gasps and sighs of pleasure.
Nothing else existed in the whole world other than the two of them as they rolled over, limbs tangling, glistening bodies gliding against each other. Hot breath mingled as increasingly erotic kisses were exchanged, driving their senses wild and tightening the coils of desire inside them. The conflagration was burning too hot and bright to last long. Driven by a powerful need, their bodies came together, fitting perfectly, moving as one towards the desired moment of release. It came in a white-hot explosion that made them both cry out as they hurtled into that realm of space known only to lovers.
Aeons later, their hearts began to slow their frantic beating and reality returned once more. Sofie turned into Lucas’s arms, holding him close. This week was going to feel like for ever.
Suddenly heartsick, she snuggled up to him and closed her eyes. ‘I wish you didn’t have to go away,’ she sighed, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
‘I’d rather stay here, too, but it’s only a week. It will go in a flash. We’ll have a whole lifetime together after that.’
His words comforted her like nothing else. ‘Hmm, a whole lifetime…sounds good,’ she murmured, yawning. A week was nothing. She was just being silly.
She hadn’t intended to sleep, but their lovemaking and her busy day got the better of her. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. A moment later, Lucas joined her.
For the next couple of days Sofie kept herself busy with work. The photographer she worked for was fully booked and consequently gave her plenty to do. She missed Lucas terribly and couldn’t wait for his nightly telephone calls. The sound of his voice made her feel less lonely, even if it couldn’t fill the gap in their bed at night.
When Wednesday came along, she cheered herself up by telling herself it was only a couple of days until Lucas returned home—a feeling that vanished when he rang that evening.
‘Sorry, caro, but I’m going to have to stay a few days longer. Things aren’t quite going to plan,’ he told her, and her heart sank to her boots.
‘Oh, Lucas, no!’ she exclaimed, emotional tears welling behind her eyes.
‘I know, I know,’ he soothed. ‘It can’t be helped. I’ve worked too hard on this to let it fall apart now. You understand, don’t you?’
Of course she did, but it didn’t make her feel any better. ‘Yes, I understand,’ she replied glumly, then winced as a feminine squeal echoed down the line, followed by the distinct sound of giggling. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked sharply, sitting up, frowning.
‘Oh, that’s just some guys fooling around. We’re taking a break and I’m by the pool. Look, amore, I don’t have much time. Just remember I love you and I’ll be home as soon as I possibly can. OK?’
‘OK, Lucas. Love you,’ she responded, trying to sound cheerful, but her heart was heavy when she set the receiver back down. A few more days sounded like a jail sentence. Not that there was anything she could do about it. She just had to get through it.
She slept badly that night and was consequently late getting up. Because she had a photo session at a client’s house, she picked up the mail as she was leaving the house and stuffed it in her bag. She only discovered it later in the day, when she bought a sandwich for lunch and took it to a nearby park to eat it in peace.
Examining the small collection of envelopes, she recognised the usual bills and junk mail, but there was a large brown envelope at the bottom which had nothing but her name and address typed on it. Curious, she tore it open and reached inside for the contents. They were face down, but it was clear from the markings that what she held were photographs. Wondering who could be sending them to her, and thinking it might be more wedding photos a relative had decided to pass on, she turned them over.
A Post-it note was stuck to the front, with a brief message:
Do you know what your husband gets up to while he’s away? Take a look at these.
Her stomach fell away, leaving her feeling as if she were poised at the edge of a precipice. Trembling fingers pulled the note away, revealing the top photograph, and she gasped as shock hit her like a sledgehammer. There was Lucas, with his arms around a woman she had never seen before. They were laughing and gazing into each other’s eyes as if…
‘No!’ The cry left her lips though Sofie was unaware of saying anything. She flipped the photo up, revealing the next, and her heart cried out in pain, for this time they were kissing.
Shaking her head as if to deny what she was seeing, Sofie looked at each in turn, and in every one it was the same woman, even if the background was different. Anyone could see that the couple were obviously in the midst of a passionate affair. She closed her eyes, trying not to see them, but her brain just replayed each one over and over.
Feeling sick, she forced herself to keep calm. It couldn’t be true. Lucas couldn’t be having an affair! Yet she had the evidence in her hands. But where had they come from? Who had sent them? She searched the envelope, but there was nothing inside, only the stark note. Someone had wanted her to know the truth, but wished to remain anonymous.
It left a nasty taste in her mouth. That person need not be a friend, which gave Sofie a moment’s pause. Despite what she saw, was it true? Could there be some other plausible explanation? That fragile framework of trust she had built since meeting Lucas made her want to believe there was an answer, and the only way to know was to ask him.
Lucas wouldn’t lie to her. She trusted him, and trust was everything. Reaching into her bag for her mobile phone, she flipped it open and groaned when she realised she had forgotten to charge it. There had to be a phone box nearby, so she shoved everything piecemeal into her bag and hurried off to find one. When she did, it was occupied, and she had to wait a nerve-racking ten minutes before she could step inside and close the door.
She didn’t care that it would be the middle of the night where Lucas was, but dialled the number of the hotel he was staying at. There was a long wait whilst the call was put through to his room, but finally it was answered. She was taking in a deep breath when a voice spoke.
‘Hello? This had better be important.’ A distinctly feminine disgruntled voice echoed in Sofie’s ear.
Her heart stopped, and she frowned. ‘Sorry. They were supposed to be putting me through to Lucas Antonetti’s room. There must have been a mistake,’ she began to apologise.
‘There’s no mistake, honey. This is Lucas’s room. Just you hold on and I’ll get him for you.’ Stunned, Sofie could only listen to the noises at the other end of the line. ‘Hey, Lucas, you gorgeous hunk of man. Get out of bed. There’s a phone call for you!’
Sofie gasped in disbelief as her whole world began to shatter around her. She didn’t need to wait to hear more, but slammed down the receiver and tumbled out of the phone box in a state of near devastation. The only thoughts going around her mind were that the photos hadn’t lied. It was all true. All most horribly true!
Looking around her, everything felt alien and she just wanted to get away. Go home and wait for the pain to go away. She flagged down a passing taxi and sank into the seat, dropping her head in her hands. How could Lucas do this to her? She had trusted him! It had taken every ounce of courage she had possessed to trust him and put her faith in their future together, and now it was gone. Shattered into a million irretrievable
