‘Don’t start that again.’
‘I’m not. I know you’re not a hero, but you are good. I also understand now that your mother walking off like that when you were so young must have put you off relationships for life.’
‘I have had plenty of relationships.’
‘I mean real ones, not just sex. You don’t let anyone close because of it and that breaks my heart, because you deserve to have a lovely family.’
Stefan felt a flash of panic. ‘Believe me that is not what I want. You are far more sensitive about this than I am. It was a long time ago and my mother was just another of your father’s many conquests. It happened long, long before he met and married your mother.’
‘But you’re still hurting. Of course you’re hurting. You brush it away like dust on your sleeve but we both know you haven’t left it behind. You’re carrying it with you into everything you do—your business and your relationships. It’s the reason you work so hard and it’s the reason you don’t get involved with women. It’s the reason you don’t have a family. You’re afraid of losing what you love.’
Her insight shocked him. ‘I really don’t—’
‘I was the one who opened the wound. I pushed you and pushed you and suggested it was just because you were fighting over business—as if you could be that superficial.’
Stefan, who had spent his life being exactly that superficial was floored. ‘Selene—’
‘I’m sorry.’ She flung her arms round him and hugged him tightly.
He stood immobile, the feel of her softness against him driving the breath from his body. And there was that smell again. The smell of her soap that always drove him wild. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth to try and hold back the rush of feeling.
He couldn’t remember being hugged by a woman except as part of foreplay. He stood rigid, unsure what to do next. ‘I should probably get back to my meeting.’
‘Couldn’t they have the meeting without you? We could go somewhere private.’ Her voice was muffled in his chest. ‘We could have fun and do a few more things on my list.’ She was still hugging him, her body warm against his, her arms wrapped around him.
‘If we’re doing things on your list why do we need to be private?’
‘Because most of them involved getting naked with you.’
Stefan gave an incredulous laugh. ‘You are the most confusing woman I’ve ever met.’
‘I’m the least confusing woman you’ve ever met. I’m honest about what I want.’
‘And what do you want?’ He forced himself to ask the question even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.
‘I want quite a lot. First I’d like you to help me with my business.’
‘I thought you didn’t want my help?’
‘It was incredibly stupid and childish of me to say that. Of course I want your help. I’d be mad to turn it down, wouldn’t I? You know more about business than anyone and although candles make you wince I know I have a viable business. But I have no idea how to make it reality. If you’re still prepared to help me, I’d be grateful.’
Stefan relaxed slightly. Business was the easy part. ‘I’ll help you.’
‘I’m prepared to work as hard as I have to. I’m excited about it.’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘I’ve given up the job in the taverna—they only took me on because of you so I felt bad taking a job from someone else. I want to concentrate on my business and if you could loan me enough to live on while I get everything off the ground I’d consider myself fortunate. But I will pay you back. It’s a loan, not a gift. No more money tied in a thong.’
Stefan lifted his brows. ‘That is a creative way of keeping money in one place.’
‘With hindsight it wasn’t such a clever idea. My father found it.’
The thought horrified him. ‘It’s a good job you ran from him when you did.’
‘It’s a good job you turned up when you did. Thank you for that, too. And I was very impressed that you managed to land a boat on that side of the island without sinking it. That will go down in Antaxos legend, I can tell you.’