by Love, Kimmy
Everyone inside was young and attractive and definitely rich. Kaya looked around in disdain and wanted to be scornful of the superficiality and wastefulness of them all, but then Henry dragged her onto the dance floor and before long, she couldn't help but start enjoying the music and the feeling that anything could happen.
At first, Henry danced at a distance from her, but after a few songs, he began to move closer and after a few drinks, Kaya began to let him. The strong, handsome billionaire put his hands on her hips and stood close to her as he moved his body against her in time to the beat. Somehow the music made the feeling of him close to her seem so much more sensual.
Kaya felt herself growing breathless and heady at how the sound of the music and his body pressed against her, made her feel alive. She turned around to face him and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Henry began to move closer and her lips parted slightly, ready to fall into another of his kisses and forget all about those morals and standards she insisted she had, when, suddenly, Suzie pulled her aside. Even in the darkness Kaya could see that she'd been crying and her cheeks were streaked with mascara-stained tears.
"What's wrong?" Kaya shouted over the noise. It was too loud to hear each other, so Suzie dragged her outside into the smoking area where they could be heard. She was sobbing and sniffling and her elaborate make-up now looked a mess. "Suzie! What happened?"
"I just saw that bastard with his tongue down another girl's throat!"
"Aw, Suzie, I'm sorry. Are you OK?"
"No. I feel like an idiot. Can we just get out of here?"
Kaya felt a stab of disappointment. After all her complaining and judging over the idea of a night out at a place like this with people like Edward, she'd found herself once again pulled towards Henry like a magnet and her lips were still craving that kiss she'd been so close to drawing from him. She hesitated a moment.
"Wait a moment. I just need to tell Henry I'm going."
"Well, I'm not staying here another second! I don't want Edward to see me like this. He's not worth it." Suzie said dramatically. "I'll see you back at the hostel."
Kaya dithered a moment. She didn't want to just walk off from Henry without saying goodbye, but Suzie was a vulnerable young woman in a sexy dress about to take off in a strange place alone and she couldn't leave her. She let out a sigh and caught up with Suzie who had already ducked under the ropes cordoning off the smoking area and had started storming down the street.
Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps it was the world's way of telling her that she was on the right track before and that Henry Dales and his high life were no good for her at all. The two girls flagged down a cab and made it back to the hostel, where Suzie began to defiantly take off her make-up and kicked her shoes off angrily, sending them flying across the room.
"I can't believe his nerve!" she raged. "He invited me out and then starts making out with someone with a bigger chest? And after all I gave him? Maybe you're right, Kaya. I was stupid. Rich guys like him just want to have it all. Well, I won't be seeing him again. Let's forget all about guys. Me and you, as it's meant to be. This is our summer."
CHAPTER 4
The next day at work, Suzie was still in a bad mood and Connor sensed it. The shy waiter was not one to say ‘I told you so’ and was actually very kind about it.
"I'm sorry it turned out badly," he said sympathetically. "You deserve better than that."
Suzie gave him a grateful smile and threw her arms around his neck girlishly. "You'd make someone a great boyfriend one day, Connor."
"I've heard that before."
Kaya felt sorry for him. He was stuck in the friend-zone, a typical ‘nice guy’ and she wished that he'd find a nice girl. Still, at least the summer could continue as it had begun, with just the three of them and no messy romances to get in the way. At least, that's what Kaya thought would happen until she stepped outside to clean the table on the patio and saw Henry waiting for her.
"How did you know where I worked?" she said with surprise.
"A long walk up the pier and looking through a lot of windows."
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought we'd got over our little tiff. Why'd you take off on me last night?"
"Edward upset Suzie."
"Sorry about that. He can be pretty insensitive."
Kaya gave a little shrug. "No matter. It was the wake-up call we needed."
"How so?"
"This whole traveling thing is about self-discovery. Maybe we're both better off without any holiday romances."
"Is that a polite way of telling me to leave you alone?"
The waitress shot him an amused glance and placed another empty glass on her tray. "Suzie and I had plans this summer."
"She was quick to take off with Edward when it suited though, wasn't she? Look, we had a really great night the first time we met, didn't we?"
"It was memorable."
"Well, that's what we could have. I'd really like to take you out tonight, Kaya."
"I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind to focus on other things."
"Like waitressing?"
"Like waitressing."
"You're really stubborn, aren't you? Look, I'll make a deal with you. Let me take you out tonight. One night. If I'm a cocky, money-flashing billionaire who bores and takes advantage of you, then you can tell me where to go at the end of the night and I'll never bother you again. But, if I impress, you'll agree to spend more time with me this summer."
Kaya laughed. "Why are you pushing this, Henry? You could have any girl you wanted. You really don't need to be chasing me."
Henry put a hand over hers to stop her from attracting glances and looked at her earnestly. When Kaya caught his eyes and the intense desire in them, it made her heart skip a beat and brought her memories right back to their night on the beach.
"I want you because you're different," he told her firmly. "You're not the only one looking for a different type of date. Rich men are dull and predictable and rich women are high-maintenance and whiny. I want a break from that and so do you, so why don't we help each other out?"
Kaya looked back towards the inside of the cafe to see if Suzie was nearby and listening in. She and Connor were at the back of the café, talking about one thing or another and so Kaya took a second to think about Henry's proposal.
As much as she wanted to pack in men and have a girls' holiday with Suzie, there was something addictive about Henry and even though he was rich, there was something different about him, too. Kaya was curious and she wanted to see how he'd behave when he was trying to impress her.
At last, she nodded. "One date."
"Tonight?"
"Fine."
"I'll send someone to pick you up at eight. Wear something nice."
"Nice?"
"The sort of thing dull, predictable men like me would expect if he took you out on a dull, predictable date."
Kaya nodded and Henry left her. She couldn't shake the little smile off her face after he'd gone. Even if she didn't like his attitude, she admired his persistence and she wondered just what he had in store for her that night. With a little sense of anticipation, she wondered if she'd end up in the bedroom with him and then scolded herself for having such thoughts when she was supposed to be out on her own and not lured in by things such as an impossible attraction to a mysterious man.
*****
Suzie was angry with her for accepting the date, but Kaya had already made up her mind to go and simply tried to be apologetic in the face of Suzie's disapproval.
"I'm sorry, Suze. You were the one who said I needed to get off my high horse and give him a chance."
"And you're the one who said that guys like him were trouble!"
"I might be right and if that's the case, then this will be the first and last date."
"I see the way you look at him. This won't be the last date and then what am I meant to do all summer?"
"What about Connor?"
"Connor'
s Connor. I thought we were going to spend the summer together."
"You were off with Edward every day last week!"
"That was different."
"Was it?"
"Yes, because we hadn't agreed to lay off men then."
"I'm sorry, Suze. I know you wanted to hang out, but there's just something about this guy... I don't know what it is. I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like I just have to see what he's about."
"Fine. Well, let me know if you're not coming back tonight."
"I will, but I don't think it will go that far."
"Oh, I reckon it will."
"I guess I'll just have to find out, hey?"
Kaya apologized again and then headed to the doorway of the hostel. Henry's driver was already waiting for her. Kaya had dressed up for tonight just as Henry had requested, and she was wearing a short but formal black dress, sheer black tights and a sophisticated pair of heels. She'd put her hair up into a chic and stylish bun style and finished the look with some mascara and a dash of crimson lipstick.
The dress was tight and figure-hugging and the heels made her legs look long and shapely. Kaya knew she looked good and she felt a little naughty for going to so much effort to make Henry look twice, when the point was not to engage him any further.
He'd sent an expensive Mercedes to pick her up and Kaya half-laughed. She thought about how foolish he was if he thought the tricks he used on other girls were going to fly with her. Yes, the car was shiny and comfortable, but it would take more than that to impress her. The car drove out of South Beach and towards Miami Beach, eventually pulling up at an impressive five star hotel. Kaya stepped out of the car and a man dressed in a smart suit was waiting for her.
"To see Mr. Dales?"
"That's right."
"Come with me, Miss."
Kaya followed the well-dressed man into the hotel, which was luxurious beyond belief with marble floors and tall ceilings decked out with chandeliers. Kaya just laughed at it all. No, this hadn't impressed her at all. She stepped into the elevator with the servant who took her up, up, up to the very top floor and into the penthouse suite. The doors opened into a beautiful suite the size of a large apartment. It was decorated sublimely and the view was incredible, showing all the dazzling city lights and in the distance the sparkling ocean.
Kaya was standing in a sitting room area with two ornate sofas and a low coffee table set up with an expensive tea set and more gorgeous flowers. Through a doorway to her right, she could see the master bedroom, which had an incredible four poster bed with lavish red-and-white cotton sheets and another glorious view.
Standing by the window waiting for her was Henry and he was dressed himself in a black formal suit, perfectly fitted and finished with a slim black tie. His hair had been combed back neatly and he was holding a glass of champagne. He smiled when he saw her enter and reached for the bottle in the ice bucket, and poured a glass for her.
"Welcome," he grinned, holding out his arms to show off his palatial suite. "I hope you're ready for a wonderful night."
Kaya accepted the glass and looked around the dazzling suite once more. "If you're trying to impress me, you're going about it all wrong. I'm not swayed by glamor and glitz."
Henry stepped close to her and pulled her towards the window with a strong arm around her waist to look out over the view.
"I'm going to prove to you tonight that it's not glamor and glitz that you're sick of, but the men that go with it. In fact, a beautiful view, a fine champagne, a stunning woman and a handsome man often go very well together when the chemistry is right."
"You're going to try and prove to me that all this is what makes life worth living?"
"Not at all," Henry grinned. "I'm going to make you forget all this and show you that it's all about the right company. If I can make you forget that we're in a penthouse suite, drinking expensive champagne and that I'm horrendously wealthy, then you'll know that I'm more than just some spoiled rich bastard.
I thought about taking you for a barefoot walk on the beach and eating hot dogs from a stand just to show you how down-to-earth and simple I can be, but I remember how irritated you got last time I pretended to be somebody else."
Kaya laughed. "You make me sound like some judgmental nightmare."
"I like that you know what you want. It shows that you're a strong woman and means that it'll be a challenge for me to change your mind."
At that point, a servant appeared from the doorway on the left and announced that dinner was served. Henry rested his hand on Kaya's lower back to lead her towards the penthouse dining room. It was another wonderful room with a long oak table with beautifully crafted chairs and another chandelier. There were flowers in vases everywhere and even though Henry pretended that he was playing it cool, Kaya suspected he'd organized a few little touches just for her. She smiled and took her place at the table. Henry sat at the head so that they were at a right angle to each other and he motioned for the butler to pour them another glass of champagne.
"So, how was waitressing today?"
The way he said it made Kaya laugh out loud. Henry wasn't openly mocking her, but there was a certain playful teasing from one child of extravagantly wealthy parents to another, when they were both aware that she had no need to be waiting tables.
"It was satisfying," Kaya smiled. "I did a full day's work and I did it well."
"I sense you think that I don't know the value of hard work?"
"I'm guessing you never really had need."
"You're wrong. My father was a bit of a tyrant, actually; boarding school, extra-curriculars and every holiday and weekend being trained in the family business. From the time I reached the age of fourteen, he made me spend my evenings and weekends sitting in on board meetings and writing reports for him on my perspective. I had to get top grades in every subject and also pass his quizzes on what was happening in the hotel.
I didn't start having a social life until he passed away and that's when I realized that being rich didn't mean you had to be a stuffed suit all the time. People like us don't get normal childhoods, so I won't apologize for acting my age now. I'm a young man, Kaya. I like to have fun. And what about you? What sent you off on this profound journey of self-discovery?"
"I guess my father was pretty strict too," Kaya told him, "although the expectations were different. He wanted me to go to university and get a good degree, but not so I could use it, just so that I could attract a wealthy man and then be his show wife. I had to go to etiquette classes and do ballet. I had to speak a certain way and dress a certain way and only spend time with a pre-approved list of young men and women. Until I left to go traveling, I'm not sure I ever had a thought that was my own."
"Oh, I doubt that somehow," Henry smiled. "You seem to me to have very much your own mind."
"I wanted to see who I'd be if I was out on my own and making my own way."
"And what did you find out?"
"I'm still working on it."
Henry laughed lightly and reached across the pristine tablecloth to take her hand. "I may tease you, Kaya, but I think what you're doing is rather admirable. I think we both hate the same things in our lives and just going about it very different ways. If you're looking for someone to understand you, maybe you should find someone like you rather than a stranger who acts like the person you imagined you'd be in another life. You don't have to throw everything away to change yourself. You just have to change the way you view it all."
"I suppose you reckon you've got the right view on it all, do you?"
"I reckon I handle it pretty well. Sure, I could try and strike out on my own and feel proud of myself for working a minimum wage job for a couple of years just so that I can say I know what it feels like to have it tough. But in truth, I think my own issues are issues enough without pretending to understand someone else's.
I've had to step into my father's footsteps since he passed on and I've managed it pretty well. I didn't shy away or take my mon
ey and run. Yes, I enjoy the things that my wealth can bring me, but it doesn't come without certain responsibilities. You, on the other hand, didn't want the responsibilities and so turned your back on the wealth. No, I don't think we're too different at all."
Kaya sipped on her champagne and took a moment to think about what he'd said. Yes, he had things to teach her alright. She'd never thought of herself as running away from responsibilities, only running towards everything that was left to discover. But maybe she had cracked under the pressure of too many formal events and the fear of stepping a toe out of line when the world was watching. Perhaps Henry understood her better than she'd like to admit.
The food was delicious and the champagne went down well and, true to Henry's word, Kaya soon found herself forgetting that she was in a penthouse that most ordinary people couldn't afford with a month's wages and that the cost of her glass of champagne could probably feed an average family for a week, and instead found that Henry's company was much more captivating than all the wealth around them.
She loved the way he spoke, with an easy and light manner and a confidence that never crossed over into arrogance. He had a natural charm and a sharp wit and he seemed to appreciate the rebel in her that usually didn't go down well in high society and never once did he laugh or scorn her views. Kaya began to recognize her own narrow-mindedness as she relaxed in his company and she let all of her preconceived judgments melt away as dinner finished and they found themselves sitting in the sitting area side by side on a fancy sofa, still sipping champagne.
At one point in the conversation, Henry stopped speaking and simply looked at her with an intense, passionate gaze. "You're such a beautiful woman, Kaya, and unlike anyone I've ever met."
"You've surprised me tonight. I didn't think I'd -"
"--like me at all?" Henry guessed. "I'm glad you don't think that anymore, because I think I'd go mad spending the summer here, knowing you were as close as that little cafe and not being able to see you. You're just so... beautiful."