‘Do his mother and sister visit often?’
‘This is the first time in nearly four years,’ Chrystanthe said, giving the pillows a quick plump. ‘He is often travelling, you know? But he more than makes up for it by spoiling them with wonderful gifts. The cruise he sent them on was an exclusive one with their own private butler and chef. He flies them wherever they want to go in a private jet so Ariana doesn’t have to suffer any delays or discomfort flying on a commercial airline. Her chair is custom-made. He pays for every medical expense and he lavishes them both with gifts at Christmas and on birthdays.’
Emily suspected Loukas would have been generous even without the guilt that plagued him. He was that sort of man. He didn’t use his wealth to build himself up but to help others. But what if his mother and sister wanted less of his gifts and more of him? Could she help him with that? Perhaps build a bridge so he could be more comfortable around them and they with him?
Chrystanthe put the last pillow in place. ‘Now, can I get you a cup of tea or a cool drink?’
‘No, I’m fine,’ Emily said, glancing longingly at the bed. ‘I’ll just have a lie down for a bit.’
The housekeeper closed the door softly behind her as Emily lay down. She closed her eyes, promising herself she would only have forty winks...
* * *
Loukas walked out of the villa to the olive grove he’d planted when he’d first bought the property. His mother and sister showing up like that had rocked him so much he had barely been able to talk. He had never encouraged them to call on him. He occasionally called on them, but he never stayed longer than an hour or two at the most. He provided them with everything they needed and more but, as to spending extended periods of time with them, well, that was asking too much of them, let alone him. He had only invited them to Corfu once, the year after he’d bought the villa, but it had been more out of duty than any desire to play happy families. He’d sent them on a ridiculously expensive cruise of the Greek Isles because he’d thought Ariana needed a distraction after the last bout of surgery that hadn’t achieved the result she’d hoped. He kne
w he should have contacted them before they found out the news online, but any contact with them always made the guilt come back with a cruel vengeance.
He embodied Ariana’s lost potential. Every time she saw him she was reminded of what he had done. How could she not be reminded? He was reminded every time he looked at her sitting in that chair. It didn’t matter that it had been an accident. His actions had caused irreparable harm and he couldn’t undo it. Not one little bit of it. He had seen the wistfulness in his sister’s eyes when she’d glanced at Emily’s abdomen. Ariana might never have children. The doctors had already warned her the internal damage had all but removed the possibility of having a family. How difficult must it be for her to see him marry Emily and have the family he knew she longed for, as most young women her age did?
Emily had generously invited Ariana to be a bridesmaid and he’d jumped on her gesture to secure even more firmly her agreement to marry him. It was a nice gesture on her part, but it would only intensify his guilt. Would his sister ever get to be a bride? And she couldn’t shuffle more than a couple of steps without support. How then would she walk down the aisle of a church? As far as he knew, she hadn’t even been on a date. Ariana lived a life of medical appointments and gruelling exercise programs to maintain what little mobility she had left.
Loukas snapped off an olive leaf and tore it into shreds, tossing them to the ground in a parody of tossing confetti. Even the late-afternoon sun seemed to be glaring at him accusingly. He had brought Emily here hoping it would keep her out of the way of the press and instead it had put her smack-bang in the middle of the train wreck of his family.
No matter what he did, he seemed to make things worse.
* * *
Emily hadn’t realised she’d been asleep until she heard the faint clicking sound of the bedroom door opening. The tall figure of Loukas was framed in the doorway. He softly closed the door and came over to the bed. ‘I’m sorry, did I wake you?’
She sat up and pushed the tangle of her hair away from her face. ‘I was just dozing. I get so tired, it’s unbelievable. How do women have more than a couple of kids? It must be exhausting.’
He sat on the edge of the bed next to her legs. ‘Can I get you anything? A drink? Something to eat? Dinner won’t be for a while but I can get Chrystanthe to rustle up something if you’d—’
‘No, please don’t fuss. I’ll wait for dinner. I’m looking forward to chatting some more to your mum and Ariana.’
‘They won’t be joining us, I’m afraid.’
Emily frowned. ‘Oh? Why not? Is Ariana not well?’
His eyes shifted from hers. ‘They were keen to get back to their cruise. They only got off for a couple of hours so they could meet you.’
‘That’s a shame. Maybe I could visit them at home to discuss the bridesmaid dress. Where do they live?’
‘In Oxfordshire in England.’
‘Not in Greece?’
Loukas’s expression had a hint of ruefulness. ‘After the divorce from my father, my mother went off all things Greek. I bought her and Ariana a house in a village close to the hospital and physical therapy centre Ariana goes to. The house has an indoor therapy pool and a gym so she can continue her exercises at home.’
‘You sound like a very generous person,’ Emily said. ‘Chrystanthe was telling me what a great boss you are and how good you are to Ariana and your mum.’
His lips gave a humourless on-off movement. ‘Let’s hope I can be a good husband and father too.’
She placed her hand on his hair-roughened wrist. ‘You will be. I’m sure of it.’
His brown eyes meshed with hers, his hand coming over her hand and holding it against his warm, hard thigh. Sensual energy pulsed and throbbed with every beat of Emily’s heart. It was as if her blood was speaking to his blood through the skin-to-skin contact of his hand pressing hers to his thigh. She moistened her lips, her gaze slipping to his mouth, watching in breathless anticipation for him to close the distance.
He brought his head down, his lips nudging hers in playful little touches that made her mouth tingle. ‘I should let you rest some more.’ His deep, husky voice acted like another caress on her fevered senses.