Page 172 of Pure Recklessness

There were none of the plastic trays or cutlery I’d seen plane passengers use on films. Instead, Stacy had laid out a thick, crisp white tablecloth, with real crockery and shiny silver cutlery.

Blake unbuckled our seatbelts, then led me to sit opposite him at the table.

Moments later, Stacy appeared with two glasses of champagne, then brought out a fresh fruit platter, orange juice and smoked salmon with eggs.

‘I’m going to look out the window,’ I said, feeling braver.

I lifted the window shade. When I saw the clouds and sky, my eyes widened.

‘It’s beautiful.’

‘It is.’ Blake got up, sat beside me then snaked his arm around my waist.

And that was where I stayed for the rest of the flight.

Wrapped in Blake’s arms.

Which was quickly becoming my favourite place.

64

ELLIE

Blake’s penthouse was impressive. But his villa was out of this world.

Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, huge living room and kitchen, seven bedrooms, games room, gym, office, cinema, library, wine cellar, sauna and steam room and an outdoor hot tub.

Now I was standing in front of the infinity pool admiring the incredible views of the rolling green hills and mountains and marvelling at the sight of the stunning Mediterranean Sea glittering in the distance.

I loved how secluded it was. There weren’t any other villas nearby and the only sounds were the faint rustle of leaves in the warm breeze. It was like we’d been transported to our own little world.

‘Blake.’ My voice caught in my throat. ‘This is… wow.’

‘Glad you like it.’ He smiled.

‘If I lived here, I’d never want to leave! I mean, your penthouse is amazing, but if I had a place like this, I’d be here every chance I got!’

I wasn’t joking.

This man had ruined me in every possible way.

When I’d arrived in London, I’d dreamt about going on holiday. I would’ve been happy travelling on a budget airline and staying in a cheap hotel.

But this was in another stratosphere.

I had to make sure I didn’t get used to this luxury, because once this fairytale with Blake was over, I’d be hurtling back to reality with a thud.

My stomach tensed and I chastised myself. I was in a beautiful villa with a beautiful man on a trip of a lifetime. I shouldn’t be thinking about the inevitable ending. I should just be enjoying the moment.

The sun heated my skin and I swiped the back of my hand across my forehead. Blake would want to have sex soon, so I should jump in the shower.

As much as I was looking forward to Blake having his wicked way with me all over this villa, I also hoped we’d get to see what else was in the area.

Then again, our arrangement was purely physical, so I shouldn’t expect to go out on dates. Which was fine. This place had everything we needed, so spending all weekend here with Blake was still a dream come true.

‘Come on,’ Blake led me back to the front door. ‘I’m taking you out to lunch.’

My mouth fell open.