Chapter 12

I awake in Alex’s bed, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. Stretching, I feel the softness of the cotton sheets against my skin. I sit up, pushing the duvet to the side. No sign of Alex. Wrapping the sheet around me, I walk quietly to the door. Slowly, I crack the door open an inch and peek outside. Alex is in the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. I hear the sizzle of bacon and eggs, the aroma of fresh brewed coffee.

I close the door quietly and turn back, standing in the middle of the room, feeling a little awkward. I see a thick, plush white robe lying on a chair. Alex must have left it there for me. Grateful for the robe, I wrap it around me, pulling it tight, and walk towards the kitchen.

“Good morning, Katherine,” Alex says, orange juice carton in hand. He puts the juice down and embraces me, his strong arms wrapping around me.

“Good morning to you,” I murmur softly. He kisses me, a quick kiss on the lips, and takes a step back, looking me up and down.

“You look so sexy in the morning,” Alex says, his voice smooth as silk.

“Thanks, so do you,” I say, laughing. And he does. He’s wearing a white tee-shirt that outlines his muscular chest and a pair of navy blue pajama bottoms.

“I’m cooking breakfast – bacon, eggs, toast. I can make something else for you if you’d like, or order something.”

“This is perfect, thank you. It smells delicious,” I say, walking over to the stove, inspecting the food. “I didn’t know you liked to cook.”

“I don’t cook that often, I don’t really have the time. But when I do, I enjoy it. Especially when I have someone to cook for.” He places his hand on my lower back, trailing down over my ass.

“I’m sure you’ve had a lot of women to cook for,” I say, winking at him.

“Mmm…..I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he responds, grinning. “Don’t believe everything you’ve heard about me.”

“Oh? So there’s no truth to the rumors?” I ask, playfully.

“Well……maybe a bit of truth. But just a bit,” he says teasingly, turning back to the stove. I laugh and take a sip of the orange juice.

“I’ve ordered some fresh clothes for you. Antonio should be bringing those shortly,” he says.

“Oh, thank you.” This man thinks of everything. It’s something I’m not used to. The boys back home would just toss me one of their shirts and call it a day. “That’s very kind of you to think of that.”

“Of course. You should always be taken care of, in all ways,” Alex says, matter-of-factly.

A knock on the door and Alex hurries to answer it. He returns a few moments later with a bag from Harrods department store. “I’ll just put this in the bedroom,” he says.

Returning, we sit down to eat breakfast. I dig in, ravenous. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I started eating. The food is delicious, the flavors popping in my mouth.

“Hungry?” Alex asks, watching me devour the breakfast.

“I guess I worked up an appetite,” I reply, taking a bite of bacon.

Alex laughs. “It appears that you have,” he says. “How do you like living in London?”

“I love it. The history, culture, the people…..it’s so different from the States. I feel so lucky to be here.”

“And I feel lucky that you’re here as well.” He takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. “And not just personally, but also professionally. You have been a tremendous asset with the Cosmo hotel development. I want you to know that.” I hear the sincerity in his voice.

“Thank you, Alex. That means a lot to me.” We gaze at each other briefly, a look passing between us.

I clear my throat, take a sip of juice. “There’s something I’m curious about – I never see you in the same car twice. Just something I’ve noticed.”

Alex chuckles, “Yes, I change cars pretty often.” He smiles, shrugging his shoulders. “What can I say? I love cars, always have. So when I had the opportunity to invest in a major luxury car rental company came along, I took it.”

“So, because you’re a shareholder of the company, you’re allowed to rent their cars whenever you’d like?”

Alex nods, “That’s right. I’m a very good customer.”

“Well, a different car every week sounds like fun,” I say, smiling. Hmm. I can’t put my finger on it, but I get the feeling there’s more to this story than he’s telling me.

Alex changes the subject, wanting to know more about my background. I tell him about all about Dalton, Georgia, my parents and two older brothers. He listens intently, making comments at times.

“And what about you, Alex. Have you always lived in London?”

“Oh, I’ve lived here and there. But, mostly in London,” he replies, vaguely.

“What about your family?”

“Both of my parents are deceased, and I’m an only child.” I nod, waiting for more. He says nothing else.

“I heard you were in the military before you started the real-estate business,” I say, wondering how much more I should ask. He obviously doesn’t feel comfortable talking about himself.

Back off. Let him tell you what he wants, and leave the rest alone.

“Yes, you heard correctly,” he responds, measuring his words. “I was in the military, then retired after ten years. Afterwards, I founded McCall Enterprises.” He pushes his plate to the side, and looks at my empty plate. “Can I get you anything else?” he asks.

“No, thank you. It was delicious.” I smile sweetly, and decide to leave the questions alone. Best not to push it.

An hour later, I’ve showered and dressed, wearing the clothes Antonio purchased. Intuitively, I know it’s time leave. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.

“I need to go, Alex. Thank you again for everything,” I say, kissing his cheek softly. Alex is standing in front of me, his gaze fixed on me. He doesn’t say anything, only pulls me towards him, hands resting on my hips. He kisses me, a slow, deep kiss. Our lips part and I rest my head on his shoulder, catching my breath. I wish time could stop at this moment.

“Give me a few minutes to put some clothes on, and I’ll drive you home,” he says.

“No, no. That’s not necessary. I’ll get a cab,” I protest, while gathering my things.

He holds his hand up. “Katherine, please. Let me at least have Antonio drive you home, then. I insist.” I realize there’s no arguing with him, and agree.

“Alright, call Antonio. But, really, you don’t have to do this.”

“I know I don’t. I want to,” he says softly, stroking my cheek.

Antonio arrives thirty minutes later with an Audi. Alex escorts me to the underground parking area, helping me into the car.

“Have a good weekend, Katherine.”

“You, too. I’ll see you Monday.” He gives me a lingering kiss, then closes the door. Alex speaks briefly to Antonio, then steps aside as the car glides smoothly away. I lean back against the seat and think about Alex and our night together and where it might lead.