His other hand landed softly on her right shoulder, making her feel like they knew each other so well, rather than two acquaintances dancing out of duty. He swayed her ever so gently.
The last time I felt like this, I was falling in love.
The words of the song caused another wave of lovely tingles to course through her back. Leo’s strong hands on her back and shoulder felt good, too good. She felt herself relax in his arms.
Am I missing Nathan so much than I’m just falling into someone’s arms like it’s the most natural thing?
She suddenly felt annoyed at how she was letting Leo slow dance with her. Just as quickly as she felt the negative energy, she reminded herself that Nathan and her were no longer together.
Who knows, she thought with more than a feeling of irritation, maybe Nathan, too, was dancing with someone else at that very moment or, worse, making another woman pancakes in the morning.
She wanted to block the unwanted thoughts about her ex. Lifting her eyes to study Leo’s face, she was met with clear, stunning eyes. He gazed back at her with pride, as if she was some prize he won.
“What is it you’re thinking?” she asked, her voice softly shaking.
“I’m thinking, now that I know how you feel in my arms, I would like to know how it would be like to kiss you.” He gave her the cheekiest, yet tantalizing, smile.
While the previous evening’s surprising encounter with Leo Warwick assailed her thoughts, a shrill voice brought her back to the present.
“Darcey, the shower is free, it’s your turn.”
She turned to find Luis had returned from his long shower, dressed in a silk robe.
She nodded, hoping Luis couldn’t see her blushing. “Yes, a shower is definitely what I need right now. You are a star. Thank you.”
Before she darted towards the bathroom, she planted a wet kiss on Luis’s astonished looking face.
Chapter 7
“Okay, Trish, that’s perfectly fine with Darcey and me.” Luis hung up the phone as Darcey towel-dried her locks.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Luis popped a piece of strawberry in his mouth and turned to check his reflection. Satisfied with what he saw, he replied, “Trisha offered to do the roast with Matthew. We’re heading to his flat around four.”
As Darcey was putting on a white shirt, she realized with mortification the item belonged to someone else. “Oh, drats!”
“What’s wrong?” Luis looked up from his mobile phone.
“It’s Nathan’s.” Fresh tears pooled in her eyes.
Luis sighed and put his phone away. “Darling, Nathan didn’t die, he’s alive and doing just fine. Well, with a bleeding heart. And I don’t know how he’s doing it.” He grabbed a nail file and began working on his already perfect fingers.
“That’s not fair.” She pushed the shirt away, as if it was filled with bacteria.
Luis didn’t bother to glance up from his self-manicure. “What’s not fair? That you broke his heart? And now you’re regretting it? Or maybe it was easy for you to forget Nathan and jump on to the next equally gorgeous, sought-after bachelor in London?” His tone was serious.
“You’re my friend, you’re supposed to be loyal to me,” she chided and threw the white shirt at him.
He grimaced as the shirt landed right on his face. Pushing it to the ground with a flamboyant wave of his hand, Luis stared at her with sincerity. “I am, but I’m also telling you the truth for your own good. You happen to attract the most mishap among the three of us. Sometimes, you’re still very much like a child who needs time out! But really, whatever it is you do, always remember, you’re not the only one in the story of life, Darcey Vaughn. There are other people involved, and you don’t play games you’re not ready to play.”
There was genuine concern underneath her friend’s reprimanding tone. He added, “And when one gets too greedy, one gets nothing in the end.”
“Come on!” She wanted to throw another piece of clothing at him, but, unless she took off her undergarments or the skirt she wore, there wasn’t anything else within her reach. “I didn’t cheat on anyone. I am single. And Leo Warwick is hands off. I swear, trust me, I didn’t throw myself at him. In fact, I find him arrogant and too intimidating for my taste!”
She then decided to throw a piece of strawberry at Luis instead. He caught it with the precision of a professional catcher and immediately put it in his mouth. Between a mouthful of the succulent fruit, he replied, “He’s a Warwick after all, darling. He has every right to be arrogant and intimidating.”
She stood up and grabbed a peach blouse from the drawer marked Charity. It looked familiar, probably Trisha’s. “I have to do a feature about his new hotel in Ware,” she said while slipping on the silk top.
“Where?”
“Ware. A place here in England, stupid. It used to be a manor, and Leo turned it into a luxury spa hotel. I’m checking it out next weekend. Want to join me?” She checked herself in the mirror and hated how red her nose appeared.
“Sure, as long as I get my own room,” was Luis’s haughty reply.
She laughed and turned to face him. “You are so high maintenance.”
“You think there are ghosts there?”
She pretended to think about his question. “No, I just think it would be better to go there with someone other than myself. Spa, swimming, croquet, golf. Just us two. Like a date, but not really.”
He eyed her with sudden intensity, his nose wrinkled. “Darcey, tell me something.”
She knew that look. Luis could often read her mind--it was downright scary at times. Her heart pounding, she picked up a brush from the dresser and began combing her hair while keeping her eyes on her reflection. She wanted to stare at anything in the room, anything other than Luis’s penetrating gaze.
“How did you enjoying kissing Leo last night?” His question came bluntly.
“Luis, please. Don’t.” And with that she turned around and went to the bathroom, her steps as heavy as her heart.
***
“Welcome.” Matt smiled at both Darcey and Luis.
It was their first time visiting Matthew Warwick’s huge bachelor flat in Knightsbridge. The location was wonderful, just a stone throw’s away from Hyde Park, Harrods and the other finest shops of London.
Luis handed Matt a bottle of red. “It’s from Napa Valley. Darcey brought it all the way from California.”
Matt smiled, his handsome face filled with appreciation. “Thank you, how very kind of you. And those flowers, Trisha would love those.” He meant the large bouquet of flowers Darcey held in her arms.
She grinned. “Well, because your love has finally come into full blooms, these flowers should be a reminder of that. Finally, Matt you have made Trisha so happy.”
Matt led them towards his kitchen, a stunning room that combined top-of-the-line modern appliances with a rustic charm. Trisha wore a lavender apron and looked like a domesticated goddess. She was maneuvering the oven like a pro.
“Trisha, my, my!” Luis winked. “What a difference a day makes.”
Darcey gave her friend a kiss and handed her the flowers.
The blonde took in the scent with closed eyes. “Ah, bliss. Thank you, Darcey.” Trisha gave the blooms to Matt who had a vase ready.
“Thanks for making roast lunch. Each of us takes a turn every Sunday, and we’ve been doing it for years now, a little tradition we created,” Darcey told Matt. “And now, we don’t have any choice but to include you.”
Matt gave a small bow in jest. “What an honour it is then.”
In reality, it had always been just Darcey and Luis and Trisha. When Darcey dated her cheating ex Ollie, he never joined their Sunday tradition. As for Trisha’s ex-boyfriend Luke, he joined twice at the most.
Matt, on the other hand, felt more at home with the three friends than the other men. Luis and Darcey had known the second Warwick brother for years as an acquaintance, while Trisha grew up knowing
the entire prominent Warwick family.
Trisha showed them to the dining room right next to the kitchen. The hardwood table was a grand antique, possibly a family heirloom. Luis ran a finger on the intricate design, admiration lighting up his face. The hostess then excused herself and returned to the kitchen, while everyone sat down to enjoy the appetizers spread out on the table.
Luis immediately nibbled on a piece of biscuit, speaking nonchalantly, “So, last night was rather unforgettable.” He sipped wine Matt had served everyone and swirled the red liquid in his glass with finesse, eyeing Darcey with mischievous eyes.
She shrugged and smiled casually, refusing to allow his teasing to get to her this time. “It sure was.”
Luis threw her a questioning glance, and she returned it with a scowl. Grinning and shaking his head at the two friends, Matt excused himself. “Trish might need me in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left, Darcey gave Luis a quick kick in the shin. He grimaced and stuck his tongue out. “I was only teasing!”
She sipped her wine, chuckling. “You deserved that!”
In a few minutes, Matt and Trisha returned with a large serving dish that carried glistening chops of lamb. Judging from the kitchen mitts in Trisha’s hands and the divine aroma that filled the entire room, the sumptuous dish was served fresh from the oven.
Luis and Darcey’s eyes enlarged in amazement.
“That smells utterly fabulous. I’m famished,” Luis declared, swiftly picking up his knife and fork.
Suddenly, someone rang the doorbell.
“I’ll get it,” Darcey volunteered, as Matt and Trisha were carefully placing a piece of lamb on each plate.
“Yes, please, thank you, Darcey,” Matt replied.
She crossed a massive yet cosy living room before she reached the front door. A huge smile was plastered on her face as she thought of the delicious main course waiting for her in the dining room.
As soon as she opened the door, her smile froze and was replaced with a small gasp. Speaking of main course, Leo Warwick’s exquisite face gazed at her from beyond the doorway.
“Hi.” She gave him a weak smile.
“Hello. What a pleasant surprise to see you.” Leo stepped inside and planted a kiss on each cheek. There it was again, the warm and beautiful scent of Southern Italy.
“I don’t know if I could say the same,” she stammered and quickly closed her eyes, wishing she could take back her words.
“Well, that’s a shame, because I stayed up last night thinking about you.” Leo’s smooth voice and frank admission were making her head spin. He hung his coat and turned to face her.
“Well, don’t. You’re simply wasting your time.” She was alarmed with how curt her own voice sounded.
He took a step towards her. “Why the cold demeanour? You definitely didn’t feel uncomfortable in my arms last night.”
She closed her eyes again and shook her head, arms crossed. “Well, I do hope you enjoyed it, because that was the last of it.”
“Are you sure about that?”
She could almost hear romantic Italian music in her ears. His smell was intoxicating, taking her to places she longed to discover. With him.
“Look, Mr. Warwick--,” she began.
“Leo, please. You’re Trisha’s best friend and Matthew’s my brother. Drop the niceties and formalities, will you?”
“Fine, Leo.” She put a hand up as if to stop him, but more to stop herself from wanting him even more. “I’ll give your hotel a fair review. Don’t bribe me, nor flatter me. Don’t coerce me into doing anything at your bidding.”
He chuckled softly while shaking his head, his eyes not once leaving her face. A masculine hand lifted her chin ever so gently, forcing her eyes to stare into his intense gaze. “Do you honestly think I would need to seduce you just to get a good review for my hotel? Do you think I need to beg, flatter or bribe you? If you’ve done your research, you’d know our hotel was awarded a seven-star status, one of the few in the world given the same rating. But, if you must know, I couldn’t stop looking at you because you’re one of the most interesting and beautiful persons I’ve met.”
She winced and pushed his hand away. “Well, let me save you from that false judgment of me. I am far from that. I’m clumsy, I-I attract one mishap to the next. Oh, and I cry like a baby, too.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to bite herself.
Too much information, Darcey!
He chuckled once more, the same deep and sexy low laughter. “And you think that would easily scare me off? Or, maybe, you’re actually trying to convince yourself because, maybe, just maybe, you’re attracted to me, too?” A small smile lingered on his perfect lips, the same lips that caressed her own the previous evening.
The memory brought tingles up her spine.
But she was done being played by handsome men. “You think you’re God’s gift to women, don’t you?” She scowled while fighting back a smile that wanted to spread across her heated face.
“No, but look, Darcey. I apologize if I offended you. Can we start from the beginning?” He pouted, a mock pout that made him look like a little boy.
In spite of her fears of another broken heart, she giggled. “What do you mean?”
His features suddenly looked serious. “Now that Matt and Trisha are together, and you’ll be in London for some time, it’s more than likely we’ll be seeing each other more often, an idea that appeals to me, to be honest. At the very least, let’s be friends.”
She felt her face softening as she heard his words.
Leo went on, “Really, I’m not trouble, unlike my brothers. Give me a chance?” He handed his right hand for a shake.
She hesitated for a moment before she shook his hand. “Fine. Friends.”
They walked in silence towards the dining room.
Leo gave a warm hello to everyone before handing Trisha a bottle. “I got you a bottle of champagne. I want to congratulate my brother for finally having the courage to tell the woman he loves his real feelings.” Leo gave Darcey a glance as he spoke.
She immediately pretended the piece of lamb on her plate was more interesting than anything in the world, anything to avert her eyes from Leo’s searing gaze.
“Thank you, this is so very kind of you.” Trisha beamed.
“Thanks, bro.” Matt grinned and lightly punched Leo in the arm before taking a seat at the table. “If you guys must know, Leo gave me a long lecture,” the younger Warwick informed everyone.
“Really, what did he say?” Trisha asked, her eyes dancing in a way only the eyes of a woman in love could.
Matt studied his fiancé’s face for a few seconds before speaking, his voice filled with emotions, “He said I’d never be happy as long as you’re on this earth with someone else other than me. And he’s right. I’ll never want anyone else other than you, Trish.” Matt reached for her hand on the table.
Luis clapped and giggled, his face red from the wine he had been sipping nonstop. “My goodness, Leo! You’re a romantic, too! And here I thought nothing but business occupied your life, your religion and your passion.”
Everyone laughed, including Darcey. She was beginning to feel more comfortable, but she still couldn’t muster the courage to land her eyes on Leo. He sat across her and his presence took over the entire room.
Matt grinned. “Ah, there are so many things you don’t know about my brother. He doesn’t fall in love as much as our youngest does, but when Leo falls, he goes all the way.”
“So, Leo, Marcus and Matt are both spoken for,” Luis replied, referring to Marcus Warwick, the youngest of the three brothers. “When will it be your turn to find the one?” He was questioning Leo but Luis’s eyes were on Darcey, who immediately pretended to stare at the flowers on the table.
Leo laughed as he cut up a small piece of lamb. “Well, Luis, with your help, I’m sure it will be sooner rather than later.”
Luis’s eyes grew as large as his own van
ity. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand?”
Darcey had an idea what was coming next. To her annoyance, her face began to heat up even more than it did the previous evening, when Leo flirted brazenly.
The eldest Warwick brother shrugged. “Well, maybe you can put a good word for me to your friend.” He slowly took another sip, like a man with all the time in the world. After he put his glass down, he added, “And by friend I mean Darcey.”
Trisha and Matt grinned and gave one another knowing looks, while Luis squealed and began laughing boisterously, his head knocked back. He began choking on his food from far too much amusement.
Darcey could only stare at Leo with shock as the hotel magnate lifted his glass and gave her a wink.
Chapter 8
“Seriously, Luis, we’re only staying here for three nights and four days. Tops! You’ve packed for a two-week vacation, plus a cruise!” Darcey stared at the huge luggage he had placed at the back of her car.
“I have to have my coats for my morning walks, a dinner jacket for when we eat at nice restaurants. And I assume we’ll eat nowhere but nice restaurants. I also brought swimming outfits, shoes to match every outfit I brought. Oh, and my laptop for when I need to do some work in between. Oh, yes, and, of course, my new SLR camera. I’m on my way to becoming the next big thing in the photography scene.”
She laughed, knowing his Instagram was filled with nothing but his “self portraits”. She pinched his cheeks. “Fine, if I ever need a change of clothing, I shall ask you.”
“My dear, you are voluptuous as I am slim. I doubt my trousers will fit you, and my shirts are all slim fit.”
She rolled her eyes while giggling. Travelling with Luis was always a huge dose of fun. They hopped into the car and drove in silence, enjoying the bossa nova tunes from the car stereo. Soon they were driving through Ware, a quaint town of Hertfordshire.
From her research, she discovered the Warwick’s, headed by no other than Leo, had recently acquired an old manor and transformed the beautiful yet rundown place into a luxury spa hotel, one that could compete with any of the world’s best spa hotels.
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