Page 40 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

Erin smiled. ‘Fine. Just Damia sending me a picture of Ashling sleeping.’

She almost moved to show it to Ajax, but after that terse exchange in the car she put her phone away, ignoring the pang near her heart.

The waiter arrived with two glasses of champagne. ‘Compliments of the manager.’

Erin smiled her thanks and took a small sip. She looked out over the view. ‘It’s beautiful up here.’

Ajax was unfolding his napkin, looking down.

Erin protested. ‘You’re not even looking.’

His head came up and his eyes met hers. ‘I’m looking.’

Heat curled through Erin’s blood. She had to be imagining the intensity in Ajax’s gaze. It was so dimly lit up here... He looked away and Erin breathed in.

‘You’re right—there’s a lot I don’t notice, that I take for granted.’

‘I guess that’s not hard to understand when you grew up in a such rarefied world.’

‘I can’t deny that. I was born into privilege.’

Erin leaned forward, putting her chin on her hand. ‘And yet you’re not spoiled.’

Ajax frowned and took a sip of wine. ‘That’s a good thing?’

She nodded. ‘You’re not entitled or rude or lazy. You don’t have to work, but you do. You don’t live a life of empty sybaritic pleasure like a lot of rich people.’

He put his glass down. ‘Careful or I might think you actually like me.’

Erin blinked. ‘I don’tnotlike you. We were...intimate. That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t liked you.’

She suddenly realised the truth of that. The fact that he’d impressed her on lots of levels from the moment she’d seen him. His work ethic. The way he treated people.

She shook her head. ‘Why aren’t you a spoiled playboy, travelling around the Mediterranean on a yacht?’

He made a face. ‘I can’t say it ever appealed to me. The thing that was paramount in our family was the respect our name held and the family business. We didn’t have time to rebel or zone out.’

The waiter came back and took their orders. Ajax recommended certain Greek specialities to Erin and she happily complied, eager to explore the cuisine.

When the waiter was gone, she said, ‘You said you and your brother weren’t encouraged to be close?’

A shadow passed over his face for a moment before he responded, ‘Yes and no. We were pitted against each other. He was always going to be the first to inherit control of the family business, but I was encouraged to compete with him, as if to keep him on his toes.’

‘It’s a pity that you weren’t just allowed to be brothers.’

‘Yes, it is. I did love him...but I felt I never really knew him.’

Their starters arrived—a courgette, peach and sea urchin salad. Erin said, a little regretfully, ‘It looks almost too good to eat...’

But then she speared some peach and closed her eyes in appreciation.

When she opened them again Ajax was watching her. Not eating. Erin put down her fork and wiped her mouth with the napkin. ‘I’m sorry. I’m probably not meant to really eat it, am I?’

Ajax grinned, and it took Erin’s breath away. He looked younger...carefree.

He speared some sea urchin and salad and said, ‘Here’s to actually eating food!’ And he popped the laden fork in his mouth.

Erin felt lightness bubble up inside her as she took some more of the exquisite salad herself.

---