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CHAPTER ONE
‘YOU SHOULD BE resting, not worrying aboutto keep his concern inaudible He’d lived with his grandfather since he was ten and this was the first time in the last twenty years the oldthis rule wasn’t just unsettling, it was unsafe ‘You’ve just coh a major operation—’
‘And that’s given me the opportunity to think It’s time, Theodoros Your birthday is only a feeeks away’
The lights above Theo flickered, signalling it was tiuests to take their seats, but he couldn’t end this call without steering Dimitri back to unconcerned calm
‘Are you suggesting I’ to defuse his grandfather’s escalating anxiety Except anxiety was infectious and the vibes co Theo’s own muscles tense That was in addition to the latent strain of the actual topic ‘There’s plenty of time—’
‘At this rate I’ll never randchildren—’
‘You’re not about to die,’ Theo interrupted He’d ensured Dimitri had been seen by the best specialists and they’d insisted that with quality rest Dimitri should recover well ‘You’ve years left in you’
‘I’m serious You need to settle down’
‘And I will,’ Theo reassured him softly and rolled his shoulders
He ached to resist Dimitri’s attempt to add yet another burden of responsibility, yet he couldn’t brush him off
Distantly he watched the ushers guide the last arriving theatregoers towards the doors He needed toto make it in there He stepped forward but a ind of a wo him off The tall, slender tornado didn’t stop to say sorry, indeed she didn’t even see hi into her She just kept searching her cavernous handbag while racing towards the usher
‘How about Eleni Doukas? She’s beautiful’
Theo inwardly shuddered Was Di a woman for him?
‘Don’t you like very beautiful women?’ Dimitri added
Theo bit back a gri only one of their attractions But most woive
‘Or Angelica’ His grandfather offered another contender for his consideration ‘She would be suitable You’ve not seen her in years’
Theo had reasons for that Ironically they were the exact reasons his grandfather would probably welcoelica had e and produce four children while turning a blind eye to extra-marital affairs But Theo would never be unfaithful and he’d never accept infidelity from his wife either He knew too well the blisters, welts and scars that such affairs inflicted The fact was that while Angelica had offered herself as the ultieht to accept, and while it was certainly what those in his milieu expected hiement at all appalled him
But Dimitri didn’t need to know that
‘It has been a while’ Theoin order to soothe
His gaze locked on the scene unfolding outside the theatre door The blind-haste brunette was still ru Unlike own Instead black slis He focused on her feet and saw black flats—so, unaided by towering heels, that striking height was all her own? Interest rippled through hi relief on a hot surey blouse was buttoned to the neck The dull coure, other than that she was slende
r But it was her expression that pushed him closer
She was still searching through her bag while casting desperate glances at the un endlessly in a hushed, frantic whisper Was she trying to buy tiood job because she tugged solihtness and her cheeks paled as the doors further along from hers were shut
‘If not Angelica—’
‘Arrange it,’ Theo decisively interrupted Diht of soive Di to look forward to
He walked towards the pair standing at the last open door to the theatre The wo Any more loss of blood and she’d faint The honest entreaty in her expression lanced through hi Mortified
‘Introduce randfather
‘You’re serious?’ Dimitri wheezed
‘Yes’ Theo sighed, serious aboutany ‘You’re tired and worrying’ And the oldbedridden At the very least this would give hi satisfactory to think about for the rest of the evening ‘Make the arrangements’
If it would settle the oldpolite to houseguests The nurse had warned his grandfatherlow—apparently it soery Theo would do al to lift his spirits
‘I’ so I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon,’ he said ‘We’ll talk more about it then, I promise I need to work now’
‘Good, Theodoros,’ his grandfather muttered huskily ‘Thank you’
Theo paused, an arrow of disco him Usually Dimitri was all steel—unble heat of business, but today, in revealing his wishes for Theo to find a wife? Di bell, re hirandfather didn’t need to thank hi
‘It’s all right’ He cleared his own husky throat ‘Sleep well’
He ended the call and walked the last few paces of the foyer As the iven the best seat in the house Which, if he wasn’t mistaken, he’d just forfeited because the usher had closed the door with brutal finality
If he’d walked a little faster, he ht’ve made it but he was still distracted by that trouble in the form of a tall brunette And he badly needed a moment of distraction
‘I’m so sorry’ She pleaded with the usher as she swept back behind her ear a tendril that had loosened fro down her back Her eyes were very large and very worried and she desperately ransacked her bag yet again ‘I had it, I promise I had it—’
‘I’m sorry, ma’am’ The usher stood, an impenetrable force, in front of the shut door ‘But without your ticket’
Leggy Brunette’s slender shoulders slumped ‘Yes, of course It’s just thatit was in here’ She searched her trouser pockets, then glanced around the floor as if somehow her ticket would materialise ‘I promise I had it’
‘Unfortunately it’s too late’ The usher brusquely ended the conversation
Hunching as if to hide, Leggy Brunette turned away, the curve of her pretty
‘Problem?’ Theo stepped sideways, into her path
She glanced up at him absently, then stopped dead Her eyes widened and her second glance turned into a shocked stare Theo happily stared back