‘So why do you look as though the tooth fairy forgot to leave a quarter under the pillow?’
‘Do I? I’m sorry.’ She tried on a smile for size. ‘I’m really happy that everything’s sorted.’
‘I’m sorry. I should not have asked you to sign that piece of paper.’
Izzy’s eyes flew to his. Her heart skipped a beat because this was not what she had expected. Apologies didn’t come easy to a guy like Gabriel and the roughened undertone to his voice said it all. He was uncomfortable saying sorry and the apology was all the more heartfelt for that.
‘I was hurt,’ Izzy confessed simply. ‘And I know I shouldn’t have been. I asked you to make sure everything was legal so why shouldn’t you do the same with me?’
‘Because,’ Gabriel told her heavily, ‘the situation wasn’t the same at all. You needed clarity on something that had to be legally binding with no room for a change of heart, and you were quite right to have insisted on that. I am a businessman, after all. I have learnt to take nothing for granted. Whereas...’
He looked away for a few seconds then returned his dark gaze to her face. ‘Whereas there was no such necessity from me. There was no need for you to sign anything because you are not committed to doing anything for me that goes against your conscience or puts you in any position you feel is uncomfortable.’
Gabriel realised, with surprise, that whilst he’d presumed all to be fair in love and war, whilst he should feel no compunction about asking her to stick around until he sorted Bianca, having abandoned his lucrative deal to get her on board, he actually did feel ashamed. Buying her compliance shouldn’t make him feel ever so slightly soiled, but it did. Money, it would seem, couldn’t buy whatever you wanted after all.
‘You just had to ask,’ Izzy told him gently. ‘I hate the thought of Rosa being used as a pawn because your ex-wife has an axe to grind. I would have agreed to stay on for a couple of weeks either way. I’m not heartless.’
‘No. You’re anything but.’ He smiled. ‘Kiss and make up?’
Izzy’s heart soared. Relief that peace between them had been restored was overwhelming. ‘Kiss and make up,’ she agreed.
For now...
But the present would soon become the future and then...the kisses would come to an end.
The clock was ticking. She knew it and she knew that he did as well...
CHAPTER NINE
‘IHAVESOMENEWS.’ Izzy smiled drowsily and twirled the stem of the wine glass in her hand.
It was a warm night. Above them, the sky was black velvet, studded with a million stars. Here, in the gazebo Gabriel had arranged the evening before—because he was sick of eating indoors and neither of them thought it was fair to impose on Evelyn to babysit—she felt like royalty.
This likely had something to do with the huge Egyptian cushions on which they were sitting, not to mention the silver cutlery, the crystal wine-glasses and the fine bone-China plates on which the remains of their main course were awaiting collection by the waiter hired for the evening. They were having a selection of finger foods prepared by one of the local chefs and the very best Sauvignon from the grapes of Gabriel’s vineyard. On the ground, four over-sized lanterns provided pools of mellow light and there were strings of fairy lights entwined on the sides of the gazebo.
It was breathtakingly romantic, although when she’d mentioned that earlier Gabriel had laughed and said he’d commissioned the thing to appear at a designated time, not chosen it himself.
Still...
The past five days had been dreamy. It was almost as if this weird deal had opened up another door between them...had given them permission for what they had to deepen.
At least, that was what Izzy cared to think. She loved him and keenly noticed every small gesture he made, every sideways glance, every passing smile.
And, now that he had explained about Bianca, she felt that there was a bond between them, even though he’d never recognise anything of the sort. He wouldn’t. It wasn’t his way. When it came to anything to do with feelings or emotions, he resolutely took the same line. Whilst she was sure he firmly believed the stories he told himself about not being able to feel, surely there was something there, something strong and binding?
Izzy knew that she was treading on dangerous ground just thinking like that but she couldn’t help herself.
‘What’s that?’
‘My brother is getting married. I spoke to him this morning. I could scarcely believe it but he’s marrying my friend Mia.’
‘When’s the big day?’ Gabriel asked, stifling a yawn, and Izzy nudged him with her toe. He couldn’t possibly fall asleep. It was way too beautiful out here.
‘In a month’s time. They’re going to go to London to have a look at places to buy just outside it—he said that Mia isn’t interested in the frantic pace of big city life. And they’re going to divide their time between Hawaii and England.’
‘Interesting.’
Izzy laughed languidly. He was half-lying, propping himself up. He’d complained about the low seating arrangement in the gazebo but had burst out laughing when she’d told him not to be boring. Tapas wasn’t meant to be eaten at a table sitting upright on uncomfortable chairs.
