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Laying her down onto the bed, he had turned her in his arms to hold her against him, her back warm against his belly.
“Tell me about her” she had whispered, Nikos gently nuzzling her hair with his cheek as he had began to speak. Slowly, soothingly he had talked, the story of his childhood pouring from him along with the memories of growing up with his mother. He had talked for what seemed hours, smiling softly as her body had relaxed against him knowing that she had finally fallen asleep. Still holding her he had not wanted to let her go, frowning at realising this, feeling as his eyes had fluttered closed too, falling asleep beside her, the scent of her filling him and his dreams.
Waking later, he had rolled over onto his back, his hand moving feeling the empty bed. Frowning, he had pushed the covers off before going looking for Mina. Entering the living room she had been sat cross legged on the floor, wearing only a long t-shirt, and spread around her were the contents of a box, mostly photographs it appeared to him.
“Mina?” his soft voice had caused her to start, her eyes flying to him as she had pushed away the small tear winding down her face “I..I’m sorry…I hope I didn’t wake you” she had stuttered “I just couldn’t sleep”.
Shaking his head he had moved to sit beside her, picking up one of the pictures. With a soft laugh he had looked over at her, holding up the picture “Is that you?”
Mina smiling seeing herself aged about three, so small, with long blonde almost white hair trying to walk in her mother’s heels. Giving a small half groan half laugh she had nodded “Guilty” seeing as he had looked at it once more before turning to her “You were a beautiful child too” Mina smiling so warmly at him.
She had picked up one picture to pass to him, seeing the look of astonishment on his face.
“That is my mother” he had breathed softly as his eyes had taken in the others in the picture. Mina’s mother and father sat close together, Nikos’ mother beside them as she had held a small baby in her arms, all three looking at each other and laughing. His eyes had flown to hers.
“She really did know” he had said in a voice full of surprise and astonishment.
“I guess that there was a lot none of us knew about” she had whispered, picking up another picture in which her father had held her in his arms, the young Mina being no more than four. He had looked happy and proud as he had looked down at her, Mina smiling back.
“Strange that I don’t remember him ever being that way” she had said so sadly. He always seemed so annoyed to see me. My mother said that he felt guilty. Felt that we should have been a proper family – I guess it doesn’t matter now” her voice growing sad once more, Nikos reaching out a hand to touch her cheek, angling her head to look deeply into his eyes “It matters Mina”.
For what seemed like an eternity the two had looked so deeply into the other’s eyes, something so powerful passing between them, before with a small start, he had dropped his to once more look at the strewn images of her childhood. Picking up another picture he had laughed, Mina smiling too as she had recounted the meaning of it, suddenly not feeling so alone.
For over an hour they had sat there, the two laughing together as he had chuckled at her outlandish and often cute images, Mina moaning with embarrassment at many, however finding herself feeling less sad and even happy at all the times she had shared with her mother, warmth filling her. Seeing him stifle a yawn, knowing that it was so late she had shot him a grin.
“We should get some more sleep”.
Nikos nodding beside her before regarding her questioningly “What do you plan on doing Mina…Will you stay here…or come back home with me?”
Turning to look around her, her features had once more grown sad.
“These were my mother’s happiest memories Nikos…not mine, but I see her everywhere here”.
Her voice once more cracking slightly, as she had turned to look at him “I don’t think I can be here alone…so if it is OK with you…I would rather return to your villa until the vote”.
He had nodded silently, her use of the word ‘until’ unsettling him. That had been his plan all along he had told himself, so why should it bother him now?
Starting to pick up the photographs strewn around she had sighed wearily, her eyes once more filling with moisture, Nikos groaning softly as he had leant forward, his mouth dropping onto hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck she had deepened the kiss needing so badly to hold this man, this man she loved. Pulling back from him, she had gasped with the realisation of her own thoughts. She loved him. She loved Nikos Dupris with all her heart, her eyes full of fire as they had stared into his seeing the same fire reflected back at her, such emotions flying between them as he had looked at her with confusion
“Mina” his voice had been hoarse, apologetic. With a tremulous smile she had shaken her head softly a hand moving to stroke his cheek. His had moved to cup her face, pulling her so gently towards him as he had kissed her again, this time slowly languorously, the fire within her rising strongly once more as it always did in his embrace. Lifting her again into his arms, he had moved once more to the bedroom, their mouths still locked together, the gentleness so wonderful as lying her down on the bed he had made love to her. No longer frantic, now gentle, their bodies holding each other, caressing the other slowly, Mina’s heart breaking with the loss of her mother, while bursting with the love for the man in her arms.
Finally exhausted and sated the two had slept, held tightly together with no more words spoken, none needed.
The smell of bacon had wafted into the room, Nikos’ eyes flicking open, the light from the window flooding into the unfamiliar room. Frowning, it had been several seconds before his brain had kicked in, the memories of the previous night returning. Pushing himself from the bed, her smell still clinging to the sheets Nikos had felt his body twitch with the rush of desire for her. Pulling his trousers back on, he had left the room, rubbing his eyes sleep still tugging at him.
Hearing him enter Mina had looked up, a warm smile on her face “I didn’t want to wake you” she had shyly smiled at him, her eyes dropping from staring at his wonderful broad shoulders, those arms which had held her, that body which had made love to her. He had dropped onto one of the stools leaning against the counter resting his head onto the heel of one palm, his dark eyes watching her every move noticing that she was already dressed and showered. Holding down the groan at how sensual he looked with his bed-tousled hair and the look on his face as his eyes had trailed down her, she had returned to the bacon she was now trying hard not to burn.
“I thought you might like some breakfast” she had murmured, his mouth twitching with approval.
“I am so glad you didn’t go for bran” Mina chuckling as she had flicked a look over at him
“Noooo….after last night if I had had it…..you would have had steak” the low rumble of his laughter filling her with warmth.
Lifting a plate she had scooped the bacon and egg onto it, placing it before him along with a steaming mug of coffee before she had sat opposite him nursing a cup of tea.
Raising an eyebrow he had looked pointedly at the empty space where her plate should have been.
“Where is yours?” Mina smiling sadly at him. I’m really not that hungry, seeing as he had frowned.
“You need to eat…” he had begun as her lips had curled into a soft smile.
“I know…I know…and I will…just not right now” Her eyes pleading with him “Don’t force me Nikos”.
He had closed his mouth, wondering if she was still talking about the food as he had changed the topic.
“I would like to go with you to the undertakers” her hands starting to shake as she had lifted her eyes to his, the pain so visible once more.
“You…you don’t have to” she had finally managed, as he had smiled back.
“If I didn’t want to…I would not have offered” he had returned evenly, Mina closing her mouth as she had given him a thankful smile, her hand pushing the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear as she had stared intently into her cup.
“It all seems so surreal…I guess that it just hasn’t sunk in” Looking over to her mother’s room she had given a sigh, tears once more welling up in her eyes “I keep expecting her to just walk in… I even started to make tea for her”.
Nikos’ hand covering hers had pulled her look back, seeing as he had nodded a sympathetic look on his features.
“I’m not going to lie to you Mina. It never gets better…you just learn to accept it, to get on with your life. We never stop missing those we love”.
Nodding she had pulled her fingers from his, once more so aware of the way her body reacted just from the smallest touch from him.
As he had finished the food she had cooked for him he had risen smacking his toned belly with satisfaction. Mina had held in the groan as her eyes had followed the V to the trousers which hid the heat of him, her body filling with the rush of desire as she had averted her look.
