Perhaps some sixth sense alerted Dimitrios to her presence, because at that exact moment he lifted his gaze and pinpointed her immediately, his eyes latching on to hers.
‘You won’t have to worry about that.’ His lips curved in a small smile; she found herself returning it. ‘You’re going to be stuck with your mummy and me for a very long time.’
She moved a step backward, into the hallway, tears stinging her eyes. He’d said that he didn’t want to hear about their son from her. He wanted to get to know Max all on his own. She was watching that happen and it was an act of beauty and magic.
‘Now.’ She heard the natural authority in Dimitrios’s voice, even when it was softened by affection. ‘It’s far later than I realised. You must get to sleep, Max.’
Right on cue, Max yawned. ‘Okay, Dimitrios.’
Her heart twisted. Soon, that would change to Daddy.
At the door, Dimitrios emerged, his eyes finding Annie’s. But Max called out, ‘Wait! You forgot to tell me about the one on your chin.’
Annie watched as Dimitrios lifted a finger and pressed it to a small scar that ran along the ridge of his jaw line. It wasn’t a new scar; she remembered it from the night they’d... She couldn’t think of that. Her body was still tingling from the kisses and touches they’d shared earlier today.
‘Remind me at breakfast.’
‘What will we eat?’
Dimitrios’s smile flicked towards Annie, warming her belly. ‘What would you like?’
‘Pancakes?’
Dimitrios laughed, the sound reaching inside Annie and setting something free.
‘How about eggs?’ he suggested instead.
Max paused. ‘Okay, I guess so.’
Annie was impressed. It would have been easy for him to agree to Max’s request for pancakes, but Dimitrios had instinctively known not to indulge Max’s every whim, especially not with junk food.
By silent agreement, they moved further down the corridor before speaking. ‘You’re great with kids,’ she said honestly, lifting her face towards his as they walked.
‘I have good friends who have children. I’ve spent some time with them.’
It was a curious thing to contemplate—his life now, what it looked like. They’d known each other years ago. Dimitrios had been twenty-four the last time they’d slept together, and his lifestyle had probably been quite typical for someone his age. Now, in his early thirties, what did his social life look like?
‘That surprises you?’
She smiled wistfully. ‘I guess I had imagined you still going on as you were then. You know, partying and all that. But it’s been seven years.’
He stopped walking, his brow furrowed as he looked down at her. ‘That was never really my scene, Annabelle. Zach, yes, but for me I generally used to go for a drink then head home to work.’
She lifted her shoulders, indicating it didn’t really matter, but in contradiction to that heard herself ask, ‘Is that really true?’
‘Why would I lie to you?’
‘You wouldn’t,’ she said instantly. ‘It’s just the papers...’
‘Yes, I know. Zach and I are tabloid fodder.’
‘As am I now, apparently.’ She chewed on her lower lip, thinking of the mortifying article that had run the day before. She stopped walking, lifting a hand to his arm to stop him. ‘That’s why you took me shopping this morning, isn’t it? Because of that piece about me being dowdy and unsophisticated?’
A muscle jerked in his jaw and he looked as though he was quite capable of strangling a bear with his bare hands. ‘I didn’t know you’d seen it.’
‘Yeah, a friend emailed it to me.’
He was studying her thoughtfully, his eyes roaming her face. ‘You’re not upset?’