My nose wrinkled a little at the offer of coffee, because for all my interest in modern amenities and learning about them, I was still English at heart and I much preferred tea. It would be rude to tell Elio I thought coffee tasted terrible, however, and even more impolite to ask him to make me tea instead, so I only shook my head and came to sit down beside him.

"Eddie's still asleep," I said as I pulled my bare feet up onto the cushion under me and wrapped my arms around my knees. We hadn't really spoken much to Elio the night before, far more eager to just spend time with each other, and I had fallen asleep rather quickly after everything, the effects of the adrenaline from my panic having worn off. I wanted to tell Elio, though. Not everything, because much of what Eddie and I said and did together was private and special. But I wanted to tell him the important thing.

Tilting my head, I rested my cheek on my knees and looked at Elio. "I told him I love him."