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Despite the theme the tour was a lot of fun, the guide engaging as well as knowledgeable, and Clem found herself laughing uncontrollably as he took them on a whistle-stop tour of the least palatable parts of Asturian history, pitching his spiel perfectly between scaring the children just enough and amusing the adults. Throughout the tour she was aware of Akil’s hand in hers, the breadth of him, height of him, the sheer handsomeness of him taking her breath away, the wonder that he wanted to be here with her—the wonder that he wanted her—dizzying her. Possibility hung thick between them, the possibility that this adventure wouldn’t end when the tickets expired at midnight, but this Cinderella might keep her bewitched existence a little longer.
Just a few hours ago she had been reminding herself that she had no future here, warning herself to be careful, but now those sensible thoughts belonged to someone else. What did the future matter when there was now?
The group clustered around a cannon that pointed out towards the mountain pass and was, they were informed, haunted by a young soldier who had refused to abandon his post when the city was under attack and stayed there still to protect Asturia. The guide’s voice had dropped to a carrying whisper as he told the tale and the children on the tour pressed forward, eyes wide in the deepening dusk, only to jump back in exaggerated fright when he boomed out the end. As they jumped, one tripped and before anyone could catch her fell into the road—and straight into the path of a car. Time seemed to slow as the small body was scooped up onto the low bonnet as the car screeched to a desperate but too late halt.
Everyone was paralysed with shock and fear—everyone but Akil. He dropped Clem’s hand and sprang into the road even as the car finally braked, shouting instructions to call an ambulance. He bent over the girl, his finger on her neck, and then ran his hands carefully over her.
‘Stay back, she needs space,’ he called out. ‘Where are her parents?’ An American couple were at his side in seconds, one holding a smaller girl, faces pale and shocked. ‘She’s breathing,’ he reassured them. ‘That’s a good thing. Her leg is certainly broken, and I can’t rule out internal bleeding or concussion, but the hospital isn’t far.’
‘Are you a doctor?’ the woman asked, and Clem was proud to see he didn’t wince as he shook his head.
‘No, but I volunteer with the mountain rescue and I am paramedic trained. She’ll be in good hands, I promise.’
It took the ambulance less than ten minutes to arrive and Clem stayed back as Akil assisted the paramedics as they moved the still unconscious girl onto the trolley and checked her over. The rest of the group were still huddled together, silent, and as she was loaded into the ambulance Akil came over.
‘I am going to accompany her to the hospital,’ he told Clem quietly. ‘Her parents don’t speak Asturian or French and it will be helpful for them to have a translator.’
‘Of course,’ she said hurriedly. ‘I told Henri I’d call him as soon as we were done, so he can collect me and I can transform back on the way back to the palais. It’s dark now so I only need to get through the gates and the guards never check Henri anyway.’
‘I’m sorry we didn’t make the opera.’
‘Another time.’ But even as she said it she could feel the possibility slipping away. In the cold light of day would this live-for-the-moment promise she had made to herself last? Or would she remember all the reasons getting close to Akil—to anyone in Asturia—was such a bad idea?
Akil drew her close, his arm an anchor. ‘Of course. We’ll rearrange and we can pick up our schedule. Carry on as we planned.’
‘That would be lovely.’ She could hear the lack of conviction in her words and she knew he heard it too. Before she could back away he bent his head and brushed her mouth with his. It was the briefest of caresses, almost chaste, but the touch lit her up, flames swooshing through her from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her toes. All she could do was look up dazed as Akil smiled ruefully and stepped away. ‘I’ll see you soon.’
Clem stared after him, drinking in his tall figure, allowing herself one last look at the way his jeans encased him so perfectly, the fit of his T-shirt, the strength and grace in the fully muscled body. She swallowed, fighting the need to run after him, to call his name, to kiss him once again. Instead she watched him step into the ambulance and exchange a few words with the paramedic before the doors shut and he was driven away.
‘Goodbye,’ she said at last. But whether she meant for tonight or for keeps, she didn’t know.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ITWASLATEby the time Clem returned to the villa but despite her exhaustion she found it hard to sleep, replaying the events of the day over and over, lingering on the brief kiss until she had no idea what was memory and what was fantasy. When she finally got up the next day she was convinced she hadn’t slept at all, and her activity watch confirmed her suspicions. With a groan she took her coffee and a book onto the comfortable terrace sofa and curled up, promising herself a lazy day.
She’d messaged Akil last night to check on the injured girl and he’d promised to send her an update. To her relief when she checked her phone, she found a message from Akil sent some time early that morning letting her know that although the girl’s leg was broken and she’d severely bruised her ribs, there was no internal bleeding and she’d somehow managed to avoid concussion. The hospital were going to keep her in for several days for observation but she’d been very lucky.
Clem pressed the reply arrow and then sat there for some time staring at the blank screen before typing a simple thank-you.After another couple of minutes’ thought she added:
You were brilliant yesterday.
Before she could think better of it she sent the message and then lay back on the sofa and stared up at the cloudless sky, mind an exhausted whirl.
What would have happened if there had been no accident? Would they have gone to the opera? For dinner? Would possibility have hung in the air throughout? Would she have gone back to Akil’s apartment? And if so, then what?
She’d never know...
At that moment her phone vibrated and when she picked it up her sister’s name filled the screen. Clem took a deep breath and then answered it, injecting as much vibrancy into her voice as she possibly could.
‘Hi, you, what are you up to?’
‘Just checking in,’ her sister said, and Clem felt some of the tension leave her as she took in just how relaxed Arrosa sounded. ‘Is everything okay with you? Have you heard from our father yet?’
‘Not yet.’ Clem tried to sound breezy, as if the continued silence didn’t bother her at all, but of course her sister knew better and she didn’t try and hide her sigh of exasperation.
‘Honestly, what’s he playing at? Do you want me to say something?’
‘No, no, it’s fine.’ Clemdidwant to see him, but more, she wantedhimto want to seeher, not for him to pay her a duty visit because his other, legitimate daughter had scolded him into doing it. ‘There’s plenty of time yet. I’m sure we’ll catch up sooner rather than later.’
