Ocean of Fire (21 page)

Please Philip? I need you. I love you.

But he didn’t come after her.

As she walked out of the building, she knew she’d never be back. There was nothing more she could do. If she had once thought she’d played her final card, she’d well and truly played it now.

The pain in her side was fading, but the ache in her heart bypassed it in intensity. She walked with no idea where she was heading. She didn’t really care anymore. A bus could have run her over and it wouldn’t have bothered her.

Nicole had suffered from depression as a teenager, but she had never felt as low as she did right now. Somehow she would have to learn to live with Philip’s rejection. Somehow she would get on with her life.

Somehow, sometime, but not now.

Now all she wanted to do was fade away, to disappear into some dark place where she didn’t have to feel anymore.

It wasn’t until she smelt the salty tang of the river, that she saw Constitution Dock in front of her. Taking in her surroundings for the first time, she thought the deserted pier reflected the desolation in her heart. A few stray scraps of paper were being tossed across the concrete. How dismal this place looked without the festivities of people celebrating on the waterfront, dismal and empty, just like her.

It was also cold. The wind had a bite to it, and Nicole pulled her tailored jacket more tightly around herself. She’d lost weight whilst in hospital. It surprised her that Philip hadn’t noticed her almost gaunt appearance. Everybody else had, but then he didn’t really care. He might have gone to seek her out after organizing his new job, but the obsession with what Mario Palmiri had done to his family was too strong to overcome by rational thinking.

Nicole walked over to the edge of the dock, and stood for a long time staring blankly at the murky water. She stopped feeling the cold. Either she was getting used to it, or her misery had numbed her to physical sensations. Pity her heart hadn’t gone numb along with the rest of her body.

Suddenly she noticed that someone had come to stand beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a pair of shiny black business shoes and the upturned cuffs of tailored brown trousers. Conscious of how isolated this end of dock was, she glanced fearfully across at her companion.

“Thought I might find you here,” Philip said.

She could barely believe he was standing there.

“I often come down here,” he went on. “It seems to reflect how I’ve been feeling. Gloomy and hurt...” He bowed his head, causing several strands of ebony hair to drop forward across his brow. “I guess I wasn’t over it after all. I came to say how sorry I am for doubting you.”

Although she should have been grateful for his apology, she knew that was all he was going to offer her. Their relationship was over.

“How did you come to that conclusion?” she couldn’t help asking.

“You’ve got every reason to be angry with me... but I rang your father after you left.”

“You what!” she gasped, staring at him incredulously.

“They didn’t know where you were.”

“I suppose you told them.”

“I thought I should... Your father found out about Palmiri purely by chance. The judge presiding over the case is a friend of his. But you know he would have found some other way of getting between us, don’t you?”

“What else did he say?”

“That he’s not going to disown you anymore.”

“He’s got no reason to now,” she said miserably, turning away from him. She couldn’t bear to look at him anymore, knowing all that they had shared was gone forever.

“No, because I told him that no matter what, I was never going to let you go.”

Nicole wondered whether she was hearing correctly, but then she felt his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to face him, and he drew her into his embrace. Staring up at him, she realized her parting words in his office had worked after all. Philip still wanted her in his life. She could see it clearly by the softness in his eyes and the tender smile on of his lips.

“I also told him that I intended marrying you as soon as possible,” he said softly, smiling down into her stunned eyes.

“That was a little presumptuous of you, wasn’t it?” she couldn’t help imparting. But it was impossible not to return his tender smile. That was how easy it had been to forgive him. All her love for him immediately cancelled out the weeks of pain, the tears of anguish, and she buried her face against his shirt.

“Wasn’t it just? Want to know what he said about that?”

“I dread to think.”

“He told me to ask you first.”

‘He what? But he said - “ she began, staring back up in surprise at him.

“Let’s forget what your father said, and concentrate on what I’m saying. I meant it when I said you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I never thought I would fall in love at first sight. Oh, yes I loved you from the start Nicole, from the moment you denied that redheads weren’t fiery like their hair. I tried to fight it, knowing how different we were, but holding you in my arms when you were so helpless and ill, that really did something to me.”

“Yes, you said you enjoyed yourself.”

Philip brought his hand up to place a silencing finger against her lips. “I realized then that cupid had shot his arrow straight at my heart. No woman had ever made me feel so protective, and at the same time so vulnerable... You were right I haven’t let anyone get close since my family died. When you with all your insight brought it out in the open, I wanted to continue denying it, because facing it still hurt so much. So instead I took it out on you. A terrible thing to do, of curse, but you continued to stick by me, making me realize how much you cared… I think you fell in love with me at first sight too.”

“Only I didn’t see it at the time either.”

He moved his hand into her hair. “So, after telling your father I wanted to marry you, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Nicole stared into his beautiful, golden eyes, seeing the tender love just for her. She couldn’t help herself. She flung her arms around his neck, pulling his head down towards hers.

“We can’t make a liar out of you, can we? So, yes I’d be honored to become your wife,” she whispered, tears of joy welling in her eyes.

For a moment he continued to gaze lovingly back at her. Then slowly he brought his lips to hers. The flicker of heat which licked through her veins at the contact warmed her chilled body in seconds.

Nicole sighed deeply as the kiss deepened, glad that for once her perception had been wrong. To have him back in her arms, feeling his beautiful strong body against hers, with his warm mouth doing crazy things to her senses, was the last thing she had expected, but the only thing she wanted.

“You know I bought that house for you, don’t you?” he finally said.

“No, I... Really!” she gasped.

“Frank and Ian want to make me a partner,” he went on.

“That’s great news. Out of curiosity, what did you call your hi-fi business?”

He raised an eyebrow. “How did you find out about that?”

“Jenny told me. She said you sold it to buy the mansion. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Would you have loved me any more if I had?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“I called the business
Sound Sensation
.”

“That’s where Dad brought Rob’s stereo system. It’s still in perfect working order,” she said with a giggle. “Dad thought it was the best buy in town.”

“I only sold the best. Now back to what I was going to tell you. I’ve made some inquiries about social work jobs in the area but if you want them you had better apply straight away.”

“You really were that sure I’d move down here with you?”

He smiled again. “I saw the longing look on your face when we were at the cottage. Speaking of which, I think it’s high time you got to see the inside.”

“Oh yes. And do you know something else. I must be the only female who’s besotted with you that hasn’t had a ride in your Porsche.”

Philip groaned theatrically. “Jenny didn’t tell you about that, did she?”

“She did. You really have to learn how to say no, Philip. Your wife might get jealous.”

“You won’t have to worry about that, because your husband will only have eyes for you.,” he assured her.

Arm in arm, they headed back to the office, where Philip retrieved his briefcase, and they set off for their new home.

Once on the highway, Philip demonstrated just how fast his car would go.

“You shriek just like the rest of them, but they still kept coming back for more,” he teased.

Nicole told him it probably wasn’t his stunt driving that kept them hanging around.

They reached the cottage in record time, and Nicole discovered the inside lived up to all her expectations. The rooms were large, with high, ornately decorated ceilings. The kitchen had been modernized with Tasmanian Oak cupboards, and the bathrooms had been tastefully tiled in cream and pale blue. The furniture Philip had brought from his apartment.

“We can replace all that if you like,” he said, as she glanced around the living area and at the plush modern lounge in its centre, the complicated sound-system and huge television taking up half a wall.

“Well, it doesn’t really go with the rest of the house,” Nicole admitted.

“Like I said, you can change everything - except for the bed. Come and see,” he said, taking hold of her hand.

“You have a one track mind, Philip Pelayo,” but she allowed him to pull her in the direction of the master bedroom.

“Only where you’re concerned, my love.”

“Oh my goodness,” she gasped, on seeing the bed. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. King-sized, with velvet drapes in shades of gold and brown, it seemed to beckon from a bygone era.

“You don’t like it?” he sounded disappointed.

“I love it, but how on earth did you get it in here?”

“It didn’t come from Sydney. I had it custom-made. Come on, I want to see you lying in it.”

Nicole happily obliged, slipping out of her shoes, before sinking into the soft duvet.

For what seemed like a long time, Philip merely stood there gazing down at her with a depth of emotion in his eyes that went way beyond passion or desire. It was more intense than love, a look that made her feel infinitely precious to him.

Then very slowly he began removing his jacket and tie. Nicole lay there watching him, her insides contracting with longing, her own heart overflowing with love for him.

“I’ll be gentle with you. I’m going to kiss you all better again,” he promised, coming to lie down beside her.

“Did Dad tell you what happened?” she asked.

“Yes. It was just as well he was on the other end of a telephone line hundreds of kilometres away, because I felt very much like doing him some serious damage. If only I’d known! I should have been there for you, but I’ll make it up to you. I’m going to love and cherish you, treat you like china until your brittle bones are healed.” He traced his fingertips down her throat, trailing them across her already aroused nipples.

“What a macho male chauvinist comment that was,” she laughed, as he cupped a breast with his large brown hand.

“And you love me for it.”

“Now and forever,” she promised, stretching up to kiss him on the lips.

Their lovemaking had never been more fulfilling. Together they sailed across the waves of love. As one they sunk into in the deep ocean of forever, leaving the turbulent shores of the past behind.

The vintage wedding car pulled away from the curb outside Sydney’s St. Mary’s Cathedral on a clear, sunny autumn afternoon.

The groom leaned towards his bride, placing a tender kiss against her flushed cheek. She turned to him, smiling radiantly, barely believing it had finally happened. Wearing traditional white, Nicole’s gown of satin and lace frothed around her and over Philip’s legs as he hugged her to him. Dressed in navy tails, he looked so handsome, he took her breath away. She knew he always would.

“We’re well and truly committed now,” she murmured.

“I’m glad, but why did you let your parents organize the wedding?” he complained. “I know hardly any of those people.”

“I have to let them think they were getting their way some of the time. Surely having the reception at the yacht club can’t be that distasteful to you.”

“No, I suppose not, but I would have preferred something quieter.”

“That comes tomorrow,” she promised, touching his loving face with a gentle hand.

“I’m not so sure leaving you in charge of the honeymoon was such a good idea either.”

She smiled knowingly at him, which only raised his concern. Marrying into a prominent society family had never been something Philip ever envisaged himself doing. The Camerons may have agreed to the wedding, but something was still nagging in the back of his mind. It had all fallen into place too easily.