Lusty Billionaires Bundle(42)

‘Couldn’t sleep, huh?’

She shook her head, drinking in his presence. Dressed only in a pair of faded denim shorts, his hair for once tousled, he was unshaven, unkempt, but infinitely desirable.

‘Pre-wedding nerves?’

She forced a small brittle smile. ‘Something like that.’

As he lowered himself beside her the beach seemed to implode around them, and Tabitha moved sideways a fraction, as if making room for him to join her.

A silence followed, but it wasn’t painful. They both drank in the stunning view, the endless curve of the bay, watching the liquid gold reflections to their right as the rising sun hit the ocean, the pier filled with fishermen, the waves dotted with surfers, taking advantage of the early-morning swell, riding the waves with skill and precision mixed with overwhelming abandonment, in tune with nature. Tabitha fought to focus, to stem the tide of lust his mere presence summoned. And when the silence had stretched on too long, when something finally had to be said, it was Tabitha who broke it, saying the second thing that came to mind.#p#分页标题#e#

The first would have been her undoing.

‘I wonder if it’s like working in a chocolate factory?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Apparently, if you work in a chocolate factory they let you eat as much as you want. After the first few weeks of gorging yourself, sooner or later you get sick of it.’

‘I’m still not with you.’

‘This—’ She gestured to the ocean. ‘I wonder if you lived here whether one morning you’d open the curtains and not notice the view; if you’d become blasé about it?’

He nodded his understanding. ‘God’s own country, isn’t it?’

The sun was up now, the red and gold hues that had filled the air over till the next time. The sky was blue, dotted with tiny wisps of white cloud that would surely burn away within the hour. The beach was no longer deserted. Joggers were starting to appear, and the occasional dog, diving into the sea, retrieving sticks, swimming with pink tongues lolling, seemingly grinning at the splendour of it all.

‘Morning, Zavier. Good to see you back.’

An elderly couple walked over to them, their wrinkled hands entwined, an air of peace and contentment about them. Zavier greeted them warmly, introducing her as his fiancée. The pride in his voice fooled even Tabitha for a moment.

The gentleman smiled at her curiously. ‘We actually read about it in the paper. We’re so pleased for you both. And may I say, Zavier, what marvellous taste you have. The newspaper certainly didn’t do your bride justice.’

‘The wedding’s pretty much family, really, but it would be great if you could come and join us for a drink afterwards.’

‘We’d love to.’ A dog bounded up to them, dropping a stick, his breath panting from joyous exertion. ‘I think we’re being summoned. We’ll look forward to Saturday, then.’ Picking up the stick, the man tossed it into the air before taking his wife’s hand and ambling on along the beach.

‘There’s your answer.’ Zavier’s voice echoed her own thoughts. ‘They’re here every morning—at least every morning that I’ve been here, for the past thirty years or so.’ His eyes were squinting as the sun hit them, sparkling now, his teeth white as he smiled, more to himself than to her. ‘Every time they tell you what a great morning it is. Rain, wind or shine, they’re walking hand in hand, loving every moment.’

‘Loving each other,’ Tabitha said slowly.

It dawned on her then: she had always known she wanted him, adored him—loved him, even—but the full magnitude of her love hit her then, as her eyes flicked down to her hand, down to the gleaming ruby on her ring finger. It wasn’t just the ruby ring she wanted; it was the necklace and the forty years that came in between. To walk along the beach hand in hand with him every morning, their children running ahead.

And later, when the lines around his eyes had deepened, when the jet of his hair was sprinkled with silver, when it was grandchildren playing at Zavier’s feet, vying for his attention, she wanted so much to be there, wanted her past to be bound to his, their legacy to last.

Wanted to be the one.

‘Why the pensive face?’

She swallowed hard. How could she tell him that she loved him? Always had. That from the second he had walked into the church, into her life, his name had been indelibly scored into her heart. How could a man whose life was run by fact, deadlines and contracts understand something as simple, yet as inexplicable as love?

But how could she not?