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Her hair, flowing down her back. The woollen hat she’d been wearing was on the table. She didn’t have to turn around for him to see, in his mind, those green eyes, the satin soft skin, her mouth, so kissable…

For the first time in his life, Javier felt truly nervous, apprehensive and panicked at the uncertain outcome lying ahead of him.

‘Hope…’ He cleared his throat and swerved round the table before she had time to twist and face him.

* * *

‘Javier?’

Hope blinked. For more than a second, she wondered whether he was real. She made to stand but her legs had turned to jelly and she flopped back down into the chair and simply stared.

‘What are you doing here?’ she gasped, as the three-dimensional optical illusion sat down on the chair opposite her and looked back at her. ‘I can’t believe it’s you.’

‘It’s me. I know you’re probably a little surprised that I’m here…’

‘A little surprised?’

She remembered, in slow, painful drips, how they had parted company, that final look of betrayal on his face as he’d refused to hear anything she might have had to say. Anger stirred and shock began to fade.

‘What the heck are you doing here?’ she asked in a bitter rush. ‘Have you come to remind me that I betrayed you just because I didn’t start blabbing about all the private things your brother told me? How did you find me, anyway?’

‘I’ll answer your last question first. Carlos told me where your mother lived and I went to her house. She then told me where I could find you. I’m afraid I was a little economical with the truth. I said it was about your photographic job in Mexico and that I had a few last-minute matters to deal with that I needed to discuss with you face to face.’

‘She told you where I was?’

‘Before you start blaming your mother, don’t. I would have stayed at her house until you got back. But I… I really needed to see you. To talk to you.’

‘You mean you needed to corner me into either picking up where you left off or accepting some half-baked apology from you for thinking the worst of me, just because you want to clear your conscience! Well, I’m not interested, Javier.’

Hope was fuming and enraged with herself because however angry she was right then, she was also feeling alive in a way she hadn’t for the past few days. She leapt to her feet and began walking out of the café.

She knew he was following her. She could tell from the way every single person in the place was staring just behind her, because he was so damned commanding, so ridiculously sexy.

She didn’t stop until she was outside in the cold, winter evening. She spun round to look up at him, hands on her hips.

‘So, which is it, Javier? More recriminations? Or maybe disappointment that I didn’t share what your brother told me in confidence just because you and I happened to be temporarily sharing a bed? Is that it? Or are you here for the oops I may have overreacted speech and offer me a let’s part company on amicable terms?’

‘I came here to tell you that I’m in love with you.’

Hope stilled. The noises around her, the Christmas lights, the rushing crowds… Everything disappeared into silence.

His hand reached out to take hers as he gently guided her away from the busy pavements and towards the black car parked up one of the side roads.

She let him guide her because her mind was whirling.

She let him usher her inside the car because she could scarcely breathe.

She watched as he sat behind the wheel but instead of starting the engine, he stared at her in the darkness.

‘You’re not saying anything.’

‘I don’t think… I thought you said…’

‘I came here, Hope, to tell you that I love you. I’m in love with you. I came here to tell you that I’m nothing without you.’

‘I don’t understand what you’re saying.’

‘It’s going to get cold in here. Can we go back to your mother’s house? Continue the conversation there?’