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A small smile forms on his lips. “I figured it’d be better down here with the patio access than upstairs with the terrace. She could fall.” He nods to Truffles, who’s now looking around curiously.
I lift a playful eyebrow. “Worried about her now, are you?”
“She seems important to you,” he replies with a shrug. “Anyway, I can’t stay in here too long, or my allergies will kick in. Once she’s settled, you can meet me in the living area,” he says before exiting the room.
My eyes rove the room. Whoa. I knew my accommodations here were going to be luxurious, but this blows my expectations out of the water. I place the plush banana on my bed, and Truffles leaps out of it immediately, stretching her paws on the mattress. It’ll take her some time to get used to this place. Just like it will for me. My first instinct is to check that the patio door locks, and I’m relieved it does. Not that I could be any safer here. I’ve never really slept soundly in my apartment, but this place is a fortress. The gate and the front door are password and fingerprint protected, and I noticed dozens of security cameras outside.
Someone knocks on the door. “Miss, we have your boxes.”
I open the door for the movers, who look bored with so little to do. The two guys place my duffle bag and meager number of boxes on the floor. Then, they come back with Truffles’ litter box and her food.
I pour some food in her bowl and prepare her litter box, tucking it into a corner. After petting her a little and making sure all the windows are closed, I exit the room, closing the door behind me. I’ll get her accustomed to the house later. I read online that during a move, it’s better to lock cats in a small room for a few hours before letting them walk around. Felines are creatures of habit, and they don’t like to change environments. Letting them get used to one place first is less stressful for them.
I count three bedroom doors in “my” wing, and I’m curious to see what’s behind each of them. But I resist, stepping back out into the living area since Colton is waiting for me.
When I open the door, I’m hit by the grandiosity of my surroundings. This chamber is so big, I can’t even see everything from where I’m standing. What surprises me most is the color scheme. Colton seems to always be wearing a dark-colored suit, and he isn’t the warmest person on the planet. Yet his house is pleasant and inviting. The wood accents combined with the cream-and-beige walls and furniture give it a modern yet cozy look. On my left are a set of ascending stairs and a dining room with a marble bar. Behind the bar, a panel made of bright wood separates the dining room from the living room, where I glimpse cream couches. On my right, a round, dark wooden table sits in front of a majestic kitchen, which boasts a daring mix of dark and light wood.
“Hey,” Colton says, sauntering from the living room. “Everything okay?”
“Yes,” I choke out, offering a smile. “Your home is really beautiful.”
“Thank you. Should I give you a tour, then?”
He shows me the living room with its beige couches and carpets that encircle a breathtaking stone fireplace. I notice there is no TV, and I wonder if perhaps he doesn’t watch it. He did say he didn’t spend much time at home, so maybe he is just too busy?
We pass another set of stairs before crossing into another corridor. This one looks familiar. I think we had our meeting in one of the rooms here last time. “Here is the garage,” he says, pointing to the first door on the left. “Across is the theater.” He opens the door, and I’m blown away. So that’s where the TV is! Three rows of couches face a large screen that takes up the entire wall.
“You’re welcome here any time. I don’t use it a lot,” he says, closing the door. “Same for the gym.”
Reaching the end of the corridor, he opens the room on the right to a luminous gym decked out with state-of-the art equipment and an amazing view of the backyard. There is also a sauna and a bathroom.
Across from the gym is his home office, where we had our meeting last time. “Finally, here is my game room,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck.
Goodness. What kind of game room are we talking about? He opens the door, and I brace myself for what I’m about to see.
“Whoa,” I breathe, taking in the room. If I thought Colton’s house was minimalist and lacked decoration, this room is the exact opposite. Bookcases occupy most of the walls, their shelves filled with what must surely be every Monopoly game ever created. In the middle of the room, a square table with four chairs around it is situated over a wide rug. In one corner, there’s a life-size figurine of the Monopoly mascot, and several paintings representing the cartoon man in the top hat adorn the walls.
My mouth falls open. “You have a Monopoly room?”
11
The Game Room
Colton
No one except my housekeeping staff has ever seen this room before, and to say I’m embarrassed is an understatement. Then again, no girl has ever stepped inside my house, period, so it’s a very unusual day.
Her curious gaze scans the room, her eyes widening.
“I love the game,” I utter, scratching the back of my head. I’m not sure what to say, but the silence—which I usually crave—is killing me. I know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s not a sex dungeon or anything. But it is a piece of my soul. One I never thought I would share. “I don’t have time to play, of course, but—”
“That’s amazing,” she murmurs, her eyes traveling around the room, and she might as well be watching me naked.
“Anyway,” I say, clasping my hands and moving toward the door.
“Do you have all the versions?” Her question forces me to turn around again. When our eyes meet, I realize the stunned look hasn’t left her face.
“Most of them. I have the original game, which is in the case over there, as well as the anniversary editions, all of the city editions, and some of the themed editions,” I say before stepping into the corridor, waiting for her to close the door behind her. I shared too much already. She takes her time, studying every corner of the room before stepping out.
