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She’d spent the whole morningnotcatching his eye. Not because she was ashamed of last night but because she knew it changed nothing between them. Like the other wedding guests he’d be flying out today. They’d all arrived a few days ago and already had their holiday whereas she’d been unable to get here until the day before the ceremony.
The point was she and Jack had had breakup sex and now they’d return to their separate lives. She could only hope their night of scorching passion had burned away some of her unresolved feelings for him. Like cauterising an open wound.
She lifted her chin higher and focused on smiling. For shewashappy for Freya. Even if her own dreams were in tatters.
Catching the direction of her thoughts her mouth pursed. Those were old dreams. She had new ones now. A fulfilling career that would take her to interesting places and satisfy her desire to do some good in the world. As for personal relationships, there was plenty of time for those in the future.
They watched as the bridal couple boarded the tender that would take them to the extravagantly beautiful yacht for their honeymoon.
Just as it should be, a honeymoon spent alone together, not traipsing to one society event after another, more concerned with business than building a real relationship.
She’d made the right decision, walking out on Jack. They were just too different, with completely different needs.
Ten minutes later they’d waved goodbye to the newlyweds and the other guests had said their farewells, heading off to their villas to collect their luggage before leaving.
Yet Jack lingered. Surely he didn’t want a post-mortem of what had happened last night?
They hadn’t been alone since she’d left his bed and that suited her perfectly. What they’d shared last night had stunned her, even knowing his virility and how physically compatible they were. It felt as if she’d tapped into something elemental, something far stronger than simple physical desire or the culmination of her confused feelings. She didn’t want to analyse too closely for she feared if she did she’d discover she was still too weak where he was concerned. Far simpler to view it as cathartic sex as they shed their last links.
Bess gave one last wave in the direction of the yacht and turned to him, not meeting his eyes.
‘I suppose this is goodbye, Jack. The flight’s leaving soon.’ She stopped, swallowing a sudden constriction in her throat. Stupid to feel emotional. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe last night had meant anything but a release of built-up sexual tension. ‘We didn’t get to discuss the divorce papers. Can I assume you’re ready to sign them now?’
His straight eyebrows arrowed down in the middle of his forehead. ‘You’re not leaving?’
Bess shook her head. ‘Not me, I’m staying for a week. But I know you’ll be eager to return to work.’
‘Not necessarily.’
He paused and she did what she’d vowed not to, met those stunning blue eyes. As usual they didn’t reveal much. But there was something, something that made heat trickle from her tight chest down to her pelvis. Her breasts rose on a quick breath as she remembered last night. His urgency, his tenderness, the way it seemed he couldn’t get enough of her, no matter how sated they were.
She’d felt the same. As if she were frantically hoarding up memories to take with her when they separated today.
Bess snapped her head around to stare at the huge yacht, already leaving the island behind.
‘I thought I might stay on.If you are.’
Her eyes rounded as she digested his words. He wanted to spend more time with her? He’d even delay his return to work?
‘You’d change your plans to stay longer because of me?’
Swift as thought, some emotion rippled across his features but she couldn’t define it. Discomfort? She knew Jack prided himself on his forward planning and his commitment to work. Did he think it weakness to consider altering his schedule on the spur of the moment to be with her?
Bess reeled at the possibilities. It had never occurred to her that Jack might want more than one night. She’d told herself she’d only wanted sex to stop the clamouring in her blood and to get him out of her system.
She’d lied to herself.
Excitement bubbled in her veins and she tried to ignore it, for this was important and she needed to think straight.
‘It’s not over between us, Elisabeth. Can’t you feel it? I’m not ready to let you walk away and after last night I don’t think you’re ready to go.’
Bess couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He didn’t think their marriage over? She opened her mouth to speak but what he said next stole the words from her tongue.
‘Work can wait. You’re staying a week. Why don’t I stay too?’ His eyes held hers and she felt herself sinking into that deep blue as if she dived into her own private ocean.
Work could wait?
The ground trembled beneath her feet as if from a continent-splitting earthquake.
