Free Aftermath by Joanne Clancy Page A

filled herself with his presence. She was so happy and so drawn to him. He was happy too, but a little cautious at the same time. They sat next to each other, and she was trying to hold his hands. She was a very tactile person and loved to touch people. At one point, much to his embarrassment, she sat on his lap.
    “I can't help myself,” she laughed. “You're just irresistible.” She wasn't doing anything naughty; s he only wanted to be near him.
    After dinner, they returned to their room and lay down on the huge bed. They lay next to each other, side by side but nothing happened. They held hands and there was such a magical energy all around them, like nothing she had ever experienced. It felt so right between them, like they'd known each other forever. There was no awkwardness, no tension, only a comfortable, easy, peaceful feeling.
    They stayed at The Sanctuary f or a week and each day felt as if they'd known each other all their lives. It was lovely to explore each other and learn about each other. Hope discovered that Niall wore contact lenses; clear ones, since nothing was needed to enhance the colour of his eyes. One morning she walked into the room and he was lying on the bed wearing glasses, reading. She loved it and said he looked even sexier wearing glasses. He told her she was crazy.
    They took massages and treatments during the day and walked around the grounds, enjoying the perfectly landscaped gardens. Most of the other guests were older than them and everybody was smiling at them like people do when they see a young couple in love.
    Even though they felt such a special connection to each other, nothing int imate happened between them until the last night. Hope was tired of waiting. She could not resist the powerful attraction she felt to him and on their final night they took their love to the next level.
    The next morning Hope had to return to Ireland to start filming her latest presenting job. Niall had laughed when she'd told him she'd be chasing unsuspecting singletons all over Ireland and trying to set them up on dates. He had to stay on in England to finalise some business, but he promised to meet her as soon as he returned to Cork.
    He waved her off in a taxi back to the airport and just as he was fa din g out of sight the words “I’d die for you” of Bryan Adams’ song “Everything I do” came on the radio. A strange feeling of dread gripped her heart and she remembered praying, please God, don't let this be some sort of message. I can't lose him.
    It was h er first morning back in her apartment and she was awakened by someone loudly ringing her doorbell. It was a messenger. Who could be sending something so early? She swung open the door and was presented with the most beautiful bouquet of yellow roses. They looked like sunshine flowers and she couldn't help smiling. Niall loved her apartment. He said he was more at home there than anywhere else in the world. 
    “That's because I'm spreading love all over, painting love on the walls,” she laughingly explained.
    Hope had a small garden behind her apartment and they'd sit out there together talking for hours. He told her about his childhood and she told him about hers. She described the mountains and the forest behind her grandparents' house and the loving way in which they took care of her. They never ran out of things to talk about; from their backgrounds to their beliefs, their conversations covered everything. They had so much in common, more than they'd ever realised.
    Niall was an outstanding chef; a master of cooking. His specialty was the traditional Irish Sunday dinner of roast meat with roast vegetables. He introduced Hope to creamy mashed pot atoes with his essential secret ingredient mixed in. His potatoes were to die for and Hope made all sorts of yummy noises when she ate them! The taste was beyond scrumptious. Niall often teased her that she loved his cooking, not him and that was the real reason she stayed with him.
    Hope