hear music. Another surprise. While I expected to be taken to one of the massive rooms Gabriel had shown me earlier, perhaps in some ridiculous attempt to pretend he could enjoy a few minutes of his life, I was led out of the main portion of the house and into a section I’d yet to see.
The doors were open, the rooms smaller and as I passed each one, I could almost see life in the plush surroundings and beautifully decorated walls. The drastic difference was stifling. He’d prepared for a different life after all.
The further we walked, the louder the music. When I was finally led into a quaint family-style room, complete with a roaring fire, I turned in a full circle. Gone was the coldness of hardwood floors, the carpet plush under my toes. The music was classical, the crispness of the piano and the strings of guitar creating an aura of the very joy I’d wanted so desperately.
I was surprised at the plushness of the furniture, the small table and chairs positioned in front of one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a perfect spot to sit and enjoy the outdoors without being outside.
There was even a bar, the lovely marble top and stainless steel sink glistening in the ornate Tiffany-style pendant lighting.
Sadly, I noticed a gun on the same gorgeous bar where a wine bottle and two glasses were positioned, the ominous appearance just a reminder of how dangerous the man truly was. I shifted my gaze around the room, noticing that the hulking mass of a security guard remained, his eyes narrowed.
“Do not leave this room,” he stated, darting another look at the weapon. This was just another test to see if I’d lie in wait, pulling the trigger when Gabriel arrived. I wasn’t that kind of woman, no matter what the authorities had believed.
“No, I won’t.”
He hesitated before walking away and I breathed a sigh of relief.
I was left alone, unable to keep from turning in circle after circle. The room was beautiful, so inviting, the weapon aside. The colors of the walls were light, the furniture not nearly as foreboding. This was an entirely different world.
Even the French doors leading outside were devoid of any coverings. There were no blinds. No thick draperies. I found my way toward them, peering outside, the view of the pool even more incredible than the one from my room. The lights still twinkled, the colors meshing together in the last vestige of hues of the sun.
There were also books in several locations, including the one positioned on the coffee table in front of the beautiful stone fireplace. Located beside it? A cell phone. Whether or not this was a test of my loyalty or my ability to behave, I wasn’t certain. What I did know without a single doubt in my mind was that Gabriel spent time here. This was his true respite, the single place he came to in order to be himself.
I wasn’t entirely certain how to feel or what to think. Why would he bring me to his private space? I shifted my gaze to the doors leading out to the pool, the water so inviting.
I dared not touch the door handle, but I desperately wanted to breathe in the fresh air, to pretend if only for a few minutes that I could live a normal life. I stood staring at the water while the fire crackled behind me, the scent of the wood, the slightest hint of oak one of the most pleasant things I’d smelled in a long time.
And for some crazy reason, I smiled.
Until I saw his reflection in the thick panes of the French door, a man so breathtaking that I was immediately aroused. A man so dominating that my heart skipped several beats.
He walked closer; his approach masked by the thickness of the carpet. I was unable to take my eyes off him. He’d changed clothes, the oppressive stark white shirt now the color of sapphires, the trousers light gray instead of black.
And the scent of him was even more masculine.
He stopped when he was only a foot away, his chest rising and falling. “You look beautiful.”
The words seemed to pain him, as if he’d never believed he would find anything in this world beautiful. “Thank you.” Everything seemed awkward even while the humming live wire danced between us as it had before. My mouth was suddenly dry from the way he was staring at me, the lust obvious in