‘I know,’ he whispers into my temple. ‘I’ve been crossing that time barrier for three weeks.’ He kisses my scalp. ‘Are you hungry? Amy made extra dinner just in case. You should try to eat something.’
‘No, thank you, sleep sounds much more appealing.’
He gestures for me to step into his apartment then follows, carrying in my suitcase. I stand for a minute, looking around the large, open-plan lounge, and give myself a moment to take everything in. The heated, dark wood floor, the expanse of windows overlooking London’s twinkling skyline. The luxurious monochrome furniture and the abstract art on the walls that I used to think screamedbachelor. Now, I think it all screams Gregory. Gregory’s home.Ourhome.
I don’t let myself look at that spot on the floor that tries to draw me in. The spot where blood once pooled in the aftermath of my fatal shot.
‘Would you like a drink?’ he asks from the ultramodern, open kitchen area at one end of the lounge.
I focus on Gregory instead. ‘No, thank you.’
‘Just bed?’
I offer him an apologetic smile. ‘Please.’
‘Okay, let’s get you upstairs.’
He lifts my suitcase upstairs and I follow, watching his back move beneath his white T-shirt, his arse flexing under his indigo jeans.All mine.
As we walk the landing towards our bedroom at the far end, Gregory slips the luggage into a spare room. ‘I’ll have Amy take care of that in the morning.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Oh, dear, we aren’t getting much out of you tonight, are we?’
I shake my head. ‘Sleepy.’
He chuckles. ‘I know, baby. Before you shower, I want to show you something.’ He takes my hand and stops outside another white door. ‘This is your welcome home gift.’
He pushes open the door and when we step inside, he hits a switch, making ceiling spotlights illuminate the space. Turning on the spot, not knowing where to look first, my mouth falls open.
The double bed that used to be in here is gone. The space has been completely transformed. The walls are lined with mahogany, open-door wardrobes. All my clothes, other than the small stash still in my suitcase, have been hung under strategically placed lights. Short dresses. Long dresses. Trousers. Jackets. Each item of clothing has its own specific spot. Around the floor, a low-level shelf hosts my shoes, the pairs positioned just so. Four padded stools forming a square in the middle of the room and I kneel on them to peer into a glass-topped chest.
‘My jewellery.’
Drawers in one corner are the only section of the wardrobe not on display. I assume my lingerie is in there.
On a dressing table beneath the window, I see Gregory’s smiling reflection, where he’s leaning against the doorframe.
‘Do you like it?’
‘Gregory, it’s amazing. Thank you so much.’
‘You’re more than welcome, angel. Amy’s already started to pack you some things for St Lucia. I didn’t think you’d have much time, so I had Julia and Lucas send over new holiday clothes from Harrods. But I know how stubborn you get about your clothes, so let Amy know if you want to add anything else. I can arrange for different stuff from Julia and Lucas, too.’
Shaking my head, I go to him and run my fingers through his hair. ‘How long are you going to be on your best behaviour?’
‘I just want everything to be perfect for you.’
‘Everythingisperfect, Gregory. It’s perfect because I’m here with you.’
After showering, I slip into a plum silk nightdress. Gregory is taking a call in his office, presumably to somewhere in a different time zone, so I tuck my tired limbs under the duvet and sink into his…ourmattress. Amy has changed the sheets and although I miss his smell, the fresh linen scent on the Egyptian cotton is incredibly homey. Reaching for the remote, I switch the room to darkness and smile to myself. I’m here, inourbed, inourhome.
I’m semi-comatose when Gregory’s weight leans onto the bed next to me. He lifts the covers and wraps his body around mine, pulling me back into him, cupping my thighs and knees with his own. He trails a finger lightly up, down, across my arm and nuzzles into my neck.
‘Welcome home, baby.’ He continues to swirl his finger. ‘I’m going to remind you every single day how much I love you.’ He inhales deeply at my neck, then kisses the skin beneath my lobe. ‘Always.’
* * *
