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‘If I love you!’
Demetri came to his feet in an instant, grasping her shoulders and pulling her roughly into his arms. He gazed down at her, his eyes dark and intimate. Then he kissed her and even the air was suddenly hot and thick with emotion.
‘If I love you,’ he muttered again, taking the lobe of her ear between his teeth and biting it painfully. ‘Of course I love you. Why do you think I didn’t let Gerrard handle the divorce for me? He wanted to. He said it wasn’t a good idea for me to spend time with you again. And why do you think I wanted to see you, to have you come out to Kalithi, if it wasn’t that I couldn’t get you out of my head?’
‘But your father—’
‘Oh, yes. My father was eager to see you again. I’m not denying that. But he knew what I was doing. That was why he was so angry with me at times. Because he knew I still cared for you and I wasn’t being honest with either Ariadne or myself.’
Jane touched his cheek. ‘I was so jealous of Ariadne,’ she admitted.
‘You didn’t have to be. Once I’d seen you again, I realised what a poor substitute Ariadne was.’ He paused. ‘But I have to admit, when I came back to the island a couple of days after the explosion on the Artemis and found you’d gone again, I was shattered. I couldn’t believe you’d walked out on me again.’
‘But your father must have told you what happened.’
Demetri shook his head. ‘Or course, you don’t know. My father was ill when I got back to Kalithi—’ And when Jane made an anxious interjection, he raised a reassuring hand to cup her cheek. ‘I think it was the shock of the explosion, minor though it was, that kept him in his bed for a few days. By the time he was up and about again, I’d gone back to Athens.’
‘To Athens?’
‘Yes.’ Demetri pulled a wry face. ‘I didn’t have to, but I had to get away from the island. Once again, I think it was only my work that kept me sane. I couldn’t eat; I barely slept; I was consumed with guilt and misery. Stefan was worried about me. I think he thought I was going to drink myself into an early grave.’
Jane stroked his cheek. ‘I’ve been such a fool.’
‘You don’t have the monopoly on that, believe me,’ Demetri assured her fiercely. His hands slid beneath the collar of her jacket, caressing the soft skin at her nape. ‘I should have told you the truth about Ianthe as soon as I realised I still cared about you. But you seemed so—distant; so—in control; so—happy with your life.’
‘Oh, Demetri.’ Jane shivered as his hands moved over her shoulders and then tugged at the tie that kept her belt in place. ‘You only had to touch me and I was on fire. Don’t pretend you didn’t realise it, that day you came to the apartment.’
He smiled. ‘Whether you believe it or not, I didn’t come to your apartment expecting to tumble you into bed.’ He brushed his lips over hers and she quivered. ‘I was sure you wouldn’t want to see me and I was fully prepared for you to hear what I had to say and then throw me out.’
‘Me, throw you out?’ Jane was incredulous.
‘Well, not physically, maybe, but you know what I mean. I really thought you’d be glad to be free of me at last.’
Jane’s eyes widened. ‘Did you really think that?’
Demetri grimaced. ‘If you want the truth, I don’t think I thought any of it through until I saw you. Then I realised why my mother had been so against me having any part in the divorce. She must have known how I’d feel when I saw you again.’
‘And how I’d feel, too,’ murmured Jane huskily. ‘Oh, God, when you came into the bathroom, I just wanted to die!’
‘And I just wanted to hold you,’ said Demetri, tipping the woollen jacket off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. ‘As I want to hold you now,’ he continued, gazing down at her. ‘Come—let me show you how much I want you. How much I’ll want you for the rest of our lives.’
‘But—your dinner engagement—’
‘Theo can handle my dinner engagement.’ His eyes darkened. ‘Do you honestly think I’m going to leave you now?’
Jane hardly remembered the main bedroom suite at the townhouse. She and Demetri had only used it a couple of times in the past when Mrs Lang had been away. Jane’s mother would have been offended if they hadn’t accepted her hospitality, even if she’d lost no opportunity in those days to criticise Demetri’s privileged way of life.
Now Jane looked about her, noticing the décor had all changed, cream and gold giving way to much more masculine tones. ‘Ariadne never stayed here,’ Demetri said softly, coming into the room behind her and sliding his arms about her midriff. ‘I know what you’re thinking, but our relationship never extended beyond the island.’
