‘That’s what you’re worried about? Seriously? You could have got hurt, Lily. Or worse. What the hell were you thinking?’ he demanded, unable to rid himself of the shocking fear that had crashed over him when he’d realized she’d been down on the beach in the middle of a thunderstorm.

‘I … I didn’t want it to be ruined. I … It had to be perfect. And now, it—’

‘Will be just fine,’ he said, aiming for reassurance and knowing that he just sounded mutinous. ‘You know what these coastal storms are like. All rain and bluster and tomorrow blue skies and a heat wave. It will be fine, Lily.’ He spoke with a confidence he genuinely didn’t feel at that point. But he knew it was what she needed to hear.

He stalked over to the drinks cabinet and poured two large glasses of brandy. He pressed one into her shaking hands, watching her until she took a mouthful before gratefully taking a large swallow of his own.

Lily choked a little but his slipped smoothly down his throat. After a moment, she took another sip and he finally began to relax, now that she was safe, now that the colour was returning to her pale skin and the shivering that had racked her frame lessened just a little.

He grabbed a large throw from the sofa and placed it around her shoulders, ignoring her protests.

‘I’m soaking,’ she said, trying to shrug it off.

‘I don’t care. You need to warm up.’ And she needed to cover up, because the way that her clothes were clinging to her skin – showing off every curve, every delicious inch of her – was too much. He turned away, gritting his jaw and hating himself for ogling her when she was clearly so distressed. Or insane. He really wasn’t sure at this point.

‘Look, why don’t you head to one of the rooms and take a shower? I’ll find you some clothes to change into, but you can’t stay like that, or you’ll catch a cold. And what would that do for the wedding?’

‘I … thank you for helping me but I should really be going,’ she said, looking forlornly out the window at the storm raging beyond.

‘Not tonight. We’ve both had a drink, so no driving,’ he said, barely looking her in the eye, ‘and before you say it, I’m not letting you walk back home in this weather either.’

‘I should—’

‘Take the damn shower, Lily.’