Page 108 of The Au Pair Affair

They were too different.

She wanted adventure. He didn’t take blind leaps.

While she danced in the kitchen, he sat out the song.

When she jumped into the pond naked, he waited on the shore.

Whatever magic they’d made together was in the past, and that’s where it would remain. She wouldn’t lie to herself and pretend the spell they’d woven had dissipated completely, but she’d spent the last forty-odd days learning to suppress it and she would continue to do so.

Surgery and rehab fixed my back. But there’s a lot left to be repaired.

“If you’re talking about our relationship, as short-lived as it was...” she said quietly, putting out her hand, terrified he would take it, that his touch would disrupt the stillness she’d worked so hard to achieve. “Why don’t we just agree to... forgive and forget.”

Slowly, Burgess’s gaze tracked down to her hand, before reestablishing the relentless eye contact that was battering her nervous system. “Forget?”

“Yes.”

“I couldn’t forget a fucking minute of you if I tried.”

With a sharp intake of breath, she took her hand back. “Burgess—”

“Welcome!” A man in khaki shorts and a cream-colored polo stepped into view. “I have it on good authority that you’re here for the Whitaker-Doyle wedding. My name is Carlos and I’m the head of guest services for the event. If you wouldn’t mind stepping out of the check-in line, I’d love to go over the itinerary while you’re all in one place.”

“Itinerary?” Sig echoed.

“Has my harp arrived?” Chloe asked, holding her breath.

“Ah, you’re the harpist.” Carlos smiled indulgently. “Yes, it arrived last night and we’ve placed it in storage until the morning of the ceremony.”

“Will it be safe there?” Sig asked, earning him a grateful look from Chloe.

“Yes, of course.”

While all these details were being discussed, Burgess and Tallulah continued staring at each other without so much as a blink.I couldn’t forget a fucking minute of you if I tried?What was going on here? Was he trying to... to win her back or something? Inhotel reception?

“Try harder,” Tallulah suggested sweetly.

“I’m sorry, ma’am?” Carlos hedged.

She poked the air in front of Burgess’s pecs. “I’m talking to this guy.”

“Thank God,” Burgess said gruffly. “That’s one battle down.”

“One? How many are there?”

“As many as it takes.”

“Should I be made aware of a small rift in the wedding party?” Carlos asked, nervously.

Chloe squared her shoulders. “They dated. Sort of.”

“It was a hell of a lot more than dating,” Burgess said without taking his attention off Tallulah.

“It hardly matters now.” Tallulah turned a smile on their host. “It’s in the past.”

“I see.” Carlos trailed off momentarily, then came back twice as enthused. “Well, I can’t wait to see how this ruins everything.” Briskly, he produced a stack of laminated schedules from the folder that had been wedged beneath his arm, handing them out. “The wedding is in two and a half days and obviously there will be rehearsals, but folks, we are in Costa Rica!” He gestured to the lush greenery surrounding the open-air lobby. “Josephine and Wells wanted to make sure to supply everyone with enough entertainment—optional, of course. You’re free to sit by the pool and drink mojitos, as well. If you would like to take advantage of the resort’s wide selection of outdoor activities, however, we’d love to send you home with some unforgettable memories.”

“Where are Wells and Josephine?” Burgess wanted to know.

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