Stone Cold Surrender - Brenda Jackson [61]
She sighed. “Where are your things?”
“I checked into a hotel.” He glanced around. “Is there someplace we can go and talk?”
Madison swallowed immediately. She had a feeling she knew what he had to say and thought that the last place she wanted him was in her home where she would always have memories of him being there. But it was the closest place and the least she could do was offer him a cup of coffee. “Yes, my condo is not far from here if you’d like to go there.”
“Sure.”
They walked side by side on the brick streets with little or no conversation between them. Occasionally, she would point out a historical landmark or some other note of interest. Moments later when she stopped in front of the elegant Ritz-Carlton Towers he met her gaze. “I live in the Residences, a portion of the tower that has private condos,” she said, after saying hello to the doorman. “The entrance is through a private lobby that is separate from the hotel.”
He nodded as he followed her inside to the lavishly styled lobby that led to a private elevator. “How long have you lived here?” he asked as they stepped onto the elevator.
“Ever since I finished college at twenty-one. My father left me a trust fund and I decided to invest a part of it in a place that I knew would increase in value. It’s located within walking distance from my job and I like the ultimate amenity of having the hotel as an extension of my home. We use the same hotel staff and any packages, dry cleaning and other deliveries I get are held until I get home. I have access to all the restaurants in the hotel, as well as all the hotel’s facilities like their spa and pool.” She smiled. “And on those days that I come home too tired to cook, I can even order room service.”
Stone liked what he saw the moment he walked into her condo. It was spacious and elegantly decorated. He could tell the furniture was expensive and added soothing warmth to the interior of the room. “I have one bedroom, one and a half baths, a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen and a library, and it’s just the size I need,” she said, crossing the room to open the blinds. The floor-to-ceiling window provided a breathtaking view of Boston.
His attention was drawn to the beautiful white piano in the middle of her living room. She saw where his gaze had gone and said, “That was the last Christmas gift my father gave me before he died. And for me, at fifteen, it was like a dream come true. Sauter pianos are renowned for their outstanding sound, fine touch and unique expressiveness.” She brushed some curls back from her face and added, “And as you can also see, it’s pleasing to the eye. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t admire it whenever I look at it. It’s brought me hours of joy.”
He nodded. “Do you play it often?”
“Yes. Playing the piano relaxes me.” She decided not to tell him that when she had returned from Montana two days ago, it had been the sound of the music she had played on her piano that had brought solace to her aching heart. “If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll fix us a cup of coffee.”
“Thanks, I’d appreciate it.” He watched her leave the room. He had played out in his mind what he was going to say to her and now that the time had come for him to say it, he wondered if he would have trouble getting the words out. He was a master at putting words down on paper but now that it was a matter of the heart, he was at a loss for words. He needed to let her know just how much he loved her and how much she meant to him and that, more than anything, he wanted her in his life. Loving her was more than a stone cold surrender. It was a lifeline he needed to make his life complete.
He sat down on the sofa, liking the softness of the leather. The entire room had her scent and he was engulfed in the pleasantly sweet fragrance of her. He leaned his head back and decided to close his eyes for a second. He could hear her moving around in the kitchen and in the distance he could hear the sound of boats tooting their horns as they passed in the harbor and the faint sound