most of them don’t attend these events, either. They donate without needing the damn accolades.”
I was secretly happy that Damian didn’t like most of his elite crowd. “So tell me about how much time we can afford to take off.”
“As much as you’d like. I think we should start your sightseeing, and stay at my place in London to make things easier on ourselves. We can come back for Mum’s event on Saturday night.”
I nodded eagerly. “I’d love that, but won’t your mother need help?”
“Seriously?” he said. “Do you really think Mum can’t plan this gala without us? In fact, I guarantee she wouldn’t want us messing with her plans. She’s an expert party planner. She just hasn’t done it since my father died. It’s nice to see her back in action again.”
“I think she loved your father very much,” I told him. Bella never stopped talking about her deceased husband.
“As much as he loved her,” Damian confirmed. “They were incredibly happy, no matter how mismatched they may have appeared to be. Now go get ready for breakfast. We can be on our way to London right after we eat.”
Bella had mentioned her humble beginnings in Spain, and how hard it had been for her to get used to living a far different life than she’d had growing up. “I have a sneaking suspicion that Bella is responsible for keeping you and Leo well-grounded.”
I moved my laptop to the sofa and stood. I needed to shower and dress before I went downstairs.
“Kept us from being snobs, you mean?”
I nodded. Damian and Leo both seemed so normal in comparison with the lofty upper-class people I’d encountered this week.
“She did, actually,” Damian readily agreed. “We were indulged, not spoiled, and she made sure we spent time with our family in Spain as often as possible, so we weren’t constantly surrounded by other ultra-rich children. My father was a good role model as well. He worked harder than any of his employees. He wasn’t the type to simply live off the family inheritance. I’m grateful for everything he taught me. I’d be bored to death if all I had to do was attend various social events and gossip about my peers.” He paused before he added, “Now go get showered, woman. I need my breakfast.”
I smiled as I scurried into my room, gathered up some casual clothing, and got myself ready to go downstairs within fifteen minutes.
When I reappeared, Damian seemed to be patiently waiting for me on the sofa.
He was working on his laptop, just like he’d done every single morning for the last week. I stopped at the entrance to the enormous sitting room and just…watched him.
Damian was the most focused man I’d ever met. He was an early riser, so I didn’t know exactly what time he got up to work every morning while we’d been here, but I was willing to bet that it was well before sunrise.
Maybe not too early, because he still looks well-rested.
I hadn’t seen a single sign of sleep deprivation, and Damian swore his headaches were gone. He seemed relaxed, even at all of the ridiculous parties we’d attended.
“Working again?” I said lightly as I entered the room.
He looked up from whatever he was doing and grinned. “Only until you graced me with your presence, beautiful.”
God, he killed me with the way he looked at me.
Like I was a goddess.
Like I really was beautiful.
Like I was the most important person in his life.
Like…I was worth waiting for, no matter how long it took for me to arrive.
“Did you get caught up on your work?” I asked.
He put his laptop aside and stood. “Well enough. I turned some of my duties over to a few of my top executives for a while so I could put my full attention where it belongs.”
“On attending parties full of uptight people?” I teased.
“No.” Damian stalked toward me until he was right in front of me. “I’d much rather spend my time watching you right now, Nicole.”
My heart did a somersault inside my chest.
Maybe Damian and I were playing a game, but the intimacy between us was becoming all too real.
We were starting to recognize the funny quirks each of us had, like lovers did, after they’d spent enough time in each other’s company.
Damian was incredibly curious about my present and my past, so he asked a seemingly endless amount of questions, some that I had to think about before I answered.
I was grateful that he’d stopped being guarded about