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Chapter Two

I am to be met in the posh foyer of the gorgeously grand Hyde Hotel: a real favourite with many high profile celebs who are staying in London. And I can see why. Neoclassical by design, beautifully brimming with contemporary charm.

The communal spaces are lavish and the attention to detail is nothing short of opulent. My widening eyes glance upwards at the sparkling crystal chandeliers that hang so high and beautiful above me. After wholly appreciating them, my eyes fall back down onto the impressive furniture that looks so very inviting to all the guests that come into the hotel. Inspired by Ancient Rome and Athens, the chairs and tables all have tapered and fluted legs, and all the sumptuous seats have backrest finials and the most magnificent scrolled arms. The Hyde is quite simply; nothing short of exquisite.

"Hi, I'm Cameron Carter, Rhys's publicist...a pleasure to meet you." A friendly voice soon catches my attention. I follow to where his studious eyes soon fall; upon my press ID card that's hung safely around my neck.

"Oh, hi...Clara Thorn. Thanks for having me." Our eyes are now firmly focused on each other, which gives me a chance to look more closely at the impeccably dressed thirty-something man. Who is very tall, dark, and unassumingly handsome....and is that a Welsh twang I hear in his soft American voice? "Do I detect a little bit of Welshness there?" I ask, smiling with an inquisitive twinkle in my eye.

Laughing lightly, Cameron nods. "You do indeed. I was born in Bracelet Bay but my parents moved to Maine when I was fifteen."

"So you left one beautiful place to live in another beautiful place?" My smile naturally grows, feeling at ease in Cameron's company.

Gently guiding me with the use of his arm being held near the base of my back, he continues to talk as we leisurely walk towards the lift. "It was, although I don't live in Maine anymore. My parents still do but I eventually settled in Los Angeles...San Fernando Valley." He smiles before pressing the lift button. "How about you...do you live in London?"

Watching the numbers decrease as the lift can be heard coming down the shaft, I nod enthusiastically. "Yup! Born and bred." My reply is playful, girlish almost.

Cameron smirks, amused by my eager response. "Whereabouts in London?" Just as he asks, the lift doors open with a loud and musical ping!

Following his lead, I carefully step inside as I answer him. "Bermondsey...not too far from Canary Wharf which is where I work." I watch him press the button to the floor that he's taking me. Figuring that we've had more than enough of the polite chit-chat, I turn to the real reason why I am here. "Is Rhys expecting me?" I'm praying that Cameron says yes. I don't want things to start off awkward from the get go.

Glancing assuringly sideways, he smiles. "Of course, he doesn't like surprises."

"I've heard." My response is more of a groan, and I actually didn't mean for my reply to fall from my lips with quite as much sarcasm attached to it. With a meek grin and an apologetic wince, I look at Cameron with a small shrug. "Sorry...I didn't mean for it to come out that way." Feeling smaller and smaller by the second on account of my wayward mouth, I stand quietly as I wish for the stupid lift doors to just open up already.

"There's no need to apologise. All I ask is that you give him a chance. I know his reputation often precedes him, but if you do right by him...he'll do right by you." With a warm and brief smile from Cameron, I am assured that both me and my naughty mouth are indeed off the hook.

As the lift comes to a steady stop, I ready myself for the very first meet with the legendary lothario. The doors slide back and before I know it, I am being ushered into a hotel room by Cameron. Actually, when I say a hotel room, it's more of a posh suite. A ridiculously gorgeous posh suite.