Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella by Rachael Stewart

Author:Rachael Stewart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-05-06T01:15:45+00:00

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‘You can crack a coconut?’

Jasmine waited until Philippe had left to ask the question and Freddie got the distinct impression it was a distraction technique. A way to question his ability while avoiding the heat fizzing between them and it made him grin all the more because he knew she felt it. He could see it in the way her eyes blazed, the way the colour crept into her cheeks, and he exulted that she was as powerless to stop it as he was.

He closed the distance between them. ‘Yes.’

‘Really?’ Her eyes laughed at him, the water beading on her dark lashes making them all the more captivating as she backed away.

‘Yes.’ Another stroke forward. ‘I’ve done it before.’

She nodded. ‘Yeah, right, in between business meetings Stateside, you enjoy cracking open a coconut.’

‘No, in fact, I—’ He broke off as he realised what he’d been about to say.

‘You?’ She stilled, her brows nudging skywards, a smile dancing around her lips, and he wanted her smile to stay. That was why he didn’t want to admit what he’d been about to.

‘Nothing.’

‘Come on, Freddie, just say it.’

He looked away, guilt weighing heavily in his gut. But he had no reason to feel guilty, they hadn’t been together in for ever, and...well, time moved on.

Not so much your heart, though.

He ignored the inner gibe and clung to the sense that told him it was nothing for Jasmine to get upset over and in turn nothing for him to worry over either. And his heart had no place in this anyway.

‘We sailed around the Caribbean for Dad’s sixtieth, plenty of time for coconut hacking.’

‘I see...’ She frowned, the water rippling around her as she trod water. ‘So why the hesitation?’

‘I didn’t want to dampen the moment by mentioning them.’

‘Look, Freddie, they are your mum and dad, it’s okay to talk about them. They only ever had your best interests at heart.’

He scoffed. ‘I think it was more the case they had their own interests at heart.’

She shook her head. ‘Seriously, Freddie, we were young back then, too young! Even you must see that now, with hindsight?’

Did he? Too young for marriage, perhaps. But surely it should have been their own decision to make, their own mistake to rectify.

‘So, the Caribbean?’ He knew she was trying to change the subject, clear the sudden cloud. ‘Sounds lovely.’

‘It was.’

Her frown returned. ‘But?’

‘But?’

‘You don’t look like it was lovely. In fact, you’re acting kind of awkward still...’

‘We were there with the Darlingtons.’ His words came out with his breath, feeling very much like a confession.

Now she really frowned. ‘The Darlingtons?’

‘You know, Lord and Lady Darlington? Distant relations to the royal family, Darlingtons?’

‘Oh, those Darlingtons. Don’t they have a daughter about our...?’ Her voice trailed off.

He saw the moment realisation hit, saw it in the way she looked away and the invisible cord that had been pulling them together in the water snapped.

‘Is she the one your parents have in mind for you?’

He nodded, his jaw tense as he wished away this conversation entirely.

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