‘Say it, Roula.’
‘Okay,’ she took a breath. ‘I do have a concern.’ Although she truly did not know how to share her troubles. ‘Us,’ she admitted.
‘Us?’ He turned and looked at her.
‘I know there’s not supposed to be an “us”, and I know I really am the worst catch-up girl, but I just thought...’
‘What?’
‘That I wanted sex—and I did. But...’ She blew out a breath. ‘You’re right...we were just getting good.’
‘Yes.’
She screwed her eyes closed. ‘And it’s just...’
‘What?’
‘I have feelings for you.’
‘I have feelings for you too.’
‘I have alotof feelings for you, Galen,’ Roula said.
‘How many are we talking?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘Quite a lot.’
‘Roula,’ he said, ‘I’m going to get coffee and some pastries.’
Not the reaction she’d hoped for!
He was gone for ages and she lay there, the neediest catch-up girl in the world. But if she couldn’t tell him she was crazy about him on her last full day in Athens, then when? And not just head over heels in love with him, Roula thought, biting the skin around her thumb, but very possibly pregnant too!
She didn’t know what to do. Truly. So she wrapped the sheet around her and went into the kitchen to get a drink of water, grateful for a quiet stomach, and for the fact that she wasn’t head-down in the loo this morning.
His kitchen was gleaming, a chef’s dream, and entirely wasted on Galen, who probably didn’t even know how to turn on the kettle.
She was going to cry, Roula knew, so she clenched her fists and looked up—and then caught her breath when she saw the ceiling...not so perfect after all.
‘Shocking, isn’t it?’
She turned as Galen came in and looked up at the sooty ceiling and wall and the terrible scorch marks.
‘When did this fire happen?’ Roula asked.
‘Ten...twelve years ago.’ Galen shrugged. ‘When I first moved in.’
‘And you haven’t had it repainted?’
‘Why would I?’ he said. ‘It’s just another designer kitchen without it.’ He grinned and looked up. ‘You can almost see Costa’s panic, knowing I was on the plane on my way back. It happened. I like it.’
He held up a paper bag that looked full of greasy goodies and a tray with two cups.
‘Breakfast in bed.’
Roula wandered back into the bedroom and climbed onto the bed, feeling a bit sick now—but with nerves.
‘Coffee?’ he said.