His fingers laced with hers and they gripped each other tightly as the tension ratcheted higher and higher.
‘Dragan!’ Her body started to ripple round his, and he could feel the tension in his own body reaching snapping point.
And then he was falling with her.
Over the edge, into a starburst.
She collapsed forwards onto him and he wrapped his arms round her; he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his chest, just as he knew she’d be able to feel the answering beat of his heart.
‘I love you,’ she whispered.
‘I love you, too. And everything’s going to be all right.’
‘Is it?’
‘Everything’s going to be fine,’ he promised her. ‘Look, it’s not too late to change your mind—I can maybe ask Lizzie Chamberlain to look after Bramble for me and come with you tomorrow.’
‘No, I can’t ask that of you—and you’re short-staffed at the practice as it is.’
‘They’ll manage. We can get a locum. You’re more important to me, tesoro. More important than anything else in the world.’
He could feel dampness against his chest and realised she was crying. Silently, with no shudders, as if she didn’t have any strength to hold the tears back any more and they were just leaking out.
‘Let it out, honey,’ he whispered. ‘Let the tears wash away the pain.’
She sobbed against him. ‘I don’t even know why I’m crying for him. Raffi was a selfish bastard and most of the time we didn’t get on. He could be charming and good company—but most of the time he was a pain in the backside and he drove me demented with his thoughtlessness.’
‘He was still your brother, still of your blood—there was still a bond between you, even when you fought.’
‘I just don’t want things to change between you and me. Ever.’
‘Hey, why would they do that?’ He lifted her slightly and kissed away her tears. ‘I won’t insist that you take my name, if you choose not to. Though I think it sounds nice. Melinda Lovak.’ He kissed her gently. ‘Beautiful. Bellissima. Like you.’
Her smile was wobbly, but at least it was a smile, he thought with relief. ‘Of course I’ll take your name, Dragan.’
‘It’s not a problem if you want to keep your maiden name for professional purposes.’
‘No. But thank you for giving me the choice. For understanding.’
Her words were heartfelt, he could tell—but he had no idea what she meant. Giving her the choice? But…why wouldn’t she have a choice? This was the twenty-first century. He wouldn’t expect her to give up her career. If they were blessed with children and she wanted to be a stay-at-home mum, that was fine; but if she wanted to combine a career and children, that was also fine. They’d work something out between them.
Maybe the root of this was in her relationship with her family. The fact they hadn’t wanted her to be a vet—they’d wanted her to be part of the family firm, even though she was clearly born to be a vet. And she obviously felt guilty about the fact she had a family she wasn’t close to, whereas he’d lost the ones he’d loved so much. Maybe when she came back from Contarini he’d persuade her to tell him about it. Get the bad memories out of her heart and replace them with happiness.
It took a while, but at last Dragan could tell from the regularity of Melinda’s breathing that she’d fallen asleep. Though sleep eluded him. He was too worried about her.
He’d talk to Nick tomorrow morning, see if they could arrange a locum to cover him at the practice. Then he could go over to Contarini to give Melinda his support.
Then again, if her relationship with her family was that strained, this would be a seriously bad time to meet them. No way would her parents want to hear news of their daughter’s wedding just before the funeral of their son.
Which left Dragan torn between being Melinda’s support and abiding by her wishes: whatever he did, it didn’t seem enough. For now all he could do was hold her while she slept. And when she came back to England he’d do his best to make her world a brighter place. Give her the happiness she deserved.
CHAPTER SIX
IT WAS still dark when Melinda’s alarm beeped.
‘Urgh. I am so not a morning person,’ she grumbled. Especially today, knowing what she was going to face in Contarini.
And today, when she had to tell Dragan exactly what she was going back to. Why she was dreading it so much.
‘I’ll put the kettle on while you have a shower,’ Dragan said.
By the time she’d dressed, he’d already made her a cup of coffee—strong and dark, just how she liked it—and he took a quick shower himself before he carried Bramble down the stairs to let her out. The dog, clearly sensing Melinda’s need for comfort, insisted on sitting with her nose on Melinda’s knee when Dragan brought her back up to the flat.
‘All right, cara?’ he asked.
No. Definitely not. But she tried to force a smile to her face. Be brave for him.
‘Come on. You have to eat something.’ He looked at the toast she’d crumbled onto her plate.
‘I’m not hungry.’ She felt too sick to eat. Sick with tension and guilt and misery and worry.
She had to tell him.
Now.
You’re not just marrying the village vet. You’re marrying…
‘And we have to leave in ten minutes,’ he warned her, after a quick glance at his watch.
‘And I need to check on Cassidy before we go.’ Which meant no time to talk. She couldn’t neglect her professional duties. But she didn’t want to neglect the love of her life either.
‘Do you want me to hold him while you get the formula into him?’
She gave in. He was being so kind, so sweet—so caring. She couldn’t tell him and expect him to cope with everything in the space of ten seconds before he helped her with her patient. ‘Yes, please.’
They’d just finished when Sally walked in. Melinda gave the nurse the rundown on Cassidy’s treatment plan and made sure she had Jake’s number for queries.
And then it was time to go.
Dragan carried Bramble down to the car first, then brought Melinda’s small flight bag and slid it onto the back seat. She locked the flat behind them and climbed into the car. Although she normally fiddled with his radio or the CD player, today she wanted silence. Silence to work out the right words to tell him. And Dragan was in tune with her mood enough not to push her to chatter.
She still hadn’t worked out the right words by the time they got to the airport. Every time she tried to speak, it felt as if her tongue was glued to the roof of her mouth.
He left the window open enough to give Bramble some fresh air—he wouldn’t be that long at the airport and, besides, it was still early morning and cool, so the car wouldn’t become hot and uncomfortable for the dog.
‘I’ll carry this,’ he said, hoisting Melinda’s bag over his shoulder, and he walked hand in hand with her into the airport. He waited while she checked in at the reception desk and picked up her tickets, then walked with her to the departure lounge.
‘Send me a text when you get there, so I know you’ve arrived safely,’ he said, holding her close. ‘I won’t have my phone on during surgery, but I’ll pick up your message as soon as I switch the phone on again.’