“Delia thinks it will be best for Wink to have the security of the school and friends she’s always had, so they haven’t sold their city apartment. They’ll return to the city after the holidays.”

“Oh.” Her heart dropped.

“Wink will spend part of the summer here, of course. And you and I could visit them when we go into the city. I’m willing to use Wink as a bargaining chip if it means you’ll marry me.”

So she wasn’t hearing incorrectly. Now her heart flew to the top of her throat. She was becoming a one-person Cirque du Soleil. “Andy, we’ve only known each other for three weeks!”

“You’ve got to admit it’s been a very special three weeks.”

“True. Still. We should take time to get to know each other, don’t you think? Remember, Andy, you were engaged to Anastasiya Belousova.”

“True too. But I didn’t love her, not like this. I was showing off. Livin’ the dream. It was all an act to impress people. There was no real emotional connection.”

Christina took a moment to reflect. She believed what Andy said. Andy had probably cared for Anastasiya once, but what she’d seen between Andy and the Russian model during the great water pipe disaster had been friendship, a neutral attachment.

“Okay,” Christina said. “I get that. Still, this is all so hurried.”

“I think it’s been instantaneous. The Big Bang.”

Christina blinked. That was what she’d always longed for. Slowly, she admitted, “My parents got married after they’d known each other a month. So I know it can happen.”

Andy said, “Christina, it’s happening for us.” He paused. “And then, of course, there’s this.”

Leaning over, he took Christina in his arms and kissed her. Lightly at first, then with more warmth, and Christina felt every cell in her body responding to him, so that she kissed him back with passion. Soon they were half-lying on the sofa, their arms around each other, kissing as if they couldn’t stop.

Breathless, Christina pulled away from him. They sat up, adjusting their clothes.

Andy grinned. “I think I can count on a definite maybe.”

Christina looked into his eyes. She was thrilled and shaking with desire, and also terrified. “Yes, that’s a definite maybe.” She stood up, needing to move away from him before she fell on him, tore open his clothes and hers, and showed him it was really a blazing YES.

“Andy, it’s almost ten-fifteen. The midnight service at St. Paul’s starts at ten-thirty.”

“Give me a minute to wash the lipstick off my face, and we’ll go,” Andy said.

—