Page 61 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
He chuckled. “That’s how I used to feel before an operation. It’s not bad to feel nerves, you know. That’s your body’s way of preparing for something extraordinary to happen.”
Extraordinary.Yes. That was a good word for it.
Every time I was with Gray, no matter where we were or what we were doing, it felt like an extraordinary experience.
Thiswas what had been missing from my life back at home. There was no one like him anywhere. No one who thought like he did, talked like he did,lookedlike he did—or looked atmelike he did.
When we got back to the mansion, he stayed downstairs while I ran up to my room to put on my cozy hooded robe—and nothing else.
As I tiptoed back down the hallway toward the main staircase, I stopped outside both Vivi’s bedroom door and her sitting room, listening and verifying that she was indeed in bed for the night.
I took the staircase instead of the elevator—the old contraption was noisy, dating back to the construction of the house in the 1920’s.
Once on the main floor, I turned and crept over to the left side of the grand hall where one of the staircase supports formed a curved alcove.
Tucked beneath it was one of my favorite features of the mansion, a small fountain and reflecting pool.
If I’d come here for visits as a child—and Isowished that I had—I would have loved this little hideaway.
The arched ceiling of the space was decorated with ornately carved stonework, and the fountain itself was shaped like a large scallop with fantastical sea creatures perched on its sides. Full green plants flanked the fountain and contained tiny twinkle lights.
The overall impression was that of an indoor secret garden or a fairy pool.
The alcove featured two small marble benches meant for sitting and meditating while one watched the streaming water. Gray sat on one of them, sharpening a drawing pencil.
He looked up when I arrived. “Hey. Ready to be immortalized in charcoal?Scarlett at the Fountain, by Gray Lupine.”
I pointed at him, the sleeve of my oversized red robe obscuring all but the tips of my fingers.
“This had better not show up online anywhere. When it’s finished, you’re going to hand me the one and only copy. Tonight—before you leave.”
He laughed and tapped his temple. “Don’t worry. The only copy will exist in my mind. I have no intention of sharing you withanyone.”
A shiver passed through me, though the atmosphere was pleasantly warm.
The water from the fountain was heated, and the curved overhang trapped the humid warmth, making the alcove feel a bit like a sauna.
“Where should I sit? Or did you want me to stand?”
Now that we weredoingthis and not just talking about it, my nerves were coming back full-force. I was trembling all over.
He used the tip of his pencil to point. “On the edge of the fountain there. The light is perfect. Oh—and you can keep your robe on. For now.”
I nodded and hurried to the fountain, sitting on its low, wide ledge.
“Okay, turn to the side so your legs are stretched out,” Gray instructed. “Yeah, like that. Perfect. Okay, you comfortable?”
Again, I nodded. It wasn’t a complete lie.
Though the robe had fallen open below the knee to expose my bare legs and feet, my position felt fine. I couldn’t say I was exactlycomfortable, though.
It was impossible to be with Gray’s intense gaze focused on me like this. He looked down at his pad, sketched some lines, looked back up at me—at my legs to be exact.
Oh, that must have been why he said I could leave my robe on for now. He was starting with the parts that were uncovered.
Whether it was his usual process, or he’d amended it to help me acclimate, I couldn’t say, but either way I was grateful.
And I did acclimate to it, believe it or not. As the minutes passed, the sound of the rushing water and the softscritch scritchof his pencil, the feel of the pseudo-tropical air, and the lateness of the hour combined to ease me into a state of almost trance-like relaxation.
