‘Then what were you thinking, Mrs Leonidas?’
Her heart turned over in her chest to hear him call her that. ‘I was thinking we could go home,’ she said, letting her hand drift a little lower.
‘Are there some more books you wish to read?’
She laughed. ‘You’re enjoying this.’
‘Having my wife demand I take time off work to make love to her? Yes. I think I actually am.’
‘Is that a “yes”?’
He looked at her long and hard, and she held her breath, wondering if he might be going to turn her down, despite the way the air was sparking with a mutual and consuming awareness.
‘I have to work,’ he said, gently easing her from his lap. At least she could hide the disappointment that was all over her face. ‘But I will see you tonight, Annie.’
He had been so terrifyingly tempted to turn his ordered life on its head and go home with his wife. Not after lunch, either, but then and there. To toss a few hundred euros down on the table, throw her over one shoulder and storm his way to the waiting car. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if they’d have made it home. Once in the confines of the back seat, he’d have probably wanted to sink right into her.
If he was honest with himself, he’d thought of little else since that morning on the beach, which was why he’d spent almost every waking minute hiding out in his office, avoiding her. Because if he couldn’t see her, he couldn’t reach for her, and beg her to come to bed with him.
It was just the same as always. Annie had a power over Theo that he refused to allow to take hold. Not again. Not even when she’d revealed such heartbreaking details about her life, explaining something he’d never quite understood: why herparents had such a hold over her. Why she’d simply agreed to break up with him, and let that be the end of it.
Then, talking about his past had only served to stir up the feelings that were the root cause of his approach to life. Every day had been loaded with danger and risk, uncertainty and insecurity. He hadn’t known if he would find food, be in a fight, end up in jail—it had been a constant gamble. He’d needed to use all his wits to stay alive, and as much as he’d worked as part of a team led by Simon, he’d still retained his independence and autonomy, refusing to grow close to the other children, refusing to be comforted by their presence.
It really was only Annie who’d ever made him weak there, who’d drawn him in, made him think—for a brief year—that maybe life could be different after all.
And yes, he wanted her physically—and he would have her again, he accepted—but it wouldn’t be because she asked and he came running. It would be on his terms. It had to be—it was the only way he’d make it out of this marriage unscathed. He had to call the shots, to know that he was part of their strange, transactional ‘team’, but that he was just as autonomous and independent as he ever had been. And most importantly, he could never forget who she was, who her father was, and how they viewed him. Nothing there would ever change.
Chapter Ten
ANNIE HAD NOidea what to expect. Theo had politely turned down her invitation, and she’d been smarting ever since, though she’d done her best to hide that for the rest of their lunch. The spirit of closeness was broken, though. They’d stuck to small talk, inconsequential and bland, and Annie had come homealone. Frustrated and alone.
So much for her little black dress working some kind of magic.
She’d done a workout in Theo’s gym, gone for a swim, contemplated cooking something special for dinner but decided that was pointless when she’d probably end up eating alone, again. At some time around five, her father’s housekeeper had texted to remind her that Elliot’s birthday party was the following weekend. Annie might have been offended by the insinuation that she could forget, except it had actually completely slipped her mind, in the hubbub of her marriage.
She’d texted back that she’d be there, but when the housekeeper had asked about Theo, she’d immediately written back in the negative.
Theo hated her father—no way would she bring him to a birthday party in his honour. There was no need to poke that particular bear.
She was just contemplating another swim, when she heard the front door open, and every single cell in her body began to reverberate with anticipation. She moved on autopilot towards the lobby, so she saw the moment Theo stepped through the door, his eyes immediately landing on her.
Annie’s lips were parted with surprise, her eyes widened, because after his rejection that afternoon, she’d presumed he’d stick to his usual routine of working until almost midnight.
‘Does the offer still stand?’ he asked, cutting out any need for small talk, any pretense that they both didn’t know why he’d come home.
Her mouth went dry but she nodded quickly, then swallowed. ‘Take me to bed, Theo. Please.’
His lips curled in something like genuine amusement and her heart slammed into her ribs. ‘Princess, you are going to be begging me at the top of your lungs in a few minutes.’
‘We’ll see,’ she replied impishly, so Theo surprised her by laughing, and stalked the rest of the way between them, before scooping Annie up in his arms and carrying her towards their bedroom, shouldering in the door then placing her on her feet.
‘I’m disappointed you’re not still wearing that goddamn dress,’ he muttered.
She bit into her lip. ‘I have to say, disappointment is not the response I was aiming for.’
He grinned. ‘Wrong choice of word. I should have said, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how hot you looked in that thing.’
Pleasure spun through her. ‘I can put it on again.’