‘Bella!’
* * *
Oliver’s heart stopped when he saw Bella falling.
It started again with a painful thump as he leapt down the final few steps to the level of that ledge, her name wrenched out of him in an agonised cry.
The dreadful fear was contained when he saw that Bella hadn’t fallen very far at all. She was caught between tree roots and was in no danger of falling to the rocks below. Instantly, the fear morphed into anger as he moved onto the ledge.
‘For God’s sake, Bella.’ He was careful enough to keep hold of the roots above his head with one hand, close enough to reach his other hand down to where she could grasp it. He hauled her to her feet, more angry words pouring out. ‘You just couldn’t be bothered sticking to the steps? Not adventurous enough for you? Too predictable? Boring? What were you trying to do, anyway – find a shortcut down to the beach?’
He knew he shouldn’t be shouting at her. He hated the way she was staring up at him, looking so terrified as he pulled her closer. But there was no way he could contain that fear and anger any longer.
‘You scared thehellout of me,’ he informed her as she got close enough for him to catch her with both hands. To pull her into his arms and back to the safety of the steps.
Bella was shaking like a leaf. And sobbing. All Oliver could do was sink down onto the wide step and hold her in his arms, cradled against his chest. He stroked her hair and asked questions that she was nowhere near ready to answer.
‘What were you doing?’
‘Have you hurt yourself?’
‘Are you getting any cramps or anything?’
Eventually, he felt the shaking subside and he heard Bella take a deeper breath.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, in a small voice.
* * *
She’d done it again, hadn’t she?
Done something stupid in front of Oliver. No wonder he was angry, but why was he still holding her like this? He’d been stroking her hair even, as though he really cared about her. The stroking had stopped but Bella could feel a different kind of touch. Oliver’s face pressed against her hair? It had to be, because she could feel the puff of his breath on her cheek.
And when she turned her head a little, his lips were right there.
And he waskissingher.
Kissing her with a passion that was barely under control. A tenderness that was laced with… fear?
‘I could have lost you,’ Oliver murmured between kisses. ‘You could have lost the baby.’
‘But you don’t want the baby.’ Bella had to pull back far enough to see his face. ‘My getting pregnant was an accident.’ She screwed her eyes shut. ‘No. It wasn’t an accident. It was me being stupid. Like I always am.’
‘No. You’re not stupid, Bella. Just… impetuous.’ Oliver was smiling at her. ‘It’s one of the things that makes us so different. One of the things I love about you so much.’
Love? Had the ‘L’ word just crossed Oliver Dawson’s lips?
Unbelievable. Maybe she had knocked her head without realising it.
It might be a good idea to change the subject before she really made an idiot of herself and told him about all the things she loved abouthim.
‘I was trying to rescue Bib,’ she told him. ‘She’s out there on the branch. See?’
Oliver seemed to have difficulty changing the direction of his gaze. Bib got no more than a brief glance.
‘She’s safe enough for the moment. Cats are very good at getting out of trees. They just need a bit of time to figure things out.’ Oliver was pressing his lips on Bella’s hair now. ‘Right now, it’syouI care about.Onlyyou.’
Bella was staying very still in his arms. She hadn’t imagined it this time. If she didn’t move for a while, maybe it would start seeming real.
