Falling to Pieces by L.T. Kelly Read Free Book Online

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Chapter Five
     
    My heels clicked across the metal flooring of the loading dock before arriving in front of the rounded capsule made of glass with thin steel struts as support.
    “The full rotation takes thirty minutes, Mr. Romano,” said the guy at the entrance, with narrowed eyes and a hand on his hip as we stepped inside.
    The centre of the capsule boasted a polished lightwood, oval shaped bench. A pair of shiny long stemmed glasses and a beautifully presented box of truffles rested on a starched tablecloth. Next to them sat a silver bucket brimming with ice. A bottle poked out from between the cubes, the top encased with golden foil.
    I turned to watch him entering. “Wow! I didn’t realise The London Eye was open so late.
    “It’s not,” he said with a smug grin. “I have a friend at EDF. He owed me a favour.”
    “EDF?” I cocked my head.
    “Yeah, they sponsor The London Eye.”
    “Ahh. Good thing I showed up tonight then, right.” I narrowed my eyes in his direction. He knew damn straight that I’d come back to the bar tonight. I inwardly chastised myself for being so transparent.
    He dipped his head in what I took as a display of shame for being so sure of himself.
    The door to the glass capsule slid shut. All that could be heard inside was the whir of the huge wheel ascending and the sound of our breathing.
    Marc remained by the entrance with both his hands in the pockets of his pants, his feet planted apart.
    I stood next to the midsection of the bench where the champagne was, not quite comfortable with how to stand or what to say next. I must have appeared as awkward too, so I tried to relax.
    Marc stood silently and appeared to admire every inch of me, consuming me with his glossy gaze. I gulped, rapidly blinking whilst surveying his smouldering golden brown eyes. This was the first time we’d ever been alone, and this was an entirely different type of alone, it was impossible for us to be disturbed.
    “Impressive for a first date,” I muttered, keeping my expression blank and my voice even.
    I imagined myself walking over to him, tracing my palm down his solid chest, planting kisses down his neck.
    My gaze flicked to his throat in time with the vision in my head as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. His expression and stance made him appear cool, calm and collected—this small detail provided me with the knowledge he wasn’t.
    He stepped towards me slowly, as if he feared startling me, his eyes glued to mine. I sucked a breath through my teeth, his glance moved towards the champagne in response—as if I’d told him I was off limits.
    Perhaps I’d overreacted to his self-assured actions? ‘ Get over it, Teagan and just enjoy yourself ,’ I scolded myself. He was stunning, why would anyone turn him down?
    “You want some?” he asked, cocking his head to one side as he lifted the bottle out of the ice.
    “Yes, please,” I said, still gritting my teeth against the image of sinking my fangs into his throat, smooth and sun-kissed.
    “Are you scared of heights?” His eyebrows squished together for a moment.
    I snorted. He’d noticed my tension and associated it with the ride. I was capable of smashing out of here and climbing down the structure before anyone even noticed. Being alone with him was the only thing causing my apprehension.
    “No, I love this. Thank you for thinking of it,” I said, smiling at him.
    He raised an eyebrow at me and a lopsided grin appeared as he popped the cork from the bottle not spilling a drop of liquid. A man after my own heart.
    The capsule held both of our scents. His was intoxicating, almost overpowering. I felt as though it was carrying me away to a place that was designed to possess so many elements of how he smelled—perhaps a kitchen in the countryside. Floral tones reminiscent of wildflower fields drifted in through an open window on rays of sunshine  , flooding me with warmth that I hadn’t felt since being a child.
    He’d poured