Chapter Seventy

~ Nikki ~

I certainly don’t have to voice the query that seeks clarification of his highly unanticipated remark. It’s quite obvious he’s as bewildered as I am.

He hadn’t intended to heave the sentiment into the universe—and I have the distinct feeling he’s not even fully sure of its true or full meaning.

He pours bottled water into two crystal tumblers and passes one to me. I sip in silence, knowing we still have a lengthy drive and it’s going to be an uncomfortable one.

Though… Playing it cool doesn’t really work for me. Pretending I didn’t hear what I heard isn’t going to fly. With every passing second, the demand for an explanation becomes more insistent, so that it’s clawing up my throat and I can’t even swallow down the raging curiosity with the water.

Suddenly, I involuntarily blurt, “What was that?”

He very casually retorts, “That was us not being able to make it to the villa without tearing each other’s clothes off. Even though we’re only ten more minutes away.”

“Ten minutes?”