Page 64 of The Retreat
He shrugged. ‘Because you two still have that thing.’
‘Thing?’
‘Yeah, that thing when you’re seconds from ripping each other’s clothes off.’
There was a beat of silence. Daniel, ever oblivious, sighed. ‘Man, I miss that. I’m lucky if the wife even lets me touch the remote these days.’ He walked off.
Talia felt Imogen shift beside her. Neither of them said anything. And that made it that much worse.
Forty-Two
Imogen sat on the edge of the bed, the worn wooden floor creaking softly beneath her weight. The room was quiet except for the distant tweeting of the birds.
The final dinner of the retreat was only an hour away, and here they were, Talia and Imogen, alone. Forced into a space that was somehow both safe and unbearably charged.
Across the room, Talia moved deliberately, checking her outfit in the mirror. She’d changed into a soft cashmere sweater and perfectly fitted dark jeans. It all looked so effortless, so completely put together. But Imogen was beginning to see what lay beneath that polished surface. And she wanted to see more.
I could kiss her, Imogen thought, her pulse quickening at the sudden surge of desire. But as quickly as it bloomed, doubt crept in. Would Talia want that? After everything that had happened between them, could they even begin to untangle what was real from what had been forced, faked, or manipulated?
The day had been a strange mix of laughter and tension, of stolen glances and awkward silences. And then there was Flora. The revelation about her had shaken them both. How she’d played them, the layers of deceit that had come to light. Both of them, caught in the same web.
Could they get past that? Could they move beyond the complicated history Flora had spun around them?
And what about the fresh guilt Imogen felt? She’d been lied to, but it didn’t excuse her completely. She’d still been a part of the hurt inflicted on Talia. Could there truly be forgiveness? Talia had said the words, yes, but could shereallylet go of those feelings so quickly?
Imogen shifted, her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater nervously. Even if Talia could forgive, could Imogen let go of all that? Could she forgive herself enough to try?
There was simply so much history and too many questions. Imogen didn’t know what the hell to do with it all.
Talia’s eyes met hers in the mirror, and for a heartbeat, Imogen thought she was going to address the tension. But then Talia looked away.
Imogen knew it would have to be on her, this decision, the next move. The past was such a tangle. But Imogen wanted to be brave.
Maybe tonight,she thought,we’ll find out if this can be more than just pretending. Maybe right now.
Forty-Three
Talia looked over her shoulder in the mirror and caught Imogen’s eyes on her. It wasn’t just a casual look. Talia pulled her gaze away, frightened.
She didn’t know what Imogen felt. Couldn’t tell if the pull between them was mutual or if she was just reading too much into things. Maybe Imogen didn’t want this at all. Why would she? Imogen had been hurt in the same way, by the same woman. Her life hadn’t recovered either.
But that didn’t mean she wanted to start again. Not with Talia. Not after all of this.
What if this was just another mistake?
But then there was the spark. Too many moments to be a coincidence. Of course, Imogen might be doing what she’d been paid to do. But what had she said before? ‘I’m not an actress.’ Could she bethatgood at pretending?
Talia took a breath, her eyes flicking to Imogen again, sat on the bed, arms wrapped around her knees. She looked calm, but Talia could see the tension in her jaw and shoulders. Was Imogen waiting for something? Was she feeling the same thing?
Talia cleared her throat, unsure of what to say. Everything was still so delicate, so uncertain. Was she ready to risk herself again? Maybe not.
But then again, how could she walk away from this? She hadn’t felt anything like this in forever. It was impossible to ignore.
Talia ran her fingers through her hair, trying to quiet the swirl of thoughts. Yes, no, maybe…
Imogen looked up, their eyes meeting again for a brief moment. ‘Talia…’ She got off the bed and took a step closer, then paused. ‘There’s something I want to…’
Fear gripped Talia. Was she about to say…
