She couldn’t possibly have heard right. Cash’s voice sounded muffled, as though she’d been dunked underwater or was trying to hear with cotton wool stuffed in her ears. She gaped at him, her mouth opening and closing in what must have been a very unattractive way.

“Natalia, say something.”

She forced a swallow past a throat that had closed over. “You want me to move in?” she managed to croak.

“Yeah. Why not?”

Cash’s voice was so clear, yet hers sounded like she’d smoked twenty Marlboro cigarettes, one after the other.

“But we barely know each other.”

“I know enough. Life’s short. None of us know what’s coming our way. That’s why I live for today. Screw tomorrow.”

She wanted to scream But you’re full of secrets: your parents, why you hate your dad, and Gracie—whoever the hell she is.

Instead, she said something much worse. “No.”

The light dimmed in his eyes. “Natalia––”

“It’s too soon. I’m not like you. I can’t live my life moment to moment.”

She sat back down and covered her face with her hands because she couldn’t stand to look at Cash’s hurt expression a second longer. This should have been a dream come true, but the nagging voice at the back of her mind about the secrets he was keeping wouldn’t let her take a risk.

When Cash tugged her hands from her face, he was kneeling down, the hurt look replaced by one a little more resigned. “I may have been a touch overzealous,” he said with a quick grin. “Will you at least come to Ireland next weekend? We could do a few ‘try before you buy’ stay overs.”

She caressed his face. “I’d love to come for the weekend.”

Cash pulled her to her feet, his arms warm and comforting around her waist as he kissed her. “I can’t wait.”

Tearing herself away from Cash was the hardest thing she’d ever done, and she cried all the way home, ignoring the pitying looks from the taxi driver, who probably thought she’d split up with her boyfriend when the exact opposite was true.

It was great to be back in London—this was her home, and she loved it—but she couldn’t stop black despair choking her. She wouldn’t see Cash all week. Friday was a long way off. The irony of her mood wasn’t lost on her. She could have spent every minute of every day with Cash if she’d accepted his offer, as unbelievable as it was, but she’d made the right decision. It was far too soon. She’d had a great life before they’d met, and she still had a great life, which would be enhanced by spending weekends with Cash.

Until he played the next tournament. Then there would be no weekends. Have I made the biggest mistake of my life?

She inserted her key into the Yale lock and pushed the door open.

“You’re back.” Em must have seen her taxi pull up because she was waiting behind the door. She threw her arms around Tally’s neck.

“You don’t miss much,” Tally said, struggling out of Em’s tight hold before she choked.

“That has been the longest two weeks of my life. Dump your suitcase, and I’ll grab the wine. I want to hear everything.”

Tally grinned at Em’s retreating back, and her mood lightened. She’d missed Em so much. Two weeks was the longest they’d ever gone without seeing each other. She heaved her suitcases onto the bed and settled herself in the living room, sinking into her favourite chair. She fondly rubbed the arm, relishing the familiarity of home.

“I forgot I’d swigged the last of the wine last night, so you’ll have to make do with this,” Em said, holding up a half-empty bottle of Drambuie left over from Christmas.

“Okay, but I’m sticking to one. Otherwise, I’ll never get up for work in the morning.”

Em poured two healthy-sized glasses and handed one over. “Looking forward to going back to work?”

“Yes and no.” She took a sip, grimacing at the burn.

“Missing Gallagher the Stud already?”

“More than you know.”

Em raised her eyebrows. “So it’s serious, then? Not that I’m surprised, given the length of your obsession.”

“He asked me to move in with him.”

“Oh my God.” Em sat bolt upright, her shocked expression probably a mirror image of what Tally’s had been when Cash made that proposal. “You’ve hit the jackpot.”

“I said no. It’s too soon.”

“Why? I thought you’d have jumped at the chance.”

“We barely know each other.”

“Bet you know each other bloody well in the bedroom,” Em said with an exaggerated wink.

“People don’t live in the bedroom,” Tally flashed back.

Em smirked. “Babes, if Cash Gallagher was in my bedroom, I’d manage.”

Tally burst out laughing. “If you must know,” she said, grinning inanely, “I’m looking forward to getting back to work. I can’t imagine my life being nothing more than following Cash around the circuit. I’d lose myself, and I can’t do that.”

“He must be getting used to you saying no by now. Where’s he gone to lick his wounds?”

“Back home to Ireland. He’s invited me for a visit next weekend.”

“I’ll bet he has. And once the wolf gets you in his lair… there’ll be no escape,” Em teased.

Tally got to her feet and stretched. “Seeing as you’ve got nothing sensible to say, I’m off to unpack, then bath and bed.” She bent down and kissed Em’s cheek. Her friend was chuckling to herself as Tally left the room.

Tally turned both bath taps on and poured in half a bottle of bubble bath. By the time she’d unpacked, the bath was full, and she eased her aching body down into the hot water. The tight muscles in her shoulders began to relax, and she closed her eyes, trying to absorb the unexpected change of direction her life had taken. As the enormity of the last couple of weeks hit her, it was all too much, and despite frantic blinking, tears spilled onto her cheeks.

She’d had a wonderful few weeks with Cash, beyond anything she could have ever imagined, but she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that having a little space to herself was a good thing. Being around Cash was full-on, and she needed time to reflect on all the new experiences she’d had in the last fortnight: Paris, Rotterdam, the Aston Martin, the tennis. The sex.

God, the sex.

She dressed in her pyjamas and crawled under the covers as exhaustion swept over her. She picked up her phone to set the alarm, and her stomach flipped. A text from Cash. She swiped the phone and opened it.

Missing you already. My bed is cold without you. Wish it was Friday. C xx

She penned a quick reply, and drifted off to sleep, wearing the most enormous smile.