‘And I’ll be the only person to fix it, baby.’
His mouth is back on mine and firing on all cylinders, licking, stroking, sucking. He breaks our contact to turn me and draw the zip of my dress down my back. He lifts the hem up my body and throws the dress to the floor.
‘You look fucking amazing in red.’ His eyes absorb the red bra and matching French knickers I chose this morning.
‘Kiss me,’ I whisper andboydoes he, drawing his hand down the nape of my neck as he does, leaving goosebumps in his wake.
‘I want you to remember this when I’m gone. How good it feels,’ he says.
He means China but a sombre feeling swells in my chest. What if it ever had to be longer? What if we were talking about months or years?
I miss him so much already, it physically hurts. And everything is uncertain now but deadlines are looming. The decision of the CPS to charge Gregory or not. Neil and Abdulla needing a decision on Dubai. I’m crumbling inside and I don’t know how to tell him. He has enough to deal with, more than he’ll let me know.
8
‘Please don’t look at me like that.’
I can’t help it. I know how pathetically needy it is but I don’t want him to go. He leans down and plants a kiss on my brow. I push myself up on the bed and bring my face to meet his. He smirks at my greediness before placing his lips on mine.
‘I’ll buy you a treat,’ he says through a grin.
‘I’m not a child.’
‘Then stop behaving like one.’ He winks, making me smile briefly. ‘I’ve got to go.’
‘I know.’ And I do know. I’ve always put work top of my priorities – well, just below my dad. He would’ve never knowingly stood in my way.
‘It’s just… what if…’
‘What if I’m charged?’
I twist my fingers in my lap.
‘Baby, it was self-defence and that’s why it’s taking so long. You heard John Harrison. If the CPS thought I was a danger to society, I’d be charged. But they don’t, I’m not, and I won’t be charged.’
‘Gregory, you don’t know that.’ My eyes feel heavy as I continue staring down at my fingers. ‘What if in a few days…’
‘I can’t put my life on hold, Scarlett. I have a business to run.’ He places a hand over mine, holding my fingers still. ‘And I won’t putuson hold. I’ll be back Friday and we’ll enjoy our weekend together, okay?’
I nod but inside, I know nothing has changed. ‘I’ll see you Friday.’
‘See you soon, beautiful.’
I have to use this time. Three days to get my head straight without any forget-the-world sex or angry sex or miss-me sex, without the distraction of this excruciatingly stunning, infuriating man. Time to process everything: me, Gregory, us, my dad, the investigation, Dubai.
My life really has become complicated since I met the man who still in so many ways is a complete mystery to me, the man who’s taken complete control of my mind and body and sent my head and heart into the battle of all battles. The man who won’t let me in and the man who really might not be in love with me.Who am I kidding,these three days are going to be mental torture.
My alarm draws me out of my muddled thoughts. Reaching over to the bedside table, I silence the phone then get ready in the luxury of solitude and opt for a fitted, black dress and a soft-damson blazer with black heels, then curl the ends of my hair.
Amy has already arrived when I make my way downstairs.
‘Good morning, peach,’ she sings as she busies herself, her oversized jumper swishing at the thighs of her leggings as she rubs the already gleaming worktops of the kitchen back to super-sparkle. ‘You look very nice. Would you like coffee?’
‘Please.’ I plonk myself on a stool at the island.
‘Strawberries and yoghurt or something warm for a change?’
I check my watch. ‘I probably have time for something warm.’
