Savage put his arm around her and walked her out of the four-car garage so she could look at the house. The estate was eight and a half acres. Complete privacy, something he needed at all times. Something they both would need. They were surrounded by beauty and serenity. It really was an exceptional piece of property.
“I bought the place recently. Czar wanted all of us to put down roots here. I wasn’t sure it was worth me buying a house, but I liked this one for a lot of reasons. When I met you, I called the agent up and asked him if it was still on the market. You don’t like it, you just say so, Seychelle. We’ll sell it and find one you do like.”
He walked her around to the impressive front. The entire façade was made of cobblestone. The front door wasn’t just any front door. It was huge. Custom-made. Thick wood, twice the normal size and arched. She stood silently staring at it and then looked back at him. Her eyes were wide. Very blue. She looked a little shocked.
“You really bought this house, Savage?”
“Yes.” He reached around her to unlock the door using a series of numbers on the keypad. “I knew it would be perfect for us. But, like I said, you don’t like it, we’ll get something else. It’s three bedrooms, four bathrooms. The master bedroom is just about everything we could want. I love the decks and the views.” He found himself smiling. “I sound a little like the real estate agent.”
“Maybe a little,” she admitted.
Savage took her hand as he opened the door. She was trembling. He really wanted her to like the house. It was nearly five thousand square feet of space if you didn’t count the outside decks, just the inside living quarters. He liked space. He even needed it.
The door opened to reveal the living room with the teak plank floors from Indonesia. The fireplace was impressive, massive, made of stone, and went from hearth to ceiling. Three enormous arched windows provided the tranquility of the ocean from one long panoramic view and one side observation. Like most of the high-end houses in the area with a lot of glass, the windows were self-cleaning, a must for a man like him. He didn’t want a lot of people around, even housekeepers. The furniture Lana had chosen for him included two low-slung leather couches, wide and slouchy, very comfortable, inviting, in a dark charcoal to go with the stone on the fireplace. There were two matching armchairs as well.
The living room opened onto a deck, as did several of the other rooms. The master bedroom had its own private deck and courtyard. The decks were wide and covered, with ornate posts rising every four feet to the roof from the railing. They were solid just like the house. There were no neighbors, and he could bring Seychelle outside with him when the mood struck him. When the sea was as turbulent as he felt.
The rooms inside were all warm wood or thick carpet, with high ceilings and gas fireplaces. The bathrooms were spacious and had heated tiles along with deep tubs and very large showers. The kitchen was large and boasted top-of-the-line appliances and marble countertops. There was a long island in the center of the enormous space. The kitchen opened into the breakfast nook and dining room but also out onto the deck.
She stood in the center of the dining room, looking around her without speaking.
He threaded his fingers through hers, his thumb sliding over the back of her hand as he led her out to the deck. “You don’t like the house.”
She tilted her head up to his immediately. “I love the house. I love the location. It’s beautiful here, Savage. How could I not love it?”
He brought her knuckles to his mouth and kissed her gently. “Tell me what’s wrong, then. I brought you here because I thought you would want to see something special. I bought the house for you because to me, you’re this special. Gorgeous. Like this spot. This house. If I could have found something more spectacular for you, I would have.” It was true. He’d give her the moon if he could—if that was what she wanted.
She gave him a little half smile. “When I’m nervous, I fall back on the things that are familiar to me. My house. My bed. Where I like to sit, where my crystals line up.”
“Why are you nervous, baby? I know you’re upset over Shari, but I’m not sure why. I thought we put that bitch to bed.” He did his best not to growl. That would come later, when he was enumerating her sins. Right now, this was her turn. He was listening to any concerns she had.