Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 Laura Burton (books to read this summer .TXT) 📖

and Furious movie. His bright eyes twinkled at her, and she couldn’t help but notice how sexy and rugged he was.

“I ordered you a hot chocolate,” he said gesturing to the steaming mug before her.

“Thanks… but if this isn’t made with soy, I can’t drink it,” Catherine said hesitantly. The fact he took the liberty to order her drink without asking what she would like irritated her. It was the sort of thing Calvin would do. Was Edward just another controlling alpha male? If so, then this really was “just brunch” and she wouldn’t be seeing Edward again.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. His face paled and he dragged a hand across his face. “I’m such an idiot. Let me––” he rose from his seat, but Catherine shook her head and he stopped mid-rise.

“Please don’t, I can order a drink myself.”

Edward lowered to his seat again and gripped his mug for dear life as he gave a weak smile. Seeing him appear off guard and unsure softened Catherine’s resolve. Perhaps he wasn’t so cocky after all, she wondered.

“I’ll be right back,” she said as she left the table and joined the back of the line. It moved fast but not fast enough. She considered that now was her opportunity to get out unnoticed. In this crowded coffee shop, it would have been easy to slip through the people and escape. Never to see Edward again. She peered through the chattering crowd and caught a glimpse of Edward fidgeting in his seat. His eyes flickered outside and he kept rubbing the back of his neck.

He’s nervous. How… adorable.

“Ma’am, what can I get you?”

Catherine stopped staring at Edward and flinched as she turned and locked eyes with the woman at the counter. The woman had a narrow frame, heavy eyeliner and a mass of brown curls pulled into a ponytail. She reminded Catherine of herself when she was a teenager. A smile crept across her face and she ordered her drink, glancing back at Edward who was now looking furtively in her direction.

“Sorry about that,” Catherine said in a breathy voice as she returned to the table. Edward took a sip of his drink before he replied.

“No, I’m a fool. I should have waited until you got here to order,” he said, defeated. “I’ll confess I don’t usually come to places like this, I wasn’t sure what to do.”

Catherine blew on her drink as she eyed Edward with curiosity.

“You don’t come to coffee shops?”

“Well… no.” A dimple appeared on his left cheek, as he looked back at her bashfully. Catherine’s eyes lowered to his puckered lips, rosy from the heat of his drink. She became distracted by the way they opened and closed, and she watched him slide the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip, subconsciously licking her own. Catherine soon realized that he was speaking, but his voice was drowned out by the chattering crowd around them.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

Edward bit his lip and his eyes narrowed at her. A look of thought crossed his face.

“Shall we get out of here?” he asked. Catherine glanced at the untouched drink in her hands and hummed. But before she could reply a chair dragged across the stone floor and she looked up to see Edward dashing across the shop to the counter.

“What are you––hey!” Catherine said, surprised as Edward took her mug and poured the drink into a cardboard cup.

“Here you go,” he handed her the drink. Catherine rose to her feet and clutched the warm coffee cup close to her person as she sidled past the table. Edward rested a hand on her back and politely asked people to move aside as they made their way for the door.

“Where are we going?”

Edward flashed her a grin, his eyes glinting as he marched forward. Catherine had to skip to keep up. Even though she was tall, her legs were no match for his. They crossed a busy road; a row of yellow taxi cabs honked their horns at them, and Catherine giggled as they hurried through the crowds. Her heart raced as she wondered what Edward had planned. Then they rounded a corner and walked through a narrow alleyway.

“Okay, hold on,” Catherine stopped walking and peered at two dumpsters and piles of garbage bags sitting on the floor. A suspicious looking stain near Catherine’s feet sent her imagination into overdrive. It did not help that a faint smell of urine got caught in the back of her throat.

Edward turned to look at her and cocked his head to the side. Then, as if he thought himself the star of a show, he reached out his hand.

“Do you trust me?” he said.

“No,” Catherine said with a laugh. Edward chuckled and nodded to the end of the alleyway.

“Come on,” he said. “It’s just through here.”

Catherine took a sip of her hot chocolate and followed Edward through the deserted alley. Finally, they stepped out onto a grassy verge.

Catherine gasped.

“I didn’t know a place like this even existed,” she said gazing out at the views. “Is that Central Park down there?”

“Come over here, there’s a bench,” Edward said, gently tugging her elbow. She followed him to the edge of the verge to see the grass bank slope. A gorgeous scene played out before her. People and their dogs were running or walking by, the occasional tandem bicycle passed, and tall evergreen trees framed the view. The startlingly bright blue sky made the scene look almost too perfect.

They settled side by side on the metal bench and looked out, enjoying the scenery in silence, sipping their drinks.

“So, I’d love to know more about you. I obviously know you’re a talented singer… Do you have family here in New York? Do you have any hobbies?” Edward asked in a measured tone. There was something slightly off about his behavior that Catherine couldn’t put her finger on. She couldn’t decide if he was trying to sound formal or checking off an imaginary list in his head.

“My family are