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‘You have changed that, Serena. My grandmother saw it even when I hadn’t.’ He kept her hand firmly in his and moved towards her, forcing her back against the wall of the hallway. ‘She saw what I had been trying to ignore—that I was in love with you.’
She lowered her gaze, refusing to look into his eyes, refusing to be drawn in yet again. ‘That doesn’t matter—it’s still too late. I don’t love you.’
Each word was a painful lie. She did love him, but she didn’t dare admit it now. She couldn’t have it tossed back at her again.
‘I don’t believe you.’
She looked up at him, the firmness of his voice forcing her to look into those gorgeous eyes once more. As she did so he lowered his head and kissed her, the light touch of his lips so teasing and tantalising that despite all her efforts a sigh of pleasure escaped her.
This was what she’d wanted all along. Declarations of love and sweet kisses. But were they for real?
‘I love you,’ he whispered, and his hands let hers go, holding her face as he kissed her again, so tenderly, so gently, she closed her eyes to the pleasure of it. ‘I won’t accept that it’s too late. I can’t. Not when I love you so much. I can’t let you go, Serena.’
She pulled away from him, her breath ragged with desire and threatening tears. She leant against the wall, her heart beating rapidly with a confused mix of elation and disbelief. Did he love her? Or was he just saying what he thought she needed to hear? Could she take one last risk? Could she be brave just once more?
‘Don’t you understand?’
He smoothed his thumb over her cheek, releasing a rush of need she had to close her eyes against. As tears threatened she inwardly cursed her emotions, all awry—and not just because of the baby.
‘No, I don’t, Nikos,’ she said, and she looked up at him.
She’d known she loved him before she’d left Santorini the first time. She’d known it as she’d arrived to tell him he was going to be a father. But she didn’t know if she could risk her heart once more.
‘I couldn’t let myself love you. I was afraid.’ His voice was a harsh whisper, the effort of saying it aloud all too clear.
She blinked in shock. Nikos? Afraid? How could a man as powerful and in control as him be afraid—of love?
Before she could voice her question he answered it for her. ‘I watched my mother walk away. It tore me apart. As a young boy I resolved never to put myself in that position again. I chose never to love anyone.’
‘You have never loved anyone?’ Had he been alone all his adult life? Was that why he had an almost endless string of women he dated, never settling with any of them for long?
‘Each time I met a woman I would remind myself of how it had felt to watch the one person I loved walk away. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.’
‘And if I’m a mistake...?’ She let the question linger even as her hopes rose higher.
‘You could never be a mistake,’ he said softly, and he reached out and caressed her cheek, smashing down the last of her doubts.
‘I don’t want to get it wrong, Nikos.’
‘Then marry me. Let me spend the rest of my life showing you we belong together.’
His blue eyes were dark and demanding as he looked into hers and she felt her resistance slipping away to nothing.
He loved her. He wanted to marry her. And that would banish not only her childhood pain but his too, because she had never stopped loving him.
Still doubt lingered. ‘But what if...?’
She didn’t finish the sentence—didn’t manage to ask him what would happen if things went wrong between them as they’d already proved they could. He kissed her deeply, setting free the desire for him which still slumbered within her so that she couldn’t help but wrap her arms around him, pulling herself close, inhaling his heady scent.
‘Don’t fight me,’ he said, and pulled back from her, his warm breath caressing her lips as his stayed unbearably close. ‘I love you, Serena. Please say it’s not too late.’
‘It’s not,’ she whispered, unaware she was trembling in his arms. ‘I love you, Nikos, and always have.’
His sigh of relief made her smile, lightening the mood. ‘You have the key—that’s what my grandmother said. Do you remember?’
‘Yes,’ she said softly, smiling shyly at him. That afternoon was etched in her mind, and she’d been wondering ever since what the old lady had meant.
