Free Accidental Engagement by Cally Green

taking a deep breath, she opened it. The Chopin, the Debussy . . . She flicked through the music. Für Elise . There it was again, that frisson of panic. Für Elise . What was it about that piece of music that worried her so? She had an instinctive desire to push it away from her, but she fought it. That piece of music somehow held the key to her past.
    There came a knock at the door. Anna, startled, put the music back in her bag and pushed it to the side of the room. But not hidden away this time. The answer was there, she was sure of it. She just had to be patient, and it would come to her. But she had the disturbing feeling that she did not really want to know. Because when she did it would change things. And she did not want them to change.
    ‘Who is it?’ she called.
    ‘Mark. Can I come in?’
    She went over to the door and opened it. He was looking very handsome.
    His hair was rumpled, as though he had been running his hands through it, and his eyes looked softer than usual - it must be the evening light.
    ‘I’ve come to apologise.’ He was looking genuinely repentant for his earlier ill humour, and took her hand as if he could say what he was feeling so much better without the use of words.
    Anna felt a pulse of energy ripple over her at his touch, making her skin tingle.
    There was a moment when he seemed to wrestle with himself, as if trying to come to term s with some inner problem, and then he said, ‘This is a night for lovers. Come and look at the stars.’
    She smiled, her tension relaxing as she realised that, whatever his problem, he had resolved it, at least for n ow. He was being charming again. C harming and sexy and desirable. And as they went out onto the terrace she felt confident that, whatever the darkness of her past, her future with Mark was bright.
    They evening air was cool and caressing. The sky above was a velvety black, punctuated with brilliant points of light.
    ‘What do you want to apologise for?’ she asked as they walked together, hol ding hands. It felt comfortable and companionable. It felt right.
    ‘For the argument. And for the lack of a ring. I should never have left you open to Serena’s jibes. There’s a jeweller’s I know of, it’s out of the way but well worth going to. They have a lot of unusual rings there, more creative than the sort found in town.’ His eyes crinkled into a smile. ‘Somehow a gold band with a jewel in the middle of it seems too ordinary for someone whose fingers can create paradise on earth.’
    ‘You enjoyed the music?’ she asked, pleased.
    ‘It was exquisite.’ He turned to face her and his smile faded, his mood becoming more intense. He cupped her face in his hands and for one exhilarating moment she thought he was going to kiss her. ‘Like you.’ He seemed to wrestle with himself for one last time, as though he felt he ought not to be saying these things, but the moon was full and the stars were out, and she knew that his feelings would not be denied. ‘I see you in emeralds,’ he said softly, his hands dropping to hold her own, ‘but the choice is up to you.’
    Questions about his earlier angry words seemed meaningless now. What did it matter that he had accused her of pretending? That he had said she knew as well as he did that there was no ring? They had obviously had an argument centred around the ring in the past but the white band on her finger showed that at some time there had been one, and whether he had taken it back, or whether she had flung it back at him, seemed suddenly unimportant. Right now she wanted no more than she had. A moonlit night, Mark’s arms around her . . . Well, perhaps one thing more . . . She turned her face up to his.
    He raised his hand and gently pushed her hair back from her face. ‘You’re sure you want to do this?’ he asked.
    ‘Positive,’ she breathed.
    He put his finger under her chin. Bending his head to hers, he touched her lips.
    His kiss was slow and sensuous and she felt herself