One Night in London (12 page)

“Yes, sir.”

Walking over to the bar, I poured myself a drink and took it out on the patio. I couldn’t shake the thoughts that were swimming around in my head about Chloe. This weekend was good, really good, and I enjoyed spending time with her. Feeling her naked body pressed against mine while we slept did wonders for me. I hadn’t slept that good in years, actually, not since London. I pulled my ringing phone from my pocket and noticed it was the Palazzo Hotel calling.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Mr. Bennett, this is Cassandra at the Palazzo Hotel. I just wanted to inform you that your hotel bill was already paid, so we won’t be charging the credit card you have on file.”

“What do you mean it’s already been paid? By whom?”

“The woman that was staying in the room with you. She left cash in an envelope this morning at the front desk with a note stating that the room was to be paid for using that.”

Shaking my head, I sighed. “Okay. Thank you for calling and letting me know.”

That woman. I couldn’t believe she did that. I quickly typed out a text message but deleted it. I wanted her to hear the anger in my voice.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Chloe, it’s Sebastian. What the hell were you thinking?” I asked in a stern voice.

“Hi, Sebastian. What are you talking about?”

“I just received a call from the hotel we stayed at in Vegas. They kindly informed me that you paid the hotel bill with the cash you won.”

“Oh. Yeah. It was their money anyway, so why not give it back? Why are you so mad about it?”

I could feel the heat rising inside my veins.

“Because that was your money!” I shouted. “I told you to go and buy something nice with it and you chose to pay the goddamn hotel bill instead.”

“First of all, you need to calm down. Second of all, if you claim it was my money, then I can choose to spend it however I want to and I chose to pay the hotel bill.”

I clenched my fist and slowly closed my eyes for a moment to keep from really losing my cool with her.

“I am more than capable of paying the hotel bill!” I shouted.

“Breathe, Sebastian.”

“What?”

“Take in a long deep breath. Do you meditate?”

“What? Meditate? No, I don’t meditate!”

“Well, you should. Now I have to go. I’m in the middle of taking a relaxing bath and you so rudely interrupted me with this hotel nonsense.”

I heard a click and pulled my phone from my ear. She hung up on me. Damn her.

“It seems Miss Kane has you all worked up.” Eli smiled as he walked out on the patio.

“Can you believe that she paid the hotel bill with the money she won in Vegas?” I threw back my drink.

“That was nice of her.”

“Nice of her? It was stupid. I told her to go buy something nice for herself. Then she said it was the hotel’s money anyway, so why not give it back. What kind of fucking reasoning is that?”

“The reasoning of a woman who doesn’t believe in material things.”

Rolling my eyes, I went back inside and poured another bourbon.

“Yeah, well, whether she believes in them or not, she shouldn’t have done that. And another thing, do you know she won all that money because the sun was in Leo and I lost thousands last night because supposedly we’re in a Venus retrograde?”

“Huh. She’s into astrology. Interesting.” He smirked.

I shook my finger at him. “Do you know what she just asked me?”

“What?”

“She asked me if I meditate. She’s way out there, Eli. Her mother is a spiritual advisor and her dad is a musician on the streets of the New York.”

He just stood there with a grin on his face. “Yeah. She’s way out there all right. Too good for you, may I add.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I’ll see you tomorrow unless you need me to drive you somewhere tonight.”

“No.” I waved my hand. “I’m in for the night. I have work to do.”

He walked away and I finished off my drink.

“Mr. Bennett,” Karina spoke. “Dinner will be ready shortly.”

“Thank you, Karina.”

I went to my room and changed out of my clothes and into something a little more comfortable. Taking a seat at the dining table, I began to eat my dinner. For the first time in two and a half days, I was alone. Which was good, right? She annoyed me at times. Got under my skin and made me question why I even brought her to Vegas. I smiled at the thought of her. Shaking my head, I made all thoughts disappear. I needed to focus on other things, like business. I didn’t become what I was today by slacking on my work. The only way to get her completely off my mind was to avoid all contact with her for a while. I had a deal that was ready to go through and it was an important one. One that would make me millions.

Chloe

“Y
ou probably emasculated him,” Sienna said as she bit into her turkey avocado wrap.

“No. Sebastian would never feel like that.”

“Really? He’s a hot and sexy gazillionaire. Do you actually think some of the women he’s been with have ever paid his hotel bill? It’s what he does, Chloe. He’s rich, powerful, and from what I can tell, a control freak. You, my loving spirited friend, who tries to make everyone happy by doing the right thing, emasculated him.”

“Ugh.” I took a sip of my water.

After finishing our lunch, Sienna left the gallery and headed back to work. I couldn’t help but wonder if what she said was true. Oh well, I had too much work to do to get ready for Caden’s exhibition to worry about Sebastian feeling emasculated.

As I was standing in front of the wall with a swatch of paint samples in my hand, I heard Connor and Ellery walk up the stairs. Turning around, Ellery gave me a hug.

“I heard you were in Vegas with Sebastian. How did it go?”

“It went great. We had a good time and a lot of fun.”

She stared at me with a smirk on her face. A smirk that told me she wanted all the juicy details.

“Have you decided on a color?” Connor asked.

“Almost. It’s between these two.” I held the swatches up against the wall.

“Both are great choices.” He smiled. “Have you contacted the painter?”

“Yes, and he said just to let him know when I pick a color and he’ll be right over. He said it should only take a day to get it done.”

“Good. So, things went well with Sebastian?” Connor asked in a weird way.

“Yes.” I narrowed my eye at him. “Did you think they wouldn’t?”

“Oh. No. Not at all. I was just asking.”

“What Connor means is that Sebastian has quite a reputation for being a ladies’ man and—”

I put my hand up.

“I know all about his reputation. It’s sweet that the two of you worry about me, but you don’t have to. I can take care of myself where Sebastian Bennett is concerned.”

Ellery scrunched up her nose. “I know you can,” she spoke as she placed her hands on my shoulders.

“I do have a question for you, Connor.”

“What is it?”

“Pretend you and Ellery weren’t married and you just started seeing each other and you took her on a trip with you. Would you have a problem if she paid the hotel bill?”

“I would never let her, so it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Let’s say she threw some cash in an envelope and sneaked it down to the front desk without you knowing.”

His eyebrow arched. “Well, if that was the case, I would have a problem with it. I invited her to go with me, so it would be my responsibility to pay the bill. Why? Did you pay the hotel bill?” He smirked.

“Sebastian gave me some money before he left for his meeting in case I wanted to go down to the casino. I tried to refuse it, but he was very adamant that I took it. So I played a little blackjack and won a lot of money. After arguing when I tried to give him all the money since I won it with what he gave me, he took back the amount he gave and told me to keep the rest and buy something nice with it.”

“How sweet.” Ellery smiled.

Connor looked over at her with a frown. “I do that all the time.”

She patted his arm.

“I didn’t feel right keeping it, and Sebastian wouldn’t take it back, so I paid the hotel bill. After all, it was the casino’s money, so I was just giving it back to them. The hotel ended up calling Sebastian and telling him about it and he was a bit angry.”

Connor scratched his head. “You gave the money back to the hotel?”

“Technically, since it was their money I won.”

“Aw, that was so nice of you to do that, sweetie.” Ellery smiled.

“It wasn’t my money to keep anyway, but Sebastian can’t understand that.”

“I don’t blame him. I can’t understand it either,” Connor spoke.

“Of course you don’t, Connor. You’re money hungry.” Ellery frowned. “You did a great thing, Chloe, and if Sebastian is angry over it, too bad.”

“My friend Sienna said that he probably feels emasculated.”

“I’m sure he does,” Connor spoke.

“Well, he did lose a crap load of money the night before. I warned him not to gamble, since we were in the beginning of a Venus retrograde.”

“Huh?” Connor cocked his head.

Ellery stood there and shook her head at him. “Come on, Connor, you have a meeting to get to and I have some shopping to do with Peyton. We’ll talk later and see you tonight at dinner. Per Se at seven thirty.”

“Looking forward to it.” I smiled.

I was meeting Connor and Ellery for dinner. It wasn’t just any ordinary dinner. It was a celebratory dinner for the success of opening night at the gallery. Both had felt bad that they didn’t get a chance to do it sooner, but as far as I was concerned, they didn’t need to do it at all. After they left, I examined the swatches one last time and finally picked a color.

****

Sebastian

I
hadn’t contacted Chloe all week after our little discussion about the hotel bill. I was still pissed off that she would do that and not even tell me. As I was sitting at my desk, my phone rang. It was Serena.

“Hello, Serena.”

“Your voice is music to my ears, Sebastian. I haven’t heard from you in a while. How about dinner tonight?”

Leaning back in my chair, I placed my hand on my forehead.

“Sure. Why not? Where do you want to meet?”

“How about Per Se at seven o’clock?”

“Very good. I’ll see you at seven.”

Serena was a woman whom I saw on occasion. She was the daughter of J.P Morgan of JP Morgan Chase. She was classy, elegant, and sophisticated. She was exactly what I needed right now.

“I just have to change my clothes,” I spoke to Eli as we entered the penthouse.

“Are we picking Miss Kane up?” he asked.

I stopped and looked at him. “I’m not seeing Chloe tonight. I’m having dinner with Serena.”

“I see.” He frowned.

After changing and dabbing on some more Armani cologne, Eli and I headed to the limo.

“Have you spoken to Chloe since your little irate phone call to her?”

“No. Why would I?”

“You did take her on a trip, Sebastian.”

“So what. Like I said before, it didn’t mean anything. You know me, Eli. I don’t attach myself to anyone.”

“I know, but I thought this time—”

“You thought wrong. So please, keep your opinions to yourself.”

“I’ve known you for many years, Sebastian, and this woman has affected you like no other woman has in your lifetime.”

“No she hasn’t, so don’t go assuming things you know nothing about.”

He rolled his eyes and drove me to Per Se.

Chloe

C
onnor, Ellery, and I arrived at the restaurant at the same time. After promptly being seated, Connor ordered a bottle of wine. Once the glasses were filled, Connor held his up.

“To a very successful opening night and to the woman who made it happen.” He smiled.

“I second that.” Ellery held up her glass.

“Thank you. But this wasn’t necessary. You already know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

“It was necessary and we appreciate everything you’ve done for us and the gallery.” Ellery smiled.

After looking over our menus, we placed our dinner order and I looked around the restaurant.

“This place is so—” I stopped midsentence and stared across the room.

“What’s wrong?” Connor asked.

“Umm.” My eyes wouldn’t leave the table where Sebastian and a woman were sitting.

Connor and Ellery both turned around and then turned back and looked at me.

“Damn him,” Connor spewed.

“No. No. It’s fine. Trust me.” I gave a fake smile. “I was just a little surprised. I’m okay.”

“We can leave. Right, Connor?” Ellery asked.

“Of course.”

“No. We’re staying and enjoying a wonderful dinner.”

“Are you sure? Do you want me to claw his eyes out?” Ellery pouted.

“Oh, God, Ellery. Please don’t make a scene.” Connor shook his head.

“Thanks for the offer, Ellery, but I’m fine. It’s not like we were a couple or anything. He told me that relationships were off the table. So he can see anybody he wants.”

Hurt coursed through my body and when it reached my heart, it hurt pretty bad. I wanted to cry, but I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t shed a tear for a man who could do what he did.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” Connor spoke as he got up from the table.

Ellery held up her hand and signaled our waiter. “Four shots of Jack Daniels, please.”

“Coming right up, Mrs. Black.”

“When you’re hurting, Jack is the one man you can count on that will always be there for you. He’ll listen and then he’ll make you feel oh so good.” She smiled.

I couldn’t help but laugh. When I looked across the room, I saw Connor stop at Sebastian’s table before returning to ours.

“Shit.” I looked down. “Connor stopped at their table.”

“Of course he did, because he knew I would eventually make it over there.”

Connor came back to the table, and when I looked across the room, Sebastian was staring at me. Like an idiot, I gave him a small smile and wave.

“Did you just smile and wave at him?” Ellery whispered as she leaned across the table.

“Yes.”

“Good job.” She held up her hand for a high five.