“You sound like Matt. I’m used to my insomnia. Maybe it’s one of the reasons I work so hard. Ah, but how I love the countryside. It’s more peaceful out here, don’t you agree?”
“Or perhaps it’s also perfect for escaping the attention of people who expect you to be perfect?” She studied him with a fresh perspective. He was definitely more than the ruthless businessman magazines and tabloids made him out to be.
He turned to her, seriousness written all over his eyes. She expected him to speak, but he simply smiled, his gaze gentle.
“Leo, apart from work, what’s your passion? What makes you wake up in the morning and say, It feels good to be alive?”
“You’re getting a little too personal.”
“And what’s wrong with that? Did I strike a nerve?”
“You stare at me with your beautiful brown eyes, Darcey, and question the way I live. Do you think the life I’ve lived for the last 36 years was a lie? Are you wondering how someone like me, who can afford the most expensive beds, could barely get a good night’s rest? Or are you wondering if it has been ages since I’ve enjoyed a woman’s company?”
His face drew dangerously close to hers. Once again, her lips parted in anticipation. Then, like a joke from heaven, the skies brought down a gush of fat raindrops. Her shriek was followed by a hearty laugh. He took her hand in his and led her to the closest shelter from the pouring rain.
They found themselves underneath the largest willow tree. She used her scarf to wipe off the generous drops that had landed on her face and neck.
“England, really!”
As she turned to Leo, her heart quickly skipped a beat. He was studying her in a way only a man who found a woman beautiful would stare.
She swallowed hard and said the first thing that came into her head, “I came across this form of art. It’s Japanese and it’s called Kintsukuroi. It comes with the belief that a piece transforms into something more beautiful and valuable because it had been broken once.”
He took a step towards her. “So, you think I’m not a lost cause?” He softly brushed away a piece of raindrop that had trickled down her neck. His finger paused at the nape of her neck, while his eyes focused on her face with an expression of passion that took her by surprise.
She didn’t push his finger away. Instead, she smiled and mustered the courage to look directly at his face. “There’s no such a thing as a lost cause, Leo. I believe we all have the chance and the right to be happy. But we have to find that one thing that’ll make us wake up each day and be glad we’re alive.”
The rain continued to pour heavily, the smell of earth filled the air. She shivered from the cold wind. Without a word, Leo reached out and pulled her towards his chest, holding on to her as if she was the very source of life itself.
She let him. She wanted him.
“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear as he gently caressed her hair.
She lifted her face to study his. “For what?”
His face was serious, but his eyes were filled with joy, intensely beautiful Warwick eyes that took her to some surreal island.
“For walking into my life,” he replied.
And as soon as he uttered the words, he hugged her tighter and she molded into his frame.
Why does this feel so right?
And with that, waves of guilt crashed on her perfect shore.
Chapter 12
“Look like the rain won’t stop,” Darcey told Leo as she shivered from the grey evening’s torrent. Even the huge willow tree couldn’t provide them much shelter for long.
Droplets of raindrops collected on Leo’s dark lashes. “The hotel is just a quick jog away. Willing to go run under the rain?” He looked at her with mild humour.
“I used to love dancing under the rain. But then again, it was summer,” she replied as his arms tightened around her. She basked in his masculine embrace. With a grin, she added, “I think we should go for it.”
He gingerly released her from his enveloping arms, as if the thought of keeping her locked in his clutches was worth the freezing downpour. He held on to one of her hands and smiled back. “Let’s go then, Little Miss Vaughn.”
And with that, they both ran as fast as they could, two laughing individuals under the sheet of icy English shower.
“Ah, this is so much fun!” she screamed over the loud rain’s loud roar.
Leo laughed heartily, squeezing her hand. “I know, it’s been ages since I got rained down.”
She chuckled in response, unable to believe how they were acting like children. Imagine, Leo Warwick, famous hotel magnate, was prancing under a downpour with Little Miss Vaughn. The amusing thoughts tickled her senses so much, she failed to notice a piece of decorative rock. The next instant brought a sharp stab of pain on her foot.
She realized in horror she had tripped and, judging from the torturous jab she felt, she most probably twisted an ankle.
“Ow!” With a thud she fell on her bum.
Leo immediately bent down on the ground, his eyebrows thick with worry. “What happened?”
“I think I twisted my ankle.” She felt at least thankful for the rain, the downpour covered the mad rush of tears that fell from her eyes.
“We’re almost there, let me carry you.” He placed an arm around her waist.
“No way!”
“Darcey, we’re already soaking wet. Do you want to be deathly ill tomorrow? From the looks of your ankle, I doubt you can walk by yourself. Put your arm around my neck.”
Reluctantly she circled her arms around him, wincing in pain. He scooped her up gently and smoothly. It was as if she weighed less than a kitten. Whatever embarrassment she felt was overshadowed by the physical pain. She couldn’t refuse such a generous and gentlemanly offer.
Thanks to his long strides, they were inside the huge hotel in a few seconds. Two bellhops rushed to their aid while a few guests turned to stare at the drenched newcomers. Despite the awkward situation, Darcey was only too glad to feel the instant warmth of the heated lobby. One of the hotel staff placed a thick blanket around her and a wheelchair was swiftly brought to her side.
This is no seven-star hotel for nothing, she thought, both with amusement and gratitude.
Leo, his voice calm and full of authority, instructed his staff to immediately call the hotel doctor and have him proceed to Darcey’s room. He tenderly placed her on the wheelchair while a stunning blonde attendant patiently waited behind.
To her surprise, Leo told the woman to attend to other guests and he took the reins of Darcey’s chair. The woman bowed politely and left, but not before giving Darcey a quick but obvious glance, one that brimmed with envy.
“You don’t have to-“ Darcey began.
“Hush,” he reprimanded as he wheeled her towards the lift, shooing away a bellboy who was shadowing them. “You need medical attention right away and one of the country’s best doctors happens to be on our staff. But first, let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”
She couldn’t protest anymore, the pain in her ankle was getting worse by the minute.
When they got to the lift, he expertly maneuvered her inside the fancy glass interior. The lift attendant gave them a look of curiousity before quickly putting on a professional air.
“Which floor?” Leo asked.
She told him. “I’ll be fine. You need to change into dry clothes yourself, I’m sure your staff can take it from here.” As if falling on her bum wasn’t enough, he now had to tend to her like a child. She hated being so clumsy. A fresh stab of pain shot up her foot. “Ow! Of all the days to attract mishaps! I’m so sorry, Leo.”
The golden doors of the lift opened. “Shh, don’t worry about it,” Leo replied gently as he eased her chair onto the thick carpet. She sighed and tightened the soft, thick blanket around her shoulders.
“And we need to get you warm, I can hear your teeth chattering.”
“I don’t know how you managed to carry me back to the hotel so quickly.
Now I’m regretting that massive breakfast I had!” She wanted to cry from both the pain and the embarrassment.
You’re such a klutz! she told herself mentally as they reached her room. She took out the key from one of her coat pockets and opened the door. “If you can just ask Luis to come here, I’d manage with him. You’ve already done so much. And you need to change into dry clothes yourself!”
He ignored her request and rolled her into the lavish room. A bouquet of fresh winter flowers in the loveliest shade of purple caught her eye. He wheeled her into the bedroom and parked the chair next to the bed.
“Will you just please have Luis come? I’ll be fine.” She shivered as she spoke. She felt his strong hands on her once more as he lifted her up and fluidly placed her on the bed, gentle as a summer breeze. His face was directly in front of her. Up close there was no denying Leo Warwick was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen.
His eyes bored into hers as he planted her on the bed. Then, without saying a word, he left the room. She thought he finally left to call Luis. She was wrong. In a minute, he returned with a plush towel and robe in his hands.
“Here, dry yourself. You’re freezing.” He helped her out of her soaked coat and, adding to her humiliation, began drying her hair with the towel.
She pushed his hands away. “Please! You’re making me feel like a dork. You’ve done so much. Get out of your wet clothes or you’ll catch the nastiest cold.” The room was heated to a toasty temperature but his clothes were dripping wet.
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, he released the towel. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, she thought, he’d stop making her feel guilty and helpless at the same time.
She was wrong.
To her utter surprise, he took off his coat and, immediately afterwards, removed his shirt. His naked torso glistened with dew, his tight stomach muscles held testament his discipline followed him to the gym as much as the office.
Before she could say a word, a pleasant chime filled the entire suite. Someone was at the door. Leo gave her a cocky smile before he left to see who had arrived.
From her seated position on the bed, she could see him and the front door but could only hear the visitor’s voice.
“The doctor should be here in a half an hour. And here’s the first-aid kit, Mr. Warwick.”
He returned to her with a white plastic box in his hand. He knelt down in front of her and, before she could decline his help, he proceeded to peel off the shoe off the broken ankle.
She shrieked in pain.
“You do have a sprain.” His voice was terse as he opened the medical kit and took out an ointment. With the gentle hands of an artist, he rubbed some of the medication on her ankle and wrapped it with bandage.
She bit her lip, surprised to feel the pain ebbing away a tad. “Do you know what you’re doing?” The tight muscles of his naked shoulders contracted as he worked on her foot, his skin glistening from evening rain’s kiss.
He lifted his eyes and briefly narrowed them at her before returning to his task. “Darcey, I may not be a doctor but I have a bit of knowledge about sprains. I did survival camp for my gap year.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything. Thank you.” A rumble came from her tummy, causing her cheeks to heat up. By then he had just finished pinning the bandage around her foot. He lifted his gaze to look at her face, smiling. “Does that feel a little better? Doctor should be here soon.”
She nodded and grinned. “Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you. But I’d still have to write a fair review about your hotel. Although, I wouldn’t be lying if I say it’s very grand.”
He stood up and ran his fingers through her wet locks. “You could thank me by having dinner with me”
“But how? I would be limping.” Her stomach did a summersault.
A chuckle escaped his lips. “No problem, we can always call room service. Let me wash up and change. I can’t exactly treat you like a gentleman and be half-naked all evening, can I?”
“Oh, all right then,” she mumbled, actually sorry to lose sight of his masculine form. She shrugged, wanting to act as nonchalant as humanly possible, but insider her heart was doing high leaps. “I guess I’ll see you in a bit.”
Before he left, he helped her lie down with her foot elevated. Just as he was placing her foot down on a stack made up of three plump pillows, the doctor arrived. The elderly gentleman observed Darcey’s foot and commended Leo for dressing it properly.
The sprain was fortunately a minor one, and the doctor said as long as she kept the bandage on, she could walk around slowly, but only when necessary. Promising to return the next day, the doctor then instructed her to get plenty of rest.
Leo walked the doctor out the door and made sure Darcey’s cellphone was by her side before he left to freshen up. “Call me if the pain gets worse or if there’s anything you need.” And with that he planted a soft and lingering kiss on her cheek.
She must have fallen asleep as soon as he was gone for she was brought out of a deep slumber by the sweet sound of the doorbell. Just as she was trying to figure out how to get off the bed without hurting herself, Leo let himself in.
“I hope you don’t mind. I got a copy of your key so you wouldn’t have to get the door. Feeling better?” he asked as he sat down next to her on the bed. Freshly showered and dressed in a crisp black shirt and dark jeans, she had to admit his weekend casual attire made him beyond gorgeous. His dark hair was swept back, making his eyes stand out.
“Yes, thanks to you.” She smiled, her heart quickly beating as she pretended to act calm. The sight of him was beginning to take her breath away. Sure, Leo had always been good looking, but something about knowing him better and seeing his gentle and caring side made him even more attractive.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her.
She was about to protest but then he returned in a few seconds, followed by hotel staff who pushed in a food cart. On it were grapes, thick steak, foies gras, cheese fondue and lobster. Another cart was pushed in, one displaying two legs of lambs, a pasta dish and four kinds of bread. A man carrying a bottle of champagne filled two glasses.
“That is a lot of food. Wow,” was all she could say.
“Only the best for the best,” Leo replied as he held out his hand to her and helped her take a seat. The men expertly placed the food and dinnerware on the table.
The scents of delectable tea tree and mint floated from Leo to her nostrils. His musky scent was nothing she had ever experienced.
What was it with this man?
Just as she was about to ask what his cologne was, notes from a violin filled the air. She quickly turned her neck to see where the music was coming from and gasped. The dining staff had quietly and professionally left the room while a musician entered.
“You’re joking! You hired a violinist?”
Leo studied her with an amused expression. “No, he’s our resident violinist. You are, my dear, experiencing the best personal dating service our hotel has to offer. Butler service, your own violin player. Oh, and earlier you had your personal medical emergency sorted out. We treat our guests like royalty.”
“Indeed! Now I feel like a damsel in distress all over again.” This time, instead of feeling embarrassed, she was elated and impressed.
“And I was the knight in shining armour.” He raised a glass of champagne, his eyes landed on her face with intensity. The candlelight on the table flickered, casting a surreal hue on his eyes.
My, he’s one sexy man, she thought as she sipped her drink. She could only hope her hands weren’t visibly shaking from the nervousness invading her insides.
They enjoyed a few songs from the violinist before he bowed and left them to enjoy their meal in private.
“Leo, this is divine! The last time I had fondue was in Gstaad with Luis and Trisha. We were on a skiing trip.” She knew she was gushing, but little did she care. The hotel’s chef was definitely getting a remark
able grade in her article.
“Are you a good skier?”
“Well, we do go on black diamond runs. Except Luis, he always wants to stop and have a glass of wine or hot chocolates après skiing.”
He laughed softly, his eyes continued to study her like she was a priceless work of art. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was enjoying every second with Leo Warwick.
Suddenly, a thought entered her mind. “Do you know if Luis is done with his spa appointment? I sent him a message earlier but got no reply. Should I call him?”
He shook his head as he bit into a succulent piece of lobster. “No, I haven’t seen him. I literally showered and went straight back here.”
“I guess he’s enjoying his me time.” The wall clock showed it was only half past seven. “I wonder what he’s up to.”
“You’re very fortunate to have wonderful friends. Matt is lucky to have Trisha.”
She caught a hint of wistfulness of his voice. Nodding, she replied, “Yes, I’m quite lucky to have Luis and Trisha. They’re family to me, you know?”
He studied his glass of champagne before taking a slow sip. Finally, he said, “I sometimes wonder what it’s like to have real close friends.”
His admission surprised her. “Are you telling me you don’t have close friends?”
“Matt and Marcus, I guess you can say, are my only best friends. I never really had plenty of mates growing up, not even in school. Leonardo Sebastian Warwick was the child his parents expected him to be.” He smirked before going on, her curiousity rising. “I’ve been told I’m incorrigible. And I have temper, I won’t deny that. Even my brothers’ respect of me is born out of fear more than anything. I don’t really intend to be this way but, I guess being the eldest, I’ve always felt like I had to be in charge.”
She could only nod. Despite his somewhat sad admissions, she was pleased to see him open up. She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. With her hand, she reached out to lightly cover his own.
“Matt was a lot easier to handle, you see, and he would follow me around. As for Marcus, well, he would always cause trouble.”
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