Page 7 of Journey to You

He wanted her—had wanted her from the first moment they met—and had avoided her because of it.

Not any more.

This trip would be perfect for getting to know each other, perfect for showing her there was more to him than business.

Tapping his temple, he said, “I’ll try to remember you prefer being alone. But this heat can play havoc with one’s memory and I might forget—”

“Let’s board.” A smile tugged at her mouth. “Once you’re ensconced in the lap of luxury, maybe your memory will return.”

“You make me sound like a snob.”

“Aren’t you? Being Australia’s top restaurateur and all.” She snapped her fingers and smiled. “Oh, that’s right. You’re just the average run of the mill billionaire who happens to rival top restaurants around the world. Nothing snobby about you.”

“Come on, funny girl. Time to board.”

She stuck out her tongue and as he picked up their hand luggage and followed the porter he could hardly believe the change in Tam.

Sure, there was still a hint of fragility about her, a glimpse of sorrow clinging to her like the humidity, but India agreed with her. After she finished berating him she’d smiled more in the last few minutes than she had in the last six months.

“You know I have my own compartment?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“I wouldn’t want you compromising my reputation.”

She smiled again and something twanged in the vicinity of his heart. She had the ability to do that to him from the very beginning, from the first time he met her—an hour after she’d met Richard, worse luck.

She’d been smitten by then, with eyes only for the loud, larger than life chef and Ethan had subdued his controlling instincts to sweep her away.

Neither Rich or Tam had known about his desire for the woman he couldn’t have; he’d made sure of it.

But keeping his distance was a thing of the past and the next seven days loomed as intriguing.

“Your reputation is safe with me. I’m sure all those society heiresses and models you date on a revolving door basis are well aware this boring old widow is no competition.”

“You’re not boring and you’re certainly not old.”

As for the women he dated, there was a reason he chose the no commitment, out-for-a-good-time-not-a-long-time type. A damn good one.

The smile hovering about her lips faded as fast as his hopes to keep it there.

“But I am a widow.”

While he’d hated seeing her go through so much pain after Richard died and her struggle to get her life back on an even keel, he couldn’t help but be glad she was now single.

Did that make him heartless? Maybe, but his past had taught him to be a realist, and he never wasted time lying to himself or others. Discounting keeping his attraction for Tam a secret all these years.

She cocked her head to one side, studying him. “You were friends with Richard, yet we rarely talked when our paths crossed. Why is that? It was almost like you avoided me.”

Dread settled like overcooked Beef Wellington in the pit of his stomach, solid and heavy, discomfort assured.

He’d known they’d have this conversation one day, surprised it had taken her this long to ask, and wishing it wasn’t here, now, on a crowded train platform as she was about to embark on a much-needed vacation.

“Avoid is pretty harsh.”

“You don’t think it fits?”

What could he say? That he’d wanted her so badly he’d dated a few lookalikes? That he’d been so envious of Richard he’d taken a month off from the restaurant when they’d married? That he couldn’t look at the two of them together without wanting to hit something in frustration?

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