Chapter 57

Claire's POV Back at the villa, the tension between us was still crackling in the air. Theo set me down gently by the terrace doors, his hands lingering on my waist as if he couldn't quite bring himself to let go completely. The passion of our kiss had left us both breathing heavily, but the underlying issues that had driven me away in the first place remained unresolved. "Claire," Theo began, his voice still rough from our heated exchange, "about the doctor's appointment—" "I'll see her," I interrupted, surprising both of us with my quick agreement. "You're right that we need to be careful." The relief that flooded his features was almost comical. He'd clearly been prepared for another argument, another dramatic exit. Instead, I found myself oddly calm, perhaps because Bob's words had given me a new perspective on Theo's motivations. "Really?" he asked, as if he couldn't quite believe I was being reasonable about this. "Really," I confirmed, moving away from him to sit on the edge of