Page 54 of One More Sleepless Night

he planned on saying it. But now he was here, looking down into her beautiful blue-grey eyes, his heart thundering, his mouth dry and his whole world reduced to this square metre of Parisian real estate and the woman standing in it, every single word of his well-prepared speech shot straight from his head.

‘Nicky,’ he said, and cleared his throat.

‘Rafael,’ she said, sounding disconcertingly far more calm and in control than he was. ‘Come in.’

‘Thank you.’ As she stood to one side he moved past her. She was tantalisingly within touching distance and he went dizzy with the effort of not stopping and reaching for her right then and there because, considering the way they’d parted, he didn’t think that would be the best move he could ever make.

She closed the door and showed him into her sitting room and then whipped past him and leaned against the edge of her desk, her arms folded over her chest and her expression still utterly inscrutable.

What with the overall chilliness of her demeanour Rafael got the impression that she wasn’t entirely happy to see him, but that was fine. That was what he’d expected and he was ready for it. Besides, he was fired up and on an unstoppable mission, in love with her and totally prepared to fight for her.

‘So how have you been?’ he said, shoving his hands in his pockets because they’d suddenly started shaking a little.

‘Absolutely fine,’ she said with a cool smile. ‘You?’

‘Grumpy as hell.’

‘Oh?’ she said, arching an eyebrow. ‘What happened?’ Before he could answer she held up a hand and flashed him a tight smile. ‘No, no, don’t tell me. Let me guess. One of your precious plants died.’ Ruthlessly ignoring her sardonic tone, Rafael slowly shook his head. ‘No? OK, then, your latest batch of wine is undrinkable? Or hang on, I know, someone actually dared to ask you for advice.’

Her sarcasm was nothing less than he deserved, and he told himself that if she really hadn’t wanted to see him she’d never have let him in, and if she really no longer cared she wouldn’t be trying so hard to pretend she didn’t. At least he hoped to God that was the case. ‘Something infinitely more troubling than any of that,’ he said.

‘Excellent.’

‘How’s work?’ he asked, wondering if a sudden change in direction might crack her unpromising and actually faintly disconcerting façade.

But Nicky didn’t bat an eyelid. ‘Fantastic,’ she said smoothly. ‘I’ve been looking at diversifying.’

‘Into what?’

‘All sorts of things. Corporate stuff. Social events. The odd wedding and christening.’

Rafael tilted his head. ‘That’s quite a change.’

‘A necessary one. What with all that travel my carbon footprint was getting way too big and my previous subject matter had begun to pall.’

‘I remember.’

She arched that eyebrow once again. ‘I’m surprised.’

‘I remember it all.’

She went pink and her gaze slid over his shoulder. ‘That’s unforgivable,’ she muttered and bit on her lip.

Rafael glanced around to see what was suddenly of such interest and as he did so he clocked the pictures on the walls, the cushions strewn over the sofa and armchairs, and what he could only describe as clutter littering the place.

Hadn’t she told him once that her flat was only a rental? That she’d never bothered filling it as she didn’t know how long she’d be staying? None of what he could see right now looked particularly temporary.

‘Nice place,’ he murmured, feeling a bit derailed by the knowledge.

‘Yes, well, I decided if I’m going to settle down here then I might as well put some effort into it.’

He frowned. ‘Settle down here?’

‘That’s right. I’m buying the flat off my landlord.’

She sounded so matter-of-fact, so sorted, it suddenly struck him that he might have left it too late after all and he went cold. ‘Right,’ he said as the room spun for a second. ‘I see. Right. Congratulations.’

‘Thanks. Is there a problem?’

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