Page 58 of Until You (Forgive Me)

“It’s okay. There’s no pressure. I won’t lie. I want nothing more than to take you upstairs, spread you out on my bed, and make love to you until you can think of nothing but me.”

Isabella tried to pull her hand away as she let out a low moan at his words. A warm feeling spread through his chest. There was still hope.

“However, I understand this is not what we expected. I won’t pressure you into anything you don’t want. I’m here for you, and we’ll get through this. What we decide to do at the end—well, that’s up to us,” Christian said as he took a step back, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. “Let me show you around. Then you can have a shower or a bath and freshen up. Lucy will be here soon with some clothes.”

Christian took her hand, giving her a quick tour of the downstairs before leading her upstairs and showing her the bedrooms. He led her into his room and through to his en-suite, where a large bath sat in front of the window overlooking the water. “The window is tinted so no one can see in, but you can still enjoy the view.” Christian grabbed her some clean towels and a fresh towelling robe. He grinned as she raised an eyebrow. “It’s Scarlett’s. She comes and stays when she’s home, especially if Skylar is here. My sister and Skylar are very similar in mental age. Plus, Scarlett likes to teach Skylar dance routines.”

Isabella said nothing, rising on her toes and kissing his cheek.

“I’ll leave you to it. If you need anything, just shout,” Christian said, backing out of the door before he made the wrong move.

He’d promised she was in charge, and he would keep that promise, however difficult it would be and how much his body was crying out for hers.

“Thank you, Christian,” was all he heard as he shut the bathroom door.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Isabella

Christian’s ensuite was something else. The tinted windows looked out over The River Thames, and Isabella could see the boats moving up and down, like staring at a living picture. A claw tub bath sat in the window next to the largest walk-in shower Isabella had ever seen. With his and her sinks, sunk into a marble countertop and a wall-length mirror. This was luxury at its finest. An archway separated the toilet from the rest of the bathroom. At least if someone was in the bath or shower, the other occupant could use the toilet in peace. Isabella chuckled. Had Christian or the designer thought of that? It made her wonder how many women had used this bathroom. Maybe she didn’t want to go there.

Isabella ran a bath, using some of the bath salts she found in the cupboard Christian had pointed out. Sinking into the water, she groaned as the tension of the past week began to ease away. Lying back, she looked out of the window, appreciating the view. This modern luxury was something else. She’d grown up in a manor house outside London. Yes, they’d had the city apartment, but it had been somewhere her father and Danielle stayed when they were in the city. Isabella watched as boats sailed up and down, allowing her breathing to take on a slower, more rhythmic pace as she found her centre, allowing her body to go into an almost meditative state. Her daily yoga routine had suffered over the past week, and she could feel the effect. Constantly being on the run, she could feel her muscles tensing up, and that was never a good sign. From the plane journey until now, she needed to stretch.

Refreshed, Isabella climbed out of the bath and pulled on the leggings and a t-shirt Scarlett had packed for her. Heading downstairs, she could hear Christian on the telephone. Did the man ever stop working?

Isabella headed to the gym Christian had shown her. She’d noticed a couple of yoga mats rolled up against the wall. The set-up that Christian had created impressed Isabella. No wonder the man had the body he did if this was where he worked out. One wall held a floor-to-ceiling mirror. Mats partially covered the floor, while the outside wall was all glass, with a door leading out onto the balcony. Although it was not as hot as Thailand, Isabella felt the draw to the outside. She always preferred running through her routines in the fresh air. Unrolling one mat, she let herself onto the balcony. Laying it out, she started her yoga routine, the burn of the stretches helping to centre her more than even the meditation had. This was what she needed to reground herself. Engrossed in her set sequence, she only became aware of Christian leaning against the wall and watching her after she’d finished.

“Feeling better?” he asked, his eyes locked on hers.

Isabella pulled herself up onto her feet, re-rolling the mat. “Yes,” she said, offering him a genuine smile. “I didn’t realise how much I needed that.”

“It doesn’t surprise me. It’s your life, your safe place. We all need to go to our safe place sometimes.”

Isabella stared at Christian. This man had many hidden depths she hadn’t realised.

“Where is your safe place?” she asked before she could stop herself. Christian’s face dropped. This was not a subject he wanted to discuss. “It’s okay, you don’t need to tell me.”

Isabella watched him drop to sit on the weight bench, his eyes glazed as he looked at her. “No, it’s all right. You’ll just think it’s odd.”

“Nowhere is odd if it makes you feel safe,” she said, dropping onto the mat in front of him, her hands resting on his knees.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Nope, I think most people would find my safe place odd.” He paused as if weighing up whether he should divulge his secret. “I go to Lily’s grave and talk to her.”

He breathed the words little more than a whisper.

Isabella could not stop her hand from cupping his cheek, bringing his eyes to hers. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”

“I did, and I broke her heart. For that, I can never forgive myself. But...”

“Being near her offers you comfort. I can understand that,” Isabella added.

Her heart broke for the man and the woman he’d lost. It left a tightness in her chest. What would it feel like to be loved by Christian?

“I was weak... I swore never to be in that position again,” he added, squeezing her hand and standing up, pulling her to her feet until they were standing toe to toe.

Christian looked down at her. Isabella watched his pupils dilate. He desired her, but she needed to get her life on track. Their attraction in Thailand was undeniable, but she understood that acting on it here would only add another layer of complexity to their relationship. They needed to resist, even though the temptation was intense.

Christian drew in a breath and stepped back, his hand ruffling his hair.

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