‘Maia, I’ve done nothing. It’s you who has decided to live again.’
Suddenly, he pulled me into his arms, and before I knew it, he was kissing me. And I was responding with equal fervour.
‘Please,’ he whispered as we pulled away to take a breath, ‘come home with me tonight.’
*
We left the club and barely made it up the stairs to his apartment before he pulled my dress from my shoulders and took me then and there in the narrow hall, with the music of the hills still ringing in my ears. Eventually we climbed into his bed, and made love again, this time more slowly, but with equal passion.
Afterwards, he propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at me with his familiar, intense gaze. ‘How you have changed,’ he said. ‘When I first met you, I acknowledged your beauty, as any man would, but you were so closed, so tense. And look at you now,’ he said as he kissed the hollow at the base of my neck and moved to caress my breasts. ‘You are . . . delicious. And after months of wishing that tomorrow was the day I was flying to Paris, tonight, with only hours to go, all I want to do is to stay right here with you. Maia, I adore you.’ He moved on top of me suddenly, pushing his nakedness against mine and gazing down at me. ‘Come to Paris with me,’ he urged.
‘Floriano, tonight is our night,’ I whispered. ‘You are the one who has taught me to take each moment as it arrives. Besides, you know I can’t.’
‘No, not tomorrow, but please, once you have spoken to the old lady, get on a plane and join me there. We could have a few wonderful days together. A moment in time,’ he encouraged me.
I didn’t answer him, not even wanting to contemplate tomorrow just now. Eventually, he fell asleep next to me, and I watched him, bathed in the moonlight that was shining through the window. I reached out to touch his cheek gently with my fingers.
‘Thank you,’ I whispered. ‘Thank you.’
48
Surprisingly, given that I hadn’t slept in the same bed as anyone else for over fourteen years, I didn’t stir until I felt a gentle nudge on my shoulder and opened my eyes to see Floriano looking down at me, already dressed.
‘I brought you some coffee,’ he said, indicating the mug perched on the bedside table beside me.
‘Thank you,’ I replied sleepily. ‘What time is it?’
‘Eight thirty. Maia, I have to leave for the airport now. My flight departs for Paris in three hours’ time.’
‘And I have to run back to my hotel and change,’ I said, making to climb out of the bed immediately. ‘I have to be up at the convent at ten.’
Floriano put a hand on my arm to stop me. ‘Listen, I don’t know what your plans are once you’ve seen Beatriz, but I wanted to reiterate what I said last night. Come to Paris,querida. I’d love you to be with me. Promise me you’ll think about it?’
‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘I promise I will.’
‘Good.’ Floriano scratched his nose as a wry smile spread across his lips. ‘I hate to say it, but I can’t help feeling there are shades of Bel and Laurent in this conversation. I’d like to think that we could pursue a happier ending than they had.’ He reached out a hand and smoothed some stray hair from my forehead, then bent and kissed me gently upon it. ‘A bientôt, and good luck this morning. Now, I really must go.’
‘Have a safe journey,’ I said as I watched him walk to the door.
‘Thank you. Just pull the door closed behind you when you leave. Petra will be back in the next couple of days. Goodbye,querida.’
I heard the front door click a few seconds later and I jumped out of bed to dress. I left the apartment and walked fast through the streets of Ipanema to my hotel. I strode through the lobby with my head held high and asked for my key at the desk, ignoring the sweep of the receptionist’s eyes as she took in my dishevelled appearance, and asked her if Pietro was available in twenty minutes to drive me up to the convent.
Upstairs in my suite, I took a hasty shower, part of me not wishing to remove the scent of Floriano from my body, dressed quickly in something more appropriate and was back down in the lobby fifteen minutes later. I could see Pietro waiting for me outside and he smiled at me as I climbed into the car.
‘Senhorita D’Aplièse, how are you? I haven’t seen you for a few days. We’re going up to the convent hospital, yes?’ he confirmed.
‘Yes,’ I said as we drove off, before turning my attention to clearing my jumbled brain for the meeting ahead.
When we arrived, Yara was already waiting for me nervously outside.
‘Hello, Senhorita Maia. Thank you for coming.’
‘Thank you for arranging it.’
‘As a matter of fact, it had nothing to do with me. It was Senhora Beatriz who asked without prompting if I could contact you. She knows she only has a short time left. Are you ready?’ I read sympathy in Yara’s eyes.
I said I was and she led me along wide, dark corridors towards the hospital wing. As she pushed open the double doors and we walked through, I smelt disinfectant mixed with another, indefinable aroma that seemed to pervade all the hospitals I’d ever visited. The last time I’d been in one was when I’d given birth to my baby boy.
