Kissed by a Crisis (Kissed Series Book 2 of 6)

Chapter 4: The House

Walking into someone else's huge and gorgeous home, I feel like we are invading their privacy. It's different when you know the person or have been friends with them for years. Even then, I felt very uncomfortable that we now know what Joshua kept hidden down in his basement.

That is one conversation I will not be having with Josh when we see him next. Talion can tell him about the video room, but I'm staying right out of that conversation.

Setting my bag down in this beautiful foyer, I stare into this giant living room in front of me. Glancing around, I'm surprised that the owners left all of their paintings and beautiful treasures out for anyone to steal. Not that we would ever take from someone.

Looking out of the giant, full wall of picture windows, you can see the stunning gardens and Olympic-sized pool in the backyard. Past all of that, they have a perfectly manicured beach, with a long aluminum dock and wooden octagon gazebo covered in pink baby roses. I don't see the boat, so it must be inside the boathouse. Hopefully, they left to find a more secure place to stay.

This home should be in one of those elegant home magazines because it's just perfect.

Turning to my right, I see this long maple-wood staircase that wraps around the entry room, up to the second floor.

Oh, I cannot wait to see what they have hidden up there.

Talion walks in and says, "Isn't this house beautiful? I love the wide-open floor plan. Oh, sweetheart, wait until you see the kitchen. We have a huge wine room, off of it, and guess who's they seem to enjoy? I like these people already. Take a look around while I bring some of our things inside."

Checking out the paintings, then looking at the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, I take out a first edition, hardcover book that I have read many times. Opening it up, I feel the cool leather-bound book and think to myself how much I would love to live here.

As I turn around, Talion is standing there in the foyer watching me, and he points to the kitchen.

"Wow, it's huge!" I exclaim as we step around the corner.

Immediately, I am in awe of this giant contemporary streamlined kitchen. It's so bright white and clean, with stainless steel appliances, and again there is a wall of picture windows that allows the sunlight to pour into this room.

"Look at their commercial refrigerators! Cece, they have an indoor grill. This is the best kitchen ever. Here, come see the wine room." Talion says excitedly, and this makes me laugh.

Entering their wine cellar, I wander around as he goes directly over to the red wine section and checks the temperature.

"Perfect, it's at 55 degrees for the red and 65 degrees for the rest." He says, and I giggle.

Sliding out one of his bottles, he hands it to me and adds, "It's nice to know that some people are taking very good care of my creations."

Looking at the label, I'm surprised to see something very familiar to me and I wonder how I never noticed this before. Maybe I just didn't pay attention, but now I'll know better.

"Talion, this woman looks a lot like me, but I never posed for this drawing," I say, and then look into his eyes.

He smiles so I then add, "You named this La Chambre Rouge, The red room... Yes, I would have figured something was up rather quickly if you had sent me this bottle."

"Cece, I drew that from memory, and I hope you're not mad. None of my customers would ever know that it's your body I dreamed of nightly. Also, you are only on the deep mahogany red." He explains while looking very guilty.