Satisfied with his decision, he lay back and stared up at the fluffy clouds floating slowly across the sky above him.
Yes. Getting some sun on their faces, eating good food and relaxing would be a great thing for both of them.
* * *
Soli’s stomach had jumped with excitement as they’d stepped off the plane that Xavier had chartered, into the balmy Corsican air. She’d not been able to believe it when he’d led them to a private lounge at the airport and announced in a really matter-of-fact voice that their pilot would be there to greet them soon and they would be in Corsica within a couple of hours.
Soli’s only experience of being on a plane had been on a family holiday to Spain when they’d gone with a budget airline. This trip had been entirely different, what with the separate leather seats, à la carte food and total lack of general public.
And then when he’d led them over to a soft-top classic car and loaded their bags into the boot, her insides had done a little dance of excitement. The trip to his hillside house had been a thing of joy.
The cliff-top cottage where they were to stay for the next week was quite a bit smaller than the Hampstead house, but no less impressive. It had been newly decorated in fresh Mediterranean colours and filled with French-style furniture, all of which looked incredibly expensive and dauntingly classy.
‘It’s a rental aimed at the high-end market,’ Xavier said conversationally as they walked inside, and Soli gasped in delight at the amazing view of the sea through panoramic bifolding doors. ‘We have our own private cove down there,’ he said, walking to the doors and opening them back so the sweet, briny smell of the sea below them rushed inside and tickled her nose.
‘It’s a bit of a walk down a narrow path in the cliff, but well worth it.’
Soli followed him onto the deck, which housed a couple of comfortable-looking loungers as well as a small dining table with a canopy flapping gently in the warm breeze, and turned to give him a smile that felt as if it might split her face in two. ‘I love it!’ she said, her voice raspy with delight. ‘I can’t wait to explore.’
‘Let me show you your room first,’ he said, strolling back inside.
She followed him through the living area and down a short corridor to where two doors stood opposite each other.
‘You’re in here,’ he said, opening the door on the right. They walked inside and stood by the king-sized bed that was dressed with white linen sheets and an abundance of pillows in a soft blue-grey colour.
‘There’s an en-suite bathroom over there,’ he said, gesturing to a small door on the right.
‘Oh, Xavier, it’s wonderful!’ she said, turning to give him a grateful smile. It was a long time since she’d been this excited about being somewhere and her whole body felt jittery with adrenaline. Or was it that she was nervous about being here with him? The whole place shoutedRomance!
He smiled back at her with the genuine, wide grin that always made her tummy flutter whenever he decided to trust her with it. ‘I’m glad you like it.’ He huffed out a breath, frowning down at the floor before looking back into her eyes. ‘I wanted to say thank you – for all the support you’ve given me recently. It was above and beyond the call of duty and I want you to know I really appreciate it.’
She suddenly felt a bit shy. ‘It was my pleasure. Anything to help.’
The air between them felt prickly with emotion. Or was she imagining it?
Something in his expression made her breath catch in her throat.
‘You know, you’re the most genuinely caring person I’ve ever met,’ he murmured, taking a step closer to her.
Soli was suddenly intensely aware of how alone the two of them were, and how close to the enormous, inviting bed.
Heat throbbed through her, making her head swim.
‘Thank you,’ she breathed through numbed lips. She suddenly wanted to kiss him so badly her whole body ached with it.
The look in his eyes mesmerised her, keeping her suspended in a state of such intense longing she knew she had no hope of escaping from it. It wouldn’t take much to be close enough to touch him. Just one more step. She could feel the heat radiating from his body and his enticing scent filled her nose, making her mouth water.
His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed, and her gaze flashed down to it for a second.
The break in eye contact seemed to shock him out of whatever state he was in, and he gave a rough cough and took a step backwards, sweeping his hand towards the door.
‘Okay, well, I’ll grab the bags from the car and you can get settled in. We should go out for dinner. There’s a lovely tavern in the next town with magnificent views of the harbour. It’s quite a sight.’
It was as if he’d brought the shutters down on his emotions.
‘That sounds wonderful,’ Soli said quietly, her stomach sinking with disappointment at his sudden change in demeanour.
‘Good,’ he said, giving her a jerky nod and swiftly leaving the room.
