He looked down at her. Concern was what she saw in his eyes.
Emma shrugged her shoulders. ‘I think so. Doesn’t matter, though. It needs to be done. I’m following my dream, Alexander. Doing what makes me happy.’
‘I’m glad to hear you say it.’
‘Which means I can’t see you.’
‘Good thing we have tonight.’
‘We’re here,’ Emma said in a quiet voice. ‘This is it.’
Emma looked around her, feeling the same wonder she’d felt the first time she’d seen it.
They stood at an intersection, with buildings on all four corners. Glorious sand-coloured, weathered pieces of art. They stood golden in the streetlights. Their black, shadowed crevices only making them more breathtaking. And rising from each corner was a tall tree. Rough bark and smooth emerald leaves alike shared the golden illumination cast upon them.
‘It’s beautiful,’ Alex said as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. ‘I can see why you like it so much.’
‘I thought you would appreciate the Victorian architecture.’
‘I do,’ he said softly. ‘Thank you for sharing this with me.’
Emma turned around in his arms. ‘Thank you for appreciating it.’
She felt the apprehension leaving her body as he drew her to him, his gaze pulling her in. He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Long and slow. Tongues entwining. Drowning in each other. It was a miracle they were still on their feet. She had never felt such a primal need to be with someone as she did right now.
He was like a beacon in the darkness. She could kiss him forever. She wanted to. And the fact that he was kissing her here, in her favourite place, broke and mended and shattered something within her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ALEXSATINhis office. He had a morning of back-to-back meetings and a slew of issues that he’d normally tackle head-on. Not today. He was distracted. In fact, he’d cut the last meeting short because he hadn’t been able to handle being in that room when his every thought was of Emma.
Last night, he’d thought that a day apart from her was exactly what he needed. He’d felt so off balance since they had returned. Emma was starting to make him question why he lived his life the way he did. The way he always had. It was something he wasn’t willing to accept. He’d thought a tiny bit of space would do them both a world of good, even as his chest had tightened at the prospect. As if his body had physically rejected the idea.
When had he ever worried about anyone like this? Or at all? Somehow she had found a way under his skin and he cared now. More than he should. Because he still intended to walk away.
Convincing himself that leaving had always been the best course of action, Alex figured that when the time came, walking away would be the greatest show of his caring. There was no happy future with him.
Emma needed someone capable of love. Not someone who hadn’t been good enough for a mother who had abandoned him or a father who had left him to his loneliness. That same blood flowed through his veins, and he was damned if he would ever do that to anyone. Or allow them to do it to him. When their attraction was gone, Emma would leave, and he wasn’t going to risk becoming like his father, no matter how brilliant the man was.
His thoughts didn’t stop him from picking up the phone and calling her. When she answered, her voice was like a warm caress over his skin.
‘Alexander.’
‘Ripped off the Band-Aid yet?’
Her musical laugh came through, wrapping around his spine with a tingle.
‘Not yet. I was just about to call my mother.’
‘Good luck.’ Alex paused. He wanted to offer to be there with her. Protect her. But he knew it wasn’t his place.
‘Emma...’
‘Alex...’
They spoke at the same time and laughed.
‘You first,’ he said.