The Spanish Tycoon's Temptress Page 0,48
them both to the penthouse apartment, chuckling at her question. “And just for the record, yes, I know how many bedrooms are in my place.”
She stood beside him awkwardly. With each ping of the elevator telling her that they’d passed by another floor, she felt as if this was a huge mistake. She was just about to tell him that she had to go when the elevator doors opened up.
“Come along,” he said and took her hand once again, pulling her deeper into the horribly sterile dwelling. Everything was done in white and black with only stainless steel and glass to break the monotony. It was horrible.
“How do you live here?” she asked, looking around despite her worries over being alone with him.
Gaston stopped in the middle of the living room and looked around. “It’s a bit different from what you’re apartment now looks like, isn’t it?” he laughed at himself. “But I don’t really need the same sort of interior stimulation that you need so it suits me fine.” Even as he said that, he thought about the warm, welcoming colors she’d chosen for her apartment. He wondered what she might choose for this place. “What colors would you paint these walls?” he asked now that the thought occurred to him.
There was a stunning view of the city from here, but she just couldn’t imagine living in such a cold atmosphere hidden away from everyone. But since he asked, she looked around, putting a finger to the side of her mouth as she concentrated on what the place would look like with splashes of color. “I’d probably go with a warm, creamy orange or a welcoming soft blue. It would have to be something to cheer this place up because it is pretty barren. And during the winter I’d probably always have a fire going in the fireplace.”
He was surprised by her vehemence. “So you think this place is cold?”
She didn’t hesitate in her response. “Yes. It’s cold and impersonal. Even when it’s filled with guests like it was the other evening, it just doesn’t fit your personality.”
That wasn’t what he was expecting. He walked into the kitchen and stuck his head in to see what his housekeeper had left for him, hiding his reaction to her assessment. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t like his penthouse that disturbed him. He was more surprised that she thought he wasn’t cold and impersonal, that his penthouse didn’t match him. That…startled him.
Focusing on dinner instead of the warmth her words made him feel, he glanced at the containers in his freezer. There were several dishes with labels on them informing him of their contents and all he had to do was follow the cooking directions on each tag. “So what’s my personality?” he asked as he stepped away from the freezer, unable to hold back the question.
She smiled slightly, tilting her head to the side while he turned on the oven and slid two containers onto the wire shelf. “You’re definitely controlling,” she said with a nod.
He raised an eyebrow at that but wasn’t able to deny her assertion since it was absolutely true. “What else.”
She laughed at his acceptance, respecting him for not arguing with something that was obvious. “You’re also compassionate and fair.” A part of her wanted to ask him why he’d disappeared, why he hadn’t been fair to her and explained why he’d left, but she was also afraid to bring up anything controversial since they seemed to be getting along so well today. “You’re very generous.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked. All of his philanthropic donations were done anonymously so he wanted to know why she’d labeled him as generous. He pulled down a bottle of red wine and two glasses, expertly opening the bottle and pouring the liquid before handing her one.
“Because you wouldn’t let me spend any of my money today.”
He shrugged that aside as inconsequential. “It wasn’t much.”
She smiled up at him, trying to get him to understand. “To me, it was a great deal. Especially since you don’t even like me.”
He stared at her and his heart flipped over. “Who says I don’t like you?” He took a sip of the wine, letting the excellent vintage hide his reaction. It was surprising to realize that he did like her. He might not trust her, but he had to respect her professionalism and she was fun to be with. He’d forgotten how much he liked just spending time with her. She