Page 179 of Enthrall Ecstasy
I’d spent three days in the beach house.
It felt like hardly any time had passed.
Time moved easily here.
Shay was at work. I missed him when he wasn’t here, but knew he couldn’t take a vacation on such short notice.
I had no regrets for leaving the ball. Not one. Because I felt like I’d found more than that place could ever give me.
This was everything I’d ever wanted.
Going back was still an exciting prospect but I imagined it would be different with Shay by my side.
With him, the man of my dreams.
Now that I was alone, I was able to explore the place and check out each room. The house must have cost a fortune. Everything was elegantly decorated with tastefully detailed ceilings and a beach lover’s theme that made it feel homey.
I ended up in the office, checking my emails.
Shay had given me permission to use his computer. The fact this place belonged to Cameron Cole was intriguing. It really was nice of him to let Shay stay here. Though I assumed owning different properties was just another smart investment for a businessman.
Maybe Shay and I would be able to double-date with him and his wife, Mia.
There were a few emails waiting in my inbox, but not too many and nothing urgent. A couple of them were from Carrie Quinn, which I didn’t want to open.
A devilish sense of nosiness came over me.
I reached for the left drawer and pulled it open. Peeking in, I saw a bunch of fancy fountain pens and a notepad from the Dorchester Hotel in London. There was a doodle on it—a drawing of a Dachshund. It was super cute, and it made me wonder if Cole had drawn it for his wife. Nudging that aside, I pulled out a photo-magnet of the London Eye.
Putting the magnet back, I closed the drawer and opened the one on the right.
Finding a folded piece of paper, I opened it, even though I knew it was wrong to snoop.
My heart stuttered at what I was looking at—a receipt from Majestic. Reading it further, I saw my name and then realized what I was looking at.
Shay had paid off my contract with Majestic. It was right there in ink. The amount was so high I’d believed it would be impossible to pay off. I’d used up all my funds to buy a membership at Chrysalis—just to be closer to Shay.
At some point I’d planned to return to Majestic and finish out my time there.
The amount Shay had paid was impossible to fathom.
I suddenly understood what he had done.
What he had given up.
With a shaky hand, I reached for my phone.
I hated myself but there was no other way. I scrolled through my contacts and punched Carrie Quinn’s number.
Trying to keep it together, I stared out the window waiting for the silver BMW to appear in the driveway, hoping Carrie would get here before Shay returned.
Nausea welled in my stomach at the thought of having to leave this place.
I wanted to stay more than anything.
But I couldn’t.
Even though every moment we’d shared had felt perfect.
