Hearing him laugh for the first time was music to my ears. Up until now, he had been all business and serious. Now I was starting to see the real Kye. The one that let his guard down with me. Shaking his head, he started to walk out of the kitchen, and I duly followed him. The downstairs consisted of the kitchen, a laundry room, a dining room, a library full of books, an office, and the sitting room with floor-to-ceiling windows with French doors out to a massive balcony overlooking St Katherine’s Dock and the River Thames. There were two loungers over to one side, along with a complete outdoor kitchen area with a grill. I wondered how much cooking Kye actually did or if it was just for show.
I followed Kye upstairs, and he showed me the three smallest bedrooms and then one of the master suites. Yes, this place had two master suites next to each other. There was a super king-sized bed, a bathroom as big as my front room, and a walk-in wardrobe that I was definitely going to be making good use of. But what topped it all off was yet another balcony.
“The balcony runs across both of the suites, so we will both have access to it – if, of course, you feel comfortable enough to stay in this room. Behind the screen over there is an eight-person hot tub. You are more than welcome to make use of it. You will see robes in the bathroom that you can wear heading over there. Just let me know if you are going to use it and I won’t come out.”
“I wouldn’t mind you joining me.”
It was my turn to make Kye stop in his tracks. I definitely wouldn’t stop him from joining me. I could think of plenty of things I could be doing in there with him, and none of them involved relaxing or getting clean. They were all about getting down and dirty. The smirk was back on his face. It was similar to the one I had seen on Jayden’s earlier in the day. I’d wondered then what was running through Jayden’s mind, and I was starting to wonder if Jayden had chosen Kye on purpose – not only because he was the best, but because he was playing matchmaker.
“I’m sure I will be very comfortable in here. Thank you, Kye.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m just doing my job.”
“You might think that. But you have welcomed a stranger into your house and made me feel extremely safe. You do deserve my thanks.”
I walked over to him and took a risk. I kissed him on the cheek. When I felt the stubble against my lips, it sent ripples through my body. I wanted to taste him, to feel him close to me. Before I could do anything else, he took a step back. I knew that was my cue to stop. For now, at least.
“I’m going to go and get the rest of your stuff from the car and bring it to your room. I’ll also have a little chat with the security guard so he knows not to say a word about you being here. From the look on his face when you walked in, he knew exactly who you are. Make yourself at home, and when I’m done, I’ll cook us something to eat.”
I watched him hurriedly walk away from me and head back inside the house. I’d probably taken things too far too soon. But I didn’t regret it. I would break down his walls, no matter how long it took me. I just had to move slowly and bide my time.
I was currently sitting in the kitchen watching the phenomenon that was known as Kye. I had never seen a man who could cook like him. It had to be his mother’s influence on him again. He had even checked that what he was going to cook wouldn’t upset my modelling. I was very lucky in the fact that I could just about eat anything and it didn’t affect me. But when he said he was going to cook seared salmon, stir-fried vegetables, and potatoes, I could have kissed him again. It was one of my favourite meals that I would cook for myself when I could be bothered. He knew his way around the kitchen as I did around the catwalk, making everything look effortless. And, unlike most men, the place was spotless. So much so, you wouldn’t even know he was cooking. Serving everything up, he placed the meal in front of me.
“We can eat in here, go into the dining room, or out on the balcony. I don’t mind.”
“Let’s just stay here. It looks amazing. Thank you.”
“I do like to eat well. I’m not really a burger and chips kind of guy. Don’t mind the occasional steak, though.”
I made a mental note to take him to my favourite steak restaurant when all this was over. I still didn’t feel confident enough to be out in public, and the sight of me with Kye would probably have the tabloid press going into a frenzy. We sat and ate in near silence. The food was so good, I didn’t want to waste words. I just wanted to enjoy the delicacy he had served. Yes, it was simple, but sometimes simple was best. Finishing my meal, I went to get up and clean my plate.
“That’s okay, Bonita. You are my guest. I’ll clear up.”
“I can’t expect you to do everything. Let me help you.”
“You can and will let me look after you. There are no arguments.”
He got up from the table and took my plate. When he had finished clearing up, he walked over to the cupboard and got out two glasses, then went to the freezer and filled them with ice.
“Let’s go out on the balcony and enjoy a drink. I know you like bourbon, seeing as that’s the only alcohol Jayden has in his office. You can grab a blanket off the sofa on your way through. It can get a little cold out there in the evening.”
We walked out of the kitchen, and I grabbed a couple of blankets while Kye grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the cupboard. He followed me out onto the balcony as I sat down on one of the loungers and covered myself with the blanket. Even though it was the end of August, it was still quite chilly up here. Kye didn’t worry about the blanket and just left it on the end of the lounger. He passed me my glass and poured in a generous amount of bourbon.
”It’s not quite as good as Jayden’s, but it’s not bad.”
I took a sip. It was still good bourbon, as he’d said. I sat there for a while gazing out towards the boats in the dock and river. There was a lot to be said about living in London. We sat there in relative silence, just listening to the sounds below us. It was Kye that broke the silence first.
“So, how did Abigail Clarke become the world-famous model Lila Goddard?”
Taking a sip of my drink, I took a moment to recollect my journey to fame.
“It was pure luck, really. It was just me and my sister, Christine, when we lost my parents in a light aircraft crash. My dad’s friend had decided to take them up when he had a heart attack at the controls. My parents didn’t stand a chance. As I was eighteen, I took over looking after my sister, who was only sixteen. She had always been the one into clothes and makeup and asked me to take her to a fashion house for an interview. She’d always wanted to become a designer. She went there with a few of her designs, and while we were there, a talent scout spotted me. I was a lot skinnier then. You must remember how the fashion industry was, all skin and bones.”
Thank God it had changed now, and I was hoping to change it further by opening the first agency for all shapes, sizes, disabilities, the works. I looked over and saw Kye watching me, taking in every word I said, so I continued.
“Well, he asked if I had time to do a quick shoot while my sister was in the interview. I agreed, and there you have it. I became a model. My sister also got a job, although it didn’t last long, as she found boys and decided that the fashion industry wasn’t for her. Me? I haven’t looked back since. Well, except for recently.”
I looked down at the glass in my hand and felt the tears starting to fall again. I felt the heat and sparks build as I found myself being scooped up in his arms. He made me feel safe whenever he was close to me. I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat its slow, methodical pace. As I lay there, I could feel him stroking my hair. I felt as though I was back in my childhood when my mum would be there for me whenever I was upset. I felt…at home.
