Page 194 of Original Sin

‘Which they will not,’ he said firmly, sliding over to lie next to her.

‘They’d better not,’ she grinned, putting her arms around his neck. ‘I want you all to myself.

‘Well here I am,’ he said, kissing her neck and bare shoulders. Brooke giggled, feeling herself relax with the touch of his lips against her skin. After the emotional roller–coaster of the last few days, she had been frantic about how she would feel about David when they finally came face to face. Would her guilt overtake her? Would she baulk at his touch? But as soon as her eyes met his, she felt such an enormous surge of relief and love that the memory of what had happened with Matt just melted away. She pulled him closer and beamed into their kiss. When she finally let him go, David sat up and pulled a piece of paper from the back of his trouser pocket.

‘Alessandro’s countdown,’ he said smiling. ‘Have you got one of these?’

She nodded, rolling her eyes. David dramatically cleared his throat and began reading aloud.

‘Meet pastor three p.m. Return to hotel to change four twenty p.m. Final debrief five thirty–five p.m. Rehearsal dinner seven thirty p.m.’

‘Well, he’s nothing if not organized,’ said Brooke. ‘He was having pink kittens you weren’t here yesterday.’

‘Well, there’s something he missed out from the list.’

Brooke looked puzzled. ‘I don’t think we’re going to squeeze much else into today,’ she said.

‘One last date,’ said David, looking more serious.

‘A last date?’ said Brooke, her heart beating too fast. Last date as in he is going to finish with me?

‘I was hoping we could slip off after the dinner,’ said David. ‘Just me and you. I want one last date with my girlfriend before she becomes my wife.’

She started laughing, taking in big gulps of air.

‘One last date,’ she said. ‘Yes, that sounds lovely.’ And she threw back the sheet and pulled him into the bed.

*

In an emperor–sized bed in an executive suite at the Pelicano hotel, Sean Asgill rolled over, panting. Finally, he turned back towards Tess and grinned.

‘Come back with me,’ he said.

Tess laughed and propped her arm behind her head. ‘Can we talk about it after the wedding?’ she asked, avoiding his eyes.

‘So you mean you want to take things slow?’ said Sean, resting his head up on his elbow.

‘Maybe.’

He bent over and took her nipple between his lips, gently pulling on it, then running his tongue around it in lazy swirls.

‘You mean slow like this?’

Tess gasped.

On her bedside cabinet, her mobile suddenly began to buzz.

‘Leave it,’ came Sean’s muffled voice.

‘Can’t,’ she said, pulling away and planting a kiss on the top of his head. ‘We’ve got guests arriving from three continents, and hundreds of media outlets baying.’

She swung her legs out of bed and snatched up the phone.

‘Ouch,’ said Sean with mock hurt. ‘I never had you pegged as the love ’em and leave ’em sort.’

‘Only when I’ve got important things to do,’ she laughed, sliding out of bed. She ran into the bathroom and jumped under the shower, still smiling as she enjoyed the cool water running all over her sticky body.

‘Only when I’ve got important things to do … ’ she repeated softly to herself. There was something about that phrase that was ringing a bell in the back of her mind, something she had heard in the last few days that had been nagging at her, something which didn’t quite …