The Perfect Gentleman ✔

5: New acquaintances

Sara ran blindly down the huge steps leading out of his house, briefly wondering if the steps had been this many when she and Jeremy had climbed it earlier. Probably not if the strains she was getting from her heeled sandals were any indication, she reflected.

She knew she shouldn't have come uninvited to a party by anyone of the elite society, and especially not his but how could she have known he was back into town and was throwing a house warming party when he had been so secretive about his return? She was confused about the secrecy though. He was well-known and raised heads and dragged attention to himself wherever he went. Adding fame and wealth to a household family name did that for him but it was weird no one said anything about his return. Not even those damned nosy paparazzi. If they had done their jobs well, it could have saved her this humiliation.

She slowed down her sprint to climb down the rest of the steps, coming to stand abruptly in front of the swimming pool brightly lit by underwater lights and the various lampposts strategically placed around the massive backyard giving it a deep blue hue. She frowned, not remembering seeing the pool earlier, not even when they had decorated the interiors of this house, and then realized she had left through the nearest exit, not necessarily the front door. Damn, she grated out and double damn when she wondered if the exit from this house meant going back into the house to leave through the front door.

That thought brought her ultimately to what Lucas would say to her now if he found her in his backyard. Something probably along the lines of 'gate-crasher', 'gold-digger' and 'ghetto'. She cringed as she realized the name probably fit, if the looks in those pair of hazel brown eyes were anything to go by. She knew he hated her but that was low, very low even for him. He did not have to disgrace her in front of everyone, she cried painfully.

Furiously, she kicked at the small shrubs acting as a barrier around the lawn of the backyard area and huffed when the stubborn plant barely moved as though mocking her.

"Idiot!" She muttered in anger, most of it directed at the man who had humiliated her a few minutes ago.

"I don't think the poor plants deserve your ire," said a deep male voice, a few meters behind her.

Startled out of her wits, she let out a shriek as she swung around in response to the voice. "You scared me!"

He chuckled at her reaction. "It was definitely not my intention but I couldn't help myself," he replied, moving closer to her. "Mr. Donald Donalds at your service." He introduced, producing a palm.

He was handsome, tall and dark, in that husband-material sort of way but his smile looked sincere.

Sara eyed it warily before clasping her hands in his, surprised at the firmness. "Sara Amadi."

He nodded with a smile, holding her hands a little longer than necessary. "I know. I overheard Lucas mention your name."

She grimaced at the memory and withdrew her hands from his, before turning away. "That was definitely not my finest hour."

He chuckled, nodding again. "I admit it wasn't but Lucas was being an asshole. He didn't have to call you out like that as though you were a common thief." He scoffed at the memory.

"And I should not have gone to a party uninvited. The fault was mine," she pointed out.

"Even at that, his behavior was uncharacteristically childish if I must say. Just because he's a billionaire does not mean he can treat others like trash. If I were in your shoes, I'll probably do more than give him a slap."

"All falls into the perks of being rich, I guess," she sighed, eyeing the pool and wondering why she hadn't come to the backyard when they decorated the inside. This place was beautiful. She would have loved a swim or two and then frowned when memory reminded her that her last good swim was with Lucas.