He followed for three steps and with a slight tug of his hand in hers, brought her to a halt and she whirled back.
“Colin! We have to go inside.”
“Why?”
She walked back to him, closing the short space between them, grabbed his other hand and exerted pressure on both, trying to walk backwards and pull him with her.
“We have to…” she explained, “you know… do it. Break the curse. Like… now!”
He grinned again and she felt her heart skip three more beats and her legs start to wobble.
“Darling, we have guests,” Colin pointed out.
She glanced quickly at their audience and caught their knowing smiles then back to Colin.
“They won’t mind,” she assured him.
His grin broadened to a wicked smile but he didn’t move.
“It’ll only take ten minutes,” she cajoled.
His eyebrows rose again.
“Okay… fifteen,” she amended.
The smile turned lethal, her stomach did a somersault as his head tilted.
“Twenty?” she tried.
He shook his head and she stomped her foot.
“Colin!”
He lifted one of her hands up, brushing his lips on her knuckles and as he did this, never once did his eyes leave hers.
She stared at him, mesmerised. Just that morning, Royce had done the same thing.
“Colin,” she said far more quietly.
“Marry me, Sibyl.”
Her breath caught.
Her mind stilled.
All thoughts of Royce flew into the atmosphere.
She couldn’t have uttered a word if she’d learned at that moment that the World Health Organisation had been given a gazillion dollars to socialise healthcare globally.
He didn’t wait for an answer, just dropped her hand and put one of his in his pocket. Then there was an extraordinary, princess cut, diamond ring being slid on her finger.
She knew just by looking at it that it was exorbitantly expensive.
And she didn’t care one bit.
“Oh my goddess!” This was said (more like screeched) from behind them, coming from Mags.
Sibyl finally found her voice.