“Two weeks.” He put his hand back on her leg and nuzzled her neck.

Laughing at his antics, Clare tilted her head to give him better access to what he wanted. “Maybe you’ll act more like a grown-up then.”

“I wouldn’t count on it. Can we go home now? Please?”

“I’m not ready for our first date to be over, especially since you went to all this trouble.”

“Our first date is not over, don’t worry.”

“There’s more?”

“Haven’t you learned not to underestimate me?”

“Apparently not,” Clare said, dying to know what else he had up his sleeve.

On the gondola ride down the mountain, Aidan made good use of the time alone to further explore the silk and lace that had preoccupied him all evening. By the time they reached the bottom of the mountain, Clare was breathless with wanting him.

“I’ll bet you have other surprises for me under there, don’t you?” he asked, pretending to peek under her skirt.

She slapped his hand away. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

“Oh, that mouth of yours. It’s going to get you in so much trouble one of these days.”

“I can’t wait.”

He gave her a look that was full of promises and helped her off the gondola. They walked downstairs to the parking lot, where a horse-drawn sleigh awaited them.

“Your chariot, madame,” he said with a dramatic sweep of his hand.

Speechless, Clare stared at the sleigh and then at Aidan.

He took her hand to help her into the sleigh and bundled heavy blankets around them before he signaled to the driver they were ready to go.

“I’ll never underestimate you again,” Clare said softly.

He put his arm around her. “You’ll ruin all my fun.”

She kissed him and rested her head on his shoulder. “This is the best first date I’ve ever had.”

“I’m glad,” he whispered. “Are you warm enough?”

She nodded and looked up at the dazzling array of stars in the moonlit sky. The horse’s hooves beat in time with the bells around its neck as the sleigh glided over the snow, and Clare knew if she lived to be a hundred years old, she would never forget this.

The sleigh delivered them to Aidan’s house, and Clare was surprised to see her car already there.

“How did my car get here?”

“My buddy John, the gondola operator, did me a favor.”

“Did you think of everything?” Clare asked with amazement as he held the door and followed her into the house.

He took her coat and went to hang it up. When he returned to her, he had shed his suit coat.

Clare put her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry it took me so long to buy you dinner.”