‘You think?’
‘You could have refused.’
She shook her head. She closed her eyes as if remembering a nightmare and opening her eyes on it would start the horror all over again.
‘You were just starting to succeed,’ she whispered. ‘Since your papa died you’d worked so hard to make your boat support you and your mother. And you were starting to make it prosper. That’s what Giorgos was afraid of. You were the son of his sister-a royal from his own line. You were starting to make serious money. And you’d just asked me to marry you. If I married the King’s sister’s child, there’d be royalty on both sides; two people the locals knew and trusted. Giorgos feared the islanders would rebel. He said I had to follow his orders or he’d dynamite every boat in the harbour and he didn’t care much if anyone was on them. And he’d run you and your mother off the island. He said the only way I could prevent that happening was by leaving. So…so I left.’
‘Thena…’ He moved towards her but her hands were out, as if to fend him off.
‘No. There’s no use being angry. There’s no use being anything.’
‘If you’d told me…’
‘You would have…done something stupid,’ she whispered. ‘My hero. My Nikos. I knew…or I thought I knew… that your fury on my behalf would know no bounds. I was afraid of him, I was afraid for you and I was afraid for your mother. So I left. I…I hoped you’d follow. That was dumb. Obviously, there were…things that prevented you leaving. So I started work in New York. A couple of months later I realised I was pregnant. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful landlady. I worked right up until Nicky was born, and when he was two months old I went back. I’ve worked ever since. So…’ She took a deep breath. ‘So, yes, I’m proud of my career. I’m proud I supported myself and Nicky. I’ve even enjoyed a lot of it. But don’t say I sacrificed everything for my career. Don’t say it, Nikos. Because it’s just not true and tonight…tonight I want the past to be over. I want to put history behind us. I want to move on.’
‘Thena…’ It was a groan of pain.
He didn’t know where to go from here. He couldn’t think. What she’d gone through. And she’d acted out of love, for him, for everyone.
‘Don’t,’ she said and took his head in both her hands and tugged him forward. ‘What’s done is done. I can’t bear to think of ten years ago. I don’t want to think of it and why should I? All I know is that you’ve come back into my life again. Am I misreading the signs, Nikos, as I misread so badly before? Is it you in there? The Nikos I thought I knew? The Nikos who dared to love me?’
‘Who dared…’
‘Who dared,’ she whispered. ‘When all the rest of the island avoided me for fear of Giorgos, you dared to be my friend. And then you dared to love me. I don’t know what happened after that. I don’t want to know. All I know is that I’m home now, exactly where I want to be, and I’m with the man I want more than anything in the world.’ She hesitated. ‘And I’m trying really hard not to be forward here, but if you don’t kiss me I’ll very likely explode, or die of humiliation, or…’
Or he’d never know. Because enough was enough. He had her in his arms and he was tugging her close with ruthless strength. She was yielding, her lips were meeting his, her hands were tugging him close, closer, deepening the kiss so the night disappeared, melting into the star-filled sky, transforming with a wonder he thought he’d lost and was now magically his again.
Thena. His Thena. Trusting as she’d trusted once before. Weighing up the sorrow, the hurt he knew he’d caused her with the birth of Christa, with his marriage to Marika, and moving on.
Forgiving…even when she didn’t know the truth.
He loved her so much.
He pulled back a little so he could read her face. And what he saw there made his heart twist within him. She was looking at him as if she loved him.
She loved him. She must love him. That one betrayal had been an aberration-not her Nikos. The Nikos she’d known then could never have done such a thing.
And, even if he had, the Nikos kissing her now could surely never repeat such a betrayal.
But right here, right now, she no longer cared. Nikos was right here, right now, his eyes dark and fathomless, waiting for her to say what she needed to say-if she could ever figure out what that was.
Okay, say it, she told herself. Just say it.
‘So…so this is the most romantic place in the Eagle’s Nest?’ she managed.
‘It’s not,’ he said, fast and sure. ‘It’s a place of stone and parapet and view-which is all very well if you want stone and parapet and view, but if you want more…’
‘If I want more?’
His dark eyes flashed with something she wasn’t sure of. Surprise? Laughter? No. Something much, much deeper.
‘I’d surely give it,’ he said softly. ‘But I’ve hurt you so badly in the past.’
‘You have.’
Years ago she’d fallen in love with this man. He’d betrayed that love in the worst possible way, but she’d moved on, she’d grown up and she’d got herself a life. She’d become independent of both Nikos and his island.
But now…She wanted to trust as she’d trusted so long ago. Innocence regained.
Stupid concept, but…
‘You think we could maybe learn to trust each other?’ Nikos asked, and it was as if he was following her thoughts.
‘After so long?’
‘You bore my son,’ he said steadily. ‘You had him alone and I can’t begin to imagine how that must have been for you. I can’t bear to think that you couldn’t contact me-that you couldn’t tell me of his existence. But now…I’m finding there are more things I can’t bear. Like the thought of you leaving. Once you dreamed of writing freelance. Is there any way you could do that here?’
‘So…so you’ll have more time with Nicky?’
He placed his hands on her shoulders and he looked at her as if he could read behind her eyes.
‘I do want my son,’ he said, softly but surely. As if it was a vow. ‘Nicky
‘It doesn’t matter.’ It did, but not tonight. Tonight was hers. Tonight was her dream time, history had never happened and she was surrendering herself to the here and now.
As was Nikos.
‘I believe ten years ago is best forgotten,’ he whispered, tugging her close, folding her against him and wrapping her in his arms. ‘For tonight, at least.’
And then he kissed her, long and hard, as she’d ached to be kissed for ten long years, as she longed to be kissed for ever.
Ten years dissipated just like that. He was her Nikos. Hers! And she was his, with every fibre of her being.
When the kiss ended they both knew it was immutable truth.
‘Will you come to my bed, my love?’ he asked, in a voice that sounded shaken. And then the loved laughter returned. ‘Or…your bed?’
‘Aren’t there enough stars out here?’
‘Not for the serious gazer,’ he told her, and the wicked laughter was back. Gloriously back.
‘Counting stars beats counting sheep. That is, if we can’t think of anything else to do.’
She had to be serious here. Laughter would not do.
‘Last time we did what I understand you’re suggesting, I believe we made Nicky,’ she said in a voice that was none too steady.
‘So we’re older and wiser-and a bit more prepared.’
‘You’re prepared?’
‘I believe I am.’ He was tugging her close again, kissing her eyelids, each in turn.
‘So am I,’ she whispered.
The kissing stopped. She was held at arm’s length again. Nikos’s face showed blank astonishment. ‘Did I just
