He took off his clothes, slipping under the covers. Arianna returned in an oversized pair of striped pyjamas, which somehow failed to obscure her lithe frame and the way she moved. And then they were together. Separated by layers of bedclothes, but together in ways that really mattered.
‘I’m not sure that anyone could have a nightmare here.’ He put his arm around her and she snuggled against him.
‘I don’t think so either.’ She smiled up at him. ‘Maybe that’s the trick of it. If you dare the nightmares to come, then they don’t. It’s falling asleep dreading them that lets them in.’
‘I don’t know. Do you dare them?’ Ben wondered if she would. It seemed to him to be a step forward from fearing them.
‘Yes. I dare them. They can’t get me here.’
He hoped not, with all his heart. Ben held her, listening to the sound of the sea, until she drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Arianna had slept soundly until dawn. Ben had carefully disentangled her from his arms, and slipped out of bed to get dressed and make coffee for her. As he brought the mugs out of the kitchen, he saw her stir.
She sat up and stretched. Ben managed to negotiate the muslin curtains without spilling the coffee and she took one of the mugs from him.
‘Thank you. This is really nice.’
It was. He sat down on the bed, stretching his legs out in front of him, and Arianna caught up a pillow with her free hand, putting it behind his back. It was like the lazy intimacy that came after a night of passion, only spiced with the sharp tang of unrequited desire. But Ben had told himself that he wasn’t going to think about that...
‘How did you sleep?’
‘Like a baby.’ She took a sip of her coffee and Ben chuckled.
‘You mean waking up at three-hour intervals, wanting to be fed?’
She wrinkled her nose. ‘Like a five-year-old, then. You know, when Jonas just keels over and goes to sleep when he’s tired.’
‘Funny, I don’t recall you kicking me in the night. Or waking up with your elbow in my ribs.’ Ben wouldn’t have minded any part of her coming into contact with any part of him. Having her close, knowing that she was safe in his arms, had helped him to sleep and he’d woken in the cool breeze of the morning feeling rested and refreshed.
‘Would you like to take my car this morning? You could bring Jonas down to play on the beach, before you come to meet me at the health centre. He might like to stop off and make a few refinements to his water cascade.’ She pointed towards the arrangement of beakers and water conduits that still occupied one corner of the veranda.
‘Yes, I think he probably would. You’re sure you don’t need it?’ This really ought to feel odd, and yet it was somehow perfectly natural. Drinking coffee together and discussing their day. Working out who was going to take the car...
‘No. It’s a lovely morning and I think I’ll walk down to the health centre. I could do with the exercise.’
CHAPTER NINE
WHEN BEN ARRIVED at the health centre, Andreas and Eleni were waiting for them. Andreas presented Jonas with his very own fishing line, and the three of them left, Jonas chattering excitedly.
‘He’ll be all right with them.’ Arianna seemed keen to reassure him.
‘He’s fine. He’s been looking forward to this all morning.’
Ben ought to feel more guilty about this than he did. He’d always made sure that his holidays and weekends were set aside as time spent with Jonas, but he had to admit that the boy was really enjoying this holiday. He was safe, and loving the attention from both Arianna and the community in the village.
Maybe he was just a little sensitive about it because every moment with Arianna was so precious, and he had to keep reminding himself that he was taking nothing away from his son. He followed Arianna to the car, deciding that perhaps he was overthinking things.
The manager met them in the reception area of the hotel, leading them out past the pool and to a cluster of small guest houses, nestled in the shade of large trees.
‘We have another two children that the parents are concerned about. I’ve isolated them and checked everyone now, and there are only a few of our senior guests who have not been vaccinated.’
‘You asked if they had measles when they were children?’ Arianna was walking beside him, an intent expression on her face, and Ben guessed she wasn’t much looking forward to this next patient consultation.
‘They all said they did.’
Arianna nodded. ‘In that case they’re most likely to be immune. Thanks for doing all that; you seem to have things well under control.’