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He ordered a selection of foods, but his mind was ticking over with this new information. “Where do you live?”

“The Elephant.”

He frowned. “And Castle?”

“No. The Elephant and the Frog. Of course The Elephant and Castle.”

“And it’s just the two of you?”

She nodded. “I found a small flat through a friend. It’s only got one bedroom but it’s right around from a Tesco, so it’s super convenient.”

“You share a room with your brother?”

Her cheeks flamed pink. “No. He has the bedroom.”

“And where do you sleep?”

“The sofa bed.” She reached over and forked a piece of his broccoli. “It’s not so bad.”

Sabato wanted to fix it. He wanted to fix everything. But that wouldn’t be fair. He was only a temporary part of her life. The knowledge made him frown. “I have something for you.”

Emily raised her brows curiously. “You do?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled the box out. He was glad now that he’d gone for the one-carat earrings rather than the two. He suspected she would have been mortified if she knew what they’d cost, and so he slid them across the table with a casual air. “Just a little something to remember this weekend by.”

Like she needed anything for that. Every second was burned into her brain, and always would be. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said quietly. Her fingers toyed with the box without opening it.

“Please,” he nodded towards it.

Emily lifted the lid, her eyes focussed on Sabato. She looked down, after several moments and gasped at the beautiful jewellery. “These aren’t … diamonds are they?”

He dipped his head forward in silent agreement.

“Oh, Sabato, it’s too much.” She pushed the box back towards him. “I can’t accept them.”

“Of course you can.”

“No.” She smiled brightly, but tears were in her eyes. “It might be normal for you to be so generous with gifts but something like these have no place in my life.” At his look of contradiction, she shook her head and continued more emphatically. “I’m a housekeeper, Sab. I can’t wear these.” She put her hand over his. “It was sweet of you…”

“Take them. Sell them. I don’t care.”

Pain was lashing through her. “I don’t need earrings to help me remember this weekend. Trust me.”

He stared down at the diamonds, a small frown marring his handsome face. “I chose them because I thought you would like them.”

She shrugged. “It’s too much. You might have all the money in the world, but you don’t need to spend it on me.”

“And if I want to?”

“You’d be wrong.” She squeezed his hand. “It’s not what we are,” she repeated, scanning his face earnestly. Was she hoping he’d disagree with her? That he’d beg her to see him again? Of course she was. But Sabato did not.

He clicked the lid shut on the velvet box and slipped it back into his suit pocket. “As you wish,” he said finally, as though it barely mattered.

For the first time, they ate dinner at opposite sides of the table, talking instead of touching, listening instead of longing. Emily couldn’t believe how relaxed she felt, despite the certainty that they were in their last few hours together.

They discussed everything, from politics to theatre and movies then construction. Simon and Rosamund had married five years before their deaths, and he had been a keen intellect. He’d encouraged Emily to read the broadsheet newspapers from cover to cover every day, and to form her own opinions in response to current events. Sabato was interested in everything she had to say, and he managed to focus on her words, not just her distracting mouth. It was as though the penny was finally dropping; she was leaving. He had squandered there time. Meetings be damned! Why had he thought he had to be anywhere than by her side?

“Are you sure I can’t persuade you to stay the night?” He asked, at the end of the drawn out dinner.


Tags: Clare Connelly Billionaire Romance