One Night On The Virgin's Terms - Melanie Milburne Page 0,57

the air, leaving it stale and empty. His bedroom door was open, the bed where they had made passionate love only hours ago neatly made, the sheets and covers drawn up, as if to remove any imprint of her having been there. He ruthlessly pulled the covers back off the pillows and picked one up and buried his face in it, breathing in the scent of her fragrance.

Go after her. Bring her back. Don’t let her leave like this.

His conscience prodded him from a place deep inside where he never visited. A place where he hid away all the feelings he forbade himself ever to feel. A place that contained a sliver of hope that he could have a different life other than punishing hours of work and transient relationships that left no impression on him other than a vague sense of dissatisfaction. He thought of a life with Ivy—a life where he could be the knight in shining armour she longed for. But how could he guarantee his armour wouldn’t lose its shine some day, as his father’s had done for his mother? How could he guarantee he wouldn’t hurt her or disappoint her the way he’d hurt and disappointed his family?

The only thing he lived for was his work. It was the only thing that satisfied him. It gave him money, loads of money, and numerous accolades that proved his decision to become an architect had been the right decision.

Letting Ivy go was another difficult decision that he knew would prove to be the right one. Four more days in Paris with her might have been the biggest mistake of his life to date.

Yes, it was better that she was gone, even if it felt like hell. It wouldn’t feel like this forever.

But, hey, he didn’t feel anything forever, right?

This too would pass.

‘Hey, why are you back so early?’ Millie asked when Ivy came into the flat the following day. ‘I thought you were going to be away until—’

‘Don’t ask.’ Ivy slipped her tote bag off her shoulder with a despondent sigh.

‘Okay, but judging by the redness of your eyes I’d say you’ve recently spent a considerable amount of time in tears. Am I right?’

Ivy nodded. ‘Yep. I ended things with Louis. I told him I loved him and wanted more than a fling, but of course, he didn’t say it back.’

‘Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.’ Millie enveloped Ivy in a bone-crushing hug. After a moment, she eased back to look at her. ‘I was worried from the outset this was going to happen. But are you absolutely sure he doesn’t feel the same way about you?’

Ivy slipped out of her friend’s embrace. ‘I know you did, and I stupidly didn’t recognise it until it was already too late. I think I’ve always been a bit in love with him. And when he bought me the pink diamonds...’

‘He bought you pink diamonds?’ Millie’s eyes were as big as saucers. Satellite-sized saucers.

Ivy shrugged one shoulder. ‘He bought them for my birthday, but I mistakenly thought they somehow signified he was falling in love with me. I was wrong. Big time.’ Heartbreakingly wrong.

Millie nibbled at one side of her mouth. ‘I guess that means he won’t be coming to your party, then.’ She suddenly clamped her hand over her lips. ‘Oops, forget I said that.’

Ivy frowned in puzzlement. ‘What party?’

Millie’s cheeks were pink, her grey-blue eyes troubled. ‘I’m sorry. It was supposed to be a surprise. I’m rubbish at keeping a secret. Zoey and I planned to have a party on your birthday, and we sent Louis an invitation last night via email. We told him it was a secret. We thought you’d like him to come.’

‘How did you get his email address?’

‘Off his website.’

Ivy couldn’t think of anything worse than Louis turning up at her birthday party, especially when she had nothing to celebrate other than getting a year older and having her heart broken in the process. ‘Cancel it. I don’t want a party. I’ve never felt less like celebrating.’

Millie looked horrified. ‘Oh, Ivy, you can’t let a milestone like this pass by without some sort of celebration. We’ve gone to a lot of trouble, and a lot of people will be disappointed if you don’t show up. You can still pretend to be surprised. Please don’t tell Zoey I let it slip. She’ll roast me alive. She’s done a lot of the planning and would be so upset if she thought—’

Ivy sighed. ‘Okay, let’s go ahead with