Page 36 of Reunited By the Greek's Baby

His huff of amusement made her lips curve.

‘I can imagine.’ He paused. ‘There’s a lot of finger-pointing about my character and supposed guilt for the death of Costa Stavroulis.’

‘But you were cleared. The authorities proved you didn’t do it.’

His smile now held little amusement. ‘Does something have to be true to make news? Most of them are careful not to accuse me outright but there are plenty of insinuations, gossip, supposed statements fromsources close to the Karalis family...’

Isla goggled. Once he’d been released from prison she’d stopped following the news.

‘But why?’

‘The victim was the grandson of Spiro Stavroulis, a media magnate. The old man wants justice for his grandson but until another suspect is identified, he’s directing his vitriol at me.’

‘That makes no sense if he knows you’re innocent.’

‘Maybe he didn’t believe my alibi was real. Or thinks that in applying pressure, I’ll produce the real culprit.’

She shook her head. ‘How could you? You’re not the police.’

Something shifted in Theo’s expression. ‘He died in my family home. The night of a farewell party for my mother as she was moving somewhere that suits her needs better. Old Stavroulis probably thinks I’ve got inside information I’m not sharing.’ His jaw tightened. ‘He knows I despised his grandson. Costa was a bad influence and I’d warned him away from my stepsister, Toula. I didn’t want him hanging around her.’

Theo’s tone was harsh and uncompromising. The voice of a man relentless in protecting those he cared for.

Instead of scaring her, Isla was drawn to that. This man would protect his child with the last breath in his body.

She found that impossibly attractive. She wanted that.

For her baby, of course.

Georgio arrived then with a pile of plates balanced on his arms. The food looked and smelled delicious and her appetite, which had been gradually improving, was suddenly back full force.

The next little while was taken up with eating. She and Theo talked, but only about the food and the location, and with each passing minute she relaxed more.

Maybe it was the warmth of the place and the good food. Maybe because Theo’s conversation was easy, as if he wasn’t waiting on her decision about his proposal.

Perhaps it was partly because he’d swapped his suit for jeans and a dark green pullover. Even casually dressed Theo had a masculine charisma that couldn’t be ignored. Everything about him was attractive. From the hard, compelling lines of his face to that well-defined, sensual mouth and eyes that, when he smiled, reminded her of warm honey. Even the scar near his eye didn’t detract from his magnetism.

Worryingly, he looked more like the man she’d fallen in love with than someone who’d destroyed her trust.

Isla sought something to say that would take her mind off him without leading back to the baby and marriage. She didn’t want to argue about that tonight.

‘Is that pullover hand-knitted? It’s a distinctive design.’ It had clearly been made to fit his athletic frame. If Theo ever ditched his suits in favour of pullovers, knitwear sales would soar.

Theo’s expression softened as he glanced down. ‘It is handmade. You’ve got a good eye.’

‘Idowork in a knitting shop.’

‘Does that mean you knit? I don’t remember seeing you working with wool.’

When they’d met, she’d had other things to occupy her. Isla’s blood quickened at the memories and she hoped that wasn’t a blush she felt.

‘I’ve knitted since I was a child.’

One of the carers in the home had taught her one Christmas. It had been a diversion from the fact that their festive season wasn’t terribly festive. Isla had been fascinated with the idea of making something from simply a string of wool, plus she’d found it comforting, the steady rhythm of the needles taking the edge off her loneliness. Even surrounded by other orphans there were times when she’d felt utterly separate.

‘What are you thinking, Isla? You’ve gone somewhere else in your head.’

She was about to deny it then stopped herself. Withdrawing from others, even turning away before they had a chance to reject her, had become habit. The exception had been with Theo. Her mouth twisted. Look what had happened then. Yet there was no need to be so defensive. They had to build bridges to sort out their child’s future.

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