Second Thoughts by Jade Winters Page A

around is there?” She stared at her for a few moments. She could read the frustration in her eyes from where she sat.
    Melissa began to pace the room, her hand glued to the side of her face. “Wait, just wait a minute. I can’t think straight.”
    Sara brought her eyes to Melissa’s face. “What do you need to think about?” She couldn’t understand why Melissa wasn’t angry at what Bettina had done. Her actions had proven her to be a liar. A predator who had struck when Melissa was at her most vulnerable. But she couldn’t say these things to her. Sara knew, more than anyone how very loyal Melissa was to those she loved. If she loved Bettina as much as she said she did, there’d be no getting through to her. Melissa would have to work it out for herself.
    “I... just... wait. I don’t know what I want.”
    In her brief moment of hesitation, Sara quickly rose from her seat and went to Melissa. “Are you saying we’ve still got a chance?” She reached out and touched her cheek as Melissa turned her face away. The feel of her skin under her fingers lit up her nerves like an electric shock.
    Melissa put her hand over Sara’s and moved it to her mouth. Her soft lips resting on them before saying with a trembling voice. “I don’t know what to do, Sara. I’m so confused.”
    Sara closed the distance between them. Standing centimetres apart, she leaned towards her, their mouths so close they were nearly touching. Sara held her gaze. “Didn’t you once tell me you knew you loved me within seconds of meeting me?”
    Melissa drew in a sharp breath. “Yes, but that was different. We were single. We didn’t have baggage or responsibilities back then,” she said in a throaty whisper, her half-slit eyes fixed firmly on Sara’s mouth as she ran the tip of her tongue over her top lip.
    To Sara, the outer world seemed to have disappeared. All that existed was the two of them. She cupped Melissa’s face in her hands. “Melissa, if you decide to marry Bettina, I can’t be around to witness it. It would hurt too much.”
    Tears threatened to fall as Sara looked at the woman she was afraid of losing all over again. She had to get through to her. For a moment all she could think about was holding her in her arms and never letting her go.
    Instead, she dropped her hands to her side and stepped back, breaking the intense connection. She knew what needed to be said. “I need to know where I stand by the end of the week as I have to book my return ticket. We can be together, wherever you want to be. Will you think about it?” she said, struggling to keep her voice clear.
    Melissa nodded mutely as she dropped her eyes to the ground.
    “Good,” Sara said with a finality she didn’t feel. “So how about I order room service and we can catch up?”
    Melissa’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh crap.”
    “What is it?”
    “Bettina is going to kill me. I was meant to be home for lunch. Eli is coming over with her partner. Sorry, I’ve got to go.” She walked quickly to the door and opened it.
    “You’ve got until the end of the week, Missy.”
    Melissa’s eyes were a sea of confusion as she took one last look at Sara then disappeared through the open doorway.
     

Chapter Nineteen
    Sara came back for me. The shock of Bettina’s betrayal had floored her, but she hadn’t wanted to express her anger in front of Sara. She was going to deal with Bettina her way. She gripped the steering wheel as she waited for the traffic lights to change to green. What had Bettina been thinking, interfering in her life in such a way? Why hadn’t she told her Sara hadn’t abandoned her in her hour of need after all? What could have been her reasoning for doing something so cruel? The life she had once thought was safe and secure had been blown to smithereens and Bettina, the woman she thought loved her, had been the instigator of it. Her hands trembled at the thought of the upcoming confrontation. Before she made any rash decisions,