she might regret. ‘Nothing. Come on, we’re almost at my villa now.’
They walked in relative silence until they reached the door of India’s four-bedroomed private villa.
‘Thank you,’ Michael said, shoving his hands in his pockets as he willed her to look up at him, willed those incredible eyes of hers to meet his one more time.
‘For what?’ she asked, rummaging round in her bag for her key. ‘Jesus, I swear I’m getting worse for forgetting where I’ve put things.’
‘For tonight. It was… it was nice. Being able to talk to you, alone.’
She looked up at him sharply, dropping her keys as she did so. She crouched down to retrieve them, losing her balance as she stood back up and he reached out to grab her as she fell against him.
‘You okay?’ he asked, still holding onto her arms.
She nodded, pushing her hair back off her face, her eyes slowly meeting his again. He loosened his grip on her, trying to read a situation he couldn’t quite get a handle on. ‘Too much to drink, that’s all. I haven’t been out in a while and… I guess I’m just not used to it.’
She turned away and he felt an almost crushing disappointment rush over him, like someone had kicked him hard in the stomach.
‘India…’
She turned around, and this time when she looked at him he was almost certain he could see it – that spark, that look. Maybe he was imagining it because it was something he so badly needed to see but, no. He was sure. Or as sure as he could be.
‘Goodnight, Michael.’
He shook his head, determined not to lose this moment because he wasn’t sure they’d ever get another chance to be alone like this after tonight, not once Reece and Ethan and God knows who else arrived tomorrow. What did he have to lose? She could only push him away and he was used to that. It wouldn’t kill him if that was her reaction. He’d survive. It wasn’t like it was something he wasn’t used to.
‘Can I come in?’ he asked.
She looked at him through narrowed eyes, her surprised look replaced now with one of suspicion. ‘Why? It’s late, Michael. Ethan’s arriving early tomorrow…’
He made his move, sick of skirting the issue, sick of pretending it wasn’t happening because it was, and he was going to face it head on. Whatever the consequences.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ she asked, taking a step back as he walked straight past her into the villa, closing the door behind them.
‘I love you, India.’
She ignored the comment, keeping her eyes on him as she spoke. ‘I’ll ask you again, Michael. What the hell are you doing?’
‘You know what I’m doing, honey. You know.’
‘Do I?’ She was slightly angry now. How dare he assume anything anymore. She was over this. She was over it. She was over him.
‘You know, baby.’
She turned and walked away from him, into the kitchen, but he followed her, and she’d known he would because she hadn’t thrown him out. If she really hadn’t wanted him there she would have thrown him out, wouldn’t she?
‘We’re getting on okay now, aren’t we?’ Michael asked, watching as she leant back against the breakfast bar, her eyes on his all the time even though her arms were folded against her in that almost defensive manner.
‘That doesn’t mean anything, Michael. We learnt to become friends, that’s all. We learnt to be grown up about the situation.’
He moved closer, praying she wouldn’t turn away from him again and she didn’t. She kept her eyes on his as he walked towards her, unfolding her arms, and he was almost certain now. Certain that he could do this. Certain that she would be okay about it. ‘I’m really looking forward to working with you again, India; you know that, don’t you?’
She nodded, the intensity in his eyes boring right into her very soul. He was doing it again – wearing her down, draining her energy, pulling her in, and it wasn’t going to happen again. She hadn’t come this far only to take a hundred steps back.
‘You sap every ounce of strength out of me, Michael, and I hate you for it.’
He smiled, reaching out to touch her cheek with the palm of his hand, her skin so soft as he stroked it gently. ‘Do you want me to go?’
‘I want you to go,’ she repeated. ‘Now.’ But, did she? Did she really?
Sliding a hand into the small of her back he pulled