Free Accidental Reunion by Carol Marinelli Page A

buttocks, until she was urging him to enter her sweet welcoming warmth.
    And when finally he did, when he gave way to the primaeval instincts that engulfed him, Lila cried out in surrender, abandoning herself to the waves that swept over her. There was no need to wait now, no need for holding back, and they couldn’t have if they’d tried. They had waited for this moment long enough.
    The oblivion she had craved came then. Nothing else mattered for that moment, just the exquisite pleasure that was hers and Declan’s alone.
    And after as he led her to his bed, laying her down with infinite tenderness, for the longest time he held her. Stroking her, massaging her, touching her, loving her with such reverence, taking their time to get to know each other’s bodies all over again.

CHAPTER FIVE
    D ECLAN , I have to go home now. Mum will need to be turned.
    Declan, I normally turn Mum at six. I ought to be getting back.
    Lila lay in the darkness, staring at the clock, the weight of Declan’s arm solid and warm, trying to fathom how to tell Declan she needed to head for home. But no matter how she said it, it sounded wrong.
    How could he even begin to understand?
    What possible chance was there of them having a relationship? It was hard enough now, but in six short weeks Ted would retire, and that rendered it practically impossible.
    Declan and Elizabeth had never got on in the past. Elizabeth had hated him with a passion, and Declan, well, he had tolerated her. Tolerated her idiosyncrasies, her constant snipes at him, with as much humour as he could muster.
    Elizabeth was way past that now—in fact, she never spoke—but why should Declan turn his life around for a woman who had despised him? And if they were to have a relationship, that was what it would entail—a total turn-around. No spontaneous checking into luxury hotels after romantic dinners. No spur-of-the-moment trips. Every moment ofElizabeth’s day had to be accounted for. How could Lila possibly land it on him?
    She should have told him all of this yesterday, should have laid things on the line before they had gone this far.
    But…Lila squeezed her eyes closed against the tears that were forming. She could never regret what had taken place. The solace she had found in his arms, the utter peace she had felt after they’d made love, would carry her through the uncertain months and years ahead.
    Had she used him?
    Yes.
    Her only defence was that she loved him.
    As she inched away his arm that was protectively draped around her, she held her breath as Declan gave a mumble of protest in his sleep. Only when she was sure he had settled again did Lila ease herself out of the bed, creeping quietly into the lounge where her discarded clothes lay. Shivering as she pulled on her underwear and slipped on her dress and shoes, Lila decided to use her mobile phone rather than risk waking Declan by using the hall phone. Unsure of the house number, Lila gave the street to the taxi company and said she’d wait outside.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    The light flooded the room, making her blink as she stood there as guilty as if he had caught her going through his wallet.
    Declan stared at her for a moment before crossing the room and taking the mobile from her. ‘Cancel the taxi order, thank you.’ His voice was curt. Clickingoff the phone, he handed it back to Lila, his eyes questioning.
    ‘I have to get home.’
    ‘Then why didn’t you wake me? I’d have taken you.’
    ‘You were sleeping.’ She fumbled for excuses.
    ‘That’s what people do at four in the morning Lila. What’s so important that you have to get back?’
    Lila shrugged. ‘I just do, that’s all.’
    ‘Come on Lila, you’re thirty years old now. You never had to rush home eight years ago, so what’s changed? Unless, of course, you were hoping to avoid me.’
    ‘I…’ She stood there, mouthing silently. ‘Thirty-one actually.’
    ‘What?’
    Lila gave a nervous laugh. ‘You said I was thirty