And the way Bella responded to his touch was like nothing Oliver had ever experienced. If his first encounter with her had been the most mind-blowingly exciting sex he’d ever had, this was the most tender. Did Bella feel it touching something so deep in her soul that he couldn’t even recognise what it was?
Maybe she did.
Maybe that was why he saw those tears in her eyes when he held her gently as they finally returned to reality.
Not that he got a chance to talk to her about it.
‘It’s almost dark,’ Bella murmured. ‘It must be getting late.’
She pulled away from him. ‘I’mrunning late. I’m supposed to be at Kate’s by now. There’s so much to do with only a few days till the wedding.’
She was still moving as she spoke, getting off the wide seat and leaving a space that felt unbearably empty beside him. She was getting dressed at the speed of light despite having to search for items in the dimness of a dying day.
And then she was gone and Oliver groaned softly. He probably wouldn’t see her for days now with the chaos of the last-minute wedding preparations.
He wanted to see her again.
Soon.
11
It was a perfect day for a beach wedding.
The perfect beach to be having it on.
In the glow of a setting sun, the huge rock formation that looked like a crouching lion was a dramatic backdrop to the long stretch of sand left glistening by the retreating tide. Other people using the beach were keeping a respectful distance and the waves were far enough away for the occasional surfer to be nothing more than a part of this wonderful setting.
The small crowd of guests were standing in a semi-circular group, leaving a sandy track that had been strewn with rose petals for the bride and her bridesmaid to walk down. One guest was not standing, however. A fold-out chair had been positioned at the front, on the edge of the circle, to give Lady Dorothy Dawson a clear view of the proceedings. She was wearing a silk dress with a matching jacket and hat in shades of gold that would not have looked out of place in a gathering of the Royal family. Bella had been there when she’d tried on the outfit and chosen her accessories last week. The garnet necklace she wore was perfect for her outfit. It was just a shame that she still couldn’t wear the matching ring because the joints of her fingers were still misshapen. Beside her, of course, stood her son, wearing the dinner suit Bella had seen once before that made him look so impossibly gorgeous. So unattainable.
That unattainability had been an illusion, though, hadn’t it? If things were only different now – if she hadn’t been so irresponsibly stupid, she might have had a chance of having a perfect ending to the love story she was currently living. Oliver might have been unable to help himself falling in love with her and he would have swept her up into his arms and carried her off into the sunset of a blissful future.
But this was real life and there was an emotional storm brewing. Painful accusations and probably lots of tears. Quite possibly, there was going to be hostility that she would have to deal with for the rest of her life – on a regular basis – if Oliver insisted on having a part in his child’s life.
It was both frightening and heartbreaking.
But Bella couldn’t afford to think about that right now. Not on Kate’s special day. By tacit agreement, the subject hadn’t been mentioned so far today. This ceremony was about a romance that had led to a happy ending, and it marked the beginning of the future she would have chosen for her favourite person on earth.
Instead, as Bella let her senses soak in Oliver’s presence, she remembered that perfect time with him in the summer house. A memory that she could hold close to her heart for a lifetime. Such bitter-sweet, heartbreakingly tender lovemaking, knowing that it was the last time. Knowing that she could be perfectly truthful in telling him that a condom wasn’t necessary. She could never have had that time if he’d known that she was pregnant.
And Lady Dorothy wouldn’t be here, beaming with happiness, either. She’d been right not to drop the bombshell, but the timer was ticking so loudly now Bella was afraid it was going to spoil her pleasure in this wonderful celebration. She just had to make sure it didn’t spoil anyone else’s pleasure.
She walked slowly down the sand aisle behind her beloved aunt.
Kate was wearing a simple ivory dress that suited her perfectly. Slim fitting to her hips from where it fell in feminine swirls, it had a low, cowl neckline and no sleeves. Her hair was only partly confined by a pretty twist that took hair away from her face and into an intricate knot at the back of her head. The rest fell in a glorious, dark ripple down her back but was held in place enough by the twist to cope with any sea breeze. Tiny white flowers woven into the twisted section stood out, like jewels, against the dark gleam of her hair.
The dress was fitted enough to show the slight swell of Kate’s belly. Bella’s dress was just as clingy but it would be weeks before she started to show, and she loved this dress, which was the colour of the sea on a sunny day. Kate had said it was a perfect match for both Bella’s eyes and the beach setting.
Lady Dorothy and Oliver had sworn they could cope, so Bella had stayed with Kate last night so that they could spend the day together to prepare for this important event. There had been appointments at the nail salon and hairdresser, and it had felt like she had been getting ready for her own wedding.
As they reached the end of the petal-strewn aisle and Kate moved to stand beside Connor in front of the celebrant, Bella could feel Oliver’s stare like a touch on her skin. Her head turned of its own accord.
Had she known that he would think she looked beautiful? Desirable? She couldn’t deny that she’d hoped he would, and his expression now was exactly what she’d dreamed it might be.
The colour that Bella could feel warming her cheeks was more than pleasure. Or even mirrored desire. Part of it was a touch of guilt because she knew perfectly well that it hadn’t been purely for Lady Dorothy’s benefit, or even for the chance of one more night with Oliver, that she’d delayed the inevitable confession.
She’d wantedthis.
She’d wanted Oliver to see her looking this good. Dressed for a wedding. To see him dressed in that suit again.
