Page 106 of The First Taste
Lorenzo gives a slight bow and ushers us right, down a hallway that leads to my private residence. With another swipe of his keycard, Lorenzo opens the door into a faintly fragrant, air-conditioned blast of air. I sweep into the living room area of the Grayrose’s residence.
Ella stops and looks around, goggling. Straight ahead is a bank of floor to ceiling windows that look out over the Pantheon. Between her and those windows is a sumptuous off-white set of couches and a lounge area. Several wine glasses sit on a low table, some expensive wine in an ice bucket just beside them.
“Where may I place your bags, Lord Grayrose?” Lorenzo asks.
I sweep my gaze around the place, smirking.
“My things go in the master bedroom…”
Natasha jumps in, dictating to Lorenzo. “I think it would be best for me to have the bedroom just next to his. And then you can put the rest of the bags… wherever.”
I glance at my assistant, squinting. At this point, I’m not sure why she is purposely trying to put distance between my daughter, Ella, and me. But I’m getting sick of it.
“No. Please put my daughter’s things in the bedroom next to mine. Put Ella’s in whatever bedroom she fancies. And then if you would be so kind, take Natasha’s belongings across the hall. I want her to have a private suite to herself.”
“I want to see my room!” Isla shouts. “If it has a big bed, I wanna jump on it!”
“Far be it for me to stop her,” I say, a tiny headache gathering right between my eyes. Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I sigh. “Can you have a dinner reservation made for us tonight? Somewhere that my daughter will be welcome.”
“Yes, of course,” Lorenzo says.
Natasha tilts her head at me, her cheeks flushing as she raises a brow. But she doesn’t say anything.
Lorenzo bows. “Of course. Consider it done.”
“We should go check in downstairs,” Natasha suggests. “If we dive into work first thing, we can be done more quickly.”
My gaze slides to Ella, who is peeking her head inside a bedroom.
“Set all my meetings for tomorrow morning. I want to take some time for myself.”
Natasha looks surprised. “But you like to work.”
My head whips around and I give her a tiny glare. “I think you mistook what I just said I wanted for a request. It’s not. It’s an order.”
Natasha flushes and bows her head. “Sir. I’m going to go reschedule those meetings right now.”
My lips twitch as I watch her scurry out into the hall. Turning around, I open my arms. Ella looks at me, her expression questioning.
“Ready to explore Rome?” I ask.
She grins and nods. “Definitely.”
Thirty-Seven
Edging open Isla’s bedroom door, I check on her. The lights are off, the room lit only by the window, throwing an octagon of milky moonlight over her small body in her oversized bed. She moved around all day, bouncing around and tapping her foot, impressing me with her energy.
So now, when she’s dead asleep, I am glad to see her resting. I pull the door closed, startling when I turn around.
Keir is perched on the back of a sofa, arms folded, his lips curved up in a Sphinx-like smile.
“Is she asleep?”
I nod, moving away from Isla’s door. When I am far enough away, I release a pent up breath.
“Yeah. That kid is like a wind up toy. She goes and goes and goes. And then she’s out like a light the second her head hits the pillow.”
His eyes narrow on my face, then drop down to the rest of my body. “Let’s go out for a night cap.”
