Exclusive Love (British Billionaires Series) (9 page)

Chapter Eleven

Few days in Katy’s future would be as perfect as this. ‘Expect the unexpected’ was the motto whenever Oscar was involved. Driving out, he announced it was to be a day of water-sports.

Katy could think of nothing more boring than paddle boarding or having to endure a two hour introductory lesson on wind surfing. As it was, neither could Oscar. The marina he pulled into advertised extreme adventure water-sports for thrill seekers.

Katy removing her sarong was the biggest thrill of the day for Oscar. He wasn’t so crass as to applaud her choice of swimwear, but he came close. That he was unable to take his blue eyes from her beautiful figure was the optimal compliment bestowed on her.

Numbed by her beauty and stuttering as he ran through the water-sports on offer to her, it wasn’t until he was on a jet ski with Katy sitting behind him that he was able to regain control of his mental faculties. Running through the equipment basics with the rental staff, assuring them he had prior experience on jet skis, Oscar’s poise regained its eloquence. Oscar had too much confidence for Katy’s liking.

Having passed the safety zone and outer buoys, he was free to ramp up the speed and proceeded to. The sea was slightly choppy. Katy knew the jet ski was diving into waves and planing in mid-air before crashing down. Sea salt stinging her eyes, her nails inadvertently left angry red marks around Oscar’s pumped torso where she held tightly for fear of hitting the sea at over fifty miles an hour.

The excitement was infectious. It took minimal persuading from Oscar to put Katy in the driver’s seat. Plodding along timidly on her first couple of outings, forgetting the idea was to decelerate to stop as the jet-ski had no brakes, she cut the motor full throttle causing Oscar to topple into the ocean.

Confidence built, they hired separate jet skis to purposely race. Winning every time, Katy proved formidable competition for Oscar. That he had to work for his wins had him hold her in higher esteem.

In between jet-ski rentals and sun bathing, they attempted playful activities including riding the inflatable banana as one would a horse, sitting on a firm foam sofa with only their hands to keep them secure and placing themselves in tube rings. Attaching the rides to a speedboat, they were dragged over the ocean at eye-watering velocity with sharp turns and leaps that had them air-borne and holding on for dear life.

Oddly enough, the highlight of Katy’s day was the para-sailing. Placed in a double harness, with a parachute attached as the powerboat set off, the pace wasn’t noticeable high up. Katy held Oscar’s hand as they glided towards the clouds, the mayhem taking place on the sea to allow such peaceful bliss was a world away.

Perfectly present and perfectly content she whispered Oscar’s name. As his head rotated, she kissed him on the mouth. Perhaps it was good manners to wait until asked, or customary to let the man take the initiative, but it felt right to Katy. Oscar’s response affirmed he agreed with her sense of timing. Unfortunately, the water-sports providers were dictated to by their watches, not the beating of hearts racing towards the edge of falling in love.

The parachute lowered to the point where they were dunked and dragged to shallower waters to remove themselves from the harnesses and return their life vests.

‘I should’ve guessed from your build you were athletic,’ said Oscar as they headed to the car, their bodies unable to cope with any additional demands of the extreme water-sports.

‘I’m not,’ chortled Katy. ‘I was a complete bookworm at school. Head always buried in a book. Even now I’d rather unwind in rich literature than cheap trashy reality TV.’

‘A girl after my own heart.’

‘Not so much of the girl, if you please.’

Oscar grabbed the sarong, preventing Katy putting it on.

‘In that bikini you are all woman, Katy.’

She wrenched at it to snatch it back, but his grip was stronger. Pressed to his bare chest, freckles peeping through his golden color threatening to become more prominent with another hour’s exposure to the sun, their faces were less than an inch apart. Katy’s para-sailing kiss had been tender. Oscar’s kiss was rushed and laced with fevered lust. His teeth caught her bottom lip to nip it before release. Hair bleached blonde by the sun, the devil was in his blue eyes.

‘Take me home,’ she urged, releasing her grip on the sarong.

Oscar was stronger than she. From his most recent kiss, Katy was aware when he had certain urges he’d go out of his way to ensure they were met.

‘I will.’

For all her reverse snobbery Katy couldn’t deny riding along with the top down, her hair resembling a bird’s nest from the intense speeds on the salty sea water, blowing in the wind was a pleasant sensation. It was similar to the water-sports. Had Katy been forced to use her own pitiful disposable income at the water-sports park it would have stretched to one of the thrill rides.

Her savings would have to be delved into to cover a fifteen minute session on the jet ski. Her boss would be grateful his expenses credit card hadn’t been required. As Oscar’s guest, he had no intention of Katy paying for anything—a fact she was grateful for. While she knew she’d been privileged in today’s activities by excessive wealth, the man she was with, the sports they were engaging in were in no way elitist.

The water-sports on offer didn’t set out to exclude anyone on the beach. It was the prices charged that restricted the everyday citizen from enjoying them. Those prices were not set by British millionaires infiltrating the American dating scene.

‘I’m half wishing I hadn’t agreed to tonight’s plans.’

His clipped British accent was grizzly.

‘What’s that then?’

‘A charity do, I agreed to attend. Generate goodwill for a good cause.’

I knew there’d be some kind of dress up function
, thought Katy, madly going through her limited wardrobe to decide what to wear.

‘Mind you it’s only a barbeque. I figure having paid for our tickets, once we’ve had a bite to eat we can always make our excuses and leave. We aren’t obligated to make a night of it.’

The undertones of what lay ahead in a few hours didn’t register with Katy.

‘Is it a dress down affair, then? Casual clothes.’

‘It’s a barbeque Katy. Weren’t you ever schooled by Miss Manners? Any food served which is messy or can be eaten with hands is not considered a formal dinner. Hence with burgers and ribs as the posh grub, I’m thinking there’s no need to put on your glad rags.’

‘Given the verbal social blunders you’ve subjected me to in the short space of time we’ve known each other, I must confess I’m surprised Miss Manners ever crossed your path.’

‘I might have benefited from individual tuition after school I suspect, but I muddle on through. I am of course ever reliant on your generous heart to forgive any and all offenses I’ve ever caused you.’

Her expression screamed she didn’t believe a word of it. Oscar laughed at her pessimism.

‘Don’t be a ‘Doubting Thomas’. It’s true Katy. You do have a generous and forgiving heart, else why would you be here with me—a lonely old Londoner with not a friend on the continent.’

‘Oscar,’ she exclaimed. ‘You need to stop. You’re so over the top.’

‘Why did you come?’ his tone lowered, which Katy had already become acutely aware was a sign that he was entering a serious phase in the natural rhythm of the conversation.

‘To spend time with you,’ she said honestly.

It was true. When she’d accepted the initial invitation she hadn’t been back to the office. It was only after John’s interference and determination to take the reins of her story she’d been forced into a position where her weekend with Oscar wasn’t strictly for personal reasons.

‘But why?’ he pressed. ‘Why me? Out of every man and you must be flooded with offers on that website, why me? Why after such a spiked online exchange and catastrophic introduction did you choose someone as obnoxious as me to wile a weekend away with?’

‘Perhaps I like to help charitable causes.’

‘Ouch!’

‘Oscar, the way you cared for me when I fell ill, putting yourself out to accommodate a complete stranger, the breakfast date overlooking Central Park to make up for an evening I ruined. If that’s not a generous heart I don’t know what is.’

‘It’s too bad the majority of women don’t look for those qualities. They tend to favor generosity when it comes to the more materialistic aspects. The next thing you know you’re on a website, in the vain hope that a secure, financially independent woman may be in a position to search for a partner prioritizing the key components that make up the man, rather than be bowled over by the lure of the glamour money can shower on someone unfamiliar with its dark and demonic qualities.’

‘You can’t honestly tell me, having done what we’ve done today, driving in this car, back to our accommodations that you think money is dark and demonic.’

‘Over-dramatic maybe, but it definitely has the ability to possess people in a way that’s unhealthy for the soul. Even with the family billions behind me I can ill afford to spend my life with a woman seeking a luxurious lifestyle in preference to a loving wife. Those kinds of vampires don’t bleed your bank accounts dry, they rob you of love and hope. That price is far too high for me. Joining Exclusive Love has proved a profitable endeavor. May I continue to reap the benefits of my investment long into tonight.’

Oscar’s opinions had given her serious reason for contemplation. Aware of the necessity of balance in journalism, it was all too easy to inadvertently adopt the perspective closest to home when compiling research to support an article. Katy had rushed in to what she believed to be a type of discrimination based on social status. She wanted the issue addressed, but in order for any business venture to succeed demand had to exceed supply.

Exclusive Love could well be making a mark, but the gap in the market was founded by astute dating experts who were linked in with the right people and right connections to identify a screening process was required to ease the burden on those carrying a glittering gold coin to distract a woman from the original purpose of seeking a life partner. All the same, not every woman was a gold digger and the member criteria would normally have prevented Katy hooking up with Oscar.

‘You’ve gone deadly silent. What’s on your mind?’ he asked, keeping his tone light so as not have her clamming up.

‘Nothing major. Work stuff.’

‘Should I pull into the charity barbeque on now? Dressed as you are you’ll definitely turn heads and with you on my arm, such a dazzling accessory will distract them from the windswept and interesting hair style I seemed to have acquired over the course of the day.’

Unknown to Oscar the term ‘dazzling accessory’ was ill-timed, given Katy’s line of thinking. The criteria if enforced on Katy’s real life circumstances would have precluded her from the website. If Oscar learned she wasn’t what she said on her profile, would he still want to be associated with her? Would her situation tarnish herself making Katy an eyesore in his social circles rather than a dazzling accessory?

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Oscar rejecting her because she wasn’t wealthy made her nauseous. If the relationship continued to grow as steadily and swiftly as it was, at some stage she’d have to admit the truth. Rejection and anger were not reactions she wanted unleashed on her.

Refusing to let her poisonous tongue loose on Oscar because she was ethically conflicted by her dilemma, she watched him for a second or two. He stared straight ahead attentive to the traffic on the road, with his eyes constantly darting over to assess her mood.

‘I’m being prickly again. I’m sure the term ‘dazzling accessory’ conjures up images of high maintenance, glamorous women in a complimentary manner. But it does set the feminist movement back considerably if that’s how men continue to perceive us.’