Читать книгу Exclusively Yours - Nadine Gonzalez - Страница 8

They walked quickly along the hedge-lined path, as though being chased. Along the way, they were serenaded by the sound of water spouting from the mouths of marble cherubs, gushing down waterfalls and swirling into lazy lagoons. It wasn’t enough to calm her. This wasn’t an aimless stroll. His pace was deliberate. Nick was searching for a place for them to hide together, rather than from each other. They stumbled across a coral-rock grotto with a narrow opening that let in a splash of moonlight. He pulled her inside.

She wiggled her hand free. “We could’ve talked outside.”

He took a step, wandering deeper into the cave, marveling at it. “No, we couldn’t.”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, Nick. I’ve changed.”

“Are you sure? It’s only been a year or so,” he said, facing her now. “You look the same.”

“I’m sure.”

She stepped back and found there was no ground to gain; the cave was wide but shallow. Nick closed the gap between them.

The past echoed in the enclosed space. Light of my life.

“Nick.”

His tone softened. “Come on, Leila. It’s me.”