Gentleman Sinner(70)

And a few moments later, I vaguely feel his fingertips trace across my tummy. ‘What happened to you, baby?’ he whispers, placing his lips on my forehead.

‘You really don’t want to know,’ I slur, raising my arm into the air. He sighs, taking my wrist and laying it somewhere on his body. His chest, I think.

I sigh and drift off to sleep.





Chapter 19

My head is throbbing as I sheepishly peek out of Theo’s bedroom door, listening for any sounds of life. I’m wearing the massive, luxuriously soft bathrobe that was left on the end of the bed for me, the oversize garment skimming my ankles as I wander through his private quarters in search of my bag. It’s nowhere to be seen, but the faint ringing of my phone from within is sounding from somewhere.

As I’m scanning the lounge, Jefferson wanders in, looking amused as he holds up my bag. His old eyes are shining behind his round spectacles, his silver hair as neat as always. ‘Miss White,’ he says, taking in my dishevelled form.

Embarrassed, I try to quickly give my tangled waves a finger comb. ‘Morning, Jefferson.’ I reach for my bag, but my phone stops ringing before I have a chance to search it out. ‘Is Theo still here?’ I have no idea what time it is, but I could do with a few more hours of sleep. My head hurts. A lot.

‘He’s waiting for you in the dining room.’ He moves to the huge fireplace and collects an empty tumbler from the mantel. I imagine Theo standing there last night having a needed drink as he stared into the fire while I was snoring in his bed. ‘I’ll walk down with you.’

‘Now?’ I blurt, looking down at my less-than-presentable form.

‘He insisted.’ Jefferson makes for the door, not looking back to check if I’m coming.

‘Because one would be unwise to say no to Mr Kane.’ I sigh, taking my phone from my bag and following Theo’s butler. Not a word is spoken between us on the way down, and after Jefferson has walked me to the doors that lead into the dining room and I’ve smiled my thanks, he leaves me to gather some strength to enter.

A minute later, I’m still trying to find that strength. ‘Izzy?’ Judy’s voice is a welcome distraction from my annoying battle to open the door, and I turn to find her watching me from across the hall. ‘You okay?’ she asks, smiling as she takes in the dressing gown I’m wrapped in. Theo’s dressing gown.

‘Yes.’ I smile, thumbing over my shoulder. ‘Theo is having breakfast.’ Memories of last night, of her constant reassurance that he will solve the problem he’s created, all come trickling back. How? How will he solve it?

‘Are you going to join him or stand there all day staring at the door?’

‘I’m—’ I’m cut off when a door slams across the way, and we both look to see Penny leaving Theo’s office. She looks as sexy as ever, despite being quite formally dressed.

‘Oh, hi,’ she says, frowning at my attire. I feel my cheeks heating, my hands pulling at the sides of the robe. I might be embarrassed, but I can still sense the change in atmosphere. Judy’s shoulders visibly rise.

‘Made yourself at home, I see,’ Theo’s mother snipes, tossing Penny a filthy look.

I recoil on Penny’s behalf, but Penny just rolls her eyes and gets on her way. ‘See you, Izzy,’ she calls, disappearing through the door to the Playground.

Judy scoffs and returns her attention to me, practically spitting nails. ‘Tart,’ she mutters.

Ouch. ‘You don’t like her?’

‘Not particularly, and I dislike the fact that Theo has given her somewhere to live even more.’

‘She’s living here?’ I ask, surprised.

‘Hopefully not for long.’ Judy approaches me and faffs with my robe, forcing a smile on to her face. ‘Have you and Theo made up?’

‘I was just—’

‘Have patience,’ she says, reaching for the door and pushing it open, encouraging me in. ‘He’s trying so hard, Izzy.’

I deflate, thinking it a waste of time to argue with his mother, and enter the dining room to face Theo. I look down the length of the long table, finding him at the end, a newspaper in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. I can only see his top half, but I note he’s casual today, wearing a simple black crew-neck T-shirt. His hair is a damp mess, his stubble bristlier than usual.

He looks . . . completely and utterly breathtaking.

I stand awkwardly at the entrance, fiddling with the tie of the robe while he slowly places his cup down blindly, watching me.

‘Morning.’ He eventually breaks the silence with his rough but soft greeting.

‘Morning,’ I parrot, my mouth beginning to water when I catch a whiff of freshly brewed coffee. The atmosphere is difficult, neither of us forthcoming with conversation, and I think about Theo’s mother telling me to be patient. Easier said than done when you’re dealing with such complexity.

A loud sigh travels down the table towards me and Theo drops his paper. ‘Please, Izzy, come and sit with me.’ He pulls out the chair next to him.

It’s not only Theo’s request that kicks my legs into action, it’s the aroma of that coffee. I settle on the chair and nod when he holds up the coffee pot. ‘Where did you sleep last night?’ I ask while he pours. There were no signs that he’d joined me in bed. The covers on the other side were untouched, and I couldn’t smell him on the sheets. The thought of the state of me and Theo looking at my drunken, unconscious being in his bed makes me shrink in my chair as I bring my coffee cup to my lips.