Her Young Millionaire Lover
Page 6
She struggled into her underwear, then her pants and camisole, bunching up her shirt in her hands. “I'm sorry,” she said, finally meeting his eyes. “I, don't think this is such a good idea.”
He opened his mouth to say something but she ran right over him with her own hurried words.
“Don't worry about anything. I...I really had a wonderful time. I'll let myself out.”
And she fled.
Christmas season was well and truly in swing at the Equator in the week that followed. Throngs of tourists swamped the boulevards along Orchard Road, the streets of the city centre were alight with festive decorations, and strands of white fairy lights covered the overarching trees, turning them into glittering, night-time sculptures.
Sophie was miserable. She was on her annual vacation—the business academy didn't open its doors again until mid-January—and didn't even have work to distract her thoughts. Listless, she entered one of the many food courts along the street and ordered a local coffee, sitting down to stir the cup absently as she watched the crowds stream past.
Over and over again, she replayed everything in her head. The afternoon at Adrian's. Their bout of love-making. Him inviting her to spend the holiday season with him... And her running off screaming into the afternoon.
Why?
Was it because he was handsome? Accomplished? Intelligent?
Young? an insidious little voice in her head inserted.
Sophie groaned. That was it, wasn't it? He was young. And she was a decade older. At least. What would people think?
She took a sip of her sweet, dark coffee.
On the other hand, why should she care? Her gaze sharpened on several couples who strolled along the boulevard. Weren't there a lot of older men with younger women? Why shouldn't the reverse also hold true? She genuinely liked Adrian and had the distinct impression he liked her too. He didn't patronise her or put her down. In fact, looking back on it, he had treated her as a true equal, and wasn't that what every woman wanted?
She was lonely, and miserable, but whose fault was that? And he had been the one to make the first move. In fact, he had always been the one making the moves, eager to deepen the connection between them. And, like a fool, she had rebuffed the kindest and most unselfish man she ever met.
Put like that, she knew she sounded like an idiot.
Sophie took a deep breath, letting a faint conviction grow and take hold of her. She knew there were no magic passes in life—this spark between her and Adrian might blossom into something strong and lasting...or it might fizzle out. But wasn't she being a coward by not even seeing which it might turn out to be?
With increasing confidence, she drank her coffee, then got up and grabbed her things, heading for the nearest taxi rank.
She kept up a good head of steam all the way to Adrian's house, and didn't even falter when she pressed the intercom button at his gate, and an accented male voice—driver? butler?—answered, asking who she was. She answered. The iron bars rolled aside after a moment's hesitation, and she stepped inside, walking with determination up the lit driveway.
The front door opened as she got to the steps, the warm light spilling out into the night. It was Adrian. Barefoot. With dark pants on and his white shirt undone. He looked tired and she yearned to wipe the lines from his face, but she took a breath and stood her ground, facing him.
“I was shopping,” she began, as the bags from various shopping centres knocked against her knees, “and I was wondering...” She licked her lips. “I was wondering if your offer to go away to Hong Kong was still on the table.”
“It depends,” he said, after a charged silence. “Why did you run away?”
She had to be honest, she knew that. “I was afraid. I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to run out on you like that.”
“And now?”
A smile quirked her lips. “And now, I'm feeling adventurous. And, I'm warning you, you're not going to escape again so easily.”
Adrian stared at her. “No more hurried retreats?”
She took a deep breath. “For me? Or you?”
He laughed, and it was the brightest sound she'd heard in a month. He held out his hand.
“Come on then. Let's put those shopping bags somewhere and see if we can find a decent hotel.”
He tugged her inside and closed the door.
Copyright page
HER YOUNG MILLIONAIRE LOVER
ISBN: 978-0-9875440-2-5
Copyright © 2016 KS Augustin
Cover art: Challis Tower
Editors: H Hammond, John Young
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation to anyone living, dead, undead or residing in this, or another, galaxy or metaverse.
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