Afterwards they continued to lie on the sofa for a while, chatting, still naked, their bodies shimmering under the moonlight.
The moment felt fragile and Izzy wanted to hold it tight for ever. In an instant, it would be gone and they would part ways. She felt her stomach tighten and there was a sick giddiness inside her when she thought about them walking away in separate directions.
She wanted to cling but couldn’t.
Had she done the unthinkable? Had she fallen for this inappropriate stranger? Her skin felt clammy.Thiswas the feeling that had been hovering on the edge of her mind, as wispy as a tendril of smoke curling in the sky from a conflagration below, and just as dangerous.
‘When is Bella due to return?’ She broke the silence and began shifting to get to her feet, suddenly restless at the disturbing thoughts swirling through her head.
The air suddenly felt cool. She was retrieving her dropped garments when he stood and caught her from behind, hands at her waist, tugging her back against him so that she was pressed with her back to his stomach. Skin against skin, their bodies were still hot and damp from making love.
‘What about that swim?’
‘I’m not sure I’m in the mood,’ Izzy said, heart beating fast and hard inside her as a series of conclusions formed in her head.
Love?How could she have fallen in love with this man? Hadn’t she told herself that it was just mutual attraction? How could her body have disobeyed her head?
‘It’s really late.’ She hesitated, suddenly anxious to have some idea as to where this was all going. It was one thing to be philosophical about enjoying what she had and living in the moment but it was quite another putting those noble ideas into practice.
Right now, all she could think of was a place in the very near future that inevitably would be painful.
‘And you still haven’t mentioned Bella,’ she reminded him casually, prising away from his clasp and, without looking at him, flinging the dress over her and sticking on her underwear.
He slung on his trousers as she began walking away and stumbled a bit behind her before catching her by the arm.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Really?’
‘You don’t know me as well as you think you do,’ Izzy said with an edge in her voice. ‘Nothing’s wrong. I’m just...tired, that’s all. I don’t want to have a midnight swim. Is that a crime?’
‘She won’t be.’
‘Sorry?’ Izzy turned around reluctantly. She didn’t want to look at him. The minute she clapped eyes on him, all her willpower evaporated, and right now she didn’t want evaporating willpower. If she had to get her act together, then she would have to start thinking about getting it together now. There was no point pretending to herself that she could handle the situation and take what was on offer while the offer was there.
‘Bella. She won’t be returning.’
‘Why not?’
‘Don’t look so shocked.’ Gabriel grinned, took her hand and began leading the way back to the house.
‘Is...is she okay? I mean, I should probably have shown more concern but...’
‘Oh, she’s fine. In fact, due to leave hospital tomorrow.’
‘Then, why—?’
‘I sacked her.’
‘Yousackedher? But I thought... I thought that...isn’t she related to your ex-wife?’
Gabriel shrugged. ‘That doesn’t confer lifelong immunity to being sacked.’ His voice was flat and hard. ‘When I see you with Rosa, I realise just how far Bella fell short of the ideal.’
He’dsackedBella! Suddenly, the threat of what they had ending didn’t feel quite so imminent. Cravenly, she realised that a respite would give her a bit more time to think.
‘So, have you...found a replacement?’ She watched as he pushed open the patio doors that led to a huge utility room beyond the kitchen. It sparkled in a way very few utility rooms did. This particular one, done up to the very highest standard, housed appliances that were all hidden away behind glossy grey doors. Even the shoes, boots and other paraphernalia of outdoor use had their own special cupboard which was tidied daily by a member of staff.
