His lips were now getting dangerously close and her heart felt as if it were about to explode. Was she ready for this? How well did she know him? How could she be sure what this really meant to him? To her?

His lips moved closer.

Colette dropped her chin seconds before Luca’s mouth would have met hers.

She wanted to kiss him, she really did, but so much fear accompanied the excitement, and at that moment the former had won out.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, mortified. “I can’t...”

“It’s OK,” Luca assured, as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles slowly. “There is no rush.”

Chapter 28

Now

Colette’s eyes opened blearily and she forced herself up from where she lay against the side of the bath.

She’d drifted off at some point after her tears had drained her.

There was silence on the other side of the door and she wondered what time it was.

Ed was more than likely at work now. Had he called the office to let them know she wasn’t going to be in this morning or that she would be late?

She got to her feet and unlocked the door. In the bedroom the curtains were still drawn. She walked to where she’d left her phone beside the bed and checked the time. It was just after ten o’clock.

She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed as she flopped down onto the bed. She’d made such a scene. She was going to have to apologize to Ed.

Quickly slipping out of her nightgown, Colette headed back to the bathroom to shower. As she stood under the warm jets of water, her hand slid over her flat stomach and she imagined what it would be like to smooth her hand over one with life inside it. How it would feel to have a child moving around, the feeling of little kicks against her hand. She wanted that so much.

She turned off the water, determined to put it out of her mind.

She dressed in jeans and a light cashmere knit, and the gurgling of her stomach reminded her it was long past breakfast time. Going downstairs, she heard Ed’s voice still in the house. What was he doing still home? He should be at the office by now. She moved toward the sound and stopped in the doorway of the kitchen.

“I should have more information soon,” he was saying. “No, I think that should be enough for now. But let me know of any further developments.”

Another business deal, Colette mused, as she stepped inside the room.

Ed noticed her immediately and moved to end the call. “Great, thanks, just make sure to keep me up to date.”

“What are you still doing home?” she asked.

“I took the day off.” He smiled.