‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Thanks. I’m sorry I’m so tired.’
So was he, but not because he was desperate to slake his lust. He wanted her to be okay. ‘Don’t worry, just sleep.’
He climbed in beside her and drew her close so her head rested on his chest. Slowly he relaxed as he felt her sink into sleep in his arms. Warm weariness stole into his bones, and that feeling of anxiety eased until he slept too.
* * *
‘Alejandro?’
His eyes snapped open; his heart was thundering. Kitty was leaning over him, her eyes wide and worried. He realised the reading light beside her was on and—
‘Are you okay?’ He sat up and checked his watch. It was only just after two in the morning. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘N-nothing.’ She eased back, turning away from studying him so intently. ‘I’m fine. I just...’
He waited, rubbing his hand through his hair. His forehead felt damp—had he been dreaming again? He froze.
‘I just—I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.’ Kitty suddenly slid out of the bed and sent him a dazzling smile. ‘I’m going to go fix something.’
Food? Fantastic. ‘I’m not eating noodles,’ he muttered.
‘Who said I was cooking anything for you?’ she said tartly, her spirit snapping. ‘Honestly, your arrogance...’
He laughed and rolled out of the bed, inordinately happy that she was back to her best. ‘I’ll cook. But I can’t believe I have to cook vegetarian.’
‘You’ve never used any of this, have you?’ She looked around the sterile kitchen while he headed to the pantry, praying he had something edible in there.
He stepped out, brandishing a couple of cans and a bag of rice. The freezer revealed more possibilities.
‘Are you sure it’ll even work?’ she teased as he flicked a switch on the oven. ‘I bet you’ve never turned it on even once before.’
He grinned at her. ‘You know I’m very good at turning things on.’
She rolled her eyes.
‘Not noodles,’ he said pointedly as he placed a steaming dish of rice and vegetables in front of her fifteen minutes later.
‘Oh, so good,’ she mumbled after the first forkful. Then she glared at him. ‘Is there anything you aren’t good at?’
‘So many things,’ he said lightly. ‘I won’t bore you with the list.’
Only a few hours later, when he got up to go to work, he tried not to disturb her, but she sat up anyway. She still had shadows beneath her eyes. He frowned. He’d been selfish, all these nights of interrupted sleep had taken a toll on her. He’d been little better than an animal. But she’d wanted it too. She’d pushed him. She’d welcomed him. Even so, she clearly needed a break.
‘Lie back down and sleep in,’ he told her.
‘And miss the chance to explore New York?’ she pretty much shrieked. ‘Never.’
‘Please.’ He wanted that pallor to return to a more normal shade. ‘Just have a couple more hours’ rest then meet me for lunch. I’ll send a car.’
‘I can find my own way.’
That determined independence annoyed him. It was so unnecessary. But he knew there was no point arguing.
In the end she stood him up for lunch. She sent a text saying she’d meet him back at the apartment before dinner. Apparently she’d got distracted at the shops.
Disappointed, he worked through, but he was glad she must be feeling better. They’d go out tonight, just the two of them. He contacted a friend to find out the city’s best vegetarian restaurant and then phoned to secure a table, bribing his way in.
When he finally got home she was ready.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked before he’d even said hello.
For a moment he didn’t answer; he was too busy staring. Now he understood why she’d got distracted. She was in a designer dress, but it wasn’t black. It was a beautiful bottle-green and cut to perfectly emphasise her slim waist. The low-scooped neckline showed her delectable freckles. The first time she’d ever worn anything that revealed them. The first time she was in colour. She looked stunning.
He saw the wary hesitancy in her eyes and the way she was holding herself very erect, and knew he was going to need to tread carefully. If he said the wrong thing she’d flare up at him. And for once he didn’t want to do that. Maybe there wasn’t a right thing to say. Only a right thing to do. He walked to her and cupped her face in his hands.
‘Look at me,’ he commanded softly when she avoided his eyes.
Slowly, reluctantly, she met his gaze.
‘I can’t kiss you or we’ll never get out of here tonight,’ he muttered hoarsely. ‘You’ve gone to too much trouble to stay home.’ For once it hadn’t been for anyone else. It had been for him. It touched him more than he could bear. ‘You are beautiful.’
She pushed back from him, not meeting his eyes as she blushed. ‘You’ll sleep with anything.’
‘You really know how to insult a man.’ He grabbed her hand so she couldn’t walk far. ‘But you insult yourself the most.’
He had no way to prove how attractive he found her. No way other than sleeping with her—again and again and again.
‘I’m not a beast who roots whenever, however, with whatever I can,’ he said bluntly. ‘I can sleep with none but the world’s most beautiful women. A list of models a mile long. Yet I choose to screw you. And only you. Over and over. Why do you think that is?’
‘You’re going through a phase.’
He laughed and released her hand, giving up on convincing her. ‘You wish to burn yourself with insecurity about your appearance, that’s your choice.’
Her head whipped as she turned to stare at him, her jaw slack. Suddenly she laughed.
‘What?’ He queried the change in her demeanour. All of a sudden she was glowing.
‘You’re right.’ She giggled again and actually wiped a tear from her eye. ‘You’re absolutely right. I’ve been stupid.’
He cupped her face again. ‘Not stupid.’ He knew she’d not got the security she needed from her father or her ex-fiancé. ‘Sweet.’
She tilted her chin, her eyes glinted, her lips still curved. ‘Not that sweet...’ she murmured wickedly.
‘No,’ he muttered hoarsely. ‘We need to leave. We’re going to the most lauded vegetarian restaurant in the city. You’ve no idea the hoops I had to jump through to get us a table at such late notice.’
Delight shimmered and she leaned even closer. ‘You’re going vegetarian for me?’
‘Just for tonight,’ he drawled. ‘So for once you get to choose anything from the menu—you’re not limited to one or two same-old, same-old dishes. So let’s go.’
But she didn’t move; she just smiled up at him and his chest was too tight again and he couldn’t seem to move. His heart couldn’t pound hard enough. She was sparkling now—her eyes glittering like jewels.
‘Kitty—’ He pulled the diamond choker from his pocket.
Her soft lips parted as she gazed at them, then back up at him. ‘You have it with you?’
‘All the time.’ He didn’t know why. He felt close to her when he had it in his breast pocket. It was stupid, but there it was. ‘Please wear it.’
It would look stunning on her.
She shook her head, her smile resolute. ‘I can’t. It’s not mine to wear.’
‘You wish it was?’ He’d buy them for her if he could.
‘It’s just not meant to be that way.’ She turned away from him.
She deserved more than that. She ought to have her heart’s desire. She had such a generous heart.
‘You took such a risk for them.’ He smiled as he remembered her stealing in to the library that night, all sleek determination and fire.
‘Isn’t there
someone for whom you’d do anything?’ she asked lightly. ‘No matter the cost or the risk?’
He maintained his smile, but an emptiness gaped in his stomach. She loved in a way he couldn’t. The cost of loving like that was too great.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘KITTY?’