He rose up, and this time, caught her hand and pulled her up with him. “We have this moment, if you want it.”
“I want it.” Her gaze fell to his mouth.“I want it.”
And so it was that she found herself in Marek’s arms again, her hands on his bare chest, her fingers skimming over the hard wall of his abdomen, his chest and nipples. And so it was that she crawled on top of him and slid onto his body. She braced herself against him while he cupped her hips. She allowed herself to leave her thoughts behind and only feel, to remember what it was like to be cherished and adored and maybe even loved.
She remembered what it was like to love someone in return.
He moved her onto her back, and with his gaze locked with hers, he drove her to a climax they could share. Hollis’s cry of pleasure was too loud, but so was Marek’s. She had a fleeting thought of raised eyebrows through the house, but she didn’t care. Let them think what they wanted. Let them all think ill of her and wonder what had happened to her morals. She didn’t care, she didn’t care, she didn’t care.
All she cared about was this moment with this man, of the freedom she’d gained from her grief, of the love she felt burgeoning in her heart. Her body seized around his with her last cry; he grabbed her hips and thrust into her one last time before pulling free with his own strangled cry.
They lay there, tangled around each other, spent, exhausted, and wordless. Marek stroked her hair and her shoulder. He looked at her with so much tenderness that it made her heart ache. After a moment, it seemed as if he couldn’t bear to look at her at all. He rolled over on his back and slung an arm over his eyes.
With the pad of her thumb, she traced the line of his jaw, felt the stubble of his new beard. “I want to tell you that I... I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Marek sighed. He hadn’t heard a word. She was aware she was on his left side. But she’d needed to say it. But she didn’t need to complicate the bitter end of them with those words.
They spent the afternoon in her bed, talking as their fingers traced paths to memorize each other’s contours. They avoided the difficult subjects in favor of laughter and secrets.
Until the very end. Until the light began to fade from the window. Until it would be time for Marek to go. “What will you do when I’m gone?”
Hollis traced a circle around his navel. “I don’t know. It feels like so much is changing. Everyone is leaving and I... My whole world is changing. It’s an upheaval.” She looked at him. “What will you do?”
“Mourn,” he said simply. “‘I would not wish any companion in the world but you.’”
“Shakespeare,” she whispered sadly. “Marek, I—”
She meant to try again to tell him what she felt, to leave nothing unsaid that should be said. But an ill-timed rap on the door prevented it.
Hollis donned a dressing gown and went to the door, peeking around the edge of it.
Donovan gave her a bit of a smirk. “I never knew this side of you, Mrs. Honeycutt. Will you please tell your...friend that a footman has come with a message. He is wanted at the Green Hotel in half an hour.”
Hollis closed her eyes. “Thank you.” She shut the door and turned to look at Marek.
“Has he sent for me?” Marek asked.
She nodded.
He threw off the covers and grabbed his trousers, dressing quickly. As he buttoned his shirt, Hollis brushed his hair. When he was dressed, he turned around to her.
There was no time to say all the things that needed to be said. Hollis grabbed his hand. “Will you write to me?” she asked desperately.
“Every day,” he said without hesitation. “Will you?”
“Every day. Come to Christmas,” she said. “You’ll still be here, won’t you? Come to Christmas at my father’s house. I’ll send the direction around to your hotel.”
He looked impatiently at the door. “We may have sailed by then.”
“Yes, but if you haven’t, please come.”
He caught her chin and tilted it up, then kissed her. When he pulled back, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. He didn’t speak. He kissed her once more, and then slipped out of her room.
And perhaps out of her life?
Hollis suddenly felt sick. She pushed her hands into her belly and sank onto her bed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
