Tell him Eve…Tell him what? A current of communication was running between them via those firmly linked hands, but for the life of her she didn’t know what it was Ethan was expecting her say. Her grandfather was looking at her, Ethan was keeping his eyes fixed on her grandfather, and her mouth had gone dry as the idea sank in that Ethan was waiting for her to come clean with the whole nasty truth, so her grandfather would know then that this was all nothing but a terrible sham.
‘Ethan doesn’t want your m-money,’ she began, having to moisten her lips with the tip of her tongue before she could find the will to speak. ‘M-money isn’t what this is about. He only w-wanted to—’
‘Love a woman whom I think is worthy of being loved for herself,’ Ethan took over. ‘But you don’t seem to agree,’ he informed the older man. ‘So while I provide written confirmation of my withdrawal from the Greek project, I suggest you protect Eve from my evil intentions and provide formal notice that none of your money can be accessed or offered in any way shape or form, to me.’
He meant it—he really meant it! ‘Ethan—no!’ Eve cried out. ‘I can’t let you throw away your livelihood because I—’
He kissed her to shut her up—did he kiss her! In front of her grandfather and without compunction, he kissed her until her knees went weak.
Theron watched that kiss, saw its passion, and felt its intensity like the pulsing beat of a drum. Eve emerged in a state of blushing confusion. Ethan Hayes was black-eyed, tight-jawed—and hot. If it wasn’t for that troubling rumour about a certain married lady, Theron would be convinced that Ethan Hayes was as much in love with Eve as she clearly was with him!
But there was that niggling rumour, the old man reminded himself. Which then made him wonder if Ethan Hayes was executing one very convincing bluff here? Was he now expecting Theron to withdraw all threats, then sit back and think that all was right in his granddaughter’s world?
‘I will have all the relevant documentation drawn up and ready for you to sign when you reach Spain,’ Theron announced, smoothly calling a double bluff.
It took the two lovers a long moment to respond. Their eyes were still locked, as were those dramatically clasped han
ds. Ethan Hayes stood one very handsome dark head taller that his sweet Eve, and Theron was willing to admit that they made a strikingly fetching pair.
‘Why should I go to deal with an emergency that never was?’ Ethan prompted.
Theron merely gave an indolent shrug. ‘The emergency is real,’ he confessed. ‘The difference being that your business partner was attempting to deal with it himself without breaking into your holiday. Apparently my request for help to get you off this island merely tied in with what your people were already intending to do.’ He even grimaced at the irony. ‘So go and catch your plane,’ he invited as a form of dismissal, ‘for we have nothing left to discuss on this subject, other than to confirm that I will expect to see you both in Athens in two weeks for the formal announcement of your betrothal.’
Unless Mr Hayes had found a way to wriggle out of it by then, was the silent addition Theron kept to himself. Ethan Hayes was frowning down at him, unconvinced by his all-too easy climb-down. On the other hand, his beautiful Eve was breaking his heart with angry daggers for eyes.
‘I don’t want your money,’ she announced.
Theron just smiled a silky smile. ‘But you are getting it, my sweet angel,’ he returned. ‘Every single hard-earned drachma. And not one coin will be spent on him.’ Theron looked at Ethan, bluff and counter-bluff stirring spice into his old blood. ‘Perhaps you can recommend one of your competitors to take over the Greek project?’ he intoned.
‘You already had the best, and you know it,’ Ethan countered. ‘So be sure to inform Leandros that you’ve chucked me off the job. I can promise you that he is going to be absolutely ecstatic.’
With that neat and final arrogantly confident cut, Ethan turned to Eve. ‘Say your goodbyes properly,’ he commanded. ‘I don’t want you with me if you’re going to be angry with him.’
Then he kissed her fully on the mouth again and strode away, leaving grandfather and granddaughter staring after him as if they could not quite believe he was real.
Ethan himself didn’t know if he was real. He certainly felt different—alive, pumped up, energised, as if someone had slipped him the elixir of life.
That kiss with Eve perhaps?
Oh, shut up, he told himself frowningly. This is all just a sham, remember?
Just a great sham. Think of Aidan Galloway, he reminded himself. Whatever Eve liked to pretend, she had something going on with the Irishman. Love, sex—call it whatever—it was there, a throbbing pulse that said it was of a lot more than mere friendship.
‘Watch him,’ Theron advised, forcibly dragging Eve’s attention away from the long, straight-shouldered stride of Ethan’s retreat. ‘He has your measure, my girl, and I don’t think you are going to like that.’
Like it? She loved it. In fact it was tumbling around inside like a barrow load of sins desperately trying to get out. She wanted to run after him, take his hand again, laugh up into his arrogant face. She wanted to wind her arms around his neck and kiss him to heaven and back.
‘You mean, you don’t like it.’ She turned a wry, knowing smile on this other man. She knew he had her measure, and wondered if he had guessed that all of this was just a sham?
A sham. Yes, a sham, she reminded herself, and felt the smile fade away like day turning to night. ‘Grandpa—don’t spoil this for me,’ she heard herself say tremulously.
‘He’s dangerous,’ Theron stated.
‘I know.’ Her eyelashes flickered. ‘I like it.’ It was a terrible confession to make.
‘He is in love with another woman.’ The reminder was supposed to be deadly to fragile emotions.
‘I know that too.’ Eve nodded. ‘But he’s what I want. I can make him love me instead of her, given a bit of time and space.’