He nodded. ‘Want to take a walk?’
‘I thought I might just paddle. I’m going back in a moment for some finishing touches, and then I’ll have to let it dry out thoroughly before I apply a colour wash.’
He held out his hand to pull her to her feet, and she took it, breathless and afraid but somehow warm and with a sense of happiness that she hadn’t felt for a long time. She could trust Matteo, just as she could trust the sun to rise in the morning.
‘You know, I was thinking...’ She looked up at him speculatively.
‘You’re waiting for the go-ahead from me to think something? Or just to say it?’ He kicked the water, splashing her foot. ‘That’s already yours to take.’
Rose kicked back, sending water sloshing over his legs. He raised his eyebrows, and she laughed. ‘One of the things I think is important about archaeology is showing that ancient people were a lot like us in many ways. Their lives might have been very different, but I think they still dreamed and loved.’
He nodded. ‘It’s a good thought.’
‘That was what I didn’t like about the image of her. It was technically superb, but you didn’t feel the delight when she’d received those brooches as a gift. Or the pain when someone hacked a sword into her leg.’
‘Maybe that’s something that comes with experience. A little delight, and a little pain of your own. Can I come up and see it?’
‘Do you mind waiting? Just until I’ve finished for today?’
Matteo laughed. ‘You want me to feel something? I already do.’
‘I want to shock you a little.’
His eyelids lowered, lazily. ‘Just to see if I can take it?’
This was all about the model, and suddenly all about everything else as well. How far they could push, and how much they could both take. Rose felt her legs wobble as she wondered just how far Matteo could push her.
‘Yes. Just to see if you can take it.’
‘Fair enough.’ His finger touched the back of her hand just for a moment. They were standing close, but it was no mistake. Matteo’s touch was always exactly what he meant it to be. Rose looked up at him in response.
‘When you’ve finished, we could have an early lunch and go out somewhere. Stretch your legs and get rid of the aches and pains.’
‘That would be nice. Where would you like to go?’
He grinned. ‘We could drop in at your place and you can fetch a swimsuit. Then I’ll take you somewhere special.’
‘A surprise?’
He nodded. ‘Yeah. Think you can take a surprise?’
And see how it made her feel. How it made both of them feel. ‘I can take it.’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
UNFINISHED BUSINESS. IT hung around them like a stormcloud, ready to produce electricity at any moment. It wasn’t just the kiss, although that had been enough to occupy any man’s mind for any amount of time. It was the way that Rose was slowly bending him out of shape, so that he loved her ice as much as her fire. The one only intensified the other.
Rose had disappeared again for an hour and a half and had then come back downstairs, declaring the model finished. He’d gone upstairs to take a look, and they’d sat in silence in front of the face, full of warmth and life. A young woman who had loved and been loved.
‘I can let go of her now.’ Rose reached across and took his hand.
‘Yeah. Me too. It’s stunning.’ He lifted her hand, pressing his lips to the backs of her fingers.
They walked away from the model together, knowing that they’d done all they could for Aemilia now. After a quick meal, they were ready to go, driving first to her house and then heading out of Palermo. It wasn’t long before Rose recognised the road they were taking, and her guesses about where they were going became less improbable. ‘The winery. Are we going to the winery?’
‘Close.’
‘Does your uncle know we’re coming?’ She tried a different tactic.