Page 29 of Greek Island Fling to Forever

She might as well enjoy it. Arianna sat down, pulling her knees up and propping her chin on them. Even at this distance, there was a lot to enjoy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

SHE DROPPED BEN and Jonas off at their hotel. It had been a wonderful day, and seeing Ben and Jonas explore the Lava Lake had given a place that she loved an extra lustre.

Arianna had noticed Ben watching her drive away in her rear-view mirror. He’d done that last night as well, and it produced a mixture of emotions. She didn’t want him to fuss, he’d been doing enough of that already, and she’d cope the way she always had. But having him there, to help her cope, was a powerful temptation.

One that she had to resist. The smile that lingered on her face as she drove home would be enough to carry her through until tomorrow. It had to be.

It was still early, and she walked out onto the veranda, listening to the calm rhythm of the sea. It lulled her into a half-asleep doze, too drowsy to go to bed, until her

eyes snapped open at the sound of the knock on her front door.

Being the only doctor on the island was a twenty-four-hour-a-day job. Arianna didn’t mind that, but it always seemed to be the case that people picked the one hour that she most wanted to herself. She stood up, pasting a smile on her face, which promptly slid to the floor when she opened the door and saw Ben.

Is something the matter? He looked as if everything was right with the world, leaning against one of the pillars that supported the wide porch. His arms were folded and he was smiling in that just-happened-to-be-passing way of his.

He didn’t just happen to be anything. He had a child to look after and he’d just walked a couple of miles in the darkness, along the stony path that led directly across the island.

‘Where’s Jonas?’

‘He’s in bed. Having a suite makes it easy for Lizzie to keep an eye on him for the night.’

The whole night? That sounded challengingly long-term. She supposed the least she could do was to let him in. She stood back from the door, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

‘I didn’t wake you up, did I? All the lights were on.’

What would he have done if they hadn’t been? Turned around and walked all the way back? Arianna swallowed the question as it sprang to her lips, not entirely sure that she wanted to hear the answer.

‘What’s so urgent that it can’t wait until the morning, Ben?’

Whatever it was, he seemed determined not to meet her gaze when he said it.

‘I...um... I know this weekend has been hard on you, and that my turning up here is one of the things that’s caused that. I know that today was difficult in places.’

She couldn’t deny what he already knew. ‘I have my moments, but they’re just moments. I want to just let them go and get on with things.’

This time he could meet her gaze. Perhaps he’d been possessed by the strange spell of the lake, because his eyes seemed even more blue, and more lustrous.

‘And you’ll let them go tonight? I can’t get into your dreams, Arianna, but maybe I can be there to help.’

Who was he trying to kid? Ben had made his way into her dreams a long time ago, and now he played an almost pivotal role in them. He couldn’t quite change their course, the darkness always managed to suck her down, but part of the horror of that was that it was carrying her away from Ben’s outstretched hands.

‘I have to work things out for myself, Ben. You should be with Jonas.’

He heaved a sigh. ‘I went back out to the centre of the lake this afternoon because you told me I should. And you were right. I was being over-protective and you and Jonas didn’t need me. How about compromising with me now, and admitting that you might sleep a little better with someone around?’

‘With you around, you mean?’ The words compromising and admitting grated a little.

‘This is not an entirely selfless act. I’m here for me just as much as I am for you. I want to be someone who can make a difference again.’

‘I’ll be up early in the morning. I have to work tomorrow.’

‘Then you’ll be needing a good night’s sleep beforehand.’

She didn’t dare thank him or hug him for being here when she really needed him. Just being one step closer to him would only remind her that she should keep her distance and she’d have to step back again and send him away. Arianna walked to the door of the spare room, opening it wide and stopping it from drifting closed again with an irregularly shaped chunk of granite from the sea that served as both a doorstop and a fascinating piece of nature’s art. That was an oblique enough hint that they weren’t really sleeping separately, and that her bedroom door would be wide open too.

‘I should be turning in now.’

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