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A silence fell over the room.
‘And that bothers you?’
His question caught her off guard. She stared up at him wearily.
‘Yes. Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.’ Her mouth twisted. ‘I thought the boundaries would be clearer. That I’d feel different when I was being me without you. But it’s all merging and—’
She stopped.
Now it’s even more complicated, she finished the sentence inside her head.
Thinking back to how he’d touched her, her frantic response, she felt her cheeks start to burn. She’d had other lovers but it had never been like that—so urgent, so feverish. In the space of a few heated moments Rollo had blotted out the past and obliterated every sexual experience she’d had.
But she would rather run down Madison Avenue naked than let him know how strongly he affected her.
Swallowing hard, she reached down, picked up the ring and held it out to him. ‘Here. This is yours.’
Rollo stared at her outstretched hand and then slowly took the small gold hoop.
The limpid brown of her eyes heightened the flush of colour on her cheeks. She had never looked more beautiful. But it wasn’t her beauty that was making his heart pound.
It was her bravery. He knew how much it would take for him even to admit weakness, let alone reveal his deepest fears. He glanced down at the ring, turning it over gently in the palm of his hand. It was such a small thing. Easy to lose and, once lost, almost impossible to find.
Like trust.
He felt her eyes on his face and glanced away, his thoughts converging and then separating like the colours in a kaleidoscope. He’d made a deal with Daisy—and what kind of deal could ever succeed without trust?
Slowly he reached out and took her hand.
‘No, it’s yours. I chose it for you.’ Something shifted in his face, the skin tightening over his cheekbones. ‘And I didn’t mean to upset you. That’s why I came back. To tell you that.’
Daisy stared at him dazedly. It wasn’t an apology. But it was the nearest a man like Rollo Fleming would get to one. And whatever it was, he had come after her to say it.
She watched his mouth curve into an almost smile.
‘But if you really don’t want it, I suppose I could turn it into a tiepin.’
‘I do want it.’ Her lashes flickered up and, not giving herself a chance to have second thoughts, she said quickly, ‘And I want you.’
There was a fraction of a pause and then slowly he slid the ring onto her finger. And then, breathing out, he drew her close to him so she could feel his heart beating in time to hers.
‘And I want you too.’
For a moment they stood together in silence, and then she felt him shift against her and, looking up, she saw he was frowning.
‘What is it?’
‘I’m late for a meeting.’ His eyes met hers.
‘So go,’ she said lightly. ‘I’ll be here when you get back. I’m not going anywhere.’
She felt his arm tighten around her waist, the muscles in his chest growing rigid.
‘No, you’re not. But we are.’
She stared at him, confused. ‘We are?’
‘Let’s get out of here.’ He glanced around the apartment, his face creasing. ‘Out of Manhattan. Go somewhere we don’t have to pretend.’
