‘It’s all right.’ Wondering how she could behave so normally in a situation that was so far from normal, she lifted her hand and touched his face. ‘It’s the wrong time of the month.’
‘You’re not taking the Pill?’
‘I didn’t have any need to,’ she said quietly. ‘There hasn’t been any man but you.’ She was still trapped underneath him, conscious of the weight of his body above hers.
‘I thought you were meeting men over the internet.’
She gave a shiver as the cold licked areas of her exposed flesh. ‘That didn’t exactly get off the ground.’
‘You’re cold. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.’ Daniel rolled away from her and swiftly adjusted her clothing. Then he pulled her to her feet and draped his coat around her shoulders. For some reason that she didn’t understand, the protective gesture made her want to cry.
She was woman enough and romantic enough to want this to have a happy ending.
She wanted to hear ‘I love you.’ She wanted to hear ‘I can’t live without you.’ But she knew that she wasn’t going to hear those words from Daniel’s lips.
‘I’ll call a taxi,’ she muttered, grateful that the semidarkness managed to help her retain her dignity. ‘Is there a way back to the car park that avoids the ice rink?’
‘Yes.’
‘Great. Show me the way.’
‘Stella—’
‘I just want to go home, Daniel.’ Knowing that whatever he wanted to say, it wouldn’t be what she wanted to hear, Stella glanced through the trees towards the sparkling lights, wondering how she was going to face everyone in the morning.
They’d guess what had happened. And her friends were going to think she was mad.
And perhaps she was. Perhaps, later, when she lay in bed, thinking about all this, she’d reach that conclusion herself.
‘If you want to go home, I’ll drive you,’ Daniel said gruffly, taking her hand and leading her along a path that she hadn’t known existed. He opened a gate and suddenly they were back in the car park.
‘I can ring for a taxi.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ He unlocked the doors of his low, sleek sports car and she slid into leather and luxury, grateful not to have to talk to anyone.
‘I hope people don’t think we’re unsociable.’ As she made polite conversation, she was painfully conscious of his strong, hard body next to hers and her own body hummed with the memory of what they’d shared.
‘It’s a Christmas party. Half the hospital is there.’ Daniel reversed out of his parking space and the car growled its way out of the car park. ‘No one is interested in us.’
He drove down the dark lanes towards Patrick’s barn, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Stella felt numb.
Christmas Eve was just a couple of days away. The twoyear anniversary of the day Daniel had proposed.
Whatever had possessed her to think she could come back here and feel all right about it all? Her love for Daniel wasn’t something superficial that could be swept away like debris after a storm. Her love for Daniel had roots. Deep roots that would always be part of her.
And it was becoming obvious to her that the only way to build a life without him was to live that life nowhere near him.
‘Stella?’ It was only when he spoke her name that she realised that he’d turned off the engine and that they were sitting outside the stable.
‘Oh.’ She grabbed her bag, her gloves and the rest of her things. ‘Thanks, Daniel.’ It felt as though she should say something more. It felt as though the moment was important. But she really had no idea what to say.
And he said nothing, either.
Wondering why that should disappoint her, she reached for the doorhandle.
‘Wait.’ His voice was a hoarse rasp and his hand closed over her leg, preventing her from leaving the car. ‘Invite me in, Stella.’