He turned to Becs. ‘Enjoy Prague, it’s a gorgeous city.’
‘Thank you.’
‘See you later.’
Anna watched him leave the room and heard his steps, his tread a little heavier than usual on the stairs. A tiny shiver of misgiving whispered through her.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
Leo was propped up in bed scrolling through his phone when Anna opened the bedroom door. For a moment she stood in the doorway, her mouth turning a little dry as she studied him all his bare-chested, golden glory, the lamplight shining on his blond hair. She sighed a little as something bloomed, warm and strong, in her chest.
‘Hey,’ he said looking up, his face softening.
He’d returned half an hour before, after she and Rebecca had returned from dinner in the Old Town, after an afternoon spent wandering along the Charles Bridge and up through the Castle.
‘Hey,’ she said, her heart full to bursting with simple emotion. He was gorgeous inside and out and it seemed mystifying to her that she still felt like this every time she saw him. Did he feel the earth tilt at the sight of her? ‘How was your afternoon? Your … two o’clock thing.’
‘Good,’ he said, putting his phone down.
She stripped off her clothes and slipped in beside his warm body and he immediately put an arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder, her nose in the crook of the soft skin at his neck and breathed in the scent of him: his favourite Polo aftershave, faded now, and minty toothpaste, but also a touch of the cloying scent that Zdenka used.
‘Everything okay with your cousin?’ he asked softly.
‘Yes. Thank you.’ She leaned forward to kiss him, getting another whiff of that sweet floral fragrance.
‘And you’ve no regrets?’ he asked. ‘About Steve?’
She leaned and kissed him again, surprised by the tiny touch of tension around his eyes.
‘None.’ Did he have regrets? Was he worried that she’d become too dependent on him? She thought of her foolish imaginings that morning when she’d thought he might be springing an impromptu wedding on her. What had she been thinking of? He’d clearly replaced her this afternoon with Zdenka. ‘You don’t need to worry. I’m not looking for a replacement for him. I know that’s not you.’
He pulled away and looked down at her. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Confused, Anna looked back at him. He sounded annoyed when he should be relieved.
‘Just that I’m not expecting you … well, I’m not expecting this to be permanent.’
Leo stayed silent for a moment, his face very still except his eyes, which flashed with what looked like fury, which was ridiculous. She should have known better. Men like him, like her uncle, they constantly needed new interest, new attention. Leo might be kinder in his disposition but his attention would be captured by someone else before long.
‘Why not?’ he asked, his voice so quiet she could only just hear it.
‘Because … you know.’
‘No, I don’t.’ He stiffened and pulled away from her. ‘Explain.’
‘Leo, be honest, if we weren’t living together, on top of each other, do you honestly think we’d have got together?’
‘Probably not but we did.’
‘It was a happy accident and we’ve made the most of it but … it’s not going anywhere, is it?’ Not once had they talked about the future.
He stared at her and she started to feel uncomfortable. ‘Leo? Seriously.’
‘And if it was? Would you give it a chance?’ he asked.
Anna’s smile, sad and regretful, haunted her eyes.
‘Leo, you’re not that guy. One of us will leave and… Be honest. It will be out of sight, out of mind. You’ll move on.’
