A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance) (7 page)

BOOK: A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance)
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She had made vague protests about having nothing to wear, which Guy said would suit him anyway!
 

She looked back on those last few weeks of preparation as though viewing another world. Guy had arranged for her to have a personal shopper available for an appointment at one of London's most exclusive department stores. Elena had been overwhelmed and totally unfocused as the attractive but somewhat intimidating woman plied her with questions about what sort of new wardrobe she was looking for.

“I don't know,” Elena said. “I'm going on a private boat for a couple of weeks, finishing up in Italy. I haven't done anything like this before, and to be honest, I don't have a
clue
what to take.”

The elegant woman had softened then, looking at Elena with an experienced eye.

“Well, let me bring you lots of different items suitable for that – shorts, tops, swimming costumes, sundresses, wraps for the evening in case it gets chilly, sandals, deck shoes, then maybe some more formal wear for when you go ashore. Try them all on, see what you think. There's no hurry we have all the time we want and we can take it from there.”

“What about sizes?” Elena had never managed to feel comfortable in admitting her need for the cut of more generous clothes.

“Just leave that all to me,” the woman said. “I can see just what would suit you.”

Elena became worried as the fitting room began to fill up with all those insanely-expensive, designer items.

“I can't afford all these in a million years!” she wailed.

“Don’t worry. It's all already taken care of. An open ended account. Just try everything on, choose whatever you want. It sounds like the holiday of a lifetime, and if you want my advice? Make the most of it. These sort of things don't happen to everyone.”

The woman was right.
 

Elena remembered only a few weeks previously, when she’d thrown all her clothes onto the bed in the hope of finding something decent to wear, that first time she went out with Guy, despairing that she had nothing suitable. And now here she was with the pick of piles of designer items, all perfectly sized and picked out to enhance her figure! For once in her life, Elena had thrown caution to the wind, and went with the idea.
 

She spent most of the day trying on different outfits, enjoying the extensive range and realised that the personal shopper had selected items that were both sensational to wear but also made the most of her generous curves, rather than hiding them away. And she began to grow in confidence as she saw herself transformed in the mirror, and with a little encouragement chose a whole beautiful new wardrobe of clothes.

She didn't ask what the prices were. Guy had told her to shop here, so she was going to obey.

A slight note of warning echoed deep inside her, though. How many other women had he done this for? Obviously he knew how to arrange this special treatment.
 

His ex-wife Olivia had been indulged by him, but what about others, too?
 

She pushed the thought aside; perhaps sometimes it was better to be happily ignorant ...

§

When she’d asked Yvonne if she could book two weeks holiday in May, Yvonne had been surprised.

"Taking an early holiday, somewhere in the sun?" she asked.

And Elena had felt slightly guilty that she hadn't been keeping her up to date about her romantic involvement, even though she’d been a good friend since Elena had worked at the agency Yvonne, however,
 
was very shrewd in matters of romance and looked closely at her.

“It's a man isn't it? That one you see sometimes on Sundays. He must be something special, ‘cause you look different somehow ... Sort of glowing.”

Elena had decided she must tell Yvonne at least some of the truth, after all she would be needing her job in the future, and she couldn't gamble everything on this unexpected holiday with Guy as nothing had been discussed about what would happen after the break. It was dangerous to put too much store on what was happening, but she couldn't bring herself to think about any possibility of a more permanent relationship, either.
Just enjoy the present
, she kept telling herself,
for however long it lasts.

“You’ve got it,” she said. “It’s the guy I’ve been seeing recently. But the thing is, he’s quite well off and wants to take me away on a chartered boat ... So you see that I don't want to say too much around the office at the moment in case everything goes wrong.”


How
well off?” Yvonne asked, intrigued.

“Seriously rich,” Elena whispered back, “and to be honest I think I’m a bit out of my depth ...”

§

Josh had been less easy to talk to.

“You don't really know this man,” he’d said when she told him she was going away “Who is he, apart from being super rich? He could turn out to be a weirdo and you’d be stuck out there on the sea with him. Why doesn't he take you somewhere where there are other people? And why you, anyway? Hasn't he got any
rich
female friends he can take along!”

Elena had been shocked by such a strong reaction from her brother.

“You can't say you don't trust him just because of the money,” she argued back, shaking her head, feeling her frustration mounting. “He's told me about it, and he’s earned every penny himself. He didn't come from a rich family. And I suppose what you really mean is why does he want an overweight twenty-eight-year-old with no background, when he could have his pick of beautiful, cultured women, right?”

“You've never brought him here. I just don't know him, that’s all,” Josh mumbled, slamming out of the door.

It was true, she’d admitted to herself. She
had
kept Josh and her modest surroundings in the background, perhaps because she was a little ashamed of the tiny flat and worried what Guy would make of her brother and his ‘laid-back’ lifestyle.

Sipping the ice-cold champagne, Elena thought back over the disagreement with her brother. It was unusual for them to have a real row, and afterwards she’d been shaken.
 

Things hadn’t thawed out between them before it was time for her to fly to Nice and she hoped that he would come round to the idea of Guy when they returned, at least.
 

She made up her mind that the two should really meet as soon as possible. If there were going to be problems with Josh's attitude it might be better to get it out into the open.

But there on deck, London, the tiny flat and the office all seemed a million miles away.
   

“You look as though you were day dreaming,” Guy said, flopping down on the adjoining sun lounger and taking a bottle of beer from the ice bucket, his bronzed skin shining with sun cream, his body so perfect, so toned and athletic it took Elena’s breath away every time she let her eyes stray over it. “Penny for your thoughts?” he said, seemingly unaware of her hungry gaze, as he flipped the top from the ice cold beer bottle.

“Oh, just thinking about Josh,” Elena replied.

“The one you haven't introduced me to,” Guy said.

Elena thought for a moment, then decided that it was only fair to fill Guy in on the situation. So she told him the whole story about Josh leaving uni and the fact that their parents knew nothing about it, his determination to try and make it in the world of music, and about the chaotic living arrangements in the tiny flat.

“So, you were ashamed of where you live, and assumed I might think your brother was some kind of layabout,” Guy stated once she’d finished.

“I suppose so.”

“And how does Josh feel about me?” Guy leaned towards her and gently stroked her arm.

“He thinks you’ve brought me onto the wild seas to have your wicked way with me,” Elena laughed.

“He's probably right.”
 

Guy lay back on his lounger, placing his hands behind his head, his muscular body gleaming in the sun. He seemed so totally relaxed out here, away from the strain of business calls and decisions, like a different person. Elena wondered how long it had been since he’d allowed himself to take a holiday, rather than pushing himself to make deals. The new, laid back Guy was a surprise to her.

§

On the first night, as they joined the boat at Nice, Elena had been staggered by the sight of the sixty metre cruiser moored in the harbour. Guy had shown her around – sumptuous staterooms panelled in
 
rich walnut wood and fitted with pale leather sofas, expensive Turkish rugs, a bar and dining areas. There were several bedrooms, luxury bathrooms and on deck a spa pool and jacuzzi, too.
 

He’d introduced her to the Greek skipper, Dimitri, and his mate, Carlos. Dimitri took care of all the driving, navigation and maintenance, whilst Carlos kept the staterooms tidy and prepared meals. As Guy explained, all Elena had to do was relax, swim, sunbathe and generally enjoy herself.

She’d slowly unpacked her new clothes, lingering over the exquisite materials as she hung dresses in the wardrobes and filled the drawers of one of the dressers. She had never before been able to afford expensive clothes and took a delight in just
looking
at them and running the delicate fabrics softly through her fingers.

 
She decided freshen up with a shower, feeling so
pampered
in that vast, tiled, walk-in cubicle with its amazing power shower and expensive, beautifully-scented lotions. As she emerged from the bathroom, dressed only in a white towelling robe and scented with delicate perfume, Guy was waiting in the bedroom with two glasses of chilled champagne, his casual linen shirt unbuttoned enticingly at the neck, his handsome face breaking out in a smile when he saw her.

“Here's to the holiday,” he said gently. “I hope you will let yourself enjoy it, Elena.”
 

“It's all so fabulous,” she replied happily. “I’m finding it difficult to believe it isn't all a dream.”
 

Elena drank quickly, feeling her heart begin to drum as she realized what was probably about to happen next, putting down her glass on the beautiful dresser unit as Guy walked purposefully towards her. He put his arms out and, grasping her upper arms, then pulled her hungrily towards him.

“You can't keep putting me off forever,” he whispered in her ear, as he slid the robe down slightly from her shoulders.

“But it's been
so
long. I don't have much confidence in myself,” she murmured, shivering apprehensively but at the same time melting beneath his touch.

“You're beautiful, Elena, just believe it,” Guy said as he nuzzled her hair, “Amazing hair,” his lips moved to her neck, “creamy skin,” he kissed her shoulder, “luscious curves ...”

He took something from the dresser and placed it around her neck. It felt heavy but at the same time it quickly warmed to the temperature of her skin.

“It's a torque,” he explained, his breath hot against her cheek. “Like the one you admired in the museum. I had it made for you.”

“I suppose it's gold?” Elena asked slipping her fingers through the delicate necklace.

She took a deep breath, then let the robe fall to the ground and stood before him naked apart from the heavy circle of gold around her neck, breathing unevenly, but enjoying the deepening of desire in his eyes as his gaze travelled hungrily over her body.

“You look just like a warrior queen,” Guy said, his voice low and deep, his eyes burning, his thick sensual lips curling in a smile.
 

And with that, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the vast bed ...

Chapter Twelve

The sunny days passed, gliding gently one into another as the boat followed the Italian coastline. Elena and Guy spent the time swimming, sunbathing, relaxing and making love, both of them so hungry for each other.
 

At times the yacht would moor out to sea and Guy would take the small motor boat to an empty, sandy cove.
 
Elena had overcome her inhibitions about her size and was no longer afraid of being seen naked, swimming in the warm sea and lying together on the sand.
 

Later, back on the boat, she would relax in the spa pool or jacuzzi, swept away by the sheer delight of being with Guy in such luxurious surroundings.
 

As the days passed her skin warmed to a pale honey colour and her tawny, curly hair became streaked by the sun with natural blonde highlights. She felt toned by all the swimming and invigorated by the salty air. And at night, after a gourmet dinner and wine, they lay on their backs on the foredeck looking up at the twinkling expanse of stars.

“They seem so much
brighter
out here,” Elena observed.

“That's because there is no artificial light,” Guy answered warmly.

“I think I can actually see the Milky Way.”

He slipped his hand gently over hers, his touch one more igniting that trembling flame inside her.

“Are you happy, Elena?” he asked.

“Completely.”

But how
could
she possibly give a totally truthful answer to a question like that? She was enjoying every moment of this new experience and would remember it forever. But still, she couldn't help the small worries that crept into the edges of her mind ...

What would happen once the holiday was over? Would Guy want to continue the relationship once they were back in London? Or was this just a holiday romance? And above all, how well did she really know this intriguing man?
 

He was tender and considerate and seemed to be content in her company. She knew that she was falling deeply in love with him, but still felt that he was way out of her league, with his wealth and different lifestyle which still intimidated her so. And after her previous experience she herself was nervous about any future plans, and had no idea how Guy felt about any idea of commitment after his divorce from Olivia.
 

“I don't think I've used this boat for pleasure enough in the past,” he said.

“Is it worth it?” she asked. “I mean, it must be so
expensive
to maintain if you only use it occasionally.”

BOOK: A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance)
3.74Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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