Page 64 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

After a few long moments of letting the world come back to its centre, Ajax got up and picked Erin up from the bed as if she weighed no more than a bag of sugar and took her into the shower. Under the hot spray he washed her, and himself, then wrapped them both in towels and took her back to bed, where she finally fell into a dreamless sleep.

When Erin stole out of the bed the next morning, she resolutely refused to look at why she’d gravitated to Ajax so desperately the previous night. Without even thinking about it. Following an instinct she hadn’t been able to ignore. For her survival.

She was still wearing the robe he’d put on her after the shower, and she picked up her night clothes and left his room. Back in her own room, after quickly checking Ashling, she had a shower and got dressed.

Ashling was just waking up, and Erin changed her and took her downstairs to give her some breakfast. She noticed that Ajax had washed the plate and pan from the previous night and left them drying on the sideboard. She almost wanted to curse him for being so...unexpected.

She took her and Ashling’s breakfast out to the terrace and enjoyed the quiet before others emerged. She would put last night down to an urge to make the most of her chemistry with Ajax before it went away. He was right—why deny themselves? It was just sex.

But what about that dream?

Erin shut it down. The memory of how cold she’d felt was still vivid in the morning light. Of how she’d needed him.

Ashling was cranky, in spite of her good night’s sleep, and Erin could see that her cheeks were red. She was teething.

After breakfast, Erin took Ashling down to the beach, to try and distract her, but she was soon working herself up into a state—she’d given her some medication, but it didn’t seem to be working.

So Erin brought her back inside to try and find something else to alleviate the pain.

There was no sign of Ajax—which Erin was grateful for. She was sure he’d be mocking and arrogant after her spectacular capitulation last night.

Damia was on the terrace, and offered to take Ashling, but Erin said, ‘No, you have the day off. You were working until late and we’ll be out again this evening.’

Erin took the baby upstairs. Ashling’s wails were now reverberating all through the villa.

To her surprise, Andromeda appeared, holding a teething ring. She said, ‘It belonged to Theo. I kept it. Can I try?’

She held out her arms and Erin realised she meant to take Ashling.

Against her better instincts, Erin handed Ashling over, fully prepared for the little girl’s wails to increase in crescendo, but to her shock the surprise of being in a stranger’s arms silenced Ashling for a moment, and Andromeda put the teething ring against Ashling’s lips. She latched on to it immediately, chewing down on it and holding it with both hands.

Andromeda was saying, ‘There, there...that’s not so bad, now, is it?’

Erin just gaped at her.

Andromeda looked at her a little sheepishly. ‘I could never do this with Demetriou or Ajax. I wasn’t encouraged to hold them.’

‘I... I heard,’ Erin said faintly.

Andromeda jiggled Ashling up and down a little and walked with her out to the terrace. Then the tiny hairs went up on the back of Erin’s neck.

Ajax.

She turned around, saw he was looking past her to his mother. ‘Is that...?’

Erin nodded. ‘I know... I can’t believe it either.’

Then Ajax looked at her. ‘You left my bed again.’

Erin pushed aside the way he made her feel...confused and excited and scared all at once.

His expression was stark. He opened his mouth to speak again, but his mother came back with a now much more peaceful Ashling. She handed her to Erin and said, ‘I’d like to see her sometimes, if that’s possible... I mean, after this is over.’

‘Of course,’ Erin said, trying to hide her shock, ‘you’re her grandmother.’

The older woman touched the baby’s cheek and then looked at Ajax. With a suspicious brightness in her eyes she said, ‘I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to be there for you and your brother in a more meaningful way. I wanted to be... But...’ She shook her head and left the small room quickly, before Ajax could respond.

He looked at Erin, stunned. ‘Did you see that?’

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