The Greek Children's Doctor (Westerling)

Desperate for him, she gasped and arched against him. ‘Andreas, please…’

‘No.’ His voice was a low growl. ‘Not until you admit the way you feel.’

Libby whimpered. ‘Do you want me to hit you?’

‘Admit it.’

‘Andreas…’

‘I love you, Libby.’ He spoke the words softly and her breathing and heart stopped simultaneously.

He loved her?

Afraid she’d misheard him, she lay utterly still and he gave a sigh and shifted slightly so that he could look at her.

‘Did you hear me?’

She nodded slowly and he gave a wry smile.

‘So this is the point when you tell me that you love me, too.’

Libby felt a rush of panic. She didn’t love him. She didn’t want to love him. It was asking for trouble. He’d hurt her…

‘It’s just sex, Andreas. Good sex, admittedly, but just sex.’

He gave a frustrated grunt. ‘You’re lying and if I have to pin you to this bed for the rest of your life I’m going to make you admit the truth.’ His dark eyes were unbelievably gentle. ‘The sex is good because we love each other, Libby. Why don’t you just admit that you’ve never felt this way about a man before and that you’re scared?’

Libby’s heart was thumping so hard

she could hardly breathe. ‘All right. I’ve never felt like this about a man before and I’m scared,’ she parroted, and he sighed.

‘Relationships don’t have to go wrong, Libby. I know you’ve seen some bad examples, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t good examples out there, too. My parents were happily married for forty years. Why won’t you just trust me?’

She bit her lip. ‘Because it’s been too quick, too good to be true, and because I don’t believe that fairy-tales always have happy endings,’

‘Then you’d better prepare yourself for a shock,’ he said softly, lowering his head to kiss her gently, ‘because this particular fairy-tale is going to have the best ending you can possibly imagine.’

Chapter 9

Andreas sat on the shaded terrace and sipped his coffee.

It was already midmorning and there was no sign of Libby. But remembering just how little sleep he’d allowed her the night before, he decided that it was hardly surprising.

By contrast, he’d been up since dawn, wading through the mountains of family paperwork that always accumulated in his absence.

He’d just signed the last of the papers when he glanced up and saw her standing in the doorway that led to the terrace, wearing a pair of white shorts and a light blue top.

His eyes dropped to her legs and his body reacted in a surge of sexual hunger that took him by surprise. They’d made love for most of yesterday and all of last night and he still wanted her.

But she still hadn’t said that she loved him.

‘I’m sorry I slept so late.’ She looked extremely self-conscious and Andreas sucked in a breath and ditched the papers he’d been reading, his concentration gone.

There was only one thing he thought of when he looked at Libby, and it certainly wasn’t business.

‘I’m glad you slept well.’ His voice sounded husky and he wondered if she had any idea of the effect she had on him. Probably not or she wouldn’t have worn those shorts. ‘Come here.’

She walked towards him and he dragged her onto his lap, stroking her hair away from her face and kissing her urgently.