Page 28 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

‘What’s that?’ she asked.

Erin already knew she wasn’t going to like his answer.

‘Appear together.’

‘As in...where? How?’

‘In public. As if we’re a couple.’

CHAPTER FIVE

AJAXKNEWHEshould be feeling mildly insulted at the look of abject horror on Erin’s face, but then he was becoming used to her reactions around him being the opposite of what he might have expected with other women.

She looked tired. His conscience struck. He remembered what it was like with a baby. He’d done a lot of the waking at night when Theo was small. Those had been some of his favourite moments, just him and Theo in the dark, walking up and down while the world slept. Those huge eyes on him, as if he held all the secrets of the universe. And yet he hadn’t been able to keep him safe...

Suddenly he felt as if Erin could see all the way down inside him, to where his guts hadn’t stopped churning ever since he’d found out about the baby.Ashling.His daughter. The thought of holding her and looking into her eyes made him feel clammy with something he didn’t want to name.

He said, ‘You know what? Let’s leave it till the morning. It has been a long day and I’m keeping you up.’

‘I’d prefer to know what you mean now.’

Ajax cursed himself. He should have kept his mouth shut. He’d been trying not to notice Erin too much all evening, but it was impossible.

She couldn’t be dressed any more plainly—a shirt-dress and bare legs, sandals... Patently little make-up. Her hair slightly messy and rough from drying naturally. And yet she couldn’t have been more alluring. Her eyes were huge. Golden-brown. Serious. But when she smiled...her whole face lit up.

Not that he’d given her much cause to smile since they’d met again.

Since he’d discovered his secret daughter.

A spark of anger helped him to focus on what he had to say and not on her. For a moment, at least. Although what he was about to propose was going to throw him all the way into the fire unless he exerted every ounce of control.

He said, ‘I had a meeting with my PR team on the way over here. They pointed out that if we’re photographed together to coincide with this news of a baby, then it’ll take some of the heat out of the press interest. But if we’re not seen together they’ll dig and dig until they know everything there is to know about you.’

‘What about you?’

Ajax shrugged. ‘They already know everything about me. You’re the unknown quantity. Being seen with me will protect you to a degree. There’s little for them to get excited about if it looks like we’re together after having a baby. We can spin it that we managed to keep it a secret.’

Erin looked suspicious. ‘Can’t we just hide away here and then go home in a few weeks, when it’s all died down?’

The fact that she didn’t want to be seen with him shouldn’t be pricking Ajax’s ego the way it was. She was right to want to protect herself from scrutiny. He’d been used to it all his life. From the moment he and his brother had been born they’d been watched and judged.

‘I know what I’m asking—for you to put yourself under the spotlight—and it might seem contradictory, but by doing that just for a short time I do believe it’ll have the desired effect of taking the heat out of speculation and rumour. Then we can release a statement saying we’re no longer together. Although I will obviously always ensure that you and Ashling are protected.’

Erin sounded suspicious, ‘When you say “a short time”...what does that mean?’

‘While we’re here in Greece. If you agree, we’ll attend a few events.’

‘What’s “a few”?’

‘Two or three in public...one with my family...’

Ajax was very aware of not letting his gaze drop to her bare shapely legs. He had a vivid flashback to pushing those legs apart—

No!The woman in front of him was the one woman on the planet he could not touch again. Things were already complicated enough. She was the mother of his child and he had no intention of playing happy families again. Under no circumstances.

He would take the heat out of the press’s interest in Erin and Ashling and then they would get back to their own lives. He wouldn’t abandon his daughter; she would be provided for as long as she needed it. And, as he’d told Erin, he would make sure they were protected. But he would not pretend that he could be a hands-on father again.

‘Is it okay if I let you know in the morning?’

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