page39 (1/2)

'When did he learn to do that?' Rio demanded

"That's the first tied it'

Clasping the cot bars, big blue eyes very wide, looking as surprised as

a baby could be at finding hiave them a

huge grin But then he o of the top

bar and he fell back onto his bottom with a howl of disappointment

With a husky laugh of amusement, Rio lifted Timothy up into his arms

'You were brilliantMum and I were really impressed!'

After that excitement, it took a while to persuade Timothy back into the

notion of going to sleep but eventually tiredness won the day

'Mum and Dad will be home soon,' Holly told Rio at

the top of the stairs

'No, they won't be They're spending the night in a local

hotel-'

Holly blinked in confusion 'I beg your pardon?'

'I made my first visit here yesterday afternoon while you were out

shopping with Timothy,' Rio confided rather tautly 'Your parents

invited ested I visit this

evening when they would be out, but they orried that that wouldn't

give us long enough to talk over our differences-'

'I don't believe thisMum and Dad didn't breathe a word to me!' Holly

gasped

'It was spelt out toyou

to come back to me, so I came up with the

hotel idea-'

'Putting them out of their own home?' Holly exclaimed in dismay

'They've never stayed in a hotel in their lives!'

'I knowthey told me' Rio smiled down at her with considerable

amusement 'And your mother was thrilled at

the prospect'

'You are so sneaky You got them on your side-'

'We're quits You've got my mother on yours' Rio

traded wryly

'Like heck I have-'

'Is this your bedroom? Oh, I love all the flowers and the frills,' Rio

teased, grasping her hand and tugging her inch by Inch over the

threshold and closing the door

He lets, beautiful dark

golden eyes bright with adoring intensity as he gazed down at her He

brought his mouth doith immense tenderness on hers and she trembled

Less patient, she pushed forward into the sleek, hard, fath

of his ood just to be held but

180

even lorious to know that she was truly loved and to feel the

unh him as she kissed him

back

'You are so beautiful and I love you so much it hurts,' he husked

against her reddened lips, his breath fanning her cheekbone 'And every

tiht never have met you it terrifies the life out

of me, amore'

'I love you too,' she er to express that love,

hands sliding beneath his sweater to glide over his hard ribcage,

hiainst her and haul her even closer

And then the excitement took over and clothes were shed with breathless

energy between frantic bouts of kissing There was a whole extra

di, for they had spent three utterly miserable

weeks apart, and being together again felt like a very special gift In

the afterether, full of peace

and contentment

Holly struggled to recall what they had been talking about earlier and

blushed at the ease hich she had forgotten that conversation

'What was that you said about youron my side?' she

whispered curiously

'She came up to London because she was upset about the way she'd treated