‘But I’m not cross,’ she’d said, dumbfounded that he would say such a thing.
He’d replaced his thumbs with his mouth and wrapped his arms around her. ‘I know, agapi mou,’ he’d whispered. ‘I know.’
And he had known. And he’d tried to protect her. But even with the best will in the world it was impossible to stay glued to one person for an entire evening.
She helped herself to another canapé. What an insecure, naïve young woman she had been. And as she swallowed the delicious morsel she felt a twinge of sympathy for the clothes horse chewing Theo’s ear off. Not only did he look...not bored exactly, more that his attention was elsewhere, but also she must be starving. And cold in the scrap of fabric that barely covered her modesty and was no match for the palace’s air-conditioning. When had that woman last had a proper meal? As had been the case three years ago, Helena was the only female guest actually eating. She was too hungry to do anything else. She caught a pencil-thin woman eyeing her and couldn’t interpret if the look she was throwing her way was disdain or envy.
Helena raised her champagne glass in salute. The woman quickly looked away.
‘Nicely done,’ Theo murmured.
His breath whispered in her hair, his cologne enveloping her.
Her heart thumped.
She hadn’t noticed him leave the clothes horse’s side.
She leaned her face against his and inhaled the musky scent of his skin. The bristles of his fledging beard brushed her cheek. ‘I should have learned the art of nonchalance long ago.’
‘I don’t know, I rather liked the jealous Helena.’
‘She wasn’t rational.’
‘I know.’
Their gazes locked together, lingered...
Then Theo, eyes gleaming, drained his glass of champagne. ‘We will be leaving for the amphitheatre soon.’ His voice lowered as he leaned in to speak into her ear. ‘When we get back home I’m going to strip that dress off and make you come with my tongue.’
A rush of blood to her head almost had her swaying on the spot.
An image of them making love flashed in her vision, sending more heat shooting through her from her pelvis into her dizzy brain.
Helena ground her heeled feet firmly into the antique carpet...
But that only made her think of how she had lost her virginity on her bedroom floor.
Fresh heat burned her cheeks as the monumentality of what they’d shared earlier finally sank in.
They’d had sex. She’d had sex with Theo. On her bedroom floor. And if Theo was to say he wanted to escape this party, take her home and do the things he’d just suggested...
She would go willingly. He wouldn’t need to ask twice.
Trying to settle her erratic breaths, she took a sip of her champagne, reminding herself that she was in a royal palace.
But then she looked again into Theo’s eyes and saw the gleam ringing in them that suggested he knew his words had had the desired effect. The urge to play him at his own game, to watch him squirm as he’d made her squirm, was irresistible.
Raising herself onto her toes, she placed her mouth to his ear. ‘When we get back you’ll be able to see for yourself if I’m wearing knickers...or not.’ Then she darted her tongue out and licked the lobe of his ear before taking a step back to admire her handiwork.
Theo had stilled. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were hooded and gleaming with a combination of lust and amusement.
Helena smiled knowingly and raised her eyebrows. Nonchalantly, she said, ‘How are we getting to the amphitheatre?’
A wide smile spread slowly across his expressive face. He burst into laughter. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her against him and kissed the top of her head. ‘By train, agapi mou.’ Then he lowered his voice so only she could hear. ‘You are in so much trouble, you minx.’
The train transpired to be a brand-new electric transportation system King Helios had had installed earlier that year to traverse the vast palace grounds. With the grounds having been closed to the public for the day, the select guests were transported with the king, his two brothers and the royal wives to the amphitheatre in carriages that evoked thoughts of an age when rail travel had been exotic and luxurious.
Her carriage’s window open, Helena closed her eyes and welcomed the refreshing kiss of the breeze on her face. She needed it, especially with Theo sitting so closely beside her. Their thighs were pressed together, his hand clasping hers in a proprietorial manner. She needed the air to blow some sanity into her brain. Here she was, in a carriage with Prince Talos and his beautiful wife, and all she could think about was returning to Theo’s villa and enjoying his possession of her body all over again. Indeed, her only thought of the prince was how terrifying he was, easily the biggest man she had ever met. Many men of his size could be referred to as gentle giants. Prince Talos was not one of them...not until Helena caught the softening in his expression whenever he looked at his wife.
An unexpected burn stabbed the backs of her eyes. Theo had used to look at her that way...
She didn’t want him to look at her that way again, she reminded herself. She’d given Theo possession of her body. Nothing more. Tomorrow they would return to Sidiro’s peninsula and she would reset their relationship back to a business footing.
For this one day and night, though, they could fulfil the fantasies that had once driven them to the brink of madness.
Theo stepped into his softly lit villa and took a moment to embrace the silence. A man who usually thrived on noise and chaos, he realised all the noise of the evening had been drowned out by the thuds of his heart pounding in his ears.
He didn’t think he’d taken in a single word anyone had said to him during the champagne
