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But it was temporary.
She emerged in the present, the same uncertainty clogging between them, and made her way to the pool edge that overlooked the ocean. It was dark now, only a few cruise ships visible, their bright lights showing the outline of the boats. Matteo swam beside her, bracing himself against the pool, his elbow lightly brushing hers.
Skye didn’t move away.
‘I’ve been wondering something,’ he said, not looking in her direction.
‘Yeah?’
‘When did you find out?’
She tilted her hea
d towards his slowly, her eyes running over his autocratic profile, noting the details of his features even as she tried to make sense of the question.
‘About the baby,’ he clarified, the words deep and husky.
‘Oh.’ She looked away again. Her face was pale beneath the moon’s light. ‘A couple of weeks ago.’
He was quiet for a long moment. So long that she wondered if perhaps he hadn’t heard or hadn’t understood.
‘And how did you feel?’
‘How did I feel?’ she repeated, a frown spreading across her face.
‘Yes.’ A small sound of impatience coloured the word. ‘Were you surprised? Happy? Upset?’
Skye tilted her head back in the water, dipping her hair completely under the surface, brushing her thick fringe back with it. ‘All of the above,’ she said with a shrug, lifting her head out of the water.
‘And when did you decide that you wouldn’t tell me?’
Skye pulled a face. ‘It’s not like I made a decision. I guess...’ Her eyes flicked to his for a moment and then instantly jumped away. ‘It didn’t really occur to me that I would tell you.’
‘No?’ A simple question, but she felt the intensity of feelings that coloured it.
She pushed up straight, staring out at the ocean and wishing she were bobbing on top of it, far from her husband, her marriage, his beautiful home. Far from the desire that lashed her even as she knew she should be more sensible.
‘No.’
He said nothing, but she intuited his silent judgement.
‘Our marriage was over.’
‘Which doesn’t change the fact we made a child together.’
Skye nodded softly. ‘I was upset.’ She returned to the original question. ‘That was my first feeling. Devastation. I couldn’t believe the timing. If it had been a few weeks earlier...’ She shook her head. ‘I’ve always wanted children. Even as a teenager, I imagined myself with a big family. Lots of kids. A loving husband.’ She pressed her cheek against her hands, turning to face him. ‘A happy family.’
‘Like you never had,’ he said perceptively.
There was no sense in denying it. She’d told him enough of her upbringing for him to know that she’d been miserable. ‘Yes.’
‘Are you happy now?’
She shook her head slowly; the tears that sparkled on her eyes were a surprise. ‘How can I be?’ she whispered. ‘I’m trapped. This marriage is everything I don’t want. I mean, I can’t wait to meet my—our—baby. I know I’m going to love him or her so much. But, Matteo, if you felt anything for me at all, ever...if there was anything in your motivation beyond revenge and greed...surely you can see that making me stay married to you is a mistake?’
He made a noise of frustration, closing the distance between them, his hands seeking her hips under water. He pulled her away from the edge of the pool quickly, holding her to his body, his eyes boring down into hers.
‘How can you call this a mistake?’
