The Enigmatic Greek (18 page)

‘Alexei Drakos. I need to talk to you.’

‘It’s late.’

‘It is not. Let me in,’ he ordered. ‘Or shall I ask your good friend Pat to do it?’

She pressed the buzzer that opened the main door, then shrugged into her dressing gown, dragged a comb through her wet hair and went out onto the landing to find Alex talking to Pat in the hall, imposing in a dark city suit. He looked up at her, one eyebrow raised.

‘
Geia sas
, Eleanor.’

‘Hello.’ She smiled reassuringly at Pat, who looked very unhappy about leaving her alone with her visitor. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.’

Alex scowled at him. ‘You think I mean to harm her?’

Pat scowled back. ‘You’d better not, mate! If you want me, just shout,’ he told Eleanor.

‘Come up,’ she told Alex and turned to make for her sitting room, noting that it was reasonably tidy as he followed her inside. Not that she cared. ‘Do sit down,’ she said politely, but he shut the door and stayed standing, hot accusation in his eyes.

‘You ran away!’

She nodded dumbly.

‘Why?’

‘Didn’t you get my note?’

‘Yes. It made no sense to me. Did our time together mean nothing to you? I came back from Naros to find you gone, and there was no answer from the phone I gave you. Did you lose it, Eleanor?’

‘No. I switched it off and bought a new one when I got home,’ she said quietly.

His face hardened. ‘To cut off all contact with me? Why?’

‘Because, as I said in my note, it was time to get back to
the real world and get on with my everyday life.’ She coloured as her eyes fell from the penetrating black glare. ‘I apologise. I deliberately gave you the wrong impression. I
am
a journalist, but not on a top London newspaper, Alex. I work on features in the
Chronicle
here in Pennington, and in between my travel articles I cover local events.’

‘I knew that,’ he said with scorn. ‘I looked you up when I investigated Ross McLean.’

Of course he had. Eleanor sat down, feeling utterly stupid. ‘Then now you can really see the difference between us. Your life revolves around Athens, London and even New York; whereas my trip to the Greek Islands was the most glamorous assignment I’d ever been given.’ She looked up at him, unable to bear the suspense any longer. ‘Have you come about the article?’

Alex sat beside her and took her hand. ‘It was excellent, but I told you that before you sent it off.’

She looked down at their clasped hands, feeling her pulse accelerate at the contact. ‘I didn’t mean that one. There was a piece about your parents in another paper.’

‘I have seen it.’

Eleanor raised her eyes in appeal. ‘I didn’t write it, Alex.’

‘I know that! I knew you would not break your word, Eleanor.’

She almost fell apart with relief. ‘Are you going to sue the paper?’

He smiled and raised her hand to kiss it. ‘I was recently informed by a certain journalist that this would not be possible if the facts were correct. And, in this instance, they are. My parents are getting married again.’

Eleanor stared at him, astonished. ‘Really? How do you feel about that?’

‘My mother is so happy about it, I can only rejoice for
her.’ His eyes glittered. ‘But I warned my father that if he hurts her again this time I will kill him.’

She grinned. ‘Am I allowed to ask about his reply?’

‘That is better,’ he said in approval.

‘What?’

‘At last—you smiled at me!’

Her smile widened. ‘Now tell me the rest!’

‘My father assured me that he would willingly allow me to kill him in such circumstances, but that it would never happen, because he will devote the rest of his life to making my mother happy.’ Alex shrugged. ‘That is fair, ne?’

‘I think it’s wonderful. I liked your father.’

‘He was most taken by you also, and called me all kinds of a fool for letting you get away.’ He glowered at her. ‘I was furious when I found my little bird had flown, Eleanor. My mood did not improve when my lady mother, who for some reason is convinced that I am madly in love with you, also called me certain names, of which “fool” is the most polite.’

‘Are you in love with me?’ demanded Eleanor.

He shook his head in disbelief. ‘You think I chase halfway round the world for some other reason?’

‘I thought you came to give me hell for breaking my word.’

‘I knew you did not.’

‘You trusted me?’

Alex gave her a wry smile. ‘Of course I did, but I confess that Stefan contacted that rag to learn the name of the reporter.’ His lips smothered the spluttering protest on hers with a kiss which took the fight out of her as he lifted her onto his lap without taking his mouth from hers, a move so familiar and spine-tingling she was lost.

‘And you are in love with me, Eleanor,’ he stated when he raised his head.

Her eyes flashed. ‘Shouldn’t that be a question?’

‘I was ordered to give you this,’ he said, ignoring her, and took an envelope from his pocket. ‘It is an invitation to the wedding, which is to be small and private. My mother says you may simply be an honoured guest if you prefer, but you have her permission to report on the occasion and take photographs for your
Chronicle
if you wish. Your Mr McLean will like that,
ne?
’

She smiled happily ‘He certainly will—but forget Ross. Which would you prefer, Alex?’

He gave her a quick, hard kiss. ‘It is your choice,
kardia mou.
See how kind I am? I demand a reward for such kindness.’

‘Oh, do you? What do you want?’

The dark eyes gleamed into hers. ‘You are tired. There are circles under those beautiful eyes.’

‘I haven’t slept much since I saw you last,’ she admitted, and got to her feet, suddenly conscious that her hair was drying anyhow around a flushed face minus any make-up, and her fleece dressing-gown had been chosen for warmth rather than allure. ‘As you can see, I wasn’t expecting company tonight.’

‘Since you are not dressed, I rejoice to hear it.’ Alex got up to take her in his arms. ‘I have not slept much either.’ His eyes lit with familiar heat. ‘I have a cure for this.’

Eleanor saw no point in coyness. ‘If the cure involves a bed, I just happen to have a large one in my room. If you share it with me, perhaps we shall both get some sleep.’

Alex hugged her close. ‘I can think of nothing I want more—except …’

‘Except?’

‘To make it clear that if we share a bed I will want more than sleep!’

She wriggled closer. ‘I was rather counting on that.’

Much later, after a reunion so passionate it left them
shaken and breathless in each other’s arms, Alex said very sternly. ‘Now we talk,
kyria.
’

‘What about?’ Eleanor asked dreamily.

‘The future. These lives of ours that you believe are too different to join together—to me, the solution is simple. My life involves much travelling. You enjoy this, so you travel with me. As my lover, my partner; perhaps one day I can even persuade you to be my wife.’

Right now, if he liked.
Every instinct urged her to say yes to anything he wanted, but Eleanor’s inner realist hauled on the brakes. ‘You’d have to convince me first.’

Alex smiled. ‘Tell me how and I will do it.’

She turned it over in her mind, ignoring the impatience of his tightening arms. ‘For the time being it’s only sensible to carry on with our lives as they are, but for you to come to see me at regular intervals, here in the real world, as opposed to the adventure we shared on Kyrkiros.’

‘If that is what you wish, I will do it, but not for long.’ He pulled her higher in his arms. ‘The only shadow on my parents’ happiness right now is regret for all the years they wasted apart. They urge me not to repeat their mistake.’

‘How about a year?’

He shook his head. ‘Six weeks.’

‘Six months.’

‘
Three
months—no longer.’ Alex put a stop to further haggling by kissing her. ‘Tomorrow we visit your parents,
ne
?’

‘I’m working tomorrow.’ And Jane Markham would need some notice before her daughter sprang Alexei Drakos on her. Eleanor bit her lip. ‘I should be working this weekend too, but I’ll try and sort something. When do you leave?’

‘I fly back on Monday, so tell McLean you need time off. Or I can tell him for you. We shall visit your parents on Saturday then drive down to Berkshire to mine on Sunday.’
Alex smiled down into her startled face. ‘This is how life will be,
glykia mou.
Does it change your mind about me?’

‘Nothing could do that!’

‘Then why in the name of Zeus are you making me wait so long?’

It was hard to think of a reason while Alex was kissing her again, but when he finally let her speak Eleanor told him the simple truth. ‘I need to wait because this is still unreal to me, Alexei Drakos.’

‘You need to be sure of your feelings before you commit yourself to me?’ he demanded, frowning.

She took in a deep breath. ‘No, Alex, I’m perfectly sure of my own feelings. I need to be sure of yours.’

His smile dazzled her. ‘I love you,
kardia mou.’
He stopped dead, the smile suddenly crooked.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I have never said those words to a woman before.’

She grinned, secretly exultant. ‘No wonder you looked so shocked.’ She looked at him quizzically as he raised his eyebrows. ‘Now what?’

‘I am waiting,’ he informed her.

‘For what?’ Though she knew.

‘Tell me,’ he commanded and pulled her hard against him. ‘I will not let you go until you do.’

‘Of course I love you, Alexei Drakos.’ Eleanor smiled through sudden tears. ‘But you can keep on holding me for a while, if you like.’

‘For the rest of my life,’ he assured her, kissed the tears away, then made her laugh by reaching for his phone. ‘First ring down to your friend Pat to assure him I have not harmed you. Then we call your parents, after which we call mine, because my father is anxious for a sign that all is well between us. And then …’ Alex paused, eyes glittering down into hers.

‘And then?’ she prompted, smiling radiantly.

‘Before I go back to holding you, which will only lead to other things, I need food,
glykia mou.
’ He grinned down at her. ‘You shall display your cooking talents to me.’

‘Ah, but what do I get in return?’

‘Anything your heart desires but, with you here in my arms like this, I hope it is what my heart desires also.’

She grinned back at him. ‘Or do you mean your body, Alexei Drakos?’

‘Heart, soul and body,’ he assured her. ‘For as long as we both shall live.’

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

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First published in Great Britain 2013
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.
Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Catherine George 2013

eISBN: 978-1-472-00155-9