She was heading through reception towards the staff room when she saw him. He was immaculately dressed in dark jeans and a fitted navy T-shirt that skimmed his chest. She stopped, watched and realised this was what she’d been waiting for all day. He pushed open the glass door to enter and smiled.
‘Hi,’ he greeted.
‘Hello. I left your jacket and phone in the car. I’m so sorry I kept it. I didn’t realise until later and—’
‘It’s fine. Apparently I have five text messages and four missed calls from Madeleine about a couple’s massage.’ He smiled again but this time his heart didn’t seem to be committed.
‘I hope you didn’t miss it.’
‘I’m hoping I did.’
There was an awkward pause.
‘The car’s this way. Do you want to…’ she began, stepping towards the door.
‘Sure.’
She led the way across the tarmac at a ferocious pace, trying to ignore the fact her body had turned into a pulsating ball of need. Why did he have the ability to move her like that? All sense seemed to disappear, she couldn’t concentrate and all the memories, including their kiss of the previous night, flooded her mind. It wasn’t fair.
‘How is your day?’ he asked, breaking into her thoughts.
‘Fine. Yes, today’s been fine. How about you?’
‘Fine, also. I had training. It was hard. It is still hot,’ he said, indicating the scorching sun above them.
‘We’re expecting another storm tonight. They said on the weather.’
The weather! Now she was scraping the barrel for polite conversation. She stopped in the middle of the car park, frustrated with herself. She grabbed him by the hand and began marching him to her car. Whatever she was going to say she didn’t want to say it in front of any of the schoolchildren. Kids loved gossip, especially gossip involving teachers.
‘Get in,’ she said, pulling open the door.
He did as instructed and by the time she’d navigated the back of the vehicle he was already sitting in the passenger seat. She got in beside him, shutting the door. As it clunked closed the silence enveloped them. A moment passed and she turned in her seat to look at him.
‘I don’t know what to do, Guy,’ she admitted.
He didn’t respond but reached for her hand. She let him take it.
‘No,’ he said. The words fell so quietly from his lips.
He was stroking her fingers lazily, seductively and the movements were giving her delicious chills over her entire body. She ought to pull away. She shouldn’t be this close, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle. What was the best thing to do? Keep fighting? Or give in and see where it took them? A rush flew through her, an excited feeling, a glimpse of something different. Was this what she wanted? Was he what she wanted?
‘The past is the past…’ she started. She wet her lips to continue.
‘Emma,’ he broke in.
‘Wait. You don’t know what I’m going to say.’
‘I do know. You will say I am too late. You will say there is no chance for us.’ He shifted in his seat, let go of one of her hands and swept back his hair. She could see his eyes moisten. He looked like his world was about to end.
‘We have to forget what happened before. We have to put those times behind us. Whatever happened, whatever you did, whatever I did… we have to put it aside,’ she told him.
All at once his eyes brightened and he held on to both her hands again.
‘I don’t know what I’m doing but… I can’t ignore it.’
A thrilling feeling, something like adrenaline was coursing through her. Looking at him, having him close was what she wanted. It was what she’d always wanted. What he’d done back in La Baume didn’t matter. He was here. He wanted her. And she knew, deep down, her reluctance to accept any type of commitment from Chris was because her heart had been lost a long time ago.
‘We have to do this right, Guy. By everyone in our lives. And we start from the beginning. We start slowly. I have Dominic and…’
Dominic. She had to think about Dominic. Could she really do this? Was it right for Dominic? What was she talking about? Leaving Chris? Guy splitting with Madeleine? Was it too much? Was she pinning her hopes on something that might not work? Even if they tried to put the past behind them could it really be done? She needed to be sure for Dominic.