A Fragile Heart (BBW Billionaire Light Romance) (8 page)

“It belongs to the business, so we do bring clients on board when we want to finalise a deal. Also we charter it out to other firms, and, of course, Graham and his family love to use it whenever they can. He's got loads of cousins, uncles, aunts and so on and they’re all very close. I envy him his family life sometimes. Then, of course, Olivia liked to bring her celebrity friends ... It was a perfect playground for them.”

Elena held her breath. Part of her wanted to know more about Olivia, but at the same time she was wary of pushing for more information about Guy's difficult marriage, as it seemed to be a sensitive subject, which he would only bring up when he was ready, not to mention the huge dent in her confidence that appeared whenever Olivia’s name was mentioned. So instead, she changed tack slightly.

“Have you and Graham been partners for long?” she enquired.

Guy took a sip of his wine then turned towards her.

“When I first started to make money I just kept re-investing, looking for the next project. There was more money coming in than I knew what to do with, and it was all a bit disorganised. I was at a hotel in Chester when I got talking to Graham at the bar. He was there for some banking convention, not long out of uni with a first in Economics, working at a merchant bank and bored out of his mind. I could see the potential in him. He was totally wasted in what he was doing and I knew that I needed more professional help.”

Elena wondered what it would be like to have more money than she knew what to do with. But it just wasn't possible; she could think of
hundreds
of ways to spend it.

“So you offered him a job?” she asked.

“Best thing I ever did,” he replied. “He was staggered when he first saw how much investment there was. He tidied up all the money side, found offices, hired staff, and put the business on a proper footing. After two years we officially became Silverton Associates. I do the deals, I'm the front man because I'm pretty ruthless and take the risks when it comes to business deals, and he's the good guy, meaning he keeps the books straight. It's a perfect combination.”

Elena knew that it must be much more complicated than that, as this was a multi national business he was describing, after all. For a moment she considered asking him about the newspaper article and photo she’d seen online of Graham and his wife and Guy with that elegant brunette at some function, but the moment soon passed.

“Of course we’ve expanded since then, but any time the taxman wants to come calling I have every faith in Graham.”

The was a slight swell on the sea and Elena rolled gently across the deck towards Guy. As she reached his side she put her arms around his athletic, bronzed body and held him tightly.

“I wish this could go on forever,” she said as she snuggled close, her head spinning as she breathed in his delicious scent.

 
She felt a slight tension in his body and wished she could take back those words she’d just spoken; she shouldn't have presumed anything about the future and it seemed that perhaps she’d spoiled the moment.

However, Guy held her close in his arms.

“There’s something I have to tell you about my divorce,” he began hesitantly, and Elena waited nervously. It was only natural that she wanted to know as much as possible about Guy's previous life, but, at the same time, she wondered just what he was going to reveal.

“As I told you, Olivia was younger than me and intent on her modelling career. She always had eating problems and often seemed to be suffering with sickness. I suspected that it was bulimia but she always denied it.”

Guy sat up, keeping his arms around Elena, but looking away now, out into the night, over the dark sea, as though he found it hard to talk. There was a long pause before he continued speaking.

“We'd been married three years. I was going away on business to Dubai and I thought she seemed even thinner and paler than usual. I said that she should book herself into a health spa while I was away, or I could arrange for a consultant to see her. She said she was fine and would sort everything out herself, that it was nothing to worry about. Well, my trip turned out to be longer than I’d expected and I was away for nearly two weeks. When I got back she was really frail looking and I
 
lost my temper with her, saying I was going to book her into a private clinic myself, whether she liked it or not ... But told me I was too late, the reason for the latest bouts of sickness had been that she was pregnant, and while I was away she’d had an abortion."

“Oh Guy, how terrible,” Elena said, shocked. “Why on earth did she do that?”

“Because she ‘couldn't stand the thought of getting fat,’ as she put it. She thought that having a baby would ruin her body, disfigure her somehow. She killed our child without even telling me, Elena ... I was going to be a father.”

Elena held him close, wishing
 
she could find the right words to say.
 

There was
so
much more to this man's past than she’d ever imagined. Tonight he had obviously wanted to tell her about Olivia. At the same time she was afraid that she might blunder in with too much sympathy and make a mistake, so she kept silent, listening to the gentle lapping of the waves, wondering if he might go on with his story.

“So,” he continued, “you can see that marriage didn't work out for me. I've just concentrated on work since then, which seems to be the answer.”

“I'm glad you told me.”
 

Getting beneath Guy's protective shield was like peeling one layer from an onion, only to find yet more and more beneath.
 

I only hope it doesn't make me cry if I finally get to the heart of it
, thought Elena.
 

There it was – marriage had been a disaster for him and he obviously wasn’t looking for any long-term involvement.
 

At least he was being up-front with her, and she knew a little more where she stood.
 
If only she hadn't fallen in love with him and could be more casual.
 

Try to live for the moment
, she thought to herself.
Just enjoy what we have now, and don't think any further.
 

“We'll be in the Bay of Naples tomorrow,” Guy said. “Have you ever visited Sorrento?” He obviously wanting to change the subject and lighten the mood.

“No, I've never been to Italy before, full stop,” Elena replied, deliberately keeping her own voice light and enthusiastic.
 

“Well, we could have a few days ashore, if you like? I know a good hotel and we could do some sight-seeing. Plenty of culture and there are some nice shops, too. I want to buy you something.”

“No more presents, Guy. You've given me more than enough already. This is all so new to me. I'm bowled over by it. So just let's enjoy exploring Italy,” Elena replied.

Chapter Thirteen

With the Santa Maria moored out in the bay, Dimitri used the motor boat to drop Guy and Elena at the harbour of Marina Grande, and Carlos accompanied them to the hotel with their cases. Elena was no longer intimidated to find that the hotel was very elegant and grand, and that Guy had reserved a suite of rooms with a balcony overlooking the sea. She felt that she was becoming quickly adjusted to this luxurious lifestyle.

The manager welcomed Guy warmly, shaking his hand and ushering them to the lift with a flow of greetings. Elena was surprised to hear Guy replying in fluent Italian and wondered if he had any further connections to the area.
 

When will I cease to be amazed by this man's hidden talents
, she thought.
 

Of course, she had to remind herself that she still didn't actually know him that well; the relationship had happened so quickly, maybe he could speak several languages.

“They seem to know you well,” she remarked as she began to unpack her case, but Guy only smiled and strolled out onto the balcony.

“And we must have been given the best rooms, just look at the view,” she called after him. “I don't suppose this is one of your leisure investments?” She had been partly joking, but Guy simply nodded, as he leaned against the rail.
   

“You could say I have interests here,” he said.
 

§

Elena was enchanted by Sorrento as they wandered the narrow streets and stopped for an espresso in the Piazza Tasso. They watched the cosmopolitan groups of tourists and locals drifting by as they soaked up the sun. To Elena the background noise of scooters buzzing by and the general snatches of lively conversations was all new and intriguing. She’d not travelled far before, her only holidays being with friends to the usual hot spots young people often chose: Ibiza and Majorca.
 

Italy felt different. The mixture of the lively Italian background and culture was appealing to Elena, and she hoped that they would be able to do some exploring while ashore.
 

“This is great, thanks Guy,” she said.

“If you feel like a stroll, there's a lemon and orange farm which still stands right in the middle of town,” he said. “Let me show you ...”

They walked in the orchards among the fruit trees, an unexpected rural idyll only a short walk away from the centre of town. It was so peaceful here, it was hard to believe they weren’t deep in the countryside. The whole area had probably been lemon groves in the past, Elena realised, and as the town spread, only this small oasis remained.

At a stall in the centre, Elena was invited to try the famous Limoncello drink and Guy insisted on buying her a bottle.

“Let's go back to the hotel and drink some on the balcony,” she suggested.

§

“Have you been here many times, you seem to know it so well?” Elena asked.

They were sitting on the balcony of the hotel now, looking out over the Bay of Naples. Just beyond the harbour they could see the Santa Maria, and Elena found it incredible that only this morning she’d actually woken up on that sleek, white boat.

“I try to come to Italy when I can,” Guy answered. “I find it a place that helps me relax. “Tomorrow I thought I would hire a car and we can do the drive down to Amalfi. The coastline is spectacular, as long as you aren't afraid of twisting roads with sheer drops and, of course, Italian drivers!”

“Anything you like,” she answered.

“
Anything
?"

 
Guy leaned over and spoke something gently and suggestively in her ear. Elena giggled as he guided her back into the bedroom.
 
She’d started to overcome all her previous awkwardness and inhibitions about her body and now she delighted in their closeness, which seemed to increase, each day they were together.
 

Life is just about perfect
, she thought to herself, as they lay down on the bed, eagerly undressing each other.
Remember this moment …

§

The car was waiting outside the hotel for them the next morning. Of course, it had to be an open top sports car in dramatic red, just the thing she would’ve expected Guy to hire for their drive.
 

“Have you been in a Ferrari before?” he asked as she tried to get into the low seat as gracefully as possible, wishing that she’d opted to wear casual jeans and a t-shirt instead of the pretty lemon sundress and strappy sandals. She hadn't been able to resist taking advantage of her new wardrobe of designer clothes. She still felt excited when she went through the wardrobe deciding what to wear, and took delight in changing several times a day.
 

Once, she’d caught a glimpse of Guy's face when she appeared on the boat for dinner and had chosen an elegant chiffon shift dress. She remembered that Olivia had been a model and wondered if, maybe, she had overdone the dressing up. She determined to dress casually in Sorrento; she wanted to please Guy, not appear to be trying to look too glamorous.

“You must know the answer to that,” Elena replied, smiling.

“Then do you want the safe drive or the exciting one?”

How could anything be less than exciting with Guy, Elena reflected as the little car negotiated the narrow streets of Sorrento heading for the coast road.
 
In fact, she felt as though she was on a roller coaster, one new exciting adventure after another.
 

She looked across at Guy, dressed in navy chinos and a casual white polo shirt, with his dark hair and expensive sunglasses: he could have stepped straight from the pages of some exclusive magazine.
 

She was getting to know him little by little, but when she saw how easily he fitted into this lifestyle, she knew that there was a lot more to discover.
 
What a transformation there must have been from that unhappy, poor boy from the East End of London into this assured billionaire.
 

The drive along the coast was just as delightful as he’d promised. While Guy kept his attention on the snaking road, Elena looked down the steep drop to the sapphire sea below. Pastel coloured houses clung precariously to the cliff sides, the narrow streets winding down to small harbours.
 

“That’s Positano down there,” Guy said. “We could come tomorrow and explore if you like? We'll walk down to the bottom. It's very steep.”

At Amalfi they ate pasta at a restaurant overlooking the beach and sipped ice cold Prosecco.
 

And afterwards they wandered the narrow streets, where Guy led Elena to a jeweller's shop.

“Have a look inside,” he insisted, ushering her in. “Choose something to remind you of today.”

It was cool and quiet inside the shop and as Elena drifted along, looking at the displays of gold, silver, diamonds and exquisite jewellery and watches, she knew that Guy was not going to let her out of the shop without buying something and so took her time deciding. At the side, in a small glass case, she saw just the sort of modest thing she was looking for.

“There,” she said. “I'd like
that
bracelet please.”

Guy looked at her with a mixture of frustration and amusement, but he nodded to the assistant who took out the small coral bracelet, probably the most inexpensive item in the whole shop, and fastened it onto Elena's bronzed wrist.