“But I am,” I continue. “Falling for you. And I’d like to see where this goes. Properly. If you’re interested.”
I don’t push. Don’t fill the silence. Just let her think.
She looks at me like I’ve just handed her something fragile.
“You make that sound very simple,” she says.
“I’m forty-three,” I reply. “I don’t have the energy for dramatic declarations anymore.”
“And you’re sure?” she asks, a grin tugging at her lips. “This isn’t just… convenient?”
I slide my hand gently up her back until she is properly tucked against me.
“If this was just convenient,” I say quietly, “I wouldn’t be lying here wanting to know what makes you laugh when you’re not trying to be polite. Or what Alfie will say tomorrow that makes you look at him like he’s the most interesting person in the room.”
Her eyes soften at that.
“And I definitely wouldn’t have booked you a room hoping you’d say yes.”
That earns me a quiet, breathy laugh.
“You did ambush me a bit with that.”
“I was optimistic.”
She studies me for another long second.
Then she nods. Small. Certain.
“I’m interested,” she says.
That does something steady and solid inside my chest.
“Good,” I murmur.
She presses a soft kiss just below my collarbone, like she isn’t quite done believing this yet.
We stay like that for a while longer.
No rush.
No pretending.
Just her in my arms and the very new, very real feeling that this might be the start of something.
Chapter 18
Ava
Iam sitting cross-leggedon the floor of the Natural History Museum next to a five-year-old who takes dinosaurs extremely seriously.
Which is how I know my life has taken a very unexpected but possibly excellent turn.
“And that,” I say quietly, pointing at the enormous skull above us, “is why Triceratops had three horns. Two for defence and onebecause apparently dinosaurs believed in dramatic headwear,” I finish my mini Ted-talk
Alfie nods gravely.
“That would beat a lion.”
