Page 17 of A Summer of New Beginnings
Zara sighedand shook her head. ‘Because it’s broken his heart for all this time, that’s why. There’s no wonder he daren’t tell me he loves me. He’s got issues about commitment, seeing as his would-be father-in-law took his child and the love of his life away.’ Her voice was raised and she hated that she had to justify everything.
Marco lifted his hands to his cheeks. ‘He said she was the love of his life?’
‘That’s all you took from what I just said? Jeez, Marco. Both of you, you’re being ridiculous about this. I’m a bloody grown woman, not some teenager with a sodding crush. Give me some credit for maturity, will you?’
‘Zara, honey, Marco and I are just worried for you. We’re your best friends.’
The flush she had felt earlier was nothing compared to the raging furnace beneath her skin now. Shestood up and grabbed her bouquet. ‘Well, why aren’t you bloody acting like it, then?’ Shelley gasped so loud it was a wonder the whole pub didn’t fall silent.
‘Zara, please don’t go. Oh,Dio,le si spezzerà il cuore,’ Marco said, shaking his head.
Shelley stood too. ‘Yes, come on, stay and have a few drinks, please? Don’t leave like this. You know we love you and only want you to be happy.’
She glanced down at her two best friends in the world and slumped into the chair again. ‘Fine. But you have to stop worrying about me. Itwillall work out, I promise.’
Marco sighed in what appeared to be relief. He shook his head.‘Le ultime parole famose.’
Things were being blown out of all proportion. Marco was speaking Italian; Shelley was using her full name.
Zara forced a laugh of incredulity.‘Pah! You two are hilarious. Anyone would think I’d agreed to adopt the bloody kid. Seriously, you’re worrying over nothing. It’s all going to be fine. I’m telling you. I’m a grown woman. Now, I fancy some shots. Who’s with me?’
*
Zara left the pub soon after downing a couple of shots at the intervention-style drinks session with her two friends. Marco decided to stay a while longer whilst Zarahurried home to put her flowers in a vase. The fragrance filled the room and she couldn’t help smiling every time she saw them. But her friends’ words had worried her. The situation was so much more complicated than she could’ve ever expected and she was terrified of having her heart broken too. She wouldn’t mention that to Marco when he got home later though. No, she was better staying quietjust now. The last thing she needed was an Italian drama queen wrapping himself round her ankles whenever she went to meet Josh.
She carried the bouquet through to her bedroom and placed the vase on top of her tall chest of drawers before flopping down onto the bed. Of course, they had been right to worry. Up to now the feelings in this relationship had seemed a little one-sided. That was whatmade this all so scary. She loved Josh, but what if he still loved Katie? Deep down she knew there was every chance her heart was in danger. But she would have to trust him. He’d said the right things. Well, most of the right things. If only he’d told her he loved her. But he did say he wanted her in his life and that he cared for her. She just had to have faith that he meant every single word.
As she lay there her phone vibrated. She reached for it.
Hey sexy. I can’t stop thinking about you. Want to come over? J x
Butterflies danced excitedly in her stomach and she hit reply.
Rather busy lying on my bed thinking about you just now, sorry. Z x
An almost immediate reply arrived.
Funnily enough I have a bed too. You could come over and lie on it whilst you think about me. But thebest bit is… I’ll be there too. We could even get in the bed and see what happened… J x
She giggled and chewed on her lip.
I think we both know what would happen if we did that.
There was a long pause and she wondered if he had got bored. But eventually a reply came.
See you at mine in fifteen. You can just wear the flowers if you like ;-) J x
We haven’t even talked things through yet. Myimmediate response was to dive into bed with him. There’s so much I need to know about how this will affect us. I must be completely mad. I shouldn’t have slept with him right after his revelation for starters. And I most definitely shouldn’t be so bloody drawn to him. But…
Thirty minutes later her cab pulled up outside Josh’s place and she climbed out. The butterflies from earlier were dancinga merry jig inside her and she was shaking. But was it from lust or the fear that she was falling head over heels into the abyss?
After Josh’s message she’d showered and changed. Put on some of her sexier undies – nothing slutty, just pretty – grabbed a bottle of Pinot Noir from the wine rack in the kitchen and left a note for Marco telling him she’d be home late… or not at all.
Josh openedthe door and she almost passed out with lust. His muscular, shirtless torso greeted her – of course, it was attached to the rest of him but it was that particular area she noticed first. When her hungry gaze reached his eyes she found him grinning.
‘Well, well, Miss Bailey. You’ve practically undressed me with your eyes so how about you come in and do the job properly?’
She stepped over thethreshold and he scooped her into his arms, his mouth on hers as he carried her up the stairs to his flat. Once inside he let her feet drop to the floor and with one hand he took the wine bottle from her vice-like grip – she blamed the nervous excitement – and the other hand slipped down to squeeze her bottom through the satin fabric of her floaty skirt. At that precise moment, in a haze of lust,she decided to hell with her friends’ worries. Josh was who she wanted and she’d do whatever she could to feel like this for as long as it could possibly go on. She wouldn’t think about forever. Nope. That would be utterly crazy at this point. It was something she absolutelywouldn’tdo, she told herself as he led her through the flat, placed the unopened wine on the coffee table and then, withher hand still in his, he led her to his bedroom. She repeated her mantra over and over as he removed each item of her clothing slowly, seductively, until he devoured her naked flesh with both his gaze and his body.
