Womanizer (Spoilt) by Joanne Ellis

His mesmerizing stare was also doing erratic things to her pulse.
    “I guess. Um, would you like to have a drink out on the balcony?”
    “Sure, lead the way.”
    Isabelle found this new humble and shy side of Mitch endearing. It seemed there was much more to him then his re putation. Underneath the womanizer was a sweet, shy man and Isabelle was glad she took the chance and ignored his past. It was just that - the past - and she planned on changing his future. She knew how crazy that sounded in her head but she couldn’t deny the charge that passed between them and the heat warming her blood.
    He led her through a generous- sized kitchen to a larger sitting room. A sliding door led out to a large balcony. Two chairs and a table sat at one end and she noticed a barbecue waiting to be utilized at the other. A bottle of wine chilled in a bucket on top of the table.
    “You have a nice apartment, Mitch.”
    “Thanks. It serves its purpose at the moment. I aim to buy a house if I find a gallery and sell some pieces.”
    “ When .”
    “When.” He smiled.
    Mitch poured them some wine , and as he handed her a glass, he gestured for her to take a seat.
    “I’m cooking some steak on the barbecue and have made a salad. It isn’t much but it’s about all I can cook.” His cheeks flushed again and Isabelle’s heart flip flopped.
    “Sounds good to me. I can’t remember the last time I had steak.”
    “You’re doing it tough , aren’t you?” His voice held no judgment or pity, just compassion, yet she couldn’t help but feel guarded about her private life. If she was honest with herself she also felt a little embarrassed.
    “You could say that.”
    “Please don’t be offended. I’ve been lucky and given great opportunities with work and a family who provided well for us. Not everyone is that fortunate. I worked hard to buy this place but I’ve also never had to struggle.”
    “It has been difficult to sacrifice my dreams , but Jesse has been worth it.”
    “I understand that in a way. I had to put on hold my asp irations. Being a struggling artist didn’t appeal all that much to me.” He offered a cheeky grin. “I have saved quite a bit of money from my freelance work but not enough to live on and buy a house. I’m almost there now. Just gotta find a gallery that will exhibit my work.”
    “You will.” She smiled.
    “One day you’ll be able to finish your studies. You can’t give up.”
    “I hope so.” She paused for a moment. “Are you using any of the pieces from your freelance work in your portfolio?”
    “No.” There was a hard edge to his voice and she wondered if she had offended him when he spoke again. “I try and forget that part of my life.”
    “Oh.”
    “I worked in a lot of war stricken countries and I wouldn’t wish the sights I saw on my worst enemy.”
    “I’m sorry, Mitch.”
    “It’s all good. It helped me to grow up a lot. When I went over there I was an innocent rich kid who took his life for granted.” He paused. “Though I guess I didn’t grow up that much.” Pink colored his cheeks again.
    “I don’t care about the things you did, Mitch. At first I admi t it did put me off, the womanizing thing, but there is more to you than that.”
    “I guess.” He shrugged. “Anyway, I don’t know about you but I’m hungry. Stay put, I’ll be back.”
    Mitch disappeared inside, bringing back with him a plate holding two mouth-watering steaks. Isabelle pulled her chair closer to him while he cooked and they chatted about their favorite authors and movies. They ate on the balcony and Isabelle was impressed by his barbecuing and salad making skills as it tasted even better than it looked. After dinner they finished the wine, and with prompting from Isabelle, Mitch told her about the places he’d visited and the good and bad aspects of his work. His face showed the toll of his experiences and she couldn’t help but wonder whether his bed hopping was his way of dealing with