My Summer in London (My Summer #1)(38)
After twenty minutes, I had barely made the effort to dry my damp hair before haphazardly knotting it in a loose bun. Donning a cotton, floor-length dress, some light lip gloss, and tinted moisturizer, I made my way downstairs. Most women I knew would probably put more effort into their appearance after last night’s festivities, but with the odd sensation between my legs and with my ever limping confidence, I sort of needed to be comfortable.
Anne quietly greeted me with a smile when she saw me stroll down the hallway that led towards the informal sunroom where Sunday lunches were held. Since it was already about one in the afternoon, I was hoping Margaret had retired already and Cruz would still be in there, comfortably sipping his espresso as he went through the news.
Shaky though my legs were, I couldn’t help feeling anxious as I got closer to my destination. With deep breaths and determination, I stepped into the bright, cozy room.
The white linen sofas were the first thing that caught my eye before I directed my gaze towards the opposite end where the rustic dining table was located. And sure enough, Cruz sat there, just as I had pictured him, with steaming coffee cup on a saucer and the Sunday newspaper claiming his attention.
He seemed so engrossed in his reading that he barely noticed he wasn’t alone in the room. This gave me a chance to take in his chiseled profile and the air of command he carried about him even when he wasn’t in his power suits. How could someone like Cruz Elliot hold interest in me after he got what he had been after?
The pang in my heart made me take a step towards the table before clearing my throat to get his attention.
“Hello,” I murmured with a wan smile, seeming unsure.
His mercurial gaze zeroed in on me, clashing with mine. It took about a second or two before he broke contact, snapping back into his usual demeanor by getting up from his seat and striding towards me.
“You look lovely as always, Serena,” he greeted me with a smile before leaning over to kiss me on the lips.
His gesture took me by surprise. I simply stood there, tense as a piece of wood. My reaction didn’t seem to bother him, though, because his smile was still in place as he pulled out a chair for me to sit.
I demurely thanked him, blushing like a notorious freak as I watched him pour me coffee. Then he basically took it upon himself to choose whatever food to place on my plate from the buffet the in-house chef had prepared for us.
“Thank you … That’s very sweet of you to do that.” It couldn’t be helped; I swooned like any other woman would. His sweet, unexpected gesture touched me deeply.
He carefully placed the plate before me that had a great selection of fresh, roasted vegetables, steak medallions, and grilled seafood. I wasn’t particularly hungry, but since he had put in all that effort, I felt obligated to eat, so I slowly worked on the scrumptious yet heavy meal.
“Did you sleep well?” he inquired softly, still hovering next to me.
“Yes … I guess I did.”
He was making the effort of small talk, and I appreciated it greatly, too nervous to fully function with him so close to me.
“I barely slept a wink after I left you last night …” he began in a low voice, leaning towards me. “You made it impossible for me to sleep after that, knowing you were so close. I had never fought against such powerful urges as those I had to seek you out once more last night. I had to be a true gentleman and let you rest, but I doubt I’d be that accommodating the next time.”
My mouth ran dry at the thought of him coming to me while I slept with naked abandon. What would he have done then?
My mind lingered on the limitless possibilities. The picture he painted in my mind was so vivid I had to shut my thighs together, my pu**y turned on. f*uk me. Why did he have to be so damn sexy?
Holding my breath, I fought the urge to turn my head to the side, kiss him like mad, and ask him to show me what he had in mind. I was turning into a sex addict. Who would have thought? It was insane to be this constantly turned on by a man.
“Please, it’s too early for me to be this … stimulated.” I barely glanced at him. “Give me a chance to breathe and get some caffeine in my system.”
Cruz gave a husky laugh before he gently placed his hand on my chin so our eyes connected. For a moment, we simply took in each other before he left an endearing kiss on my forehead then the tip of my nose and lastly my lips. Then he took his seat across the table.
If I could project how much I was glowing right at that instant, I would probably have enough power to wield electricity to a small city. I felt as though I were floating, and all Cruz had done was kiss me. It was such a simple thing, yet it resulted in so much reaction from me. My pheromones were going haywire. One could only pray that this lurid response would somehow die down soon, because a girl could only take so much mental, visual, and physical stimulation at once.
I felt his expressive, beautiful eyes on me intently as I slowly worked on my meal. I was giddy, so it was hard to hide that fact, and I was smiling like an idiot until my cheek muscles started to protest. It seemed that a lot of my body parts had their own protests going on where Cruz was concerned.
His phone beeped, making him pull it out of his pocket before reading through it with a frown.
Silently watching him as I sipped my coffee, I wondered what the message entailed. I was so engrossed with looking at him that I was caught by surprise when he lifted his eyes and his gaze clashed with mine, giving me the full impact of his formidable stare.