She wrapped her hands around her waist, over the soft jersey fabric of her sweater, waited for him to speak.
He shook his head, annoyed. ‘But why do you think I’d leave you? That I would lie about something as important as admitting that I love you? Do you know me at all, Georgie?’
‘I do... I know how strong and loyal and protective you are. But it’s not about you—it’s me that’s messed up. My mum walking out...seeing my dad so unhappy...the nature of my childhood...it’s all messed me up. Almost twenty years after my mum left I’m still gutted...and I don’t know how I would ever cope if you did the same.’
He dropped his arms and slowly ran a hand along his jaw, his expression confused. He moved away, turned and stared out to sea.
When he turned back it was with that sceptical expression again. ‘Why didn’t you leave for Athens today? Why are you here, Georgie? Is this all about your compulsion to make other people happy? Well, I don’t need your pity.’
‘No! Of course not.’ She stopped and swallowed, knowing she was about to say the most important words she would ever say to another person and she had no idea how he would react. ‘I’m here because I want to tell you that I love you.’
* * *
She was standing staring at him, with her eyes full of fear, and every instinct in him wanted to go to Georgie and hold her. To believe her words...believe that she loved him.
They were words that should change everything. But he had spent his childhood looking for his father’s love and approval, constantly afraid that he would fail him, his family, his responsibilities. He needed more from Georgie. He had to be sure of her love. He needed her to trust him. To value him. He needed to feel safe in this relationship.
He arched his neck and fixed her with a steady gaze. ‘Why do you love me?’
Georgie eyed him nervously, looking more like a terrified job applicant at an interview than a woman explaining why she was in love with a man.
She wrung her hands and then, almost in a whisper, her voice trembling, said, ‘I love how you protect your family, your staff, the community.’ She paused and worried at her lip. ‘I love how much you care for every guest who comes to your hotel. I love your loyalty and kindness to others.’
Her jaw worked for a moment. Were those tears shining in her eyes?
She cleared her throat. ‘When we’re together everything feels right. With you I finally feel like I’ve found the place where I belong in my life.’
‘How can I be sure that you won’t run away in the future?’
She looked at him helplessly. ‘I’ll... I’ll give you my word...’
She said those words in such a low voice that it touched something in him. Without thinking he heard himself speak, his voice echoing with the torture and bitterness and pain that had been living inside him since the day he had told Georgie he loved her.
‘I didn’t want to fall in love with you. Especially knowing about your restlessness, how you felt about relationships. But I did fall in love with you. And I’m just as scared as you are.’
He paused, realised he was trembling.
‘I need to know that you trust me not to abandon you...but equally I need to know that you won’t one day just leave, run away again.’
She nodded, but she was still looking as lost and confused as he was feeling. She dropped her head, as though deep in thought, and then back up and spoke to tentatively. ‘I know how important it is for you to buy that hotel in Florence—’
He interrupted her. ‘Not as important as you are.’
She blinked at that, tears flooding her eyes for a moment. ‘Perhaps we need to give each other time—time to show one another that we won’t do any of those things. I’m tired of running, Loukas. Most of all I’m tired of running away from my fears. I need and I love this island, and your crazy family, but most all I need and love you. In the future I will still want to travel—but with you at my side, knowing that we will be returning to Talos. For the next year I want to stay here on Talos, to put down roots. I want to show you that I can change, that I won’t leave. I know that you’ll have to go away for work, and although this might sound a little crazy even having you leave the island for work will freak me out a little bit... I’ll worry you won’t come back, but I want you to leave so that I can prove to you that I know deep down that you’ll never abandon me.’
Her voice had been hoarse and thick with emotion, her eyes scared and yet brave, and her body was shaking. The woman he loved stood there, reaching out to him. Prepared to show him how much she trusted, needed, loved him.
He shrugged off his suit jacket and held it out for her to put on over her light weight sweater. She tried to object, but then she paused, gave him a small smile and placed her arms into the sleeves.
It was time he told her properly why he loved her—not in the fearful and cautious way he had tried to tell her the first time around.
Taking her hand in his, he led her down to the small sandy cove below the villa. There he sat directly opposite her, his heart knocking loudly, fear stirring in his stomach that he wouldn’t find the right words.
‘You’re right when you say that you’re not the tough career wife I thought I wanted. But you’re so much more than I ever dreamed I would find.’
Georgie smiled at him shyly. His heart swelled with love for her.
‘You bring an optimism, a lightness into my life that has been missing for way too long. You bring an empathy and understanding of others that I miss because I can be so wrapped up in business and the bottom line, and the echoes of my dad’s voice telling me that I must never fail.’
They were both sitting on the sand with their knees bent, her left leg captured between his. A light breeze was flickering against the tendrils of hair that had escaped from her ponytail.
He reached out and tucked them behind her ear before continuing, ‘You’ve given me back my family... You’ve opened up a whole new world of understanding for me.’
He reached down and touched the delicate skin covering her shinbone beneath her jeans. So much of her was delicate—the fine bones in her face, the shape of her ears, the slenderness of her neck—but inside she was one of the bravest, most astute people he had ever met.
‘When I told you that I loved you and you didn’t say anything back I panicked. I felt so exposed. I had no idea how you felt about me... I just knew that you were pushing me away and didn’t need me.’
Georgie winced and said gently, ‘Sorry...’
He shook his head. ‘I was so wrapped up in my own feelings of hurt and fear that I couldn’t see that you were panicking because I was moving too quickly. How many times had you told me that you weren’t into relationships? Because of your mum leaving...all of the friends you’ve lost.’
She gave a half-smile. ‘Yes, but I should have said something about how much I love you.’
He nodded. ‘Perhaps. But you were scared. I should have given you time, let you build your trust in me, proved to you that our relationship could work—proved to you just how much I adore you and need you in my life.’
‘But what if I do the same again in the future? Hurt you? Panic for some reason and try to push you away?’
‘We’ll work through it. One step at a time. No rushing. You’re right—we do need to give this time. Let’s just date for a while, see where that takes us. I want us to have fun and get to know one another.’
She gave him another shy smile. ‘I feel like I know you so well already.’
He ran his fingers further up her calf. ‘There’s still so much for you to find out.’
She giggled and tried to pull away. ‘Don’t tell me that you have super-powers?’
‘No, but I do make the best home-made ice cream ever. And I’ve developed an obsession with midnight swimming.’
That mischievous sunshine smile he loved so much was back
on her lips. ‘I don’t suppose you’d like to come for a swim now?’
He raised an eyebrow. And then, swinging forward, grabbed her hands and fell backwards onto the sand so she landed on top of him. ‘Hi, Georgie Jones.’
‘Hi, Loukas Christou.’
‘Have I told you that I love you?’
‘Yes, you’ve told me...’
Those cherub’s lips of hers moved towards his and her eyes darkened.
Her voice came out in a breathy whisper. ‘But I think you should show me now...’
Epilogue
A YEAR LATER the Easter Sunday lunch table had expanded considerably.
Vasilis had joined them again, but this year he was accompanied by his son Demis and Demis’s girlfriend, Maja, who were visiting Talos for the Pascha celebrations.
Marios was busy extolling the virtues of Talos to Swedish-born Maja, keen to persuade her and Demis to return to live on the island...especially as Maja happened to be a qualified diving instructor, and he needed more instructors for his ever-expanding diving school.
Angeliki had also returned home from the Christou Plaka hotel in Athens for the weekend, her eyes glowing with excitement and pride at settling so easily into her new role and life as Deputy Manager in the hotel. And Angeliki had not come home alone. A medical student from the University of Athens had accompanied her, and the poor guy was doing his best not to be cowed by Angeliki’s three burly older brothers, who were interrogating him at every available opportunity.
Also at the table this year were Mr and Mrs Dias, back on Talos to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
Vasilis was busy entertaining the guests at the table by reading everyone’s coffee grounds.
There was a moment’s consternation when Vasilis announced to Nikos that he saw a baby in his imminent future. Nikos paled, while Loukas looked at him decidedly unimpressed. Nikos raised his hands in self-defence and swore vehemently that he wasn’t dating anyone at the moment. And then he laughed heartily when Vasilis announced that he was mistaken and that it was Loukas’s coffee grounds he had read.
At that point Loukas stared in Georgie’s direction, his look of thrilled amazement making her blush.
Loukas stood up and dragged Nikos inside, leaving her with the task of having to convince the rest of the guests that they really didn’t have any news to share with them.
The house band broke into a rendition of ‘Why Do Fools Fall in Love?’ as Loukas and Nikos appeared back on the terrace, carrying an enormous cake covered in rich golden buttercream and gold leaf.
Mrs Dias gave a little cry of happiness and wagged her finger at Georgie, now understanding why Georgie had asked yesterday if there was any song that reminded her of their wedding day. Applause and cheers rang out across the terrace as Loukas and Nikos laid the cake before Mr and Mrs Dias. Both had tears in their eyes when they stood and cut into the cake that would be shared amongst all the guests as part of the dessert buffet the hotel staff were assembling now the main courses had been cleared away.
As the rest of the guests’ attention returned to their own tables and the band began to play another song, Mr Dias asked Georgie to translate something he wanted to say.
Georgie hushed everyone at the table and then, with a lump in her throat, moved her gaze over Loukas and his siblings.
‘Mr Dias asked me to tell you that he’s certain that your mother and father would be very proud of what you have achieved in the business but in particular that you have remained so united.’
All four looked at Mr Dias with grateful smiles.
But then Nikos had to go and ruin it all when he muttered, ‘He wouldn’t say that if he’d witnessed our last board meeting.’
‘For the last time, Nikos, expanding into the Asian market isn’t viable right now.’ Loukas’s gaze shot over to Marios, who was about to interrupt. ‘And don’t even start talking about introducing water zorbing. It doesn’t fit with our five-star status.’
Angeliki leapt forward and gave Loukas a Got you! look. ‘I don’t know about that—look how wrong you were about the water trampolines. The guests love them.’ Angeliki paused and raised an eyebrow. ‘And I’m sure I saw you and Georgie out on one late last night... Don’t you dare deny it, Loukas—look at how much Georgie is blushing.’
Loukas shot out of his chair. ‘I think it’s time for Tsougrisma.’
Despite her embarrassment Georgie felt something crack in her heart at the sight of her cool-headed boyfriend so flustered and—more than that—the good-humoured affection shining in his siblings’ eyes as they watched him hand out a red egg to everyone at the table.
The final game ended up being between a much-excited Maja and Loukas. Once again the entire table groaned when Loukas inevitably won.
But of course, with the chivalry and kindness Georgie had witnessed from him time and time again over the past year, Loukas insisted that Maja keep his egg.
Georgie watched Maja hug him in thanks, and she loved him even more.
At Angeliki’s insistence everyone stood and made their way to the dance floor, but Loukas drew Georgie back so that they were standing alone under the terrace canopy.
Would she ever tire of staring into those soft brown eyes? Of touching her hand against the hard ridge of his jawline? Would she ever be able to resist wrapping her arms around his narrow waist and resting her head against his rock-hard chest, hearing his solid heartbeat?
She smiled up at him. But then her smile faded. Why was he so nervous? He wasn’t even able to look her directly in the eye.
What was wrong?
Loukas worked his jaw. Gazed at her with a small uncertain smile. And then he reached into the pocket of his suit jacket. Holding out his palm to her, he said in a low voice, ‘This is for you.’
In the middle of his palm lay a delicate red Fabergé-style egg, crafted with bands of gold and inset diamonds.
Her heart leapt into her throat. She lifted the egg. It was heavier than she’d expected, and so beautiful that tears popped into her eyes.
She blinked for a few moments, cleared her throat. ‘Are you sure...? It looks very expensive.’
With a laugh, Loukas asked, ‘Aren’t you going to open it?’
It opened?
Georgie turned the egg and saw a tiny clasp in the middle that she hadn’t spotted before. Undoing the clasp, she opened up the egg.
She gasped and shut the lid.
Her gaze shot to his.
His earlier nervousness was still there, but there was also determination.
Reaching for her hand, he said, ‘Let’s go for a walk.’
He led her to the orchard and under a lemon blossom tree ran his fingertips against her cheek and down the length of her arm, his intense, loving, tender gaze never wavering from hers.
‘A year ago I was crashing all over the place—messing up my relationship with my family, consumed with guilt and in constant fear of failing. And then you cycled into my life—this crazy mermaid who made me realise that I needed to let that fear go in order to really start living. You complete me. With you I have grown stronger, more secure in myself. I just hope that I have supported you in a similar way.’
She nodded and nodded and nodded, her mouth hurting because she was smiling so much.
‘Of course you do. Your support and strength and your belief in me has settled me. I no longer feel so adrift and restless. I love it here on Talos—spending the summer months at my house, the winter months here in your villa. And I love our neighbours...’ She paused and gave him a cheeky look. ‘I’m still working on loving their goats, but I’m getting there.’
Her insides went all mushy at the sound of his laughter. She gently ran her thumb against the egg still in her palm. ‘I love your family. For the first time since I was a little girl I truly feel as though I have found home...a place where I
belong. Thank you for everything you have given me... I love you more and more with each passing day.’
Taking the egg from her, Loukas went down before her on one knee and opened the egg, presented it to her. The solitaire diamond on a platinum band shone brilliantly in the dappled shade.
Fresh tears rushed to her eyes.
‘Are you ready for the next step in our journey together?’
She nodded, her heart so full of love and wonder that she struggled to speak. But eventually she managed to say, ‘Yes, I am.’
‘Georgie Jones, will you marry me?’
She laughed. And then she sobbed. And then she flapped her hands wildly. ‘Of course I’ll marry you.’
And even though she must look a mess, with red-rimmed eyes, Loukas stood and stared at her as though she was the most incredible thing he had ever seen. And then he kissed her. A kiss full of tenderness and promises.
When he pulled away his eyes sparkled with happiness. ‘Big wedding or small wedding?’
Georgie laughed. ‘Do we have a choice?’
He chuckled. ‘Not really. The islanders would probably riot if we kept it small.’
She touched her hand to the high planes of his cheekbone, down over the jawline that was already showing signs of evening shadow. ‘Good, because I want a big, glorious, noisy Greek wedding so I can spend the entire day telling everyone just how much I love you.’
He drew her hand from his jawline and, taking the ring from the white silk pillow it was sitting on, placed it on her finger.
‘No more running?’
She laughed. Popped a kiss on his lips. And then she smiled and smiled and smiled, ready to burst with happiness.
‘Not when I’ve found where I belong.’
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Katrina Cudmore
THEIR BABY SURPRISE
HER FIRST-DATE HONEYMOON
THE BEST MAN’S GUARDED HEART
SWEPT IN THE RICH MAN’S WORLD
Tempted by Her Greek Tycoon Page 17
