The Blind Date Billionaire

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Elena woke the next morning after a difficult nights sleep.

She had spent the most incredible evening with the most incredible man she had ever met and he thought she was someone else; a very specific someone else that she could never hope to be.

Chantal Duval was rich and of good breeding and Elena simply was not. She had no idea what had possessed her to say that she was Chantal, other than that the moment she had seen Alexio, she knew she couldn't say no to him.

She had vaguely recognised him when he approached her in the hotel bar, but when he confirmed who he was, her mouth had gone dry. Alexio Constavlos, the shipping billionaire and one of her many idols was an ingenious and enigmatic businessman, who she highly respected. She had done studies on him at university but there was never anything about his personal life so, other than his net worth, she knew virtually nothing about him. His impressive credentials aside, Elena had wanted to spend the evening with him and so help her, she deserved it. Every day running around after Chantal with no type of substantial reward, was draining and she deserved some fun. She wanted to know what it would feel like to have a man like Alexio look at her in a way that was special. To know that he thought she was on his level, that she was worth someone like him.

She had only meant to live that dream for the evening, but when Alexio had asked to see her again the following night, of course she had said yes. She had enjoyed her time with him. Alexio had been surprisingly funny and of course smart, but she found that they had a lot of things in common despite their difference in upbringing. He was a fourth generation rich kid and Elena...wasn't. However, they found they shared similar tastes in music and films, though they both admitted to not having much time for either. Their dinner had flown by easily and when it had come time to say goodnight, she had not wanted to leave him.

Elena closed her eyes again and intense images of over long ink black hair framing a chiselled and manly face, with a straight and aristocratic nose to match came to her. His face was completed by the more feminine attributes of too long eyelashes, a sensual mouth that begged to be kissed along with the most intense sea green eyes she had ever seen.

She imagined his tall, six foot three frame crushing her beneath him as he took her to unthinkable peaks of ecstasy. She had never been so sexually drawn to a man but Alexio invoked feelings in her that she had long thought dead. Everything about him made her want him including the suit he had worn last night that had done nothing to hide the sheer power of him. He radiated it without effort. Even his deep voice seemed to caress her and his evenly tanned skin that exposed his Greek heritage, all made her shudder with the need for him to own her. Elena squeezed her thighs together while indecent thoughts overwhelmed her but a knock at the door brought her back to the present.

Alexio had insisted he drop her to her room and so she had stayed the night in Chantal's suite. That was not exactly a problem as the room was paid for until the end of the week. All the staff knew her as Chantal's aid that stayed in the adjoining room anyway, so no one would question her being there. However, the management would soon start questioning Chantal's whereabouts if she didn't return soon.

Elena jumped out of bed and ran to the door as the knocking persisted and prayed it was not Alexio. She opened it to find a porter there with a large bouquet of white roses.

"For Miss Duval," he said and waited for her to take them and sign. Elena closed the door behind him and stood staring at the bouquet before noticing the card with Chantal's name on it. Reaching for it with trembling fingers, Elena read:

Thank you for a wonderful evening.

I look forward to spending another with you tonight.

A x

Elena felt her tears before she even knew she was crying. This wonderful man wanted to spend time with her and he thought she was someone else. She had to tell him what she had done and she would, tonight.

Elena spent the rest of the day handling Chantal's affairs. She spoke to Richard, the concierge and explained that although Chantal was out of the country, she would be keeping the room in order to continue her business from a central location. She was relieved they did not ask what type of business Chantal would have to conduct. That settled she found Leia on her lunch break and explained what had happened with Alexio. Once she had dealt with the inevitable judgement from her baby sister, she went to get ready for the evening.

Elena left the Chatsfield at seven-thirty that evening and headed downstairs to a waiting luxury car that Alexio had sent. He had invited her to dinner at his home in Belgravia and she had accepted. Firstly, because she wanted to see Alexio's home, and secondly, she did not want anyone at the hotel knowing she was meeting him. The personal assistant of Chantal Duval had no business having dinner in the opulent Chatsfield London dining room with a billionaire and that would never change.

She arrived at Alexio's house minutes to eight and Elena stepped out of the car door with the help of his driver. She walked cautiously up smooth marble steps to his front door and knocked the large brass handle twice, then waited.

Seconds later, Alexio appeared in navy blue suit trousers and an open necked white dress shirt that exposed a truss of dark chest hair with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. He had plain white socks on his feet. His casual wear should have weakened his appeal but Elena found herself wanting him even more. This was the Alexio she would see on his days off. The Alexio she would have interesting conversations with while drinking afternoon tea. This Alexio, she could easily fall in love with.

"I would have dressed down if I had known," she said opting for humour in the wake of her discomfort at her own more smart wear.

Not wanting to dress too much out of her comfort zone, Elena had borrowed more of Chantal's clothes. Tonight she had opted for a caramel coloured shift dress with a round neck and the matching open toed stilettos. It was one of the few items she found in Chantal's closet that actually fit her and did not expose to much of her generous curves.

"Forgive me," he said taking her by the wrist and pulling her into the entrance hall. The connection sent the most electrifying sensation up her arm. "I intended to be more prepared but arrived home late from a meeting. I only recently got out of the shower." She observed his damp hair and smiled,

"Never mind," with reluctance she removed herself from his grip and once her coat was off, she removed her shoes. "They would have murdered my feet anyway." The deep throated laugh that escaped him was remarkable in its effect on her senses. She was drawn to him in a way that was alien to her and that both excited and terrified her. Alexio took her by the waist and led her into the living room.

He had set out drinks for them on a small table so she took a seat on the Lawson-style sofa beside it and pulled her legs up underneath her. Alexio began to pour their drinks,

"Dinner will be ready shortly. I have prepared something special."

"You cooked?"

"I am a man of many talents Chantal," the use of Chantal's name brought her back to reality. She had already been here too long without saying anything and it was only going to make things worse. Alexio brought their drinks over and took a seat beside her, so close, their knees touched. Elena wondered if he felt the electricity between them as much as she did. She was thankful though, that she had her drink to occupy her hands but when she saw the glass tumbler shaking, she quickly put it down. She had to tell Alexio who she really was before she lost her nerve. This beautiful man had no right to be kept in the dark.

"Alexio I need to tell you something...about me...about us," he frowned instantly, more worried rather than angry before a look of acknowledgment appeared on his face.

"I think I know what the problem is" he said putting his own glass on the table beside hers.

"Y-you do?"

"Yes...you believe we are going too fast."

"What?"

"I realise I may have pressured you into seeing me again so soon after our first meeting, but I had to see you again Chantal," Elena knew at that moment the true meaning of heartache. Every time he said 'Chantal' instead of 'Elena', it felt like a knife being twisted inside her chest.

"Alexio please, you have to let me ex-" her sentence was cut off as Alexio's mouth came crashing down onto hers.