Page 84 of A Sky Painted Gold

“I’m glad,” he says, propping himself up on one arm.

“Are you?”

“Of course.” He grins. “It’s wonderful. And I don’t know if you know this, but I actually live in London.”

I bite back a smile, tracing the dip at the base of his throat with my finger. “Rrrrreally?” I drawl, lifting one eyebrow in what I hope is a perfect impression of him.

He laughs, catching my hand against his chest and lowering his mouth to mine, kissing me so sweetly that my whole body tingles. “Really,” he breathes.

“Oh!” I exclaim, suddenly remembering. “What was the other reason that you didn’t tell me straight away when you called off the engagement?”

Robert lies back then, and a frown appears on his face. This time it is my turn to smooth it away.

“Ah,” he says. “That.”

“Yes,” I say, poking him in the chest. “That. Come on, out with it.”

“Well, the other thing about the engagement ending is that a lot of things in my life are changing,” he says quietly. “I’ve worked hard to make the best of it, but there’s nothing like the money needed to continue as we were. We’re selling this place, of course, but that’s just the start. I’m afraid I might not be quite the … um … prize I once was.”

I look down at him for a moment, and then burst out laughing. I can’t believe any of this is real. The giggles leave me clutching my stomach, gasping for air. “Did you really just refer to yourself as a prize?” I snort.

Robert looks a bit miffed. “Well, yes, but I—”

I dissolve into laughter again, and finally he joins me. “You are such a brat,” he says, reaching up and tickling me so that I laugh harder, crashing into his chest. I lie there for a second, perfectly happy. How quickly everything has changed. Nothing is as I thought it was.

“Of course it is a hard pill to swallow that I’ll be giving up the diamond-encrusted motorcar.” I sigh.

I feel him smiling against my hair. “Yes, I can see that it would be.”

“I’ll have to make do, I suppose,” I say, lifting myself up on to my elbow and looking down at him. “When we get to London maybe I can treat you to a nice supper.” I run my finger along his jawline, marvelling at his perfect face, a perfect face that I can touch and kiss as much as I like.

“That,” Robert says, his eyes warm and full of laughter, “sounds like heaven. And as luck would have it, I’m headed that way myself. I’ll give you a lift.”

“But not right now,” I say, smiling down at him teasingly.

He pulls me towards him. “No,” he mutters against my mouth. “Not right now.”