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I go out into the garden, half expecting to see her in the greenhouse, but she’s sitting in one of the plastic chairs, looking up at the sky.
“Hey,” I say. “I was just talking to Huxley.”
She looks up at me. “You told him what happened?”
“I did mention it, I hope that was okay. He’s worried about you.”
“He wants me to go back to New Zealand.”
“Yeah. I said you were doing fine, though, and he admitted it’s probably better that you’re here.”
Her eyebrows rise. “Really?”
“He’s aware how you feel about your father. I think he knows how difficult you’ve had it.”
She swallows hard and looks away.
I’m so tempted to take her into my arms again. To hold her tightly, and to kiss her tears away. I want to do it more than anything.
But I hesitate, Huxley’s words ringing in my ears,You’re one of the good guys. I know I can trust you.
Fuck it. I can’t make a move on her. Huxley and I are good friends, and I don’t want to jeopardize that by seducing his sister, especially when she’s been through so much.
Chapter Seven
Heidi
I feel Titus’s presence beside me with every cell in my body. It takes all my willpower not to turn, slide my arms around his waist, and bury my face in his neck.
I don’t want a white knight to swoop in and save me every time I’m even remotely in danger. I like to think I can cope alone—hell, I moved across the world, got myself a job and a house, all on my own. I don’t need a man. But fuck, I love that he stood up to Jason for me. That he got physical, and thrust him up against the wall. I couldn’t have done that, and Jason really, really needed someone to do it.
It’s the first time I’ve thought that the nickname Titus suits him. I looked up the meaning years ago. It means ‘of the giants.’ Honorable, strong, a defender.
I want to feel his lips on mine. To have his big, strong hands on my body. Oh my God, I want to have him inside me. I dreamed about it last night in bed. I’ve thought about little else all day, and now I’ve watched him stand up for me, I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about it.
But I can’t sleep with him. I know if I suggest it, I’ll just embarrass myself. He only thinks of me as Oliver’s little sister, and even if he did desire me, he’s such a nice guy that he’d never make a move on me.
Plus, I know there’s a possibility I’m only crushing on him because I’ve broken up with Jason and I feel vulnerable and lonely. It’s just a rebound thing, maybe for him as well, as I know he didn’t break up with his ex that long ago. He’s only been here for one day, so what I’m feeling—this connection, this longing—can’t be real.
He sighs, and he looks a little wistful. Is he feeling what I’m feeling? Or is he exhausted by this drama that has nothing to do with him? I thought he liked me, but maybe I misread the signs.
“How about we watch a movie or something?” he suggests.
He’s trying to move past it. And that’s fair enough.
I force my lips into a smile. “I’d like that.”
“Come on then. Let’s have a cup of coffee and you can choose what we watch.”
So we make ourselves a latte, then take it into the living room. I sit on the two-seater sofa, expecting him to take the chair. To my surprise, though, he sits beside me. Okay, the sofa faces the TV whereas the chair is at an angle, but even so…
“What kind of movie do you fancy?” I ask, trying not to sound breathless. “Something sci-fi, as we’ve been discussing astronomy?”
“Sounds great.”
We decide onGravitywith Sandra Bullock, and I put it on, then curl up beside him, knees pointing away so I’m not tempted to lean against him.
We don’t touch for a while, sipping our coffee. Then, after about twenty minutes, he slides down a little, props his feet on the coffee table, and stretches his arm out on the back of the sofa, not quite around me, but almost. Feeling like I’m sixteen, I sit there for a minute, not daring to move, and then I look across at him. He meets my gaze, and something in his eyes makes my heart miss a beat.
