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‘You don’t think I was scared when I said it to you?’
The corner of his mouth lifted ruefully. ‘You know my family doesn’t do emotions. They do business connections. I want to do more than that, to be more...’
‘You’re more than that already. You just need to believe it.’
‘I know that now. Because somehow, in all this, you did fall in love with me.’ A hint of that old arrogance glinted in his eyes and his fingers tightened on her waist. ‘You do love me.’ His chin lifted as he all but dared her to deny it.
But she saw it in his eyes—the open vulnerability that he’d refused to let show before.
‘Of course,’ she said softly. ‘I stood no chance.’
‘Just as I stood no chance with you.’ His hands swept, seeking as if he couldn’t hold back from caressing her a second longer. ‘And I’m afraid I can’t let you go, Eleni. I can’t live through you leaving me again.’ He gripped her hips tightly. ‘I’m taking you with me. I’m kidnapping you and I’m not going to say sorry for that.’ Determination—desperation—streaked across his face.
At that raw emotion the last of her defences shattered.
‘You’re not kidnapping me.’ She sobbed, leaning into his embrace. ‘I choose to come with you.’ Just as she’d chosen to be with him that first night. ‘I choose to stay with you always.’ She drew in a breath and framed his gorgeous face with her hands. ‘I chose to marry you. I meant my marriage vows.’
‘Thank God.’ He hauled her into his lap with barely leashed passion. ‘I love you. And I promise to honour you. Care for you...always.’ He drew back to look solemnly into her eyes. ‘It’s not just a contract for me, Eleni.’
Her heart bursting, she flung her arms around his neck, kissing him with a hunger that almost overwhelmed her. ‘I missed you so much,’ she cried.
‘Eleni.’
She heard the joy, the pure love in his voice. She felt it in his tender, fierce embrace and in the heat of his increasingly frantic kisses.
‘I love you,’ he muttered, kissing her desperately. ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’
It was as if he’d released the valve holding back his heart and now the most intense wave of emotion swamped her. Finally the veracity of her feelings could flow again. She had complete freedom to say what she wanted. To be who she was—who she’d wanted to be.
His lover. His beloved.
He held her so close, wiping away yet more tears that she didn’t realise were tumbling down her cheeks. Opening her eyes, she saw a softness in his strong features that she’d not seen before. She trembled as she registered just how good this felt—how close she’d been to losing him. He’d been gone from her life too long. She needed his touch, his kiss, his hold—now.
‘It’s okay, sweetheart,’ he soothed, kissing her again and again as she shuddered in his arms. ‘It’s okay.’
It was better than okay. It was heaven. And now she clung—unashamedly clung, needing to be so much nearer to him. ‘Don’t let me go.’
‘Never again. I promise.’
But he’d hardly kissed her for long enough when he lifted his lips from hers and rested his forehead on hers, his breathing ragged. ‘People are going to see us if we stay here too much longer...a palace car, illegally parked on the side of the road...’
‘It doesn’t matter.’ Her voice rasped past the emotion aching in her throat. ‘They know we’re passionately in love.’
For real. Not just a fairy tale for the press. She ached to have him again completely.
He read her expression and groaned with a shake to his head. ‘We can’t be that reckless. And I’m crushing your pretty dress.’ He lifted her from his lap, puffing out a strained breath. ‘You’re Princess Eleni, and this isn’t right for you.’
She stilled, a thread of worry piercing her warmth. ‘You don’t like the palace.’
‘I can learn to like it.’ He brushed back her hair. ‘I can learn a lot, Eleni. I can become the man you need. We can make it work.’
‘You’re already the man I need. You just need to stay—’
‘Right by your side.’ He met her gaze with utter surety in his. ‘I know.’
Her eyes filled again. ‘Where were you planning to drive me to?’
‘Back to the boat.’ A wry grin flitted across his lips. ‘There aren’t that many ways to kidnap a princess from Palisades. Damn palace is a fortress.’
She chuckled.
‘But the treasure that was locked in there...’ His old smug smile resurfaced. ‘That’s my treasure now.’
‘And you’re going to keep it?’
‘Oh, I am. For always.’
‘Then what are you waiting for? Let’s get to the marina.’
His face lit up and then tightened in the merest split of a second. ‘You can’t imagine how much I need you—’
‘Actually I think I can,’ she argued breathlessly.
His laugh was ragged. ‘You’re hot and sweet, Eleni.’ He swiftly climbed over to the driver’s seat and started the engine.
‘So, Giorgos and Tony were in on this?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ He drove quickly, confidently. ‘You didn’t stand a chance.’
‘No?’ she asked archly as he pulled into the park by the yacht.
‘Believe it or not...’ Damon got out of the car and opened her door ‘...they want you to be happy.’
‘And they think being with you means happiness for me?’
‘Does it?’
She stepped out of the car and reached up to stroke his face, seeing that hint of vulnerability flicker in his eyes once more. ‘It does now, yes.’
He swiftly turned. ‘We need to get on board. Now.’
‘Are we going to sail off into the sunset?’ She was so tempted to skip.
‘Not for ever.’ He winked at her. ‘Palisades needs its Princess but I’ll admit I’m going to push for part-time status.’ He suddenly turned and swept her into his arms. With that gorgeous effortlessness he carried her across the boardwalk, onto the boat and straight into the bedroom. ‘Because she’ll be busy with her baby. And meeting the needs of her husband. And she’ll be busy drawing and being creative with all the other things she’s not let herself take the time for until now.’ He paused, holding her just above the bed. ‘Does that sound like a good plan to you?’
‘It sounds like a brilliant plan.’
It was only moments until they were locked together. He was so close and she stared into his beautiful eyes.
‘Take what you want from me, my beautiful,’ he muttered. ‘Anything and everything I have is yours.’
‘I have your body,’ she murmured. ‘I want your heart.’
‘It only beats because of you.’ He laced his fingers through hers. ‘I wasn’t alive until I met you. You’re everything to me. I love you, Eleni.’
‘And I love you.’ She wrapped around him, letting him carry them both into that bliss.
‘Too quick,’ he groaned, and gripped her hips tightly, slowing her.
Amused and beyond aroused, she tried to tease him. ‘But what does it matter? We can go again, now we have all the time in the world.’
‘Yes.’ Those gorgeously intense eyes focused on her with that lethal desire and her heart soared as he answered. ‘We have for ever.’
* * * * *
