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He watched her stifle a yawn and noticed the darkening circles under her eyes. She was also exhausted. He pushed away from the door and sauntered towards her.
“I’d love to go to Sacred Valley,” Julia was telling the young woman. “I read about it, and it sounds fascinating.” The wistful tone in her voice broke his heart.
“I can arrange a tour for you,” the woman offered.
Julia shook her head. “Maybe next time. Our schedules are very full.”
“Si, next time.” The smile was genuine. Yet another person enamoured with Julia’s gentle heart.
“Hey, babe.” Joe rested a hand on her shoulder, and she didn’t pull away. In fact, she leaned into him a little. Yeah, she was tired. “I think it’s time to get some food and sleep. You about ready to go?”
“Yes.” She stood and smiled at the woman. “Thank you, Maria.”
“My pleasure.” The woman beamed and walked away.
“I swung past your suite,” Joe said as he took her hand and led her from the old church. “It’s full of people eating and staring at dead people. You won’t get any sleep there tonight.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I’ll go past reception and see if they have another room.”
“Or you could sleep in my room.” She tripped over nothing, and Joe smiled. “Just sleep, babe, I promise. You’re in no shape for anything else anyway.”
Julia considered him for a moment, the warm yellow glow from the garden lights glinting off her hair as it shifted in the breeze. His fingers itched to touch, but he didn’t.
“I need to stay away from you,” she whispered.
Joe fought back the tension that surged through his body. “Why’s that?”
“If I don’t, you’ll figure out how much of a freak I am.”
Yeah, he wasn’t going to let that go. He wrapped his arms around her and caressed her back. Her body softened against his instantly, showing him that her exhaustion had melted her defences.
“We’re all freaks, baby. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
“Why are you so determined to convince yourself that my freaky personality is normal? It’s as though you don’t care about all my weird habits.”
“I don’t.” In fact, some of them were endearing.
Laughter rang up from the tables that spilled out into the courtyard. Soft music began to play. Nothing offensive. Elevator music.
“This is a strange place.” Julia turned her face towards the gently bubbling fountain, her tone wistful, as though she was whispering secrets in the dark.
“How’s that?” He nuzzled her temple, making her melt further into him.
“It was a palace for a king. Then it was a retreat for men who gave up everything to follow God. Now it’s a tourist attraction where rich people pay through the nose to spend the night. They have business meetings in the chapel, surrounded by painted icons in gilt frames depicting saints. We sleep on beds worth more than the yearly income of some of the locals, and we do it beneath five-hundred-year-old paintings of Jesus.”
Joe turned her in his arms as tenderness overwhelmed him. He cuppe
d her cheek, revelling in her satin-smooth skin, and ran his thumb under her eye.
“You’re exhausted.”
“I’m okay.” She contradicted her own words by resting her forehead against his chest and turning boneless in his arms. Even standing, she was fighting sleep.
“Come on.” Joe tugged her back towards her suite. “Grab your toothbrush. You’re sleeping in my room tonight.”
“Joe…” She trailed off, obviously past fighting.
“I won’t take advantage of you like this. I promise, I’ll let you sleep.”
