Page 96 of River
“I am.”
River smiled at me, and for the seventeenth time today, my stomach did a flip that made tingles run up and down my spine.
“Have you been with anyone since Bali?” I asked her and looked down.
“Just that date that I told you about. What about you?”
“Nothing serious.”
Her eyes widened as she raised her gaze to meet mine. “But you’ve been with other women?”
I leaned back in my chair. “You broke it off with me, and I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“How many?”
It was clear that it pained River to talk about it, but I didn’t want there to be any lies between us. “How many women or how many times?”
She put down her fork, and her hands fell to her lap with sadness marring her beautiful features.
“I’m sorry if this makes you sad, but I’m not going to lie to you. I’d love to tell you that I went into celibacy because I knew that one day you’d take me back, but I didn’t know that, River.”
“I’m not blaming you. I just don’t like the idea of you with anyone else.”
I sighed. “That’s sort of comforting, as I can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else either.”
“Did you love any of the women you slept with?”
“No!” My answer was firm.
“Was one of them Fleur?”
A surprised burst of laughter erupted from me. “You think I slept with Fleur?”
“Did you?”
“No. If you want to talk about someone who’s chosen celibacy, then I think Fleur fits the description.”
“She was married once.”
“Yes, and I think her ex is the reason she has sworn off men. I haven’t picked up any sexual vibes from Fleur at all. Vicky is a lesbian, and she came on to her, but I doubt Fleur even registered her effort.”
“Then whom were you with?”
“A former colleague and a woman I met when I went clubbing in Oslo. Both were one-night stands.”
“Two women in seven months?”
“Uh-huh.”
River screwed her mouth up before giving a small nod of her head. “Thank you for being honest with me.”
I reached for her hand across the table, and when she placed her hand in mine, I squeezed it. “How about we agree that from now on, it will just be the two of us? I can’t change what happened in those seven months, but I can guarantee that there will be no other women as long as you and I are together.”
River looked into my eyes. “I’ll make you the same promise.”
“That you won’t be with any other women?”
My stupid comment made her smile a little. “Or men.”
