Page 63 of The Island of Hopes and Dreams

It was almost as if there’d been an understanding between everyone – a pinball effect the moment the first person had called it a night.

Lola rolled her eyes at Sarah as she winked and, clasping Gareth’s arm, they strolled across the terrace, a red-faced Barnaby on their heels.

‘Well, that was unsubtle.’ Rhys chuckled.

Heat flooded Lola’s chest. ‘Wasn’t it just.’

There were two empty chairs between them, a chasm that needed breaching. It was incredibly quiet, as if even whispering would be too loud against the night-time scritch of insects. The villa was filled with people all anticipating how Lola and Rhys’s night would go; their friends willing them to get together to make magical memories on their last night in Sardinia. That was the hope, wasn’t it?

To hell with it.

Lola scooped up her limoncello cocktail and closed the distance between them. Placing her drink on the table, she slid onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him. It might be a mistake to spend the night together when there wouldn’t be any chance of repeating it, but her body was craving him, her heart was full of him and her head was screaming yes.

She was still weighing up what they should or shouldn’t do when Rhys kissed her.

And then, much like it had been the first time they’d kissed at the restaurant in Porto Cervo, everything else peeled away and there was just her and Rhys. This time there were no witnesses. There was no need to stop and no awkwardness to navigate afterwards. As their hands slid around each other and their kiss deepened, it was everything she wanted.

They kissed for a long time, sensual, passionate and expectant, and only paused when one of the candles on the table guttered out. Goosebumps prickled Lola’s skin from the night-time breeze and the thrill of Rhys’s touch.

‘Maybe we should move so Chef Carlo can clear away and get some sleep.’ Rhys’s whisper was edged with laughter.

Lola caught his face in her hands. ‘Do you know that’s one of the things I love about you most. How thoughtful you are.’

‘My intentions aren’t quite that innocent, though.’

Well damn, if the look he was giving her and the promise in his tone didn’t undress her there and then.

‘I should hope not.’ Lola’s tongue flicked and teased across his lips as her fingers started unbuttoning his shirt.

‘I really do think we should continue this somewhere a little more private.’ This time his whispered words were deep and guttural and when he took her hand and led her with purpose through the villa towards his room, any thoughts about how kind and considerate he was turned to just how much she wanted him. She adored this confident side to him that knew what he wanted too.

The restraint from the night before evaporated the moment he closed his door; Lola’s fear had been replaced by unbridled desire, while Rhys’s reticence had disappeared completely. His shirt was off within seconds and Lola nearly tripped over her own skirt as it caught around her feet. Rhys steadied her, his hands on her waist warm, firm and wanted.

Lola led him to the bed and relished the way his eyes roved. His breath hitched as she unhooked her bra and discarded it on the floor.

Rhys fumbled with the buttons on his jeans and gave up entirely when Lola took over, while he focused on her, his hands exploring her body.

Lola pulled his phone from his pocket and placed it on the bedside table, then she yanked down his jeans.

‘I hope your phone’s off, Rhys. No interruptions this time.’ She let his jeans drop next to her bra and pulled him down on the bed with her. ‘If someone knocks on the door, ignore them. Hell, if the fire alarm goes off, we ignore it.’

‘Or head to the beach and continue there.’

‘I like your thinking.’ Lola grinned. ‘Oh, and if Freddie and Zoe hear, I’m okay with that too.’

‘Are you still talking?’ He grazed his lips across the side of her neck and when he trailed them between her breasts, every single thought exited her head.

38

Lola woke before Rhys did, the happiness from the night before still there, yet it was bittersweet, as she was dreading having to say goodbye later. One final night with Rhys had been the perfect way to end their time in Sardinia, but it didn’t soften the blow that what they’d started was finishing as quickly as it had begun.

What struck her was that she was in a much better place emotionally, mentally and most definitely physically than when she’d arrived. That was quite something, and an awful lot of that was thanks to the man asleep next to her.

His room was almost a mirror image of hers, with soothing white walls and an ocean-blue bedspread, the sheets rumpled from last night’s memorable activities. God, she adored everything about him.

‘Morning, beautiful.’ His lilting Welsh voice took her by surprise, and the way he said it so sleepily with a smile of drunken happiness filled her heart.

Sunshine slanted through the gap in the blinds and dust motes twirled. She could hear distant voices, so someone was up, but it was peaceful. If she squeezed her eyes shut, perhaps she could pretend they could stay curled up together indefinitely, sated after one blissful night, never having to go home and face reality.

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