‘Thank you,’ she said softly.
Half an hour later I returned. Laila had her eyes closed and she looked a little more relaxed.
‘Would you like me to wash you?’ I asked. Laila nodded.
I took her sponge, added some gel then gently soaped her up, before rinsing away the suds with the shower head attached to the bath. Next, I lifted her up, wrapped a large towel around her then carried her back to bed before applying her favourite body butter, then gently placing the duvet over her.
‘Are you hungry?’ I asked. Laila shook her head. ‘Would you like me to leave you alone to rest?’ She shook her head again.
I could tell that even talking felt like too much of an effort for her right now. So just like I had done earlier, I held her tightly and gently stroked her back until she fell asleep.
40
LAILA
It was now Friday – our last full day at the hotel – and Gabriel had just left our table at the Love Hotel’s restaurant to go to the toilet.
Yesterday was a busy and much more enjoyable day. After wasting the whole of the previous day in a slump and ruining Gabriel’s day too, all because of something that happened over two decades ago, I was determined to make the most of the time I had left in the South of France.
I still couldn’t believe what a sweetheart Gabriel had been. The way that he held me and took care of me when I was feeling so low that I could barely speak let alone move, then ran me a bath, set up an audiobook, washed and oiled me before putting me to bed was just incredible.
I didn’t have the words to express my gratitude. But I was going to try to show it, so I’d ordered breakfast, brought it back to the villa and sat outside on the patio.
Determined to enjoy our last day together, we’d taken the Ferrari, which as Ricky had assumed was Gabriel’s car (still couldn’t get my head around the fact that he had money) and he’d driven me to a gorgeous ancient village.
Once we returned in the evening, we’d eaten dinner under the stars on our patio, then went to bed where we made love.
As corny asmaking lovesounded, it was an accurate description. Somehow last night was different to all of the other times. It was slow and sensual and deep.
When he was inside me, it didn’t feel like a man I was just hooking up with.
It felt like more.
And that was because that was exactly what it was.
More.
Hook-ups didn’t hold your braids back and take care of you whilst you were throwing up.
They didn’t plan extravagant celebrations to make up for the pathetic way you marked your milestone birthday the previous year.
Flings didn’t hold you whilst you cried over the abandonment of your parents or wash you in the bath when you were too weak and sad to do it yourself.
No.As much as I’d tried to avoid it, I’d fallen head over heels for Gabriel.
How could I not? He really was the total package.
Saying goodbye tomorrow was going to be harder than I’d ever imagined. But despite the pain that I knew was coming, I still wouldn’t change my decision to be with him this past week for the world.
‘What time will we be leaving tonight?’ Gabriel asked as he returned to the table.
‘I think around six, but I need to double-check with Jasmine.’
‘You sure you don’t want me to drive or organise anything?’
‘Nope! You’ve already done so much for me during this trip, so this is my chance to do something for you.’
‘D’accord. But if you change your mind…’
