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He closed his eyes and saw her face, the hurt there as she’d read the article, the hauntedness around her eyes and lips, the sense of betrayal, and he knew that, yes, he would do anything he could in order to relieve her pain. For Stavros, he had to. He owed his best friend that much, at least.
For no reason that he could think of, he loaded up the latest article and began to read, phone tucked under his ear. Just as with the first time, his blood pressure went through the roof, until he could take it no longer and jackknifed to standing, stalking across the room to the window and staring out at it, his body very still. The ocean was dark tonight, the moon submerged by thick clouds, so even the trees were lost in the darkness. It suited his mood to look out and see darkness. And yet, at just that moment, the clouds parted, and a pure beam of moonlight split through, casting the ground in silvery light. He braced his hip against the window frame, staring out at the ocean, a frown marring his face. Darkness and light. Black night and moonlight. Would each be as beautiful without the other?
‘I want to show you something.’
She jolted her gaze to him, the X-rated nature of her thoughts surely written all over her expression as her husband stepped onto the pool deck. She flicked some water over her knees, waiting for him to elaborate.
‘Come with me.’
She lifted a single brow but stood, her knees a little unsteady, and her awareness of Alex only grew when he reached down and laced their fingers together as naturally as if they were truly a couple.
He guided her away from the house, and down a winding, gravel path, to a small building she hadn’t seen before.
‘What is it?’
The walls were whitewashed, the roof terracotta, and a large barn door made of glass was painted in peeling turquoise paint. He swished it open, and then gestured for her to step inside. She did so, with a small frown, onto a painted concrete floor.
‘Your studio, if you want it to be.’
Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him, and a thousand things flashed through her mind. Pleasure, because this was so thoughtful. Danger, because it was thoughtful, and if she wasn’t careful she might read something into that, and excitement, because the need to paint only intensified when she was here.
‘I have an office inside,’ he pointed out. ‘It only makes sense for you to have a studio.’
‘That’s so kind, Alex. I really—I’m blown away. Thank you.’ Her voice cracked so she cleared her throat, moving deeper into the space and admiring the light streaming in through the wide doors, and then the view of the ocean she could see from the windows on the side. ‘I love it.’
‘I’m glad.’ His voice was cool, with no hint of emotion. She stifled a sigh. On the face of it, this seemed like a thoughtful gesture, but she’d be reading more into it if she allowed that to mean anything. More likely, it was just Alex’s practical brain taking over, thinking of ways she could be kept busy while on the island, so he could work guilt-free.
That dose of reality was essential, but it did take the shine off things, just a little.
When she turned back to him, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. ‘I’ll organise some equipment when we’re next in Athens.’
He nodded his agreement, waiting by the door.
‘You woke early,’ she murmured as they made their way back towards the house.
‘Yes.’
‘I thought this was your haven, where you come to relax?’
‘I am relaxed.’ He shrugged, his frame as rigid as a brick wall.
She threw him a sidelong glance. ‘Then why get out of bed in the small hours of the morning?’
‘Actually, I worked through the night.’
She blinked. ‘You did?’
‘You fell asleep, and my mind was racing, so I went into my office.’
She grimaced. ‘I hardly slept the night before that.’ She frowned. ‘Actually, I’d barely slept since leaving Epíneio, but here, something about the sea breeze and the rolling waves... I could fall asleep right now.’
‘Would you like me to tuck you into bed?’ he offered, and her pulse kicked up a gear.
She needed boundaries...almost as much as she needed him. She nodded slowly, fatalistically, because how could she resist?
The temptation to stay in bed all day was hard to ignore, but he forced himself to, stretching and pulling away from Tessa’s naked body even when he wanted to stay with one arm clamped around her waist, holding her to him.
Beyond her window, the ocean glistened, and the sky was a brilliant blue. An idea bubbled in his veins, and he didn’t stop to question the wisdom of it, just as he hadn’t the suggestion to come to Epíneio, nor to offer her the old guest house as a studio.
‘How’d you like to hit the water?’
‘A swim?’ she murmured.
‘Eventually. I was thinking a jet ski first.’
Her smile was spontaneous and mesmerising. ‘I’d like that.’ She nodded. ‘I’d like it a lot.’
