AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘You look surprised.’
‘You aren’t someone to make peace.’
He laughed, the sound melodious and warm and, oh, so dangerous. ‘How do you know, Alicia?’ Her name on his lips rolled over her, so she pulled her lips to the side, fighting a smile of her own.
‘Because you’re stubborn and—’
‘And what?’
‘—angry,’ she said quietly, honestly, peeping at him from beneath her lashes. ‘Like you used to be before—’
Their eyes met and held. She didn’t need to finish the sentence. He’d been angry, with a huge chip on his shoulder, when he’d arrived at the mission, but over the summer, as they’d got to know one another, he’d changed, morphing into a different man altogether.
‘I am not angry, in fact,’ he said with a lift of his shoulders. ‘At least, not often.’
‘Not with anyone but me?’ She couldn’t resist asking.
His smile almost felled her at the knees. ‘You are more direct than you used to be.’
‘I’ve had to be.’
‘Why?’ He was studying her, his body a study in nonchalance, but she knew him better than that.
She hesitated, sipping her coffee again, the feeling of the afternoon sun warming her back. The ocean air, salty and mysterious, called to her, and again, she rued her decision to only bring corporate clothing.
‘I suppose we all become more confident over time. I was just a girl back then.’
‘Si,’he agreed, and her heart stammered because understanding that brought them one step closer to forgiveness; until that moment, she hadn’t understood how much she wanted him to forgive her.
Silence fell, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They stood only a metre or so apart, the sun warming them both, neither speaking, until after a minute, he said, ‘Tell me about your life.’
It was a command, and it made her laugh, despite the inherent danger in the question. After all, Annie was the biggest part of her life. How could she discuss her day-to-day existence without mentioning their daughter? And how could she bring up Annie until she understood him better? Until she knew how he’d react?
‘My life is busy,’ she said. ‘I work long hours.’
‘You never married?’
Her heart stammered. ‘I’m only twenty-six,’ she pointed out.
‘Are you seeing anyone?’
She bit into her lower lip. ‘After the way we kissed yesterday?’
He lifted his shoulders. ‘We didn’t have sex. It would hardly have been a massive betrayal.’
Her lips parted in surprise. ‘No,’ she said quickly, not meeting his eyes. ‘I’m not seeing anyone. And if I was, I wouldn’t have kissed you like that. I’m not quite so cavalier with my feelings are you are.’
His smile prickled at her heart. ‘Peace offering, remember.’
‘Maybe there’s too much in our past to ever achieve peace?’ she said softly, hoping that it wasn’t true. They shared a daughter; for Annie’s sake they needed to resolve their past.
‘Perhaps peace is overrated,’ he said, eyes boring into hers, warming her, teasing her, tempting her. She stared at him, every nerve ending in her body reverberating in recognition of what he was suggesting, of the truth in his words. She took an involuntary step backwards, gripping her cup more tightly.
‘Thank you for the coffee,’ she mumbled. ‘I should—I need to go.’
‘Coward,’ he taunted softly, his smile sending her nerves into overdrive.
As she hurried across the courtyard, she heard his soft, mocking laugh and her insides squirmed with unmistakable desire—a desire she knew she had to conquer.
