Page 38 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

‘Flowers for your wife!’ Violet called out, and Sahir smothered a smile as she put him in his place for eyeing her up earlier.

Violet Lewis should write on her bio that she was independent and tough—that she knew what she wanted for her first time and losers need not apply.

Oh, and she could also add gorgeous and mind-altering too.

And sexy as hell.

There was a vulnerability to her too, though...

Sahir stood as the car containing the happy couple was driven off and some things never changed—of course he did not wave.

One thing had changed, though...

As they walked back into the restaurant he watched Violet reach for her purse. Somehow knew she wasn’t going to linger just to be turned down...

‘Violet?’

‘Please.’ She put up her hand. ‘I don’t need the farewell speech—’

‘Violet,’ he interrupted. ‘I don’t want tonight to end either.’

He adored the way her eyes widened.

‘But I do fly home tomorrow, and as I said...’

‘Oh, gosh...’ She waved tomorrow away. ‘I know all that. And Grace and Carter must never, ever know...’

‘Agreed.’ He smiled. ‘I just have to get rid of some people.’

‘Were you all meant to be going off to a club?’

‘Something like that,’ Sahir said, not wanting to burst this incredible bubble they’d found by talking about his protection officers or revealing his title. ‘Can you wait for me in the garden?’

‘Yes.’

Discreetly he slipped her the key. ‘I shan’t be long.’

Her eyes told him she’d wait...

CHAPTER FIVE

VIOLETTURNEDTHEkey and stepped into the courtyard. Her heart hadn’t stopped hammering since their kiss. He was the first person she’d truly coveted—the first person she’d felt an actual need for.

As someone who’d practically brought herself up it was new and unfamiliar.

She’d felt looked after by him from that moment outside the nursing home.

More, she’d been completely herself.

She’d hidden her tears and upset from Grace, dragged out her happy smile for her old schoolfriends, and then, when Tanya had been such a cow...

Her children had run wild, Violet thought, looking at the table full of half-unwrapped gifts.

She was checking that her box didn’t rattle when her eyes caught sight of the most beautiful silver candelabra. As she went to pick it up she briefly wondered if it been secured somehow, because it barely moved, but then she realised she hadn’t been expecting it to be so heavy...

Gosh, it was beautiful—seriously so.

She stared at it closely. The parts that caught the wax were different colours—one silver, one a rosy gold.

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