‘I’m not thinking that. I know what we had was real.’
The fact that she put it in the past tense sent a flash of panic burning through him. ‘It is real.’
But she wasn’t listening. ‘He called my business pathetic.’
‘He will eat those words when he sees the success of your business, koukla mou. And he will see it.’
‘Thank you for believing in me. You’re the first person to ever do that. Even my mother didn’t think I could do it.’
‘But you believed in yourself. You came to me with your candles and your soap and the beautiful packaging you’d made yourself. You are so talented. Your business idea is clever and you work harder than anyone on my team. If you weren’t already making a success of being an entrepreneur, I’d employ you straight away.’
Her hand rested on his chest, as if she couldn’t quite bear to let him go. ‘But you probably wouldn’t have offered to help me if I hadn’t been who I was.’
‘I probably would.’ He gave a half-smile. ‘I’m a sucker for a woman dressed in a nun’s costume.’
There was no answering smile and he was shaken by how badly he missed that ready smile. He’d taken it for granted. She was always so bouncy and optimistic and yet now she just stood there, shivering like a wounded animal.
‘Selene—’
‘I should go. Someone might see me and take a photograph.’ Finally she smiled, but it was strained. ‘See? I’m learning. I don’t want my father knowing he made me cry. That’s one act I’m prepared to keep up until the day I die.’ She rubbed her hand over her face again. ‘It was kind of you to come to my defence. Kind of you to tell him our relationship meant something.’
‘It wasn’t kindness.’ He’d realised it the moment she’d walked away from him. ‘I do love you.’
‘Yes, I know.’ There was no pleasure in that statement. Her face didn’t light up. She just looked incredibly sad. ‘I know you do, Stefan. But you don’t want to. It scares you.’
‘Yes, it does.’ He didn’t deny it because he knew only honesty would save him now. ‘I didn’t want it to happen. I’ve done my best not to let it happen by picking women I couldn’t possibly fall in love with. I controlled that.’
‘I know that, too. I know you.’ She eased out of his arms. ‘I really do have to go. I don’t want anyone taking a photograph of me like this.’
‘I’ll take you home. Then we’ll fly to my villa.’ He saw her hesitate and then shake her head.
‘No, not this time. I’ll see you in the office on Monday. We have the ad agency pitch.’
‘I’m not talking about business. I’m talking about us.’ It was a word he’d never used before. ‘I’ve just told you that I love you.’
‘But you don’t want to. You don’t want to feel that way and I can’t be with a man who always holds part of himself back. Even though I understand all your reasons and I’m sympathetic, I want more. I know love makes a person vulnerable but I want a man who is prepared to risk everything because the love is more important than protecting himself. And I want him to value my love and allow me to express it.’
‘Selene—’
‘Please don’t follow me. Not this time. I’ll see you in the office on Monday.’ Mumbling the words, she hurried away from him, walking so fast she almost stumbled.
* * *
She applied layers of make-up, added blusher, but still she looked pale when she walked into the Ziakas building.
The glamorous receptionist smiled at her. ‘Kalimera. They’re all waiting for you in the conference room.’
But when she walked in the room was empty apart from Stefan, who was pacing from one end of the room to the other.
When he saw her, his face paled. ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t turn up.’
‘Why? Today is important.’ Horrified by how hard it was to see him, she glanced around the room. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘I sent them to get breakfast. They’re coming back in an hour. I need to talk to you. I need you to hear what I have to say.’