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CHAPTER SIX
WHEN SOFIEWOKEshe was disorientated for a moment. There was a heavy feeling in her body and a hum of noise outside. She kept her eyes closed and frowned, trying to place it. And then her eyes snapped open.
Traffic. London. Last night.
She was alone in the bedroom with a sheet pulled over her naked body. She remembered Achilles pulling it over her and after that...nothing.
Along with waking came another realisation. It was over. They’d had their one night. She would get up, walk out, enter the world of mortal people again and go back to her wee island and try to forget about—
There was a knock on the door and Sofie sprang up to sit clutching the sheet around her. ‘Yes? Hello?’
The door opened and it was Céline, with a breakfast tray. Sofie was so glad to see a familiar face that she smiled. The young woman came in and put down the tray on the other side of the rumpled bed.
Sofie realised she must look a sight—she could feel that her hair was all over the place. Her smile faded. ‘I could have come downstairs...there’s no need for this effort.’
‘Don’t be silly—it’s no problem.’ The girl gave her a look before going to the curtains and drawing them open fully.
Sofie squinted a little in the bright sunlight. She interpreted Céline’s look and said, ‘Ah, I guess this is the routine?’
The girl came back and stood at the end of the bed. Now she looked a little embarrassed. ‘It’s a courtesy usually offered...’ She trailed off.
Sofie made a face and picked up a grape. ‘Don’t worry—you don’t have to say it. I’m under no illusions that I’m the first woman to appear in Achilles’s bed.’
Céline’s expression was half confirmation and half pity. Sofie wasn’t the first by a long stretch, and she wouldn’t be the last. That galvanised her to get moving. After all, Achilles hadn’t even stuck around to say goodbye. He might not even be in the country any more!
But before she could do anything Céline gestured to the tray. ‘There’s a note for you from Mr Lykaios.’
The girl left the room.
Sofie looked at the tray and saw a folded piece of paper nestling against a small vase with a posy of flowers. She opened it out, fully expecting to see a message saying something like Bye, now. Enjoy your life, Sofie. Don’t call me, I’ll call you. Never.
But it said:
Good morning. I have to attend a meeting at my offices, but I would like to talk to you. Please wait for me at the house? I won’t be long. A
Sofie’s heart thumped. He wanted to see her before she left. Suddenly there were butterflies in her belly when a moment ago she’d been planning a quick and as elegant an exit as possible, considering she would be doing a kind of walk of shame to the nearest tube station and getting the train back up north.
She realised she was still sitting naked but for a sheet in Achilles’s bed. And she had no idea if his I won’t be long meant he was about to walk back through the door any second. Sofie took a quick, fortifying gulp of coffee and then sprang from the bed and into the bathroom, washing herself in record time.
Thankfully the bedroom was still empty when she re-emerged and quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and a sleeveless top. She dug her feet into wedge sandals and pulled her hair back roughly.
When she went downstairs it was quiet. She wondered what happened in this house if Achilles wasn’t in residence? It seemed very wasteful—but then what did Sofie know about the requirements of international billionaires?
With no one in sight, Sofie gave in to a slightly rogue urge to explore and went towards a door that was partially open. When she peeked inside she could see that it was a study. Shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling and a big window looked out over a lawn.
There was a faint musty smell in the air, as if the room wasn’t used much, and an even fainter smell of tobacco. Sofie noticed framed pictures on a wall behind the desk and went over. They were mostly of a handsome couple. Both dark-haired, the man was tall and dashing and the woman was...stunning. Not just because she was physically beautiful but also because she was smiling, grinning. They looked so happy it was almost palpable.
Sofie put her hand to her chest, where her heart ached a little.
There was another picture of the man, this time on the deck of a small boat with a young boy of about ten who was holding a big fish aloft with a massive grin on his face. Again their happiness leapt out of the frame and touched Sofie.
Was this Achilles? And his father?
She admonished herself. It was none of her business—as Achilles had made quite clear.
A sound from behind her made her whirl around guiltily. It was Céline. Sofie said, ‘I’m sorry. The door was open and I was curious.’
Céline said, ‘Don’t worry about it...the door is usually locked. I just came to tell you that Mr Lykaios is on his way home, if you want to wait in the lounge?’
Sofie followed Céline to the lounge, even more curious now about the room and why it wasn’t in use. Why it was normally locked? She told herself again it was none of her business. She switched her mind to Achilles and what he might want. If he was coming to say goodbye in person it would make it harder to walk away. But, as civil and gentlemanly as he was, he didn’t strike her as the type of person to go out of his way to bid adieu to a temporary lover.
On that slightly uncharitable thought, Sofie heard a noise outside and footsteps. She couldn’t help the little jump of her heart and the buzzing in her solar plexus. Honestly, it was ridiculous. As if she needed more evidence of how out of her depth she was in this place, she had the reactions of a teenager in the full throes of a crush.
The door opened and Achilles filled the frame in a pristine three-piece suit complete with tie. Every bit of Sofie’s skin prickled with awareness and excitement.
‘Morning.’ Her voice sounded rusty.
‘Good morning.’ He closed the door behind him. ‘Thank you for waiting to see me.’
‘That’s okay. It’s not as if I’m in a huge rush...’ To get back to my lonely house on the island.
For the first time in Sofie’s life she was aware of how lonely her life was. Not the best epiphany to be having in front of a man who was going out of his way to be polite and say goodbye in person.
Sofie felt she should make it easier on him. She said, ‘You really didn’t have to interrupt your day to come back here. We don’t have to do this in person.’
Achilles arched a brow. ‘You would be happy to leave without saying goodbye?’
Guilt and heat filled Sofie. ‘Well, no, obviously I didn’t mean it like that... It’s just that if you were too busy, that would have been okay with me.’
‘You don’t put much value on yourself.’
That put a hitch in Sofie’s chest. She felt simultaneously surprised at his perspicacity and defensive. ‘I have plenty of value for myself... I just don’t like to put people out.’
He’s right, though, isn’t he? a little voice said.
