“My room? But I thought…”
Laughing, he shook his head. “Maybe I’m a little old fashioned. Its not that I don’t want to, of course, but I know I can be a little demanding. This way if you think I’m being an asshole again, you have space to yourself.”#p#分页标题#e#
I burst out laughing as I followed him up a large curved marble staircase. Upstairs was more homey. At the top of the stairs was a loft area with a balcony that overlooked the expansive living space below. A honey colored berber carpet covered the floor along the hall and the only hint of the gothic styling of the rest of the mansion were the oversized double doors we passed.
Towards the end of one of the long halls, Will dramatically opened both doors of one of the rooms, stepped aside as he put down my bags.
“Are you going to enter?” He asked, noticing my frozen state.
“I…I…” I tried to speak but words wouldn’t come out. Just the little glimpse of what I saw was too much.
Taking one of my hands in his, with his other hand on the small of my back, he led me into the room. His wood-spice scent mixed with the smell of new furniture and fresh paint and I had to stop again when my legs felt weak.
The room was easily twice the size of my entire apartment. At the center of the room was a king size bed with a plum upholstered headboard. The bedding was reminiscent of the fabric I made the skirt out of with watercolor purple flowers. Next to me was a small sitting area with several plush almond colored chairs with plum throw pillows. Light poured into the sitting area from french doors that opened to a small balcony overlooking a flower garden and a view of the valley.
“What is all this? I mean its beautiful. Its the bedroom of my dreams and even in my favorite color, but…I just don’t understand,” I said as I tore my eyes away from the room to look up into his smiling face.
“I knew you’d like it. I know we’re both busy and I don’t get to see you nearly as much as I would like so I gave you a room here. I want you to move in, but its up to you. You can always just stay here whenever you’d like.”
Speechless, I hugged him tight and felt his strong body slowly relax as he stroked my hair and held me close.
“Sir, dinner is ready,” Stewart said from the hall.
“Seems like we’re always getting interrupted,” Will said as he let me go and we followed Stewart back downstairs and into the formal dining room.
The focal point of the dining room was a long walnut table that could easily seat twenty people. Noticing two settings at either ends of the table, I started to laugh.
“Ok, now you’ve got to be kidding me,” I said.
Will looked at me for a second before laughing too. “I thought you’d like this. Find it all impressive and formal. Don’t women like that? It’s worked before.” He grinned slyly.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I don’t know, maybe some do, but I think this is ridiculous,” I said, trying to stop laughing as I imagined us trying to have a conversation from across the length of the table. “Do you normally eat here?”
“Of course, all the time.” He was serious for a moment and then laughed. “I’ve actually only been in this room a handful of times. Stewart and I usually eat together in the kitchen.”
“Then let’s eat in there. I mean you saw my apartment, I really don’t need all this. And I hope Stewart will be joining us. If you normally eat with him and I’m going to be here more often, then I should get to know him better.”
The kitchen looked like it was suited more for a restaurant than a house. With a walk-in pantry the size of my apartment and walk-in refrigerator and freezer, I was surprised to find them mostly empty.
I set a small chef block style table as Stewart served and Will opened a bottle of wine. Unable to keep my curiosity at bay any longer, I started asking questions.
“Will, you said you’ve lived here all of your life? Is it just the two of you here?”
“We had a smaller home before, but I was little so I don’t remember it. My father made some wise business decisions and that cemented our wealth. This property was a gift to my mother who always loved it. Stewart and I are the only people who live here. There are some housekeepers and gardeners but they come and go.”
“And how long have you known Stewart?”
“Almost my whole life. After my parents passed, it was Stewart who raised me. He used to drive for my father.”
“Oh? I had no idea.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Stewart said. “Will’s parents didn’t have any family. Luckily I had been named guardian or Will would have become a ward of the state.”