That he loved her, wanted her, always would.
He dragged in a breath as she kissed her way down his breastbone. Her mouth was so soft, so sweet, and her hair felt like warm silk against his skin. He couldn’t resist sliding his hands into the blonde tresses, urging her on. ‘Melinda. You’re driving me just a little bit crazy here.’
She lifted her head and her blue, blue eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘Did you know, when you get turned on, your accent comes back a bit?’
‘My accent?’
‘Normally you sound very English. But when we make love…’
‘I lose control,’ he admitted.
‘That’s what I want. I want to make you feel the same way I feel.’ She shifted to straddle him. He could feel the warmth of her sex against his erection and it made his pulse ratchet up that little bit more.
‘I need to be inside you, Melinda,’ he breathed.
‘Si?’ she teased, wriggling just enough to make him gasp.
In retaliation, he cupped her breasts, stroked the soft undersides and rubbed the pads of his thumbs against her nipples until she gave a sharp intake of breath.
‘Dragan. I need you.’
He lifted his upper body from the bed so he could take first one and then the other nipple into his mouth, sucking hard. Her hands fisted in his hair and he could feel little shivers of desire running through her.
‘Please, now,’ she whispered. ‘I need you now.’
‘Let me get a condom.’
‘No.’ She leaned forward and kissed him hard. ‘I don’t want any barriers between us tonight.’
‘Melinda, we should—’ he began.
She pressed her forefinger lightly against his lips. ‘It’s OK. It’s my safe time.’
The doctor in him knew there was no such thing as a safe time. Though he also knew exactly why she was asking him to do this: it was a way of fighting back against the spectre of death, of proving to herself that she was alive and kicking.
He shouldn’t do this.
She was vulnerable.
And he was taking advantage of her. This had to stop.
‘Tonight I need you close, Dragan.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘I want nothing between us. Just you and me.’
His heart overruled his head. How could he stop now, push her away and make her feel even worse? She needed comfort. She needed him. And if they made a baby tonight…then so be it. They were getting married in a few weeks in any case. He would’ve liked more time with her on his own, but if they made a child tonight he’d love their baby. Always. Just as he’d always love Melinda. She was the one who made him feel complete.
‘I want you so badly,’ she said, her voice hoarse. ‘I need you. I love you. Ti amo.’
‘I love you, too. Always. Siempre.’
She shifted slightly and slid her fingers around his erection, guided him to her entrance; he rocked his hips, easing inside her. Lord, she felt good, so warm and wet. Her eyes were almost black in the lamplight, her pupils dilated so he could barely see the iris. As turned on as he was. Needing this as much as he did. Right now they were as one—body, heart and soul.
And he never wanted this moment to end.
Her mouth opened in a soft sigh of pleasure as he began to move, a pleasure echoed in his own body as her muscles tightened round him and her movements mirrored his, lifting herself until he was almost out of her and then pushing down hard as he pushed up, taking him deeper than he could ever remember.
His fingers laced with hers and they gripped each other tightly as the tension ratcheted higher and higher.
‘Dragan!’ Her body started to ripple round his, and he could feel the tension in his own body reaching snapping point.
And then he was falling with her.
Over the edge, into a starburst.
She collapsed forwards onto him and he wrapped his arms round her; he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his chest, just as he knew she’d be able to feel the answering beat of his heart.
‘I love you,’ she whispered.
‘I love you, too. And everything’s going to be all right.’
‘Is it?’
‘Everything’s going to be fine,’ he promised her. ‘Look, it’s not too late to change your mind—I can maybe ask Lizzie Chamberlain to look after Bramble for me and come with you tomorrow.’
‘No, I can’t ask that of you—and you’re short-staffed at the practice as it is.’
‘They’ll manage. We can get a locum. You’re more important to me, tesoro. More important than anything else in the world.’
He could feel dampness against his chest and realised she was crying. Silently, with no shudders, as if she didn’t have any strength to hold the tears back any more and they were just leaking out.
‘Let it out, honey,’ he whispered. ‘Let the tears wash away the pain.’
She sobbed against him. ‘I don’t even know why I’m crying for him. Raffi was a selfish bastard and most of the time we didn’t get on. He could be charming and good company—but most of the time he was a pain in the backside and he drove me demented with his thoughtlessness.’
‘He was still your brother, still of your blood—there was still a bond between you, even when you fought.’
‘I just don’t want things to change between you and me. Ever.’
‘Hey, why would they do that?’ He lifted her slightly and kissed away her tears. ‘I won’t insist that you take my name, if you choose not to. Though I think it sounds nice. Melinda Lovak.’ He kissed her gently. ‘Beautiful. Bellissima. Like you.’
Her smile was wobbly, but at least it was a smile, he thought with relief. ‘Of course I’ll take your name, Dragan.’
‘It’s not a problem if you want to keep your maiden name for professional purposes.’
‘No. But thank you for giving me the choice. For understanding.’
Her words were heartfelt, he could tell—but he had no idea what she meant. Giving her the choice? But…why wouldn’t she have a choice? This was the twenty-first century. He wouldn’t expect her to give up her career. If they were blessed with children and she wanted to be a stay-at-home mum, that was fine; but if she wanted to combine a career and children, that was also fine. They’d work something out between them.
Maybe the root of this was in her relationship with her family. The fact they hadn’t wanted her
