Page 65 of Italy and Forever

She squealed when he slipped his hands up inside the shirt to drag her against him. ‘Your body is a privilege I don’t deserve, but I am willing to dedicate myself to studying it.’

Ginny marvelled that, for all her previous tiredness, she was bright as a robin in winter as she tugged the shirt over her head. Grasping his wrist, where her black-and-beige hair tie now sat, she lifted his hand to her sternum.

‘I give you full privileges.’

Instead of tackling her to the bed, as she’d rather hoped, he moved his thumb half an inch over her skin. ‘Just because you’re beginning to see the shades of grey doesn’t mean you won’t find someone special one day.’

‘I don’t think you’re allowed to comfort me about that,’ she replied tartly. ‘You’re allowed to disavow relationships and be a bachelor. Maybe I’ll decide to do that.’

‘Is that what you really want?’

‘I certainly don’t want a lacklustre relationship,’ she said. ‘That’s one good thing that’s come from this stupid existential crisis. I’ll be more careful now.’

‘Good.’ His tone was clipped but emphatic. Finally, his fingers trailed down the centre of her body. The touch was powerful. ‘You deserve all the green flags, Ginny – someone who’ll protect your dreams.’

‘Maybe,’ she agreed, already breathing hard, ‘but for now, I want all your red flags.’

She woke up in a puffy bubble, her nose slightly blocked, her throat sore and a deep lethargy in her limbs – along with an incongruent shimmer of well-being. The weak sunlight streaming in through the gauze curtains made her want to stay in bed all day, preferably with Rhys. But the man himself wasn’t in the bed.

A cool breeze shifted the curtains and she sat up in confusion, rubbing her face. He was outside on the balcony. She slipped out of bed in his old T-shirt to see what he was doing.

‘Shit, it’s cold!’ She hopped back onto the carpet in the room.

He whirled around, camera in hand. ‘Hey. Sorry, I opened the doors for some fresh air. Did it wake you?’

‘I need to get up anyway,’ she said with a frown, glancing around for something to tell her the time.

‘It’s just after eight,’ he told her.

‘Damn, I’m going to have to sneak down the corridor somehow when everyone’s up,’ she groaned.

‘You’re really so worried about the others finding out?’

‘You’re not?’ she asked doubtfully. ‘You’ll get the third degree from Tita and probably Sophie.’

‘Good point,’ he said with a grimace.

‘And I’ll get a lecture about falling for the wrong kind of guy – and overblown pity when you leave next time – because they’ll all assume I fell for you. No, thank you.’

She expected a laugh, even an indulgent chuckle, but he was still and silent.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said with a grumpy sigh. ‘I’m not falling for you. Why does everyone think I’m so hopeless about this stuff?’

‘That’s not what I was thinking.’

He was giving her the ‘look’, the one that had unnerved her for months before they’d started actually talking. She didn’t want to know what he was thinking.

‘Oh, my God, how did you manage to get this balcony?’ she asked, changing the topic instead. ‘I only have a little window. If I stick my neck out, I can glimpse the lake, but this is gorgeous.’

‘Maybe they’re hoping I’ll share some photos,’ he responded drily. ‘You’re welcome to use my balcony any time.’

She wasn’t sure if she was imagining him pulling away from her. Perhaps she’d imagined the heat and intensity of last night, although she doubted it. Her imagination wasn’t that good.

‘Be careful what you offer,’ she joked. ‘I might be constantly on this balcony until Sunday morning.’ Crap, it was Friday already. They had only two more days here and she was definitely getting vibes suggesting that would be it for this fling.

His answer was just a nod and a faint smile.

‘I’d better—’ She gestured with her thumb over her shoulder, then escaped back into the room, shivering as she pulled on her jeans. Rhys didn’t come in from the balcony. He just stood there, watching her warily. He made no move to say goodbye.