picked up her sandals. ‘Don’t be long. I’m hungry.’
Isobel had felt no enthusiasm for dining alone, but with Luke for such unexpected company she did full justice to the celebration meal Eleni and Spiro took such pleasure in serving them, both of them blazingly happy now that the man they loved like a son had faced down his enemies and returned to them safely.
At intervals Luke left the table to answer the phone to well wishers who had seen the news, among them Alyssa Nicolaides, who apologised for disturbing him but had been instructed to convey her parents’ relief, along with hers, that he had survived yet another dangerous encounter unscathed.
‘The gods must be watching over you, Lukas mou. Give my love to Isobel,’ Alyssa added sweetly as she said goodbye.
‘That was Alyssa,’ said Luke as he resumed his place at the table. ‘She sent you her love. I shall leave all other calls to the machine. If there is anything urgent from Andres he will use my private line.’ He yawned hugely. ‘Forgive me, Isobel, I had very little sleep last night.’
‘I’m not surprised.’ She abandoned the pomegranate she’d been toying with. ‘Do you want to go to bed?’
Luke jumped up to pull out her chair. ‘Zeus, yes, I do. I will tell Spiro he can lock up.’
‘Thank Eleni for a wonderful dinner, Luke, but don’t be long,’ said Isobel, then flushed hectically at the look her gave her.
As Luke strode off towards the kitchen Isobel slipped off the sandals and began her usual careful ascent of the stairs but, before she was even halfway up, he caught up with her and carried her the rest of the way and along the landing to her room. Once inside, he kicked the door shut and laid her on the bed, then cast himself down beside her and took her in his arms, his face buried against her neck.
‘Last night,’ he said, his breath hot against her skin, ‘I thought of this when I was watching that alley, waiting to seize the man who had kidnapped you.’
‘I thought of it every minute of the day,’ she admitted huskily. ‘Then you rang me to say you were safe, and I could breathe again.’
Luke raised his head to look in her eyes. ‘You cared that much?’
‘Yes.’ She wriggled closer. ‘Now tell me about it again. Was it a shock to learn the Karras sisters were behind the vendetta?’
‘No. After their behaviour towards me at Melina’s funeral it was no surprise at all.’ Luke kissed her with sudden heat. ‘Now forget them, agapi mou, and concentrate on me.’
Isobel woke alone the next morning and had showered and dressed before Luke came to find her.
‘Kalimera,’ he said, taking her in his arms.
‘Good morning.’ She smiled up at him. ‘How are you today?’
‘Now there is no longer danger to you, I feel as though a great weight has rolled from my shoulders, Isobel. I also feel hungry,’ he added, and kissed her. ‘For breakfast also, you understand. And while we eat you shall tell me what you would like to do today.’
They had reached the coffee stage when Isobel made her request. ‘I’d love a swim.’ She laid a hand on his, smiling at him cajolingly. ‘You’re here now, so you can hardly refuse me a second time.’
Luke raised the hand to his lips. ‘Of course you can swim. Milos is not here today so this is a good time.’
Isobel eyed him narrowly. ‘Is Milos the reason why you wouldn’t let me use the pool before?’
‘Yes,’ he said bluntly. ‘I had seen what you wear to swim, remember.’
‘My bikini is perfectly respectable,’ she retorted.
He snorted. ‘When I first saw you on my beach I thought you were naked.’
‘Only because the bikini’s pink—at least it was. ’She made a face. ‘Not that I’ll ever wear it again.’
After breakfast they went upstairs together, Luke’s arm in support after an argument about carrying her.
‘Give me ten minutes,’ she said at her bedroom door, then hurried to change into a sleek gentian-blue swimsuit; her only alternative to the bikini. Isobel eyed the various bruises which had now matured into multicoloured glory, then shrugged philosophically. Luke had seen them all before. She put a filmy tunic on top, collected a bath towel and opened the door to Luke. ‘That was a lot less than ten minutes.’
‘Why waste time apart?’ said Luke and bent to pick her up, but Isobel shook her head.
‘If you just hold my hand I’ll manage the stairs