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But Nathan was her twin; he knew without Natalie having to do or say anything and crossed the room to pull her into a tight hug. “Luca wanted to send a helicopter, but I put him off, so I managed to buy you a little bit of time, even though I know it’s not much.”
Natalie buried her head in the crook of Nathan’s neck, grateful for the security her twin provided, even though it was another man’s arms that she craved to have around her.
But Jared was mucking in to help get the access restored. Clearing the very road that would take her away from him.
“God, I’ll miss you,” she told her brother as she forced herself to pull away instead of leaning on him like the uncharacteristically needy thing she’d suddenly become.
Nathan grinned and knuckled her head, mussing her hair and slipping back to being the annoying little brother, even though there was less than thirty minutes between them.
And Natalie loved him for it, because she knew he was doing his best to distract her. He’d make some lucky girl very happy, one day.
Turning away before she got too mushy, Natalie zipped up her suitcase. “Well, that’s the bulk of my stuff packed. I just need to put these last couple of bits into my day bag, so I’ve got toiletries and a change of clothes handy after the flight.” She gestured to the few things that were left on the bed and avoided looking at him, since she could feel the tell-tale prickle of tears behind her eyelids at the very real thought that they may have to leave before Jared got back to the resort.
She might not even get the chance to say goodbye, never mind anything else.
Was it better that way?
“I’ll take this down for you, then,” Nathan replied, grabbing the handle of the heavy suitcase, and heading out of the suite, though Natalie suspected he was really just giving her a few minutes of privacy so she could get herself together.
“Thanks,” she murmured, busying herself until she heard the lock click closed and she could dash to the window to see if there was any sign of the man who had changed her life.
There wasn’t.
Natalie put her last bag by the door and looked around the room. She rechecked drawers and cupboards that she already knew were empty and finally accepted that she couldn’t drag things out any longer.
But instead of walking out of the room, her feet took her to the bed where she’d spent so many happy hours of orgasmic ecstasy with Jared, and before she knew it, she was crawling on top of the neatly made covers and pulling the pillow he’d used towards her; burying her head in its downy softness so she could inhale the last remnants of his scent.
She curled both arms around it and willed herself not to sob, even though her shoulders silently quaked.
She didn’t want to be this pathetic, needy girl.
Natalie was so lost in the sorrow she was trying to force back that she didn’t hear the door. Didn’t hear the quiet pad of stockinged feet over the deep pile rug.
Didn’t know he was there until she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.
Then the bed dipped, and Natalie was pulled into Jared’s arms, held tight with his nose pressed into her hair.
“Fuck, sweetheart, I thought you were gone! I thought I’d missed you.” His voice was gruff, as if he too was having difficulty reigning in his emotions.
For long moments they simply clung, then Jared pulled Natalie upright and claimed her lips in a fierce kiss that left them both breathless.
“I was prolonging things,” she admitted. “Trying to resist time.”
Natalie’s phone chimed with a message, and she didn’t want to look at it, knowing it would be Nathan letting her know their transport had arrived, and it was time to leave.
Reluctantly, she pulled away and checked it anyway.
“It’s time for me to go.” Natalie huffed out a sigh and closed her eyes against the ache in her heart. “But I want you to know that… that…”
She faltered, unable to get the words out. What the heck was she supposed to say?
“Natalie, I don’t want this to be the end,” Jared interrupted gruffly, gripping her shoulders like he thought she might disappear. “I know we’re going to be thousands of miles apart, and we both have obligations, but I don’t want this to be goodbye.”
He closed his eyes and tipped his forehead to hers. “At least not a permanent one.”
Natalie drew her head back to look at him, blue eyes meeting brown. “You mean that?” She couldn’t keep the tremor out of her voice as hope swept through her, imbuing everything with a lightness that had been lost beneath the undertone of hopelessness and defeat that had been swirling around.
“I mean it!” Jared confirmed, cupping her face, and planting a poignant kiss on her lips. “I know we just met, but I feel like we found something worth exploring.”
“Me too.” Natalie’s laugh tinkled around the room, dispelling the heavy gloom that hand hung in the air just minutes before. And Jared’s normally stern countenance broke out into a blinding smile, just as a ray of sunlight speared through the clouds and lit up the sky.
Jared kissed her again. “We’ll work it out,” he promised.
And Natalie believed him.
