falling for a Libra (Falling for the Stars), стр. 28
A sharp laugh escapes my lips. “You do realize, I live next door to you, and our walls aren’t as thick as they should be. There’s not much you can hide from me. Even the first time I met you, you were walking a girl out after a sleepover.”
His shoulders fall like it’s something he’s suddenly ashamed of. I try to stop his reaction.
“Hey, what you do with all of that”—I motion my hand up and down his body—“is your choice. No judgment here. I love sex. Really, I do. I’m just picky about who I have it with.”
“Because they might leave you for an Insta yoga instructor.”
“Among other things.” I stab a ravioli and pop it into my mouth. “Tell me, where do you find these girls?”
He gives me a deadpan stare. “You act like I run a brothel from my house. There hasn’t been that many girls.”
I give him the same stare. “You’re testing the waters while you find the future Mrs. Moreau. What do you do?”
He takes a bite of his food and sits back in his chair like he’s really thinking about it. “I guess it all depends. I don’t want you to think I’m this guy who goes out, searching for girls just to get laid.”
“All men are simpleminded creatures though.”
I’m laughing at my joke, but he’s not. His look is stoic and kind of wistful.
“I would like to settle down someday, contrary to what my mom says. I just haven’t met the right woman yet.”
“Then, maybe you’re looking in the wrong places,” I say before taking a sip of my wine.
He purses his lips and nods, staring straight into my eyes. “I’m beginning to think the same thing.”
A shiver runs down my spine at the sound of his deep, husky voice.
“Let me ask you this then. If you did meet this woman, what is the perfect date? You said, it’s all about showing that you listen to what they want. Where do you take a woman when you’re ready to show her what you want?
Waving a finger, he laughs. “Oh no, I’m not giving away my secrets.”
My mouth forms an O in amusement. “It’s a secret, you say? Now, I’m intrigued.”
“A man never reveals his hidden corners of the world.”
Crossing my legs, I stare off to the side in enjoyment and then look back with a non-convinced shake of my head. “It’s probably something like a little French bistro off the beaten path.”
“Where the owner plays the accordion and sings in his foreign tongue?”
I lift my glass to him. “Knew it! You’re so easy to peg.”
He shakes his head with a laugh. “That’s not it at all.”
“Then, you don’t really have a place. If you did, you’d be gloating about it right now. The most romantic spot in all of Chicago, just for you and that special girl.”
“You think you know me so well, don’t you?”
“I had you marked the first day I saw you in that towel.”
The mention of the day we met has him lifting a brow. “Think about that often, do you?”
I turn away because I hate lying while looking someone in the eye. “Never.”
A wicked grin graces his lips as he leans forward. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”`
“Working. Beyond office hours. I have pages to send to my agent by Friday.”
“Call it a day at eight. After that, you’re mine.”
Now, it’s my turn to quirk a brow. “Huh?”
“We’re going on a date, Lace.”
Chapter Eleven
On the shore of Lake Michigan is the dome-shaped concrete building of the Adler Planetarium. I’m not sure what time the planetarium is open, but from experience, museums are always closed by six. What he plans on doing around here is beyond me.
“Are we going for a walk?” I look out at the cityscape in the foreground.
“No. We’re going inside.”
“There are no cars in the lot. Pretty sure this place is closed.”
His expression splits into the biggest smile. “You are pretty. And you are correct.”
“I knew you were trouble, Moreau, but breaking and entering? I didn’t think you had it in you.”
He laughs as he gets out of the car. “You really do have an active imagination.”
I follow him up the steps of the historic building. His excitement as we approach the planetarium is enough to pull at my heartstrings.
A gentleman in a pair of khaki pants and a red polo opens the door, greeting Jake warmly.
“Lacey, this is my buddy Kent. He’s a telescope facilitator.”
“There are few people who I’d give a private viewing to, and this guy is one of them,” Kent says with a smile.
Jake leans in. “He’s only being nice because I’m giving him the friends-and-family discount on his wedding arrangements.”
Kent laughs. “My fiancée has very expensive taste.”
We walk inside and follow Kent through a uniquely shaped hall with vibrant lighting and interactive, motion-sensing displays. He gives us a mini tour of the facility. It’s fun to roam around the exhibits without a map and have the information explained to us as we walk. We can’t see everything because Kent is only able to open certain parts, but what we’re viewing is spectacular. I crane my neck as I stare at giant replicas of the planets hanging from the ceiling.
When we get to a display that shows us the Chicago night sky, Kent leaves us alone to explore on our own.
I turn to Jake. “There’s an episode of Friends where Ross takes Rachel on an after-hours date to the planetarium. It’s my favorite.”
“I’m no Ross Geller, but I do know a thing or two about stars.” He walks with his hands behind his back as we look around. “You can see forty-five hundred stars with the naked eye. And what we see are images that have traveled light-years. Many of the stars we see today might not even be there anymore.”
“Seriously?”
“We’re seeing the reflection of the sun bouncing off the stars, but they are so far away, and light only travels so fast that we’re actually seeing a reflection from