‘Do you really think that’s why I’m here, Valentine? For sex?’
I turn away from the view to face her, my eyes clashing with hers. ‘Why else would you be here? You made it quite clear you don’t love me, so tell me, Olivia, what else could you possibly want?’
Her eyes and lips tremble as she holds my gaze. ‘I want to tell you face to face that I was wrong, that I lied to you...’
She walks towards me and I step back. I can’t bear her being any closer without crumbling and I see the hurt that flares in her eyes at the move, feel the sight of it crushing my resolve.
‘Valentine, I’m here to tell you that I love you. I loved you when I told you I didn’t. I love you more than I’ve ever known it possible to love someone.’
The words echo through my skull, beat at my heart. Insistent. Incessant.
‘Please, please tell me you can forgive me.’ Her voice is soft with her plea, strong with her desperation. ‘Tell me that you’ll give me another chance, give us another chance.’
‘How do I know you won’t wake up tomorrow and change your mind?’
‘Tomorrow I want to wake up in your bed, in your arms, and the next and the next, for as long as you’ll have me. I pushed you away because I was scared. I was the one stuck in the past, fearing the what-ifs, of regrets that you may have down the line. I was being a hypocrite.’
I shake my head, the lightness spreading inside. ‘Olivia Carmel, are you telling me you were wrong?’
Her lips quirk into the first hint of a smile. ‘Don’t let it go to your head.’
My eyes narrow. I take in all that’s vibrant about her and see the love that shines so clearly in her face and I know she means it. Every word. ‘What changed your mind?’
‘I did. With a little help from my sister, Fee, and a dollop of encouragement from Alan. He was the one who found out where you were and reported back to me.’
‘The lying devil; that was why he called. It had nothing to do with missing contact information for Louis and Adele.’
She gives me a sheepish smile.
‘Olivia?’
‘Yes?’
‘Tell me again.’
Her smile grows, her eyes sparkle. ‘I love you.’
‘Again.’
She steps towards me, takes the whisky from my hand and places it on a side table. ‘I love you.’
‘Once more for good measure.’
Her chest brushes up against me. ‘I...’ she rests her palms on my shoulders ‘...love...’ she brushes her lips against mine, her lashes fluttering closed ‘...you.’
Her eyes flick open. ‘Sir.’
My chest expands with so much love, so much warmth, and I clutch her to me, swing her in the air. ‘I should punish you for taking so long to realise it, Kitten.’
‘Punish me all you like, because it won’t change a thing. I am one hundred per cent besotted, head over heels in love with you, Boretti, and if you don’t take me to bed right now and make good on that promise, it’ll be you taking a spanking.’
My laugh fills the space, hers too. ‘You’re on.’
EPILOGUE
One year later
Olivia
‘YOU READY?’ Valentine is on my doorstep, looking model-worthy in his black sweater and jeans, his grin as excited as I feel.
‘Sure am.’
He turns his head a little, eyes me sceptically. ‘And you packed light?’
‘Of course. I do listen to you, you know.’
‘There was a time you didn’t.’
I laugh. ‘That’s nonsense and you know it.’ I step aside and show him my very modest suitcase, all packed and ready to go.
He picks it up, tests its weight with a downward smile. Impressed. ‘Best get a move on; the ferry won’t hang about for us.’
‘Lead the way.’
The Miura is gleaming in the sunlight, ready for its very first supercar tour across Europe. ‘And you’re absolutely positive your father doesn’t mind us going?’
‘I’ve already told you, he’ll come with us later in the year when a friend of his can join us. To be honest, he’s just happy we’re taking her out at all.’
He throws my tiny bag in the boot and we climb in. ‘We just have to make a pit stop on route.’
‘Really?’ I strap myself in, watch him get in beside me. ‘Why?’
‘You’ll see.’
‘You have me intrigued.’
He simply grins, covers his dancing blues with his sunglasses and starts the engine.
‘Is that really all I’m getting?’
‘Yup.’
As if to illustrate his point he turns the radio on and pulls out into the traffic. I smile and shake my head, pull my own sunglasses out of my handbag and slip them on before cosying down into the seat. It’s surprisingly comfortable, even with the engine vibrating through the cabin.
‘You are going to let me drive at some point, aren’t you?’
‘Play your cards right and I will.’
‘You say that a lot.’
‘Because it always brings me good things.’
I laugh. ‘You’re insatiable.’
‘You complaining, Little Kitten?’
‘Hell, no.’ I smooth my hand over his thigh and give it a squeeze. ‘Never.’
We slip into an easy conversation, me filling him in on the latest antics of my nieces and nephews and him telling me about his parents. He also tells me about a football day he’s got planned with Pete, the two of them having become firm friends over the last year. And I’m so engrossed in our talk that I don’t realise where we are until a low-flying plane rattles the windows of the car.
‘What the—?’ I frown as I watch it land on a runway beside us. We’re on a private airfield, one I’ve never been to before. ‘What are we doing here?’
I turn to him and that grin is back on his face.
‘Valentine?’
He cuts the engine. ‘Come on, they’re waiting for us.’
‘Who’s waiting?’
He doesn’t answer. Just slips off his sunglasses and steps out, walks around to my door and opens it for me, offering out his hand. I take it, my head shaking, a frown still tugging at my brow.
I scan the airfield, the hangar, the people
