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“Thank you for letting me stay here for the night. I really appreciate it.” There was weariness in his eyes, and for the first time, he actually sounded grateful.
“It was nothing,” she replied. “I would have done that for anyone.”
“Yes, but you did that for me and for that I am thankful. I apologize if I came across as arrogant. I wasn’t in the best of moods.” His apology wasn’t sheepish. He took full responsibility for his behavior and that surprised Rory, who had written him off as just another cocky, arrogant celebrity.
“Yes, you were.” The words left her mouth before she could stop them, but Arsen only broke into a laugh.
“Good-looking and honest. I like that in a woman,” he said. That slight smile now was turning into a wide grin. He finds me good-looking? Rory tried to envision how she must look in that moment. Heck, she hadn’t even taken a bath since she had woken up.
“I bet you say that to every girl you meet,” she replied.
“Honestly? I can’t remember the
last time I called someone honest.” He grinned. “Wouldn’t you say that there is a lack of honest people in the world?” he asked. Rory instantly thought about her sister and her future husband and how badly they wanted to take over this house and make this a holiday home for their perfect little American life. Yes indeed, not many honest people around anymore.
“This is a great house you got here,” Arsen continued when Rory didn’t come up with a reply. “The acoustics are phenomenal. If this house were mine I’d make a studio here.”
But it is not, she said in her mind, feeling like a possessive brat.
“It is a beautiful house, yes. Belonged to my grandmother.”
“I’ve already asked Don to call a guy to fix that wall I broke last night.” An apologetic look came upon his face. “I’m sure he’s going to get the best guy available and it will look as good as new… or as good as the old one.”
He’s really not as bad as I thought he was. Rory wondered if her opinion of him was being influenced by his rugged good looks or if he truly was the gentleman that he seemed to be in that moment.
“That would be nice. I’m very protective of this house and don’t like it being damaged,” she retorted. Arsen poured some red wine in both of their glasses that were sitting empty. He downed his in one quick swig, making Rory chuckle. His eyes met Rory’s as he put his glass down.
“I know this isn’t the way to drink wine. There are people who can tell the difference between a thousand-dollar bottle and a bottle of cheap wine, but I bet they’re all talking out of their asses. Screw them, I say.” He shrugged, making Rory laugh. He isn’t such bad company after all.
“Cheers to that.” Rory took her glass, drank it in one swig as well, and slammed it on the table. “There!’
“Bravo!” Arsen clapped. “I like a woman who can hold a drink.” And he started pouring more wine into their glasses.
“What? Are you trying to get me drunk?” She feigned shock.
“Do you have somewhere else you need to be?” Arsen shrugged again. Not at all, Rory mumbled to herself.
It was cute the way he shrugged and looked at her in so innocently, as if there were nothing wrong about drinking at noon. He looked more reachable, less perfect, and extremely appealing.
“You know, you’re right. This rainstorm doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon.” Rory paused to listen to the sounds of the thunder that were coming in intermittently.
“The longer the merrier.” His lips parted and he stared intently into her eyes. Rory could feel her heartbeat pumping. Is he flirting with me? She could tell a look when she got one. A moment passed between them, and for the next few, neither said anything. His presence filled her with a delicious fascination that brought with it warmth. The kind of warmth she never thought she’d feel from a man again.
“So you’re a real rockstar, huh?” She quickly tried to change the topic. What a stupid thing to say, she cringed to herself. Arsen paused to ponder over the question for a bit.
“It is the role I have to play sometimes to put bread on the table, but in reality, I’m just a guy who wants to play guitar and write songs.”
Bread on the table? My ass. He probably has his bread made by some fancy European chef or something, she thought.
“Interesting. Your friends seem to enjoy their stardom thoroughly though.” The image of the obnoxious Mickey Nicks came into her mind.
“Everyone handles fame differently. They have their ways and I have mine.” She could tell that Arsen was slightly uncomfortable talking about his bandmates. Rory wondered if like most successful bands, they also had some sort of a feud going on.
“Just like everyone has their own troubles too.” Rory pursed her lips, her own worries threatening to invade her mind.
“I hear ya! Troubles come, but they also go. Cheers to that.” Arsen raised his glass and again gulped the wine in one go.
When will my troubles go? Rory wondered. Her mind instantly went back to the fact that she hadn’t even opened the bookstore today or checked how many online sales she had made. Well, no one’s gonna come to the bookstore in this rain for sure.
