Page 39 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

In the back of the car as they drove into Athens, to try and defuse the thick tension in the air, Erin said, ‘Ashling started walking just the other day.’

‘I know. I saw it.’

‘You did?’ She was surprised.

He nodded. ‘From my office.’

‘You should have come out. She was so excited.’

Ajax looked straight ahead, as much to avoid looking at Erin in that provocative outfit as to hide his reaction to that image of watching Ashling walk. He felt a familiar tightening in his chest.

‘I couldn’t. I had to go into the office.’

Erin sat back. He could almost feel her deflation.

‘Wow...’ she said eventually. ‘You really are determined not to get involved at all.’

He looked at her. ‘I told you I’m not doing that again.’

She needed to understand, so that she didn’t hope he could be more.

Her golden-brown eyes narrowed on him. ‘Have you ever considered that your reaction could be due to some kind of trauma, brought on by the death of Theo? Like PTSD?’

Ajax knew what that was. He had a good friend who’d been a French Legionnaire and he’d suffered with it. His friend had even opened a clinic to help others. But Ajax had never considered that the death of his child could have brought on something similar. And yet Erin’s words resonated somewhere inside him. Touched on a raw place.

Luckily the driver was pulling up outside the restaurant now, and he took advantage of the distraction to avoid answering Erin’s unwelcome perceptiveness.

He went around the car to help her out, taking her hand, noting the apprehension in her expression as she stepped out and straightened up. It was a novelty to be with a woman who wasn’t used to this world under the glare of the cameras...a hundred of which seemed to go off as they rounded the vehicle and approached the door which led to an elevator that would take them to the rooftop.

Erin’s hand tightened in Ajax’s and he put an arm around her waist, tugging her into his side. She fitted against him so easily. Security men opened the door and they slipped inside, where a concierge called for the elevator.

Ajax noticed that Erin was trembling slightly. He looked down. She was pale. He cursed softly in Greek.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I should have warned you. I’m so used to the paparazzi being everywhere that it doesn’t occur to me that you’re not.’

Erin was mortified that she was so shaken, but the barrage of lights exploding in their faces had felt almost like a physical assault. How did anyone get used to that level of aggressive interest?

She moved out of Ajax’s embrace. ‘I’m sorry. I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t even see them.’

‘Don’t be sorry—it’s not your fault. You’re reacting as any sane and normal person would.’

Erin sneaked a glance up at him. His jaw was hard. She had an almost irresistible urge to touch him there, get him to soften. As a girlfriend or lover might. But she wasn’t either. She curled her hand into a fist just as the elevator arrived.

It was dark inside, with walls covered in murals. It took Erin a second to realise that they were all tiny depictions of people in various sexual poses. She blushed and looked away—only to find her own image sent back to her by the mirrors, fragmented and disjointed. The curve of a shoulder...her bare back...the curve of her buttocks under the silk. There was a scent like leather and wood. Decadent...

To her relief, the doors opened again and she saw a man waiting to escort them through an archway of thick foliage into the restaurant. Ajax put his hand on her elbow. Erin noted that they hadn’t even checked who Ajax was—theyknew.

As did everyone in the restaurant, it seemed, as heads swivelled when they walked past and conversations stopped.

The restaurant itself was enough of a conversation-stopper. At the top of one of Athens’ highest buildings, it commanded views over the city taking in everything from the Acropolis all the way down to the port of Piraeus, gateway to the islands.

They were led to a table with arguably the best views, secluded from most of the other diners by lush potted plants. Candles flickered on the table laid with white linen and crystal glasses and gold cutlery. The air was warm and balmy.

Erin’s phone vibrated in her clutch and she took it out to see a message from Damia and a picture of Ashling asleep.

All well here. Enjoy dinner!

From the other side of the table Ajax asked, ‘Everything okay?’

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