“Yes, I know, but I thought you’d be a few hours’ drive away.”
“You can get here quicker than you can get to a lot of places in Cornwall.”
“Maybe, but having to get on a plane makes it feel so much harder. And more expensive … I’ll pay you back for the flight, by the way.”
“Don’t worry about it. And don’t stress about the long-distance thing. If we want to keep seeing each other we’ll figure out a way. Can we just enjoy spending time together until then?”
“Yeah.” She could try, anyway. “Let’s do that.”
He pushed her hair from her face. “Don’t be offended but I like your outfit better without the hoodie.”
“Hey! I’m making a fashion statement here.” With some awkward wriggling, she pulled the hoodie over her head. “That better?”
“Much better.” He traced a line over her shoulder, then cupped her cheek as he kissed her deeply.
Her stomach turned somersaults when the kisses intensified. The thought of him moving away crept in and she shoved it aside, focusing instead on his thumb on her earlobe and his warm lips, which were pressing delicate kisses onto her neck. That was all she needed to think about, not the fact that their relationship was essentially doomed and she was more than likely going to end up heartbroken.
“I don’t know if I can do it,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Do what?” he muttered, his breath a tantalising breeze on her skin.
With a hand on his cheek, she eased him away. “I can’t say to hell with what’s going to happen in a few weeks and only think about today.”
“That’s not what I meant …”
“I know but I can’t stop thinking about how hard it’s going to be when you leave.”
“So you want to put a stop to things now to save yourself the hassle?”
She shook her head. “I’d just like to take things slow while I get my thoughts in order, if you don’t mind?”
A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “You realise you met my family today and we’re on our first holiday together?”
She pressed her lips together. “When you say it like that I definitely sound like a weirdo asking to take things slow, but if you don’t mind I think I’ll sleep alone.”
“It’s fine,” he said gently. “Whatever you want is fine.”
What she wanted was for him to stay in Bristol, but it would be a bit demanding to say that at this stage in their relationship.
Chapter Fourteen
Crawling into bed in the airy attic room, it was hard for Keira to comprehend that it was still Friday. She’d started the day at work and ended it in a quaint cottage on the Isles of Scilly. Just that morning, she couldn’t have pinpointed the Scillies on a map, or got anywhere close, for that matter.
While she snuggled down under the covers, listening for sounds in the house and hearing only the rhythmic rush of waves against the shore, a stab of guilt pricked at her. Her feelings for Noah seemed to intensify by the minute, and the flash of disappointment in his eyes when she’d wished him goodnight and set off to bed alone refused to leave her thoughts. Why couldn’t she stop panicking about the future and let herself savour having him around for as long as possible? He was right that if they wanted to keep seeing each other they’d find a way. She just couldn’t see what that way would be. It wasn’t as though she could move to the Isles of Scilly.
Before long, tiredness won out over her racing thoughts. It might have been the long day, or the sound of the waves, or the wonderfully comfortable bed, but she slept soundly all night and woke feeling refreshed and positive. If nothing else, she intended to make the most of her weekend away. Holidays never factored into her plans since money was always too tight. Now that she was on a stunning island, she’d be an idiot to spend her time worrying about her relationship status.
With no sign of Noah when she padded downstairs in her pyjamas, she made herself a coffee, then automatically moved to the living room and gazed out of the window to the glorious stretch of sand and sea that was practically on the doorstep. By the time she reached the bottom of her coffee, being inside was making her twitchy. Grateful for Seren’s hoodie, she pulled it on over her pyjamas and stepped outside barefoot.
The air was crisp and the ground cold beneath her feet, but for an April morning the temperature wasn’t bad at all. Beneath her feet the sand felt glorious and she watched gulls soaring overhead. Strolling to the water, she let the gentle waves sweep around her feet and grinned at the shock of it, not expecting it to be quite so cold.
With not a soul in sight she felt like the only person left on earth and was filled with a sense of calm. In Bristol, she was always on the go, her mind seeming to never stop, but here it felt as though there was nothing to worry about. There was nothing she needed to think about apart from the salty air in her lungs, and the sounds of birds and waves, and the gentle glow of the sun as it rose on the horizon.
She’d walked the length of the beach and back and had lost all sense of time when a car engine drew her attention. A shiny red mini sped along the lane, coming to a stop outside of the cottages.
Spotting Seren stepping out of the car, Keira walked quickly in her direction.
“I brought clothes,” Seren said happily, holding up a large shopping bag.