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‘Good morning.’ Lorenzo’s husky voice coming from the doorway to the en suite took her by surprise. He was already showered and dressed informally in black trousers and a grey sweater.
‘Hello.’ She looked up at him and smiled shyly—appreciating the gorgeous sight of him in the form-fitting sweater, but suddenly embarrassed by the complete lack of restraint she had shown the night before.
‘I hope I didn’t wake you,’ Lorenzo said. ‘I was hoping you would sleep in. I?
?ve got some arrangements I must make now, but I’d like to see you later this morning.’
He strode across to the bed and bent down to kiss her on the lips. Then he was gone.
Chloe lifted her fingers and pressed them lightly to her lips. She couldn’t believe how much had changed so quickly.
Later that morning Chloe was outside with Emma. It was another fine day and the garden was lovely. As she looked around Chloe realised it was that special time of year when everything in nature was at its most verdant and fresh. The delicate new leaves had not long unfurled and the grass was a lush emerald swathe.
She felt so much better than she had the previous day. So much more hopeful for the future.
She had promised Liz that she would not batten down her heart, and she was glad that she had kept her word. Things with Lorenzo seemed wonderful. He had been considerate and caring. And he’d understood her concerns about rushing into starting a family—he’d even been the one to make them pause long enough to use protection on the occasion when Chloe had let herself get carried away on the moment.
It was true that Lorenzo continued to insist that he didn’t believe in love, but Chloe found it increasingly hard to comprehend. His actions seemed loving. In fact, up until their wedding day, his actions had always seemed loving.
Chloe shook her head. She didn’t understand—and she didn’t want to think about it. She had promised Liz that she would think happy thoughts.
A movement caught her eye and she looked over her shoulder to see Lorenzo coming towards them across the lawn.
‘Come inside and pack your bags,’ he said. ‘I’ve arranged a holiday for us. Somewhere far away with no memories or associations, where you can truly relax and recuperate.’
‘Oh,’ Chloe gazed at him in surprise—although it wasn’t the first time he’d made a similar announcement. When they were together he was always whisking her away on exotic or romantic breaks. ‘Where are we going? Is it somewhere suitable for babies—not a wooden hut on a deserted island a thousand miles from the nearest doctor?’
‘Mauritius,’ he said. ‘Rest assured, it’s perfectly civilised. We’ll fly overnight and be at the hotel in time for breakfast. And, as it happens, Mrs Guest’s daughter, Lucy, is a qualified nursery nurse. She’ll be coming with us, to make sure you really do rest and relax.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHLOE sat enjoying a leisurely breakfast on their private balcony, at the exclusive hotel Lorenzo had brought them to in Mauritius. The giant suite of rooms he’d booked occupied a corner location, and in one direction she had an impressive view of the hotel’s stunning gardens and in the other direction the tropical water of the Indian Ocean glittered in the bright sunshine.
She had forgotten to eat for the past few minutes, being completely captivated by the industrious efforts of a weaverbird that was building a nest not far from where she sat.
First it flew up to the palm tree right next to where Chloe was sitting. It gripped the edge of the frond in its beak and flew downwards, tearing off a strip as it did so. Then, a long ribbon of palm leaf fluttering behind it, the little bird flew to its nest, which was dangling down from a branch on another nearby tree. It was a bit too far away for Chloe to see just how it went about weaving the nest, and she was wishing she had some binoculars, when a familiar voice startled her out of her observations.
‘Good morning, Chloe,’ Lorenzo drawled, his voice still husky from another night of lovemaking. He pulled up a chair to join her and reached for a glass of orange juice.
‘Good morning,’ Chloe replied, feeling her heart skip a beat and a blush rise to her cheeks. They’d spent one night in Mauritius and it was the first time they’d made love in a bed since they’d been back together, but it had been just as incredible as all the times in the pool house. ‘I’ve been watching a weaverbird.’
‘It’s the male that builds the nest, you know,’ Lorenzo said, not missing a beat. ‘Then he has to wait to see if the female will approve of it or destroy it.’
‘Really? I’ve seen them on TV, but never in real life before,’ Chloe said, thinking about all the effort the male had to make, never knowing if there would be a positive outcome for him.
Although it was the bird’s natural instinct, she was suddenly struck by what an extraordinary act of faith that was.
It was just like life, she thought, remembering the promise she had made to Liz. There were no guarantees that things would turn out the way she hoped, but without faith and commitment she risked never finding what she searched for.
‘Anyway, you’d better get ready,’ Lorenzo said, taking her by surprise and standing up briskly. ‘I’ll be back in ten minutes. I’ve got a boat to take us along the coast—there’s something I want to show you.’
The speedboat slowed and turned into the mouth of a wide, lazy river. Chloe had enjoyed the trip along the coast. She loved the stiff sea breeze blowing her hair and the exciting bob and bounce as the boat sped along.
The stunning beauty of the coastline had thrilled her. The pure white beaches edged with swaying palms and casuarinas, the amazing turquoise water of the lagoon and the deep blue sea out beyond the coral reef took her breath away.
At least she told herself that was the cause of her erratic heartbeat and the difficulty she was having breathing normally. It had nothing to do with Lorenzo sitting so close, his arm along the back of the seat behind her shoulders.
Emma had stayed at the hotel, with Mrs Guest’s daughter, Lucy, so the only thing holding her attention was Lorenzo.
