Page 73 of Final Serenade

A thin fog cloaking the property gave the house an eerie vibe. I threw the door open and drew a deep breath, inhaling the salty air. It was cool, cooler than in the Valley. Fresh and humid too, as if I’d been transported to another universe.

Frank hopped down the stairs and moved through the haze with urgency. My heart thudded as I drank him in. He wore a pair of sweats and a white T-shirt and looked…awfully domesticated.

“Hi.” His voice drifted at me, and his eyes dipped to meet my gaze.

“Hi.”

“I’ve got the hot tub going.” A smirk tweaked his mouth.

“Oh, that’s nice. I could use a back massage.”

“Are you hungry?” He extended his hand to help me out of the car.

“Did you cook too?”

“I wish.” Warm laughter rumbled in his chest. “No, but there’s dinner.”

“Dinner, huh?” I stared up at him, soaking in his charm and sensuality.

Goosebumps covered my arms when Frank’s lips neared mine. He gave me a kiss and rounded the Honda to grab my bag.

We walked into the house without speaking. I needed a second to process everything that was happening. Yes, I’d been here before, but not like this. Not with my toothbrush, my floss, and a stack of panties.

“I’ve never given you an official tour,” Frank said, depositing my suitcase in the living room.

“No, you haven’t.”

Smiling, he took my hand and pulled me in the direction of the artwork-filled hallway that led to a separate wing where his bedroom was. The man didn’t waste any time. He was letting me into his life with such ease, it horrified me. He kept on sharing. Kept on revealing. Kept on erasing the invisible barriers between us.

Elaborate elegance touched every detail. Every piece of furniture and every piece of art was well thought out. There were no unnecessary items, no fancy extras. Just the essentials.

The first thing that stuck out to me when we entered the bedroom was a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the ocean. The shades were up, leaving the room completely exposed to anyone who might want to hire a helicopter and fly over to spy on Frank.

The view from here was slightly different than from the dining area. Below, beneath the canopy of evening fog, I saw the curve of the land.

“Wow,” was all that came out of my mouth.

“You like?” Frank whispered against the back of my head, his body aligned with mine. His fingers fumbled with my jacket to help me get it off.

Anxiety tightened my chest. “Yes. Very much.” I swallowed hard and continued to stare. My heart raced.

“Good.” Warm hands skimmed through my hair. “We can give this bed a test run later. Let me show you the rest.”

The house was huge with a gym downstairs and a studio in the west wing. Everything was clean and organized, as if he’d been preparing for my arrival all day.

After showing off the rest of the property, Frank ushered me to the back terrace. There, beneath the dark spread of the starless sky, stood a small table covered with food and candles. A large infinity pool with glowing water took up a good portion of the lawn. The hot tub bubbled.

“I’m don’t know where to even start,” I confessed as I walked over to the table to check out what was for dinner and saw a plate with fresh fruits, a bowl of whipped cream, a bottle of champagne on ice, and two flutes. Then I detected the soft scent of cinnamon and vanilla. It was romantic.

Frank pulled out a chair for me. “No gluten. No soy. No eggs.”

I sat down. He took a spot across the table. We stared at each other, unsure of what to do next. Apparently, this was new, somewhat uncharted territory for the both of us.

“Champagne?” he finally asked, grabbing the bottle from the bucket.

I melted a little bit on the inside each time the sound of his deep voice rolled over the roar of the ocean. “What are we celebrating?”

“Nothing in particular. I’m just glad you’re here.”

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