Chapter 21
Twenty-one
Kate pondered the matter for less than a second before she turned and ran to the front door.
She knew Raff hadn’t driven away yet because she hadn’t heard the engine but now, just as she opened the door, it roared into life. Well, not roared precisely but it felt like it had because she was terrified he would leave before he saw her hurrying towards him.
‘Raff!’ she shrieked, racing down the stone steps. ‘Raff!’
He was reversing. She was too late.
But then the car stopped.
Raff stared at her through the windscreen and she stared at him. It was a few seconds before he got out of the car.
‘Is something wrong? Do you need me?’
She nodded vigorously.
‘I need you, Raff. But not because something is wrong. I need you because something is right. I’ve been an idiot and I know I can’t expect you to forgive me for the way I behaved last weekend.
But I really hope you will. I … I like you, Raff.
I like you a lot. And … I owe you a dinner.
I was wondering if you might be free tonight. ’
He gazed at her in silence for a moment or two and then he smiled.
‘There’s nothing to forgive, Kate. I know relationships can be terrifying, especially for those of us who’ve been single for some considerable time.
But I like you too. A lot. In fact, I’d go as far as saying what I feel for you is more than like.
Much more. But you owe me nothing, Kate.
Nothing at all. Having said that, I am free tonight.
And dinner would be lovely. I do have a table booked at my hotel, but I can cancel that.
Or … we could…’ The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
‘But it’s entirely up to you. Where would you like to have dinner? ’
‘Cancel the table,’ she said and she couldn’t stop herself from grinning as he looked a little disappointed.
‘I assume your hotel has room service. Why waste time in the restaurant when we can spend it somewhere more … conducive to what I have in mind. Oh. And I’ll be needing to borrow that shirt.
Because I liked the way you looked at me last week when I was wearing it and–’
She didn’t get to finish that sentence because Raff had been walking towards her as she spoke, his eyes dancing with delight and the smile on his face growing bigger with every word.
When he had been near enough, he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her even more passionately than he had kissed her last week.
Until that moment, Kate had not thought that was possible.
Her life was about to change. She had no idea how much, but no doubt one hell of a lot. And in the best way possible. Because one thing was certain, with Raff by her side, it would change for the better. In fact, it already had. And she couldn’t wait for whatever Fate had in store for her and Raff.
It might be too soon, but she was sure of something else.
Kate Stone had fallen in love. And she would shout it from the rooftops.
Or get Andrea Bocelli to do so from the top of The Royal Albert Hall, accompanied by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Or perhaps she would simply start by telling Raff how she felt.
But for now, she would show him.
Actions spoke louder than words, after all.
And she hoped her actions tonight would leave him in no doubt that she thought he was the perfect man for her.