Bold as Love

by Gwyneth Jones

  ‘Hey, come back to the party. I said if. And you’re not going to.’

  ‘I won’t,’ said Ax, drug clean left him. ‘I’m a fool. I will not do smack again. Never.’

  He was looking up at Sage’s natural face, and somehow kept on looking, seeing as if never before the blue eyes and golden brows, the wide cheekbones and blunt, wedge shaped, almost animal muzzle, all centred on that overblown mouth… Verging on grotesque, yeah. But in some lights, and if you’re in the mood, the guy can look like several billion dollars.

  Sage looking back at him, with a little smile—

  Someone thumped on the door. Fiorinda came in, and stepped over Ax’s legs.

  ‘Ah, the lovebirds. I knew I’d find you two tucked away together somewhere romantic.’

  Sage clambered precariously to the floor, lost his footing, sat down by Ax and held out his arms. Fiorinda settled herself against his chest, sighed contentedly, and gave her boyfriend a dirty look. She knew what he’d been up to.

  ‘I’m not speaking to you.’

  ‘Ah, don’t be hard on him Fee,’ said Sage, kissing her hair. ‘Not tonight.’

  ‘He’s already given me a bollocking—’

  ‘Oh all right. Come here.’ She tugged at him until he was arranged to her liking, and they settled together, Ax with his head on her lap, Sage’s arms around them both.

  Wrong again, Ax thought. I was not perfectly happy, but now I am, and if I had the power this is where I would make time stop, this is where I’d stay forever.

  This is it, this moment. This, now.

  END OF PART ONE

  The story continues in

  Castles Made of Sand

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Epigraph

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  ONE The Salt Box

  TWO Innocence and Experience

  THREE Cigarettes and Alcohol

  FOUR The Straight Path

  FIVE Who Knocks?

  SIX Sweetbriar

  SEVEN Big In Brazil

  EIGHT Rock The Boat

  NINE Rivermead