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I realized it was the first time I was truly happy. The feeling was so foreign I didn’t recognize it. I couldn’t remember the last time I was happy. Maybe I’d never been happy all my life. I thought Josephine made me complete, but I quickly realized that was just a short-term high. What I had with London was special. If I met her in a bar on a night out, we probably would have ended up the same way. She didn’t need to be my prisoner for us to fall for each other.
It was meant to happen.
We sat together at the table on the balcony, getting a great view of the castle and the hills beyond. It stopped raining yesterday, so the sun was out. It was still chilly, so London wore black leggings and a loose sweater. Even in the bulky clothing, she still looked eye-catching. Her slender neckline and petite shoulders reminded me of everything that existed under the fabric.
We had just finished lunch, and now we enjoyed the comfortable silence between us. She was reading a book, and I was enjoying the view of Scotland and my woman in one look. I wasn’t even this comfortable with Ariel, someone I’d known and trusted for a long time. I knew I couldn’t marry someone who wouldn’t further my political agenda as well as my business goals, but I knew I would never find this special tranquility again with someone else.
Only with London.
I was happy. I was at peace. They were two sensations I’d never had the honor of enjoying once in my life. Now that I had them, I never wanted to let them go. Marriage wasn’t on my mind, but I certainly couldn’t let London go.
Not when she changed my life.
Ariel wouldn’t be happy, but she’d have to deal with it when the time came.
London cleared her throat then set down her book. Her fingers quickly adjusted her hair even though it wasn’t in her face to begin with. She began to squirm, like she was suddenly uncomfortable sitting in the chair. “There’s something I want to talk about…”
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we were going to have a conversation about our future. I was annoyed, but what did I expect? Of course, she wanted to know where we stood. The fact that I told her I loved her should have been pretty clear evidence that I was in this for the long haul. “I’m listening.”
She paused as she tried to think of how to begin the conversation. Her eyes shifted back and forth. “Well…I’ve been here for a while and—”
My phone started to ring on the table. Ariel’s name popped up on the screen. I could take advantage of the interruption to ditch the conversation, but that would only postpone it, not get rid of it. I silenced the call. “I apologize. You were saying?”
“I understand if you need to take it, Crewe.”
“I’m sure whatever you have to say is more important. She can wait.”
Her eyes melted just as they had that morning. She never showed her appreciation that I’d given her as much power as Ariel and Dimitri, but when she looked at me like that, I knew she was touched. “Thanks.”
I rested my fingertips against my lips as I waited for her to continue.
“Anyway…I’ve been here for a long time…seven months. Things are different than they were when I first came here. Obviously, we didn’t like each other very much.”
I could keep the smile off my face. “No, I wasn’t your biggest fan, and you weren’t mine.”
“Definitely,” she said with a chuckle. “I came as your prisoner, and I still am your prisoner…but since things are different—”
Ariel called again. Her name displayed on the screen as the phone vibrated loudly against the tabletop.
I hit the ignore button again. “I’m sorry, Lovely.”
“Maybe it’s important.”
“She can wait until you’re finished.”
She didn’t melt this time, probably put off by being interrupted twice.
“Please continue.” I didn’t care about interrupting people, but it was obvious London was putting her heart on display, and I didn’t want to make her feel foolish. She didn’t open up to me very often, and I wanted her to feel comfortable doing it.
She sighed before she continued. “Our relationship is different now, obviously. And I want other things to be different too.”
“Such as?” I wasn’t sure what she could possibly want. She didn’t have a care in the world, and she could have anything she possibly wanted. I would lavish her with expensive clothes, jewelry, and exotic trips around the world.
“For one, I’d like—”
Ariel pounded on the door. I could hear it all the way on the balcony. “Crewe, answer the damn door. We have an emergency on our hands.”
Now London had to be cut off. This conversation could wait until another time. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” I left the table without saying another word to her, knowing Ariel would never come to my door like this unless it really was an emergency.
