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She took a few seconds to think then met his gaze. ‘Thank you for being so honest. The truth is, as a stranger to a new town, and someone who is not used to travelling alone, I’d probably feel safer staying at your penthouse—as long as you don’t mind someone who is most comfortable padding around in thick socks and huge pyjamas.’ She gave him a smile. ‘Glamour is my middle name.’
‘You’re sure?’
She nodded, as a feeling of relief spread through her. ‘I’m sure.’
He sighed and sagged back against the leather seat. ‘Thank goodness. My first guest at the penthouse and I thought I’d just made a big faux pas.’
‘I’m your first guest?’ Now she really was surprised.
He nodded. ‘Sure. I’ve had other friends visit over the years, but they’ve stayed at hotels. Probably because I’ve been so wrapped up in the business.’
Half an hour later the car slid into an underground parking area and Leo took her to a private elevator.
Seconds later they emerged into a glistening penthouse. It was like something out of a film. The tinted glass windows stretched from floor to ceiling, laying the city out before them. The floor was a dark slate colour and the furnishings cream and glass. It was immaculate—like a place where people didn’t actually stay.
And, while it was beautiful, it struck Anissa that there was nothing about this place that said ‘Leo’ to her.
The kitchen was open-plan, looking into the sitting area with large leather sofas and an extremely expensive-looking dining table and chairs.
She walked over and ran her fingers along the table. ‘You get to sit here every morning and eat breakfast looking out over New York City? It’s quite a view.’
‘It is, isn’t it?’ He gave a slow nod. ‘I should take more time to appreciate it.’
He strolled through to the kitchen and opened one of the glossy white cabinets. ‘This is the most important thing.’ He waved a package at her. ‘Coffee pods. There’s a whole variety in there so just pick your favourite.’ He stood in front of a fancy machine that probably cost more than she earned in a month, flicking a few switches and pressing a few buttons as he slid one of the pods into place and slotted a latte glass underneath. ‘This is all you need to do. Simple. Right?’
She blinked as the liquid frothed into the cup and hid her smile. ‘It seems simple,’ she agreed. ‘But I feel as if I should come with an equipment warning.’
‘What do you mean?’
She sighed and waved her hand in front of her stomach. ‘It’s like I’ve got an internal magnet. Dishwashers, coffee machines, computers, microwaves all seem to die in my presence.’
He laughed. ‘Really?’
She nodded. ‘And that’s before I touch them.’ She wagged her finger. ‘So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.’
He glanced at his watch. ‘Then let’s leave coffee. How about wine? Even your internal magnet can’t mess with a bottle opener.’ He lifted two wine glasses down from the cupboard. ‘What would you prefer, white or red?’
She paused for a second. ‘Actually, my favourite is blush. Do you have any?’
He looked amused. ‘Hmm, blush. Interesting choice. Yes, give me a minute.’
He pressed a button and a whole wall of the kitchen slid back to reveal a hidden wine rack. Anissa felt her eyes boggle. Really?
He selected a bottle from the rack and turned back, opening it with the corkscrew and pouring a little into one of the glasses. ‘Care to check?’
Anissa laughed. ‘Honestly? It looks like the right colour, so I’m sure it will be fine.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘How the other half live, eh?’
She watched as Leo filled both glasses and they walked over and sat down at the table. She looked out at the array of glistening lights.
‘So, teach me about New York,’ she said.
He gave a nod and pointed, ‘That’s the Empire State Building, over there is the Rockefeller Center, there’s a giant Christmas tree down there and a skating rink we can visit.’ He gave her a nod. ‘There’s also a really cool bakery on the other side of the street.’
‘I like how your brain works.’ She smiled as she took a sip of her wine.
‘Over there, and down a bit, is Times Square. It’s more fun at night. I’ll take you there and you can climb the stairs and see where the ball drops at New Year.’
‘Oh, yes. I’d forgotten about that.’
‘There’s another Christmas tree at Bryant Park, one at the Met and another at the Natural History Museum.’ He looked at her carefully. ‘And if you like shopping, there’s always Fifth Avenue.’
She gulped. ‘I’m not sure I’ll be shopping on Fifth Avenue, window-shopping maybe. But not actual shopping.’
Leo opened his mouth as if he were about to say something else then quickly closed it again. Thank goodness. The last thing she wanted was for him to offer to meet her shopping bill. Not everyone had his income, and although Anissa had savings, she always worked hard to stay within her own budget.
And shopping on Fifth Avenue was way above her budget.
‘What about Central Park?’ she asked. ‘I imagine it’s going to be beautiful at this time of year, all covered in snow.’
He nodded. ‘We can do Central Park but beware, it’s a lot bigger than some people think. And it will be cold. Very cold.’
‘As cold as Mont Coeur?’
Leo nodded. ‘On a par. The trouble with New York is that every time we have snow, half the city grinds to a halt. Flights get grounded at the airport and some of the public transport stops working.’
Anissa looked out over the snow-dusted city. ‘But surely the snow is no big surprise?’
He shrugged. ‘You’d think. But every time there’s a heavy snowfall there are problems.’
Anissa stood up and looked out the window. ‘I like New York in wintertime. It’s pretty.’
He moved next to her, his wine glass still in hand. ‘So do I. I guess it’s just been a long time since I stopped to notice.’
Nerves were starting to work on her. Either that or it was the combination of jet
lag and wine. All of a sudden she was conscious of him standing next to her in his fine knit black jumper and black trousers. Conscious of the rise and fall of his chest. The heat emanating from him. They were side by side but she could see his reflection in the window. In Mont Coeur, Leo Baxter had been handsome. Here? In his own environment, there was something else. An assurance, a confidence that hadn’t quite seemed so natural in Mont Coeur. Now he was back on his own turf it seemed to ooze from his pores, drawing her in like some kind of magnet. She almost laughed out loud. Maybe she did have a magnet inside her, and instead of being repelled by another, it was just heightening the attraction.
But her curiosity was sparked. What had hampered Leo’s confidence in Mont Coeur? Was it the family business he’d referred to? He’d told her a little, but she was sure there was more to the story. She hadn’t really noticed it to begin with, but now they were here, she could see the difference in his personality.
This apartment was beautiful—a showpiece even. But she was still struck by how little of him there was here. It didn’t exactly feel like a home. When she closed her eyes and thought of home her mind went immediately to her mum and dad’s house in Austria. Set on a hillside, with old trophies of hers scattered across the shelves, a sofa with two mismatched chairs and a whole array of family photographs, it really was a different place.
She gave herself a mental shake. Each to their own. Who was she judge a billionaire on his apparently impersonal home—particularly when he was letting her stay?
He turned towards her and raised his wine glass. ‘How about a toast?’
She smiled and nodded. ‘What did you have in mind?’
‘To New York. To new beginnings.’
She tilted her head. New beginnings for her or new beginnings for him?
She held up her glass and clinked it against his.
‘New beginnings,’ she agreed as she turned and looked back out over the city. Her heart beat a little quicker.
New York. A world of new possibilities.
He strolled through to the kitchen and opened one of the glossy white cabinets.
