Page 19 of Forgotten Greek Proposal
She shoved another spoonful of cake into her mouth with a this-cake-is-far-too-good-for-me-to-care shrug.
‘But I will be sure to pass your compliments to Elias…and pass on your wish to “snog” him.’
Chewing contentedly, she stuck a thumb up.
‘In the interests of employer and employee relations, I should warn you that if he objects to being objectified for his cake-making skills, then I will have to put the brakes on any form of “snog” or we run the risk of him leaving and never making another cake for you again.’
Eyes wide with alarm, she spooned in yet more of her rapidly disappearing cake and frantically shook her head.
‘But if he agrees to your objectification, then a “snog” will be fine. Out of curiosity, will there be tongues involved?’
She frowned and shook her head again, turning her thumb down for good measure.
‘Kalos.And now that that is resolved, you can elaborate on your one and only drunken escapade.’
She made him wait until she’d finished the last of her cake before answering. He didn’t mind. Watching Lucie devour every last crumb had an erotic appeal that evoked fantasies about taking a masterclass in sticky walnut cake making and then spooning it into that delicious mouth himself.
Theos, the joy she took from food was something else. He could watch her eat all night. Watch those perfect heart-shaped lips…
‘Athena stole a whole bottle of ouzo from her dad and the two of us thought it a brilliant idea to drink shots of it until the bottle was empty,’ she finally said, cutting through his wayward fantasies. ‘Alexis and Constantine found us in the garden and had to carry us to bed because neither of us was capable of walking…’ Her voice trailed off, eyes narrowing again but this time with concern. ‘What’s wrong?’
Thanasis drained the last of his wine and shook his head. ‘Nothing. Just trying to picture the scene.’
‘It wasn’t a pretty one,’ she admitted, features loosening a touch, as if only half convinced by his explanation.
He could hardly tell her the truth, that the moment Athena’s name had come out of Lucie’s mouth, the erotically charged lightness of his mood had extinguished.
He’d forgotten who he was talking to. Forgotten why he was there. Why they were there.
For a few brief moments Lucie had stopped being Lucie Burton, stepdaughter of Georgios Tsaliki and daughter of Rebecca Tsaliki, and just been the beautiful, sexy, amusing woman sitting across the table from him sharing a delicious and increasingly flirtatious meal in the warm open air.
Their first meal alone together with no public watching them and he’d got caught in a moment he’d spent two months fighting tooth and nail to never be captured in.
He had to clear his tightened throat to ask the most natural follow-on question. ‘You got into trouble for it?’
‘Nope. It was put down to teenage high jinks, plus I think the general feeling was our hangovers were a worthy punishment—honestly, we were both as sick as dogs the next day.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ he murmured.
She grinned. ‘I well and truly learned my lesson from it. Athena didn’t though, but never mind, I’m sure she’ll learn it one day. Anyway, my turn to ask a question.’
‘Tomorrow.’
Her face fell.
Theos, he had to fight to make his voice sound normal. ‘The medical team need to do all their checks on you.’
‘But I feel fine,’ she protested.
‘I know, but for my peace of mind, I would like you to let them do their job. You’ve suffered a significant head wound,matia mou—you were only discharged this morning into my care on the promise that you would take things easy.’
She eyed him in silence for the longest time before giving a slow nod. ‘Okay, I’ll be a good girl and go to my room and let the medical team poke and prod me, but only for tonight. From tomorrow, I’m in charge of my own care.’
His heart nearly thumped out of his ribs when she reached across the table to cover his hand.
Her voice softening to match the softness in her black eyes, she said, ‘I know your heart’s in the right place and I can only imagine how hard these last few days have been for you, but I don’t need or want you to make decisions for me. I’ve lived independently since I was eighteen, answerable to no one but myself. I’m not a child, Thanasis, so please don’t treat me like one.’
He looked down at their joined hands with thick blood roaring in his ears. The sensation of Lucie’s skin against his was like being marked by Aphrodite, the goddess whose seductive charms few men could resist, and it was taking all his strength not to twist his hand and wrap his fingers around hers.
