ALEX
Intellectually, I’d forgiven Nate when he explained what had been going on. My emotions hadn’t got the memo. I was jealous of Charlie, commanding such loyalty from Nate, and I was angry at Nate forbeingso loyal. Even though he said he’d have done the same for Ella. Maybeespeciallybecause he said he’d have done the same for Ella. He’d have put me second again.
But that hadn’t been what was going on. He’d been trying to protect me in an almost impossible situation. He’d been dealt a crappy hand, and there’d been no right way to play it.
It took a conscious effort to let go of my hurt and anger, though the loss on his face when he mentioned the Fortescues helped me do so. He was rigid with tension as I slid my arms around him, and with a sense of wonder, I realised how much this mattered to him. How muchImattered to him. And those last remnants of hurt, the ones I hadn’t been able to banish, fled forever.
“Yeah, I was mad at you,” I told him. “It’s not the end of the world. Now kiss me like you mean it.”
I was expecting an all-out assault on my mouth, and that’s what I wanted—for him to turn me on so much that I forgot all that had happened. Instead, he kissed me with almost unbearable gentleness, his hand cupping my jaw.
Something twisted in my chest as I remembered all over again how special he was. That was why he’d been able to hurt me so easily. I’d given him my heart, and it appeared he still had hold of it.
A nearby clock struck the hour as our kiss ended. It was an unwelcome reminder. “I don’t want to, but we should get back before glass slippers and pumpkins start happening,” I said. “We’ll have to get that bottle for Mr Taylor.”
“I think he’d prefer a plant,” Nate said. “He grows succulents.”
I hadn’t thought Nate could continue to surprise me with how different he was from the entitled banker I’d first assumed him to be. “You’re awesome,” I said.
He looked confused by that, though he let me hold his hand on the way back. If we ran into anyone who had a problem with it, they could take it up with my dragon. I’d nearly made the biggest mistake of my life letting Nate go over a stupid misunderstanding. I determined to be less knee-jerk in jumping to the worst conclusions in future, though I also hoped there wouldn’t be a reason for me to.
We stopped outside the Circus for a long, steamy snog and made it back to the house just before Mr Taylor locked up. There was the barest hint of a smile around his lips as he welcomed us, making me wonder what he saw on our faces.
I felt as if I were floating. Nate was back, we were together, and all was right with the world.
Chapter Twenty-eight
NATE
It was one of the hardest things I’d done to go to my bedroom and leave Alex to head to his. I wanted to hold him, kiss him, and have hot sex because that snog outside had revved me up. But more than anything, I wanted tobewith him.
As I settled under the duvet, I realised I hadn’t told him I’d been kicked out. Tomorrow would be soon enough for that. I could get a room in a hotel, where he could spend time with me if he could sneak away from the Fortescues.
Despite thoughts of Alex, I slept badly. Dreams of Mrs Fortescue shifting into a dragon and eating me were disturbing, to say the least, and when I managed to fall asleep again, I dreamed of Ella crying. Then the snarl of Steven’s Ferrari woke me at three am. It seemed that Charlie wasn’t the only party animal in the family.
When I next woke and found it was daylight, the first thing I did was reach for my phone to text Alex.When are you going for breakfast?
As I lay waiting for his reply, I looked around the room. It wouldn’t take me long to pack, but I needed coffee first, as long as Mrs Fortescue wasn’t at the breakfast table.
I snatched up my phone when a text came in.Been frog-marched to a river cruise today, so breakfast was hours ago. :sadface:
Damn it. I’d thought the days of group outings were over now the ice between the two families had been broken.See you this evening? I’ve been evicted, btw. I’ll text where to meet.
If I don’t turn up, you’ll know we hit an iceberg.
I breakfasted in solitary splendour, which was vastly better than encountering any Fortescues at the table. Once I’d finished, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I needed to pack, though I should also re-read my notes for this afternoon’s interview. As all the Fortescues appeared to be out, I’d do that first.
I was surprised the interview hadn’t been cancelled in the circumstances. Perhaps I should withdraw, but there was the tantalising possibility of getting into their bank and finding some useful intel for Bim. And I wanted them to offer me the job for my own reasons. I wanted the reassurance that Iwasgood enough to be promoted. I’d blamed my circumstances for my stalled career, but sometimes, lying awake in the early hours, I found myself wondering if that was the real reason. If the Fortescues offered me this role, I’d know, once and for all, that I was good enough.
Sunshine streamed through the drawing room windows as I tried to concentrate on my notes. Thoughts of Alex kept intruding. How amazing he was, how generous he was, forgiving me so readily for hurting him the way I had, and the addiction of his kisses. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to wait till tonight to see him again.
“Nate.” Steven stood in the doorway, a mug in each hand. “I’d like to talk to you.”
Nothing could have been less welcome. “I’m busy.”
“Just for a moment,” he said. “Look, I’ve brought coffee as a peace offering. I was a bit of a dick the other night.”
The same as he’d been every other time I’d met him. But I’d kill for another coffee, so I took it.
