Black Diaries

81. A True Gentleman

He didn't do it! Can you believe it? The bloody bugger—excuse my British English—actually didn't do it! Wasn't it just my luck that out of all the insanely hot, handsome doctors I could have dragged into my bedroom that night I had to choose one who also happened to be a freaking gentleman? The doctors in medical dramas were never gentlemen! They always succumbed to the innocent sensuality of the heroine sooner rather than later.

And what do you think Roy did?

Nothing!

He didn't even touch me, just lay there on the other side of my giant, four-poster bed, gazing over at me with those dark, enigmatic eyes of his, and oozing sexiness. Needless to say that if his intention in staying over had really been to make sure that I slept safely that night, he failed utterly and completely. I didn't sleep at all that night. My heart was going far too fast to even think of it.

Ba-boom, ba-boom...

Oh my God, oh my God, he's there! Just inches away from me! I could just reach out and—

Ba-boom, ba-boom...

No! Don't reach out! Bad Cassy! Bad!

Ba-boom, ba-boom...

But would it really be so bad? Surely, he wouldn't mind. I mean, he called me his girl. That's what men do with their girl, don't they?

Ba-boom, ba-boom...

No, no, no! Show some freaking dignity! He rejected you, remember?

Ba-boom, ba-boom...

Yes, but only because he's such a gentleman... sigh...

That's what it was like the whole night long—at least until five am the next morning. Even the most gorgeous man can only keep a girl's heart pounding in overdrive for so long, and by the time the glowing lights of the alarm clock on the bedside table signaled five am, my eyelids were beginning to droop, and his gorgeousness was turning first blurry, then gloomy, then disappeared into blackness altogether.

When I woke up the next morning—or I suppose it was later that same morning—early winter sunlight was filtering through the curtains and the spot on the other side of the bed was empty. Instinctively, I knew where to go. As if drawn by my very own special form of magnetism, I slid out of bed and moved towards the small dining room.

The room that had been in absolute chaos last night was totally transformed. The window panes had been fixed. A vase full of beautiful violet winter flowers sat on the table, which was impeccably set. Roy was just shoveling bacon and eggs out of a pan onto two plates.

Biting my lip to keep the moisture out of my eyes, I stepped forward.

"Roy!"

He glanced up, flashing me a smile that almost knocked me off my feet. "Hello, Cassy."

"Roy! You did all that?"

"Yep. I hope you like bacon."

I gave him a look. "You do know that I have staff, don't you? Including an Italian chef and three undercooks?"

He shrugged. "That's not the point." Stepping towards me, that smile on his face again, he cupped my face with his hands, gazing deep into my eyes. "I want to care for you. That includes making you a nice breakfast after a harrowing night. It's that simple."

"Really?" I couldn't resist smiling up at him. Just looking at his face brightened my day. Although looking at other, currently clothed parts of him would brighten it a whole lot more! "And what did the Signor Renaldo have to say to your invading his kitchen?"