‘I suppose. I’ve never had anyone affect me this way before.’
‘Never?’
She shook her head. ‘Not really. I told you.’
‘You told me you never really dated in England, but surely there was someone of importance?’
Colette thought about the question before she answered. She didn’t have to think too long. There was only one.
‘There was someone at university …’ she admitted.
‘What happened with him?’
‘Nothing,’ she said softly as she hung her head. ‘He didn’t like me.’
Luca chuckled. ‘He was a fool. Then again, he was young, and when you’re young you make foolish mistakes.’ He hugged her tighter. ‘I’m thankful he did.’
‘You are?’
‘Yes, I am. If he’d seen what was before him, you might not be standing here with me now,’ he explained. He leaned closer again. ‘And I like that you’re here,’ he whispered.
Her breath quickened and her heart was racing so hard she could hear it in her ears. ‘So am I.’
She didn’t dare turn around again. Luca’s gaze was difficult enough to hold when he was sitting a few feet away. When he was only inches … she couldn’t imagine what effect it would have on her.
She felt his hands at her waist as he turned her towards him. The moment he did she was caught in his eyes. Lost in the dark pools that looked at her as if she were the only woman on the planet.
‘Colette?’ he whispered as he leaned closer.
His lips were now getting dangerously close and her heart felt as if it were about to explode.Was she ready for this? How well did she know him? How could she be sure what this really meant to him? To her?
His lips moved closer.
Colette dropped her chin seconds before Luca’s mouth would have met hers.
She wanted to kiss him, she really did, but so much fear accompanied the excitement, and at that moment the former had won out.
‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised, mortified. ‘I can’t …’
‘It’s OK,’ Luca assured, as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles slowly. ‘There is no rush.’
Chapter 28
Now
Colette’s eyes opened blearily and she forced herself up from where she lay against the side of the bath.
She’d drifted off at some point after her tears had drained her.
There was silence on the other side of the door and she wondered what time it was.
Ed was more than likely at work now. Had he called the office to let them know she wasn’t going to be in this morning or that she would be late?
She got to her feet and unlocked the door. In the bedroom the curtains were still drawn. She walked to where she’d left her phone beside the bed and checked the time. It was just after ten o’clock.
She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed as she flopped down onto the bed. She’d made such a scene. She was going to have to apologise to Ed.
Quickly slipping out of her nightgown, Colette headed back to the bathroom to shower. As she stood under the warm jets of water, her hand slid over her flat stomach and she imagined what it would be like to smooth her hand over one with life inside it. How it would feel to have a child moving around, the feeling of little kicks against her hand. She wanted that so much.
