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‘Of course I do.’
He shrugged. ‘I’m working on a low-income housing development in Piraeus. It’s an area of the country that has suffered from the economic crisis, and the housing stock is shockingly substandard in places.’
‘That sounds like a worthwhile project.’ For some reason Milly had imagined that Alex’s property deals were for top-end resorts and hotels, not housing for people in need. ‘Do you make money from that?’ she asked curiously.
‘Yes, assuming you do the thing properly. The houses are environmentally friendly and made of locally sourced building materials, and everyone employed to work on the project will be local. It’s meant to revitalise the community, not just provide housing.’
‘That’s amazing, Alex.’
He shook his head. ‘Not really, it’s smart. There is a profit in it for me.’ He looked at her seriously, the light-hearted expression dropping from his face. ‘Don’t start seeing me as some white knight, Milly, just because we’re good together in bed.’
She felt her face warm because that was exactly what she’d been doing. Every little thing he did or said that was kind or good helped her construct a picture of him—the picture she realised she was desperate to see.
‘I wouldn’t say white knight exactly,’ she said as lightly as she could. ‘But why dismiss it when it’s clearly something good?’
‘I’m not dismissing it,’ Alex said shortly. ‘I’m just warning you.’
Stung now, she stared down at her half-eaten noodles. ‘Of what, exactly?’
He touched her chin with his fingers, tilting it so she had no choice but to gaze up at him—his smile strangely compassionate. ‘What we have is good, Milly. It’s a bonus, like you said. An amazing bonus. But that’s all it is.’
‘I know that.’ She spoke stiffly, embarrassed that he felt the need to give her such a warning. He could see right through her, and she felt as if she couldn’t see him at all.
‘I just don’t want to disappoint you.’
‘You won’t, Alex.’ She eased back so his hand fell away from her face. ‘I’m going into this with my eyes wide open, trust me. I won’t let myself be disappointed.’
* * *
He certainly knew how to ruin a mood. Alex watched Milly broodingly, half wishing he hadn’t issued such a bleak warning, yet knowing he’d had to. He’d seen the stars forming in her eyes, and he even understood why. Their incredible physical intimacy made her want a deeper, emotional one. It was natural, expected. They both needed to guard against it.
The smart thing, he knew, would be to send her back to Naxos and get on with his work. Yet despite the words he’d just spoken, he was reluctant to do just that. They were married; they enjoyed each other’s bodies. This could be simple.
‘Why don’t you stay in Athens for a few days?’ he suggested. ‘You could do some shopping, if you like.’
Milly wrinkled her nose. ‘I’ve done enough shopping, thanks to the assistants you had come to the hotel before. But I would like to take in some of the sights. I’ve never seen the Acropolis, or any of the museums.’
‘Then you must do so.’ He gave her a wolfish smile. ‘Tour Athens by day, and then we can entertain ourselves at night.’
She smiled back, but he saw the remnants of shadows in her eyes, and he knew she took his words as he meant them—another warning as well as a promise.
* * *
The next few days were some of the most pleasant Alex had ever known—and not just pleasant, but truly happy. He thought back to when Milly had asked him if he was happy, if he would be happy, and he’d told her being happy with their business arrangement was enough. But now that didn’t feel like nearly enough, and he was far happier than he’d ever expected or hoped to be. It made him feel uneasy, because he knew all too well how happiness could be taken away. How he could destroy it.
But he pushed those thoughts away, determined to enjoy this brief respite. In a few days Milly would go back to Naxos; this was a moment in time, nothing more. They could both afford to enjoy each other.
And they did...both in bed and out of it. Alex was surprised at how much he enjoyed the out of it part, because when they were in bed, everything was explosive. But out of it, he found he liked chatting over a meal, or watching something inane on TV. He especially liked coming back to a warm and lit flat, to a home. As the days progressed, Milly filled the kitchen with food and started preparing their evening meals. Alex had told her they could order in, but she was insistent, saying how she liked to cook.
And he liked her cooking—liked the fragrant smells that filled the rooms, the simple but delicious meals they ate together. It felt like a family.
Which reminded him of their true purpose. ‘Do you think you might be pregnant?’ he asked matter-of-factly one evening as they lay amidst the tangle of his sheets, their hearts still thudding from the intensity of their lovemaking.
‘Pregnant?’ She tensed, and he didn’t miss the flash of something that looked almost like fear streak across her face before she schooled her expression into something far more innocuous. ‘It’s a bit early, don’t you think?’
‘You’re young and healthy, and the doctor said there were no medical issues.’
‘Yes, but we’ve only been married a month, and we’ve been apart for most of that.’ She let out a little, uncertain laugh. ‘We don’t have to rush things, do we?’
