Page 63 of Billionaire Grump
There’s a white terrycloth robe in the open closet. I put it on, tying the belt. Then I pick up the hotel phone. For reception, press 1, it reads.
They pick up on the first ring. “Good morning, Miss Ivy. We’ve been waiting for your call. We hope you’ve had a restful sleep. Do you prefer coffee or tea?”
“Um…coffee please. And could I please order some fruit?”
“Do you have any special dietary requirements, Miss Ivy?”
“No, but if you have any fruit?—”
“Mr. Maddox has selected a wide variety of dishes for you, Miss Ivy, among them a platter of fresh-cut organic fruits sourced from ethically-selected growers worldwide, including Hawaiian pineapple, locally-grown watermelon, New Zealand kiwis, coconuts imported earlier this week from Thailand, Georgia peaches, and seventeen others, which I’d be happy to list for you if you’d like.”
“Oh. No, that’s fine.”
“Wonderful. We’ll have your nutritious and rejuvenating breakfast delivered to your room within ten minutes.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Wow, this place has amazing service.
I use the ten minutes to take a quick shower. It’s strangely emotional watching the rivulets of water on the white stone of the shower floor, tinted with my own blood and the evidence of our lovemaking.
It was as beautiful as it possibly could have been. I wish we could do it all over again.
I’m glad I waited for him. Even if I never see him again after tomorrow, I’ll always have this piece of him, this memory of what I can only describe as…well, the best night of my entire life. It sounds dramatic and it is. It felt so good to be treasured. To feel so beautiful that a man like Alexander Maddox couldn’t control himself and didn’t want to. There’s a power to that that I’ll take with me. I’ll hold it—and him—close to my heart for the rest of time.
That might not be the only thing you’re holding.
I’ll deal with everything I need to deal with, like I always do. And I’ll get on with rest of my life.
Hot sex with my fake date was…incredible. But I can’t let myself be deluded into thinking it was more than that. Maybe sex is that connective. How would I know? Maybe it’s one of those things that bonds two people just because it’s the most intimate act of them all.
It felt like more than that.
It felt life-changing and extraordinary. I feel like I could…fall for him. He was so beautiful, so big, so freaking good at?—
There’s a loud knock on the door.
I turn off the shower, quickly dry myself and put my robe on, padding to the door—making a small detour to pull the duvet up over the sheets—to open it.
“Greetings, Miss Ivy.” Three waiters are standing there with rolling trays full of silver domes covering at least twenty different plates, as well as juices, coffee and a bottle of champagne on ice. They start wheeling them into the room.
“Wow, this is so much food.”
“At Mr. Maddox’s insistence, Miss Ivy. He wanted to make sure you had enough to eat.”
A woman dressed in a hotel uniform follows the waiters, carrying a huge bouquet of gorgeous pink peonies. She sets them on the table. “For you, Miss Ivy,” she smiles. “From Mr. Maddox.”
They unload all the plates, removing the silver domes and arranging everything sort of artfully, then they wheel the carts to the door. “Have a wonderful day, Miss Ivy.”
“Thank you.”
I’ve never seen so much food in my life. There’s the fruit platter—which alone could feed me for a week—scrambled eggs, bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers, an antipasto platter, fresh bread with butter and jam, rashers of crispy bacon, hash browns, a basket of croissants, donuts, little cartons of different flavored yogurts, cereal, French toast and waffles with maple syrup.
I couldn’t eat all this in a month, but it does look delicious and my stomach growls again at the sight.
I pour myself a cup of coffee and make a small plate of fruit, adding a few pieces of bacon and a chocolate croissant, carrying it out to the patio, grabbing my phone on the way to check my messages.
It’s a clear, perfect day and very warm. The water is calm and a few boats are out, making wakes. In the distance, along the shore, I can see the rows of chairs lined up in front of the altar and hotel staff busily getting ready for the wedding.