Splendor(62)

Ian helped her out of the car, then went around to the driver’s side to speak to Simon briefly. Then he was taking Tessa by the hand and leading her up to the wide front door. He drew out his phone and punched in a code, explaining that he was disengaging the alarm system. He unlocked the door and ushered her inside, and Tessa could only stare in stunned disbelief.

The foyer of his home was nearly as large as her entire apartment, and she swiftly took in as many details as possible – from the high ceilings to the polished oak floors to the wide staircase that led to the upper and lower floors of the grand house. There was beautiful artwork on the walls and a plush Persian carpet covering part of the floor. She had never been inside such a magnificent, elegant home before, and she had barely begun to see any of it.

“Let me take your coat, Tessa,” offered Ian, as his hands went to her shoulders. As she unbuttoned it and he helped her remove it, he added teasingly, “I promise to return it to you, despite my jealousy.”

She gave a nervous little laugh as he opened an entryway closet and hung both of their coats inside. She left her purse on a long, low table that held a fabulous floral arrangement inside a porcelain bowl with an Oriental design.

She had feared she’d feel cold without her coat, but Ian’s home was blissfully warm and cozy, a far cry from her old, drafty apartment. To save money on her heating bill, she usually kept the heater turned off these days, choosing instead to bundle up in multiple layers to keep warm.

“Here, we’ll give you the grand tour,” said Ian as he took her hand and began to lead her from room to room.

His house reflected his vibrant, charismatic personality in each and every room – from the living room with its dark furniture and huge stone fireplace, to the more intimate library with more books than a person could ever hope to read in one lifetime, to the enormous kitchen with its state of the art appliances, brick wall oven and black granite countertops. There were windows everywhere, and Tessa imagined on a sunny day that the house would be flooded with natural light.

“The views from the back terrace are incredible, even at night, but since it’s just begun to rain I’ll have to show you the exterior another time,” he told her regretfully.

“I’ll look forward to it,” she told him, trying not to sound giddy with excitement that he was already talking about having her visit again. In fact, nearly everything he had said about their budding relationship thus far seemed to indicate that he intended for it to be a long-term thing and not just a brief affair. But Tessa forced herself not to get too hopeful, especially once Ian fully realized just how naïve and inexperienced she really was. Once he did, it was entirely possible that he’d regret seeking her out and that her lack of sophistication would prove an embarrassment to him.

“Let’s go see the other floors,” he urged, and led her down the long, winding staircase to the lower level.

“Do you have live-in help?” she inquired. “I mean, this just seems like a really big place for only one person.”

Ian shook his head. “I have a housekeeper here about three days a week, and a gardener as needed but no one lives here but myself. It is a very large house for just me, but I happen to value my privacy a great deal. And I have to travel so much for business that I’m simply not here all that often.”

“It’s a beautiful home,” she told him sincerely. “And it still feels warm and intimate despite how grand it is.”

He seemed pleased at her compliment. “That’s the exact effect I was striving for. Of course, I worked with a decorator when I first bought the place, but I had very definite ideas about what I wanted. Plus, I’ve collected a great deal of artwork and other items during all my years of traveling and so now they have a permanent place to be displayed.”

The lower level of the house was clearly the pleasure center of the home, for it consisted of an immense wine cellar, a home theater, a fitness room, and a billiard/card room complete with its own bar. Tessa was in stunned disbelief that one home could really boast so much luxury and space, never having imagined that people actually lived this way. It made her feel uneasy, for seeing up close what an opulent, privileged lifestyle Ian enjoyed only served to emphasize the vast cultural and economic gaps between the two of them. His world of moneyed extravagance was completely foreign to her, and she feared she could never fit in or feel entirely comfortable with such a lavish way of life.

But she struggled to hide her various insecurities and doubts as he led her back upstairs, and then continued to the upper level of the house.