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Ha!Nowwho’s the poet?accusedGabriel, scowling.
Asthough sensing his stress,Jesssnorted in her sleep and murmured what sounded likePickles.Aninvoluntary grin ripped across his face.Evenasleep, she made him smile.
Howcould he let her go?
Howcould henot?
Thegrin slipped from his lips, which resumed their habitual downturned position.Herlife was back inLondon.Shehad friends, a family, a job.Hisdesire to keep her here was selfish.Whatdid he have to offer her?
Therewas a reason he’d avoided relationships for the past eight years.Lifewas safer if the only person he had to worry about was himself.He’dbuilt a good life, a quiet life—alone.Hehad plenty to nourish his soul: his plants, his music, his work, his pottery, his exercise, his chateau?—
Althoughhow could he ever come here again and not bathe in her memory?Intwo days, she’d infused these walls with her presence.
‘Bathein her memory’?laughed the voice.You’resuch a douche.You’vegot it bad.
Fuck.Iknow,he admitted, squeezing his eyes closed.Heraised his hands to his face and rubbed his forehead.Hehad to get this woman out of his system.
Gabrielrolled onto his side and observed the shadowy curves of her sleeping form.
Thiswhole tortured monologue was probably redundant anyway.Jessdidn’t come toParislooking for a man to replace the one who had just broken her heart.Shecame ready for a good time.Uneaventure.Hewas just an experiment in her spontaneity science fair project.ExhibitA.Besides, her bucket list most likely didn’t include falling in love with an ex-war photographer with a high heap of baggage and a missing foot.
Forall he knew, she still pictured her ex when she andGabrielhad sex—even though, from the way she called out his name, he doubted it.Andthe fact that she orgasmed with him during intercourse made him want to crow like a cockerel. ‘Coco-rico!I’mking of the world.’Hewas so proud, he might add it to his résumé under ‘Skills’.
Again, he wished that this night would never end.
Hewas hard again.Jesshad turned him into a human tent pole.Nowthat they were racing against the clock, he needed more of her.Hewanted to stretch this night into an eternity.Movingcloser to her body, he glided his hand over her lower belly.Aninvitation.Hewaited.
Withinseconds, she sleepily responded to him, snaking her hand behind his neck to pull him to her, snuggling her spine into his stomach, and inching her knees wider to give his hand better access.
Goddamn it,IthinkI’min love this woman, he thought with wonder, his heart aching in his chest.
Evenif he couldn’t have her.
16
‘Smilefor the camera!’saidJessas she held up her phone to take a selfie of them together.SheandGabrielwere picnicking on the grass out back, their final lunch before returning toParis.Anhour ago, she’d realised that she hadn’t taken any photos of their time at the chateau, and now she was making up for it.
Shechecked the photo and saw thatGabrielhad not followed her instructions. ‘That’snot a smile,Gabriel.’
‘Andthat’snot a camera.Thisis a camera.’Hepointed with his chin towards hisFujiDSLR, sitting on the blanket beside him.
Itseemed thatGabrielhad come to the same realisation and also decided he wanted pictures.He’dspent most of their picnic time snapping away at her.Krishused to take pictures of her when they were on holiday together, but with him, she always felt like she was just another pretty element in his image, sharing equal billing with the sunrise or the beach—always composed to perfection.Beautifulshots, but very staged.
ThewayGabrielphotographed her, she felt like he was trying to capture her soul.Thereal her.Laughing.Unposed.JustJess.Sheliked that.Heobserved her in a way thatKrishnever had.Intimatelyand completely.Likeshe was the most important thing in the frame.
Sheelbowed him in the ribs playfully. ‘ButIwant a picture of us both.AndIwant a smile.Let’sdo it again.’
Jessheld up her phone and hit the button.Thistime when she checked the image,Gabrielwas smiling wide…and crossing his eyes.
‘Gabriel!’
‘I’venoticed you like saying my name a lot.’
Itwas true.Sheloved how it rolled off her tongue.Threesexy syllables. ‘Yes, especially when you’re acting like one of my naughty kids…Gabriel!’
Helaughed and she turned in his arms, pushing him back onto the grass.Withninja-like moves, she sat on his chest and held the phone above him with one hand, while tickling him under the armpits with the other.Shedidn’t know if the photos would be any good, but they were enjoying the moment.
Finally, he managed to grab her wrists and flip her onto her back.Pinningher down, he kissed her, stealing her breath away and melting her into the grass.
