Chapter 15

My mind was trapped in the events of the morning, a looping memory of how Elena systematically dismantled Claire with words and passion. As we meandered around Circular Quay, the afterglow of the morning allowed a comfortable silence between us as we walked along the Quay.

I anchored myself to Elena, with my arm locked firmly around her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin through the fabric of her dress. When the crowds thickened and the current of people threatened to pull us apart, I transitioned to holding her hand, my fingers interlaced with hers in a grip that was almost desperate. I was not going to let her go, even for a second.

The lunch crowd at the quay was a full of tourist chatter and the clinking of silver on porcelain, but for me, the world had narrowed down to the width of the linen tablecloth. Elena sat comfortably across from me, the sunlight catching her warm brown eyes and the unguarded softness in her expression. The professional distance we had started with on our first day in Melbourne had long since dissolved, replaced by something deep.

“About what you said this morning, that you’ve got me,” I began, my voice low. I leaned in I locked into her gaze with my own. “How much of that ... how much of that did you actually mean?”

For the first time since I had known her, Elena faltered. A blush crept up her neckline, staining her cheeks a delicate rose. She looked down at her plate for a heartbeat, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheekbones, before she looked back up at me. The playfulness was gone, replaced by an intensity that matched my own.

“Every word, Jack,” she whispered, her voice soft. “Every single word.” A knowing smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Your ex was a complete idiot. Truly. I have absolutely no idea what she was thinking, or how she could treat you like she did.”