Long Time Running - By Hannah Foster Page 0,24

of the bed and wrapped her in his arms. "Shhh, Nat," he soothed her. "You're okay. You're okay." As she continued to shake, he rubbed his hand in small circles on her back.

So wrapped up in each other and the familiar feel of touching each other, neither of them heard the door to her room scrape open, nor notice Keith looking in on them. Had either of them turned around he would have seen the total devastation on the journalist's face as he shook his head and turning on his heel, walked away.

"You're okay," he repeated.

Nathalie melted against him for a moment, remembering what it was liked to be loved by him but then reality reared its head, reminding her that she was not allowed this any longer.

Squirming, she extricated herself from his arms and moved to the far side of the bed. "Please leave" she demanded hoarsely.

"Let me help you," he insisted.

She violently shook her head. "You c-c-can't" she stated before she rolled over away from him.

He exhaled slowly and got to his feet. He extended his hand to touch her before thinking better of it. He wouldn't push her any further tonight but they were not done. Not by a long shot.

Chapter 8

Sitting up in bed with her legs pulled to her chest, Nathalie fingered her locket. It had taken almost an hour after Eric left to finally calm down. She hated the effect the memories had on her. So used to being able to conquer anything through sheer willpower, it was a humbling experience to be at the mercy of those memories.

Even after her breathing had returned to normal, there had been little sleep for her. Her skin still burned where his hands had touched her and her heart still pounded at the feel of his lips whispering against her ear as he had tried to soothe her. It was as though every cell in her body had been dormant all these years and with the briefest of touches he had awakened them. How now, would she be satisfied with anything less than feeling like that?

As the door cracked open, she looked up hopefully and tried to hide her disappointment as Keith came through. She should love him. She should want to make a life with him. But she didn't. She wanted to feel like she felt with Eric and no matter how good or kind Keith was that was never going to happen.

"Morning," she greeted him with forced brightness.

"Hi," he replied quietly as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I've booked a ticket home," he said. "For tonight."

Her eyes widened in response. There was something in his tone, in his body language, that told her he wasn't just leaving to go home, he was leaving for good.

"I'm sorry" she told him softly.

He shrugged, clearly trying not to betray how hurt he was. "Is there....is there any chance that you will ever love me completely?"

She opened her mouth, her usual protests at the ready but a voice in her told her it was time to start telling the truth. She owed it to this man who had been so good to her.

"No" she whispered, hating herself for hurting him.

Keith gave a brief nod. "The...uh....your locket - what's in your locket, the reason you moved to Africa - it all comes back to Doctor Smitherman, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. We....we were together for a long time. I was very much in love with him-"

"You still are," he told her pointedly with a small flash of anger.

She nodded regretfully. "Yes. Keith...I....I never thought I would be back here. I never thought I would see him again and I was sure - I was hoping - that with enough time and distance I would be free to love someone else. To love you."

"That's ridiculous," he snapped before taking a deep breath and steadying himself. "Nat, the heart doesn't recognize time or space. Living a continent away was never going to help you get over him, not unless you wanted to. I just...I just wish that I had been enough to make you want to."

"I wanted to Keith, I did, it's just - it's complicated."

"It always is with you," he pointed out truthfully.

She nodded in agreement. She had not been fair to him and Mylea had warned her about the need to be honest with him. "You are a good man and I wouldn't trade our memories for anything. I care for you very deeply."

"But you will never love me.