‘You didn’t fight in other ways? Didn’t clean the dance studio in exchange for free lessons?’
She gazed at him. Just like that he’d worked up an independent solution. That was what he would have done, or something else inventive to get what he wanted. She had no doubt he’d be defiant in the face of denial or rejection. That was why he was the CEO of a massively successful bank now. He’d have done anything to prove them wrong, wouldn’t he? He had that kind of strength and self-belief. She didn’t.
‘I wanted to please them,’ she whispered, that little truth torn from her. She’d wanted their love. She’d seen the warmth in their eyes when Oliver had done well—every time he’d surpassed her. She didn’t begrudge his achievements—she’d only wanted a little of the adoration they’d shown him. ‘I wanted their approval. I’ve always wanted that and I’ve never got it and I tried so hard for so long.’ And now she was tired of trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations. ‘I couldn’t do what they wanted. Then I couldn’t do what I wanted because they stopped me. So then I grew a spine. I moved to London. I got my job.’ She’d left and she’d had that magic night with Theo and things really had turned around. Her confidence had grown. She sniffed. ‘But now I get to do what you want me to do.’
‘Don’t be sad,’ he murmured, a sparkle lighting his eyes. ‘I think you’re going to like the island.’
‘Island?’
‘Your new home.’
‘You mean Athens?’
‘Athens initially.’ He nodded. ‘Then the island.’
An island that was different from Athens? ‘But you work in Athens?’ she clarified.
‘Yes.’
So he’d be in Athens and she’d be on some other island? Was this what he’d meant about space—that she’d not actually live with him?
‘You’re sending me to my own kind of Alcatraz?’
He laughed. ‘You don’t want to know anything about it?’
‘I don’t need to. I’m sure its unspeakably beautiful. There’ll be a pool and an amazing house and probably some billion-dollar view...but it’s still a prison.’ She couldn’t get her head around it, couldn’t consider it in any kind of positive light. ‘What am I supposed to do all day?’
‘You’ll have assistants. Nannies. A cook.’
Was that what he’d meant when he’d said she didn’t need to be alone now? He was going to arrange a massive coterie of staff for her? But he wasn’t going to be there?
He leaned forward. ‘Don’t you want a break, Leah? You’ll want for nothing—’
Except friends, or a partner, or a lover. She shivered. ‘I spent too long buried away in a laboratory not talking to real people. I like people. I like meeting them, talking to them—’
‘You’ll have a tiny little person all of your own to take care of soon enough.’
‘Who won’t be able to talk back to me for months...’
‘And as I said, you’ll have staff.’
‘Wonderful. People who are paid to spend time with me.’
He laughed. ‘And, believe it or not, other people live on the island. Nice people.’
The prospect of being apart from him really wasn’t what she wanted. But for him?
He sobered and a perplexed frown creased his forehead. ‘The last thing I want is for you to be unhappy. I thought you’d want to live in a place where you can relax.’ He shook his head. ‘Just wait till you see it, Leah.’
She sat in silent contemplation. All her life she’d wanted someone to love her, just for her. And she wasn’t about to get it. But she couldn’t help wondering why Theo didn’t want that too. Didn’t he feel bereft at the prospect of an emotionless marriage? She was sure she hadn’t imagined that flare of heat in his eyes when he’d seen her again. Didn’t he even want to try to use that as a basis for something more? Obviously not.
Her heart sank all over again as she realised he truly didn’t want any of it at all.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEY WERE DRIVEN to the airport where a discreet crew were waiting for them. A tall, serious-looking man handed Theo a briefcase and murmured in his ear before he left to board ahead of them.
‘I don’t always use the private jet, but I thought we needed the privacy for this trip,’ Theo explained as he led her up the staircase into the sleek jet.
Privacy? For what? Her pulse skipped.
‘I don’t want everyone watching us and wondering who you are.’ He pulled a pale blue bag out of the briefcase and handed it to her as she sat in the wide luxurious leather armchair. ‘We’ll present you when we’re ready.’
Present her? ‘What’s this?’ She peered into the bag and saw a small jewel box nestled in tissue paper. A wave of cold trepidation washed over her but she was aware of him watching, so she faked calm. Her fingers trembled only the slightest as she opened the box and stared at the ring. ‘Is it real?’ she choked.
‘Considering the price, I hope so.’
She gazed at the enormous diamond. Of course it was real. He was too rich to need to fake it. ‘When did you get it?’
‘I didn’t. One of my assistants picked it up on the way to the airport. I apologise if you don’t like it—apparently there was a limited selection.’
Massive solitaires were always in style, weren’t they? The box blared the luxurious branding. But she couldn’t quite believe he’d got someone else to buy it.
‘Try it on and see if it fits.’
Because that was all that mattered—she didn’t need to like it. It didn’t mean anything. They just needed to make it fit and off they went as fiancés. She pushed the platinum band onto her cold finger. ‘Lucky guess.’
He nodded and pulled a laptop from his briefcase. ‘You can shop in Athens, get whatever else you need.’
‘I don’t need anything else.’ She didn’t need this giant lump of ice on her finger either.
‘You’re going to need a little more than the black tee shirts and trousers you’ve stuffed in that small bag. At some point that baby is going to make its presence known.’
‘I’ll get some bigger black tees and trousers when I need to,’ she muttered obstinately. She did not want his wealth showered upon her. In fact, she wanted to take as little as possible from him—after all, he wanted little from her too.
But he’d glanced up from his laptop and now a small smile was flitting around his mouth. ‘Why black?’
‘Why not?’
‘You make me think of a shadow...like you’re trying not to stand out.’
‘Women my height always stand out,’ she pointed out grimly.
‘For all the right reasons. You should make the most of your attributes.’
She gaped, momentarily unable to answer.
‘And don’t forget to get some more of those little scarlet silk things,’ he murmured wickedly, and then looked back at his screen.
Leah stared hard at him for a while longer but apparently he was going to spend the rest of the flight working on his laptop. He?
??d just been amusing himself with a flippant moment. She shook her head. He was a conundrum—so often reserved and serious, and then there were flashes of fun and humour and, right this second, she really didn’t like him for it.
As they landed hours later, a wave of nervous anticipation scurried along her veins. She’d never thought she’d visit Greece any time soon and she had to confess she was excited at the prospect of discovering its ancient culture and history, tasting the beautiful food, experiencing the lifestyle...although she rapidly discovered Theo’s wasn’t a normal lifestyle. It was almost obscene. She had only a moment to breathe in the warmer, vibrant atmosphere before more security guys in tailored suits and silence escorted them from the plane to a powerful black car with tinted windows. She glimpsed a bustling city filled with people, traffic, buildings, but they drove for quite a while and eventually the landscape changed. The properties became bigger with green spaces between them. Off a side street she saw palm trees forming a guard of honour the length of an esplanade.
‘You live in the suburbs?’ Somehow it wasn’t quite what she’d expected.
‘We have a compound on the coastline now known as the Athenian Rivera,’ he said solemnly. ‘The land has been in the family for decades.’
A compound? On a riviera? Leah had only seen such things in music videos.
‘Will I meet Dimitri tonight?’ she asked.
‘Tomorrow would be better. He should be resting for the night by now.’
He’d gone all remote again—she felt the tension in his silence and the loss of his smile. All earlier easiness was now omitted from his demeanour. She focused on what she could see, catching glimpses of a beautiful mansion-lined beach just before they turned into a driveway. Large gates automatically swung back to allow the car through. They rounded a corner and a building came into view—not old and traditional but sleek and modern, extremely opulent and stylish. As she gaped at the perfect landscaping and the subtle exterior lighting showing off the architecture, the front door opened and a stunning woman strolled out. A gorgeous blue dress clung to her voluptuous body and a pleased smile curved her full lips.