Chapter 35 - Chapter 34

This is what they call a moment of truth.

Ever since my last session with Dr Dhlomo, I promised myself that if I ever got the chance to show Siyabonga how I felt, I would take it. What was the use of fishing that necklace out of the fountain, of refusing to let go of hope, if I don't seize the chance to do something with it?

"And I," I say, pressing into his hard body, "am touching you."

He towers over me, looking down through a long sweep of lashes, the muscle in his jaw tensing under the taut brown skin.

"Nali," he says, the baritone of his voice lower, huskier. "Be careful. Unless you—"

I lift up on my toes and kiss the words right out of his mouth. I'm done being careful and quiet. That route almost lost me this man for good. I push my tongue into his mouth, licking into him—hungry, thirsty, parched, starved—and he groans into our kiss. He grips my back, flattening my breasts to his chest. His hands meet at my spine and slide down to my waist and then cup my ass. Without breaking the kiss, he lifts me higher until our hips are flush, and the steel of him presses through the cotton of my dress. I can't resist slipping my hands between us to feel it for myself.

When I grip him through his jeans, he releases my mouth and drops his forehead to mine.

"Nali," he breathes. "I can't ... You don't want—"

"I do want." I nip at his neck with my teeth. "I know what we said, but not one day has gone by when I haven't thought about that night."