AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Reaching out, he tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘You know that, do you?’ he said softly.
‘I met your dad, remember? I worked with him. He had standards.’ She paused and he knew that she was thinking about what that bastard Cameron had said to her at the police station, but then she gave him a small, tight smile. ‘High standards, and he wasn’t sentimental.’
‘Not in the slightest.’ His eyes fixed on hers and there was an expression on his face that made her scalp prickle.
‘And what about you? Am I the best man for you?’
‘Yes, you’re the best man for me.’ The only man. Her heart twitched and, panicking at the truth and stupidity of that thought, she rolled her eyes and quickly added, ‘Or you’ll do for now anyway.’
He smiled a little.
‘Is that right?’ He stared at her steadily. ‘I thought you weren’t going to do this.’
‘Do what?’
‘Talk. Hold my hand. Offer me a shoulder to cry on. Give me the best version of yourself.’ He reached out to touch her cheek, his thumb tracing the line of her mouth. ‘What changed your mind?’
Her heart was racing, mind turning over his words, over and over, not because she didn’t know the answer, but because she did. He had changed her mind. Changed her. Changed everything. Rearranged the world into a place of possibility, filled it with light and laughter and love.
She felt dizzy, drunk, but she wasn’t drunk. She was in love. Helplessly, frantically, impossibly in love with Trip.
‘Oxford,’ she managed. ‘Being here made me realise that we’re in this together.’
It was the truth, part of it anyway. But there would be other, better times to say more. Better than now when the torrent of emotions stampeding through her were making it hard to sit upright.
His eyes were very blue.
‘We are. And I meant what I said before. I wasn’t expecting what happened between us to happen, but the truth is that I’ve never wanted any woman like I wanted you. Like I want you, now, all the time and not in spite of the fact that you’re different from those other women, but because you’re different.
‘You are beautiful, Lily, and I don’t mean on the inside. I think you’re sexy as hell and where you see flaws, I see authenticity. Because a diamond with a flaw is more beautiful than some perfect manufactured gemstone. That’s me trying to be poetic, just so you know.’
She smiled. ‘It’s a pity the shareholders aren’t here.’
‘I don’t care about the shareholders.’ He frowned as if he was surprised to find that was true. ‘I care about you. You’re with me now, and I’m going to keep you safe. I won’t let anyone get close enough to hurt you. I promise.’
It wasn’t love but it was enough for now.
CHAPTER NINE
THE SUNLIGHT WAS weaker here in England than Italy, Lily thought as she sat down in front of the dressing-table mirror. But it was still bright enough to make sunblock necessary. Glancing over her shoulder, she massaged the cream into her back. She could, of course, just wait for Trip, but the last time she had asked for his help they had spent the rest of the day in bed.
Desire curled inside her at the memory and her gaze moved to the bathroom where Trip was showering. But it wasn’t desire that had pushed them into each other’s arms on that park bench.
Something had changed. It wasn’t just sex any more. It felt like a relationship. He had told her he cared about her, that he would keep her safe. Nothing had ever meant more to her than knowing Trip had her back.
It had been one of the hardest things she had ever done, showing him those photos of herself. Her heart had been racing, hands shaking. She had never told anyone how it had made her feel. Never wanted to. Had been too scared to, because then they might see her in that way and be repulsed by her ‘ugliness’.
But when Trip had taken her hand it had all come pouring out of her and he hadn’t looked at her in disgust. And just as momentous had been Trip’s confession to her. His father’s infidelity had been shocking, but more shocking still, more devastating to her, was finally understanding the full extent of his insecurities in relation to Henry. How he had protected himself by pushing back against his father’s indifference and disappointment, presenting an image of himself as cool and emotionally indifferent. She knew now that he was not that man. Not with her, anyway.
Maybe that was why she had felt a peace that was deeper than she had ever known.
As long as she didn’t think about the future, she still felt at peace now. Some of the time anyway, she thought, her breath catching as Trip strolled back into the bedroom with a fluid grace that made it impossible to look away.
‘So, what do you want to do today?’
‘You choose.’
‘I was hoping you’d say that.’ He grinned. ‘Let’s go for a punt.’ His gaze flicked over her bare back. ‘But first...’ Her pulse jerked as his warm hand slid over her shoulder. ‘You missed a bit here.’
