Page 24 of Greek Island Fling to Forever

Two sets of blue eyes suddenly turned in Arianna’s direction. She couldn’t resist those eyes, not the father’s nor the son’s. Ben smiled, heat igniting in his gaze, and then turned to Jonas.

‘Perhaps Arianna can show you how to do a somersault?’

Jonas cheered up immediately. ‘Yes! Show me!’

CHAPTER SEVEN

BEN HAD WATCHED Arianna on the beach. Her sleeveless T-shirt and shorts accentuated the slim, rounded curves of her figure, and the near-perfect somersaults accentuated its strength. He’d come here with the idea that maybe he could get back in touch with a part of himself that was dying, and which he knew he needed, not just for Jonas but for his patients as well. He’d found a woman who was vulnerable and trying in her own way to deal with the fallout from that day on the ferry, and now it occurred to him that maybe Arianna was right. Maybe they were two sides of a coin, and they could save each other.

Despite all of her protests, he made lunch. Arianna knew what that meant. He was here for her, and he wanted to lift the weight from her shoulders a little so that she could take some time to deal with the grief that had been waiting for her for so long. Her smile and murmured acknowledgement told him that she appreciated the gesture.

They ate, another long, lazy meal. As the sun climbed in the sky and the heat became oppressive, Arianna asked him how Jonas might feel about a siesta.

‘I think he could do with one.’ Jonas was looking a little heavy-eyed now, after a full morning and a good lunch. ‘I was up pretty late last night; I could too.’

She nodded, ushering him and Jonas into a spare bedroom with white walls and a matching white bedspread. It looked cool and calm, and when she opened the windows and door he could hear the relaxing roll of the waves.

Jonas was half asleep already. Ben stripped off his beach shoes and T-shirt and laid him down on the bed, sitting down in the armchair in the corner of the room and watching his son. He’d promised himself that Jonas was all he’d ever want, all he’d ever need and that he’d always be there to protect him. But the lifelong connection with Arianna was stronger than he’d thought, and he wanted to protect her too.

The long net curtains billowed lazily in the breeze, as if cool and calm was something you could see as well as feel. The house was silent, and Ben’s eyes began to droop. Maybe Arianna would be getting some much-needed sleep as well.

A sound, carrying through the silence, and his eyes flipped open. Another, which sounded like a strangled sob, and he was on his feet. Arianna’s bedroom door was open, to take advantage of the breeze, and he could see her, sitting up straight in her bed, a light cover clutched around her body.

‘Arianna...’ His voice was a hoarse whisper and she didn’t react. Maybe he should go...

And leave her to her dreams? The swirling water, closing over her head? Ben stepped into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

‘Arianna.’ He spoke again, and this time he heard his own strength, seeping into his tone.

‘It’s...just a dream...’ Her breathing was ragged and her shaking hands moved to cover her face.

‘I know.’ He moved closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She nestled against him, clinging to him.

‘I’m okay. I’m so tired, Ben. I’ll go back to sleep now.’

No, she wouldn’t. She’d lie here, wide-eyed, as the cool silence provided a backdrop to a terrifying world. In two hours she’d shower and emerge from her bedroom and down another cup of coffee, to banish her sleeping hours and let the day take over again. That wasn’t how she could find healing, and Arianna knew that as well as he did.

‘Lie down.’ He wrapped the bedspread around her and laid her down on the bed. Shifting across, he propped one leg up on the bed, in a sign that he wasn’t going anywhere until she was asleep again. ‘Is that okay?’

She reached for him, pulling him down next to her. Then she curled her body against his. ‘That’s better.’

He dared to put his arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. Despite the fact that Jonas was asleep next door and Arianna needed his comfort, it was still electrifying. It had been so long since he’d felt passion, and it made Ben’s head swim a little.

He knew he should pull away from her, but he couldn’t help it. When he drew her close she snuggled against him. Arousal gave way to a much more potent emotion. Arianna trusted him to quiet her fears, and somewhere inside he felt the stirring of a determination not to let her down.

He lay still, helpless in the face of Arianna’s bravery and her determination to keep going, however much she was hurting inside. Unable to defend himself against the feeling that this was exactly where he should be.

‘Tell me about your dream.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Really? You’re going to go with that, are you?’

‘You’re going to fight my monsters? And throw them out of the window?’

‘If that’s what it takes.’

He felt her heave a sigh. ‘It was... Usually I dream about the ferry. About falling off and you coming to get me, and then watching you get pulled away by the tide. This time... I dreamt I was under the water and you didn’t come and get me. There was something pulling me down... Trying to drown me.’ She was nearing the part that was most disturbing to her.

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