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I shouldn’t have asked him to stay with me. Shouldn’t have spent all those days in Devon with him. And I certainly shouldn’t have slept with him.
But it’s done, and I don’t regret it, because I’ve had a wonderful time. I need to stop acting like a teenager and accept it for what it was—a fun diversion, after all the hassle I’ve had with Jason. Titus has proven there are decent guys out there, and that not every man wants to control me.
Tears prick my eyes, but I hear him coming out of the bedroom, and I blink them away, turning with a big smile.
He’s changed into a faded tee and a pair of track pants. He looked amazing in his suit, but he still looks super sexy. I think I’d find him attractive if he wore a black rubbish bag.
He throws himself onto the sofa, accepts the glass I hold out, then pats the cushion beside him. “Come here,” he instructs.
I lower down beside him and curl up, and he puts his arm around me. He has a big mouthful of the whisky and lets out a long sigh.
“Are you hungry?” I ask. “Would you like me to fix you something to eat?”
“Maybe a sandwich later. I had quite a big lunch.”
“Okay.” I kiss his shoulder. “I’m so pleased for you. Elizabeth is going to be thrilled.”
“Yeah, I’m glad it’s going to happen for everyone involved.”
“Come on then, tell me what happened. In glorious detail.”
He chuckles and begins to tell me. He goes through the day, explaining how Alan showed him around, then tells me about the board meeting, and finally his conversation with Alan at the end.
His voice grows husky as he reveals that Alan said he was proud of him, and when he comes to the bit about winning the Turing Award, he has to stop talking.
“I wouldn’t,” he says fiercely. “He was just being kind.”
I know Alan wouldn’t have said that unless he believed it—Titus is being unassuming, as usual. But as remarkable as it is, Alan’s mention of the award isn’t what’s touched him. This is about the fact that some guy he barely knows is prouder of him than his father has ever been.
I put my arms around his neck and hug him, and he hugs me back, his arms so tight they almost crush me.
“He said he’d want me on his senior leadership team,” he whispers. “He’s allocated an office near his for me.” He releases his arms and slides down on the sofa a little, looking up at the ceiling. “I thought he was just flattering me, trying to get me to stay, but he said he’d decided from the beginning that he’d invest. He said he should have made it clearer that he only wanted me to move here because he wants to work with me, and to for me to liaise with his scientists and engineers.”
“He believes in the work.”
He nods. “I can’t tell you what that means to me.”
“I can see that, honey.” I cup his cheek and turn his head so he’s facing me. Brushing a thumb across his lips, I murmur, “It’s only what you deserve. You’ve worked so hard.”
He looks into my eyes. “I’ve thought about you all day. I kept touching my tie pin every time I needed courage.”
“There, see? I told you it would bring you luck.”
He sighs. Then, holding me, he falls back so he’s lying on his side on the sofa, his arms around me. I shift until I’m facing him, and we wriggle until we get comfortable.
“Do you need to call Elizabeth and Mack and Saxon?” I murmur.
“It’s too early there. I’ll do it later.”
“Okay.” I don’t need persuading to lie there and cuddle up to him.
I rest my cheek on his shoulder. I’m wearing a mini skirt, and my left leg is hooked over him. With a finger, I trace a heart on his T-shirt. He brushes his hand down my back.
“I talked to Alan about you,” he murmurs.
My hand stops, while my heart skips a beat. “Oh?”
“He knew we weren’t an item when we came here. He and Vicky—and Elizabeth—set us up.”
