Page 41 of Greek's Temporary Cinderella

She looked at him blankly.

He busied himself with the coffee machine, selecting his choice.

‘After last night,’ he said. ‘In case—well, in case...’

He looked up, straight at her. He must say what he wanted to say. Needed to say.

‘Last night...it changes things. So I want you to know—’ He broke off. Then made himself go on. ‘I expect nothing now, Eliana. Not any more.’

Where that had come from he didn’t know. Knew only that he had needed to say it. That, in the end, was that what this day had been about—separating what had been before from what now was.

He was looking at her still. He could not read her face, nor her stillness. He went on speaking.

‘So we’ll just go on taking things as they come, OK? We can be as...as we are now. We can go on with our visit to Paris. Or...’ he took a breath ‘...I can take you back to Thessaloniki, if that is what you prefer. It’s...it’s your call.’ A thought struck him. ‘Everything I bought you yesterday—all the clothes—obviously you will take them with you. That goes without saying. Anyway,’ he carried on, wanting her to understand, ‘for this evening, at least, let’s just do what we agreed—eat in, take it easy...whatever.’

He paused again. She was still looking at him, her expression still unreadable. He needed a way out of there, so he took it, lifting up the platter of patisserie.

‘I’ll take these through,’ he said, and got out.

Not knowing if he felt relief or its very opposite.

Or both.

Or why.

Eliana deposited her tea and Leandros’s coffee on the low table by the sofa. Leandros was at one end, and he switched on the TV to an English language news channel. Her mind was still processing what Leandros had just said to her. She busied herself pouring milk into her tea, and Leandros did likewise for his coffee, then pushed the platter of patisserie towards her.

She selected one of the enticing-looking confections, depositing it on one of the two small plates she’d brought through for that purpose, handing the other plate to Leandros so he could make his selection. A small gesture...an intimate one.

A domestic one.

As if—

No—there was no ‘as if’ about it. She hadn’t married him, she had never been his wife, and she never would be. Whatever was happening now had no domesticity to it at all.

Does he really want me to go back to Thessaloniki? Does he regret bringing me here?

She didn’t know and couldn’t tell. Knew only, with a clutch of emotion that she kept tight within her, what it was that she wanted.

In this sea of past bitterness and present doubt, of that she was sure.

I don’t want to leave him—whatever he might want of me here, and however briefly. While he wants anything of me at all, I don’t want to leave him.

Because this time, she knew, was all she would have—all she could ever have—of the man she had once loved and knew she still did.

CHAPTER TEN

LEANDROS STOOD BY the open windows giving out on to their Juliet balcony. The early-evening twilight was gathering. Gently, he eased the cork of the champagne bottle and it gave with a soft pop. As it did so, he heard the door of Eliana’s bedroom open, and she emerged.

After tea and coffee she’d gone off to take another soothing bath, and he’d been glad, repairing to take a shower himself, and change into more relaxed clothes—a lightweight fine cashmere sweater over an open-necked shirt with turned-back cuffs. He’d touched base with his office while he had the opportunity. He’d left matters in good order, and they still were. He was glad of it. He didn’t want distractions. Not now. Right now he had only one focus.

And she was standing right there.

She was hesitant, he could see, and he wanted that dispelled.

He made his smile warm, his voice warmer. ‘Ah, there you are—how are you feeling?’ There was genuine concern in his voice.

She didn’t answer him directly. ‘I soaked for ages—it was a real indulgence,’ she said lightly. ‘My apartment only has a shower, and the water is very seldom hot anyway.’

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