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Yes!‘ Alexander cried in triumph, running off again. Now I find another one!‘
Left alone, Cristiano came towards her, shaking his head ruefully. He was different here, she thought with a tug of wistful longing. The diamond-hard, competitive edge that defined and drove him had softened. The icy reserve he used to keep people at a distance had melted.
I admire him for not saying I told you so. I thought there was no way he could be right. It just looked like a lump of stone to me.‘
Kate dropped her gaze. Different‘ also meant harder to resist.
She had been so determined to resist him, because she‘d thought she was doing the best thing for Alexander. During those interminable hours when she had sat beside him in the hospital she had promised that she would never put herself, her own interests, first again.
But suddenly everything looked very different. Suddenly it felt as if this was the best thing for Alexander. The three of them—together.
There are lots of fossils down here.‘ Her voice was slightly breathless, as if she‘d spent the afternoon running on the beach too. We find them every time we come.‘
Really?‘
She nodded, pulling his coat around her. I bet you could find one within reach of where you‘re standing.‘
I never turn down a challenge.‘
He bent and picked up a piece of jagged slate that was sticking up through the sand. OK—let‘s see if you‘re right.‘
He brought it over to her. Their fingers brushed as she took it from him, and Cristiano felt the tremor that ran through her body. It shook him like an earthquake. Quickly she hit the slate on the rock, and he watched her long, clever fingers work into the seams, opening it up like a book.
There—look.‘ She held it out to him, her voice a low murmur. It‘s beautiful.‘
Is there one?‘ he said hoarsely. I don‘t see it.‘
That‘s because you‘re not looking.‘
Fixed on his, her eyes gleamed. There was a note of laughter in her voice that he hadn‘t heard for a long time. It sounded good. It made him feel good to know that he had put it there, for a moment chasing away the shadows and the sharpness and the fear. A slow smile spread across his face.
I‘m looking at something far more beautiful.‘
They were standing in a hollow in the cliff face, sheltered from the wind and from the rest of the wide, empty beach. Impulsively, putting his hands flat against the rockface behind her, he made a prisoner of her, lowering his mouth to the angle of her jaw, sighing against the warmth of her skin.
Cristiano, we can‘t…‘
Can‘t what?‘ He spoke against her neck. If you mean I can‘t strip off those incredibly sexy jeans and make love to you right here on the sand, then I‘d have to agree. We are, after all, parents, and although I‘m pretty new at that I have an idea that would be pushing it too far. However, if you‘re saying I can‘t do this…‘
He moved his lips along to her earlobe, biting it gently, breathing out a gentle sigh that made her gasp and giggle.
Stop. What about Alexander…?‘
It will do him the greatest good to see his mother happy for a change.
Almost as much good as it‘ll do me to make you happy.‘ He pressed a line of kisses along her jaw. Dio, Kate, I want you. I spent every minute, every mile of that drive from Courchevel to Yorkshire wanting you. It‘s all I could think of.‘
Kate felt her resistance crumble, eroded away like the cliffs against her back by a force that was simply too great to withstand. With a whimpering sigh she let her head fall back, opening her mouth to him and bringing her hands up to grasp the collar of his shirt, her fists closing around it, twisting the fabric, pulling him closer as his lips worked their magic. His hands were cupping her face now, infinitely tender, warming her skin just as the strength of her longing was warming her from the inside. The noise of the wind was drowned out by the roaring of the blood in her ears, the pounding waves lost beneath the crashing of her heart as a tide of hot, slick desire swept through her.
Mummy, I got one!‘
Alexander‘s shout was like a bucket of cold water. Gasping, Kate pulled away just as Alexander came running around the jut of rock that had hidden them.
I got one—look!‘
Cristiano regained his composure instantly, stepping forward to take the piece of stone from him, shielding Kate with his body long enough for her to gather herself.
Fantastico,‘ he said gravely, looking down at the small fragment of slate and tracing his fingertip over the delicate spiral imprint on its surface in a way that almost made Kate envy the long-extinct creature whose outline it was. He held it out to Alexander again. Well done, fossil hunter. That‘s the best one yet.‘
It‘s for you,‘ Alexander said easily, stretching his arms out as he attempted to balance on one leg. If you keep it in your pocket it will bring you good luck.‘
Grazie.‘
Alexander toppled over, landing with a bump in the soft sand. What does gratsy mean?‘
Cristiano went to sit beside him. His bare feet looked very tanned against the pale sand, but Kate noticed that they were just a couple of shades darker than Alexander‘s. It‘s Italian for thank you.‘
Alexander looked up at him, his brown eyes filled with curiosity. Are you
‘Talian?‘
Cristiano met his gaze unflinchingly. Yes.‘
Oh, God. Kate felt as if invisible hands were closing around her throat as she looked on, knowing that the moment she had thought about, dreamed of, wished for and dreaded for four long years was bearing down on her like a giant tidal wave. She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing as Alexander turned to her.
Mummy, am I ’Talian?’
She met his artless chocolate-brown gaze directly. You‘re half-Italian,‘ she said evenly, and half British. Because I am British and—‘
But Alexander had stopped listening. Yippee—I‘m same as you!‘ he yelled, getting up in a shower of sand and throwing his arms around Cristiano‘s neck. Is it teatime soon? I‘m hungry.‘
Cristiano stood up in one effortless movement, Alexander clinging to him like a little monkey. Over his shoulder, Cristiano‘s eyes met Kate‘s.
So am I,‘ he said softly. Absolutely starving.‘
They stopped at a little pub on the coast road, overlooking the stretch of grey sea to Whitby Abbey in the distance. It was too early for the main crowd of evening drinkers, but the flagstoned bar was already filling up with walkers and tourists who had read about the pub‘s reputation for excellent food in one of the many restaurant guides. Even so, the landlord—who had seen the Campano turning into the car park and was a huge motor racing fan—showed Cristiano and Kate to the best table in the bay window, near to a glowing log fire. Alexander sat between them, his sandy legs swinging as he held a huge glass of Coca Cola in both hands.
He‘ll still be bouncing off the walls at midnight if he drinks all that,‘ Kate said with wry softness over his head.
Dio, really?‘ Cristiano held her gaze for a long moment, the expression on his face changing from one of amused horror to something altogether more serious and intense. Then he bent his head to Alexander‘s and whispered, Your drink looks much nicer than mine. Could I share some?‘
They ordered plates of fresh lobster and a bowl of thick golden chips, taking it in turns to pass bits of succulent pink meat to Alexander. Sipping ice-cold white wine in the warmth of the fire, Kate was aware that her cheeks were flushed and glowing.
But it was nothing compared to the way she felt inside, she acknowledged with a thud of helpless desire.
With Alexander between them, she and Cristiano didn‘t touch at all, but she was painfully aware of his presence—the long fingers tearing into the pink flesh of the lobster, the length of his thigh on the velvet seat next to Alexander‘s. Every now and then their eyes met over the top of their son‘s head, and Kate was impaled with a longing so sharp she had to bite her lip to stop herself gasping out loud. Her mind raced ahead, counting the minutes until they could be alone.
Eventually, as Alexander was scraping the very last traces of chocolate ice-cream from his bowl, Cristiano got up to pay. Hazy with wine and warmth and need, Kate watched him walk across to the bar, ducking his head to avoid the beams, her mouth going dry as she watched him pull his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans.
I like Cristiano,‘ said Alexander wistfully beside her.
So do I,‘ Kate said softly, gathering him up into her arms and holding him very tightly. So do I.‘
None of them spoke on the way home. The magic of the day hung like a fragile spell over them all.
Sitting beside Cristiano in the passenger seat, Kate felt her whole body screaming out for his touch. Unconsciously she seemed to gravitate towards him, so that as he changed gear his hand brushed her knee, making lust explode inside her like a meteor shower bright enough to light up the black moors spread out all around them. She didn‘t dare glance across at his perfect profile, outlined by the lights of passing cars. Already she was hanging onto control by a thread.
