Page 30 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

‘You have a good relationship?’

She nodded. ‘I adore him. It was just us. He was a good father, in his own scatty way. I was probably responsible ahead of my time, but I knew I was loved.’

Ajax shook his head. ‘That’s something rare in my world. Rarer than rare. A myth.’

Erin tried not to show how curious she was. ‘Your parents...they weren’t loving?’

Ajax let out a curt laugh. ‘Loving? No. I don’t think they even know the meaning of the word. Their marriage was arranged, and my parents have never pretended it was anything more. They’ve conducted discreet affairs on the side for as long as I can remember. My brother and I were brought up by nannies until we went to school—first in the UK and then in Switzerland as I mentioned. We hardly saw them, and yet our lives were beholden to their wish for us to follow the same path they had. A path of loyalty and dedication to a legacy that has become a massive global industry.’

‘Didn’t you ever want to do something else?’

‘That was never really an option—and especially not after Demetriou died.’

‘It doesn’t sound like you’re all that happy about it.’

Ajax’s jaw clenched. ‘I don’t have the luxury of choice. Thousands depend on me for their livelihoods now. The company—as you know—has been restructured to give me more control.’

‘Surely that’s the opposite of what you really want?’

‘It means my life is my own now. No one can put pressure on me to marry, or have heirs, or run the business by committee.’

‘You have an heir. Ashling,’ Erin pointed out, struck again by how adamant he was about not having another family. Or remarrying.

For a second Erin felt a jolt, thinking of him changing his mind some day and marrying someone else. She pushed it down. It shouldn’t concern her. Their connection had been purely physical. At one point she’d felt as if her emotions were involved, but she’d convinced herself otherwise by now.

Ajax shook his head. ‘I wouldn’t let her get within a hundred miles of this business.’

‘She might be interested.’

‘If there’s one thing I can do for her, it’ll be to allow her to live her life under no pressure from me or this family. She’ll have choices I never had.’

‘Is that what you’d planned for Theo?’

Abruptly Ajax looked at his watch and said, ‘Sorry to be rude, but I have to take a call. Did you think about what we spoke of last night?’

She’d touched a nerve, mentioning Theo, obviously. But she could understand why. She said, ‘Yes, I did, and I think you’re right. If we’re seen together it’ll cause some interest, but once they know how essentially boring I am it’ll die down.’

Ajax frowned. ‘You’re not boring—far from it.’

Erin felt hot, and it wasn’t from the sun. ‘I don’t usually behave in such a spontaneous manner...jumping into bed with people I hardly know.’

Not to mention making love in elevators.

‘Neither do I.’

For a second, the air was charged. Erin was trapped in that blue-green gaze, and couldn’t look away. He looked down, and her breath caught. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples tightening under her thin top. A very plain thin top that suddenly felt invisible.

He looked back up again and Erin sucked in air. She felt as if he’d touched her. Just with his eyes. And yet she must have imagined the whole moment, mortifyingly, because he was looking at her with no discernible expression.

She tried to recall what they’d been talking about. Appearing with him in public...

‘So...yes. Okay, I’ll do what you suggested. Go out with you.’ Heat climbed into her face. She sounded like a teenager.

‘Okay. Good.’ Ajax was brisk, further making Erin feel as if she’d conjured up that hot little moment. ‘You’ll come to Athens with me at the end of the week. We’ll attend an event on Friday.’

‘What about Ashling?’

‘She’ll come too.’

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