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She spun away from him, lifting a hand to her heart as she walked towards the windows and stared down at the city. Stars filled her eyes as her heart burst.
“I know it’s six weeks too late,” he muttered. “I know I probably ruined everything in Greece. I was so stupid,panemorfi,so unforgivably stupid. The truth is, you became a part of me, and you always will be. The question I have is whether I’m still a part of you. Whether you want me to stay, or go.” He paused. “I’ll do whatever you wish.”
She spun slowly, eyeing him from across the room. All her hopes and dreams collided with her hurt and sadness, so she pulled on her lower lip, staring at him for several seconds. She knew how she felt, but she couldn’t resist the chance to make him sweat, just the smallest amount.
“So if I ask you to leave,” she prompted, eyeing him cautiously.
“I’ll go. My heart will always be yours, but I won’t stay in your life. I understand that I hurt you, badly. I know you might choose never to let me hurt you again.”
“I don’t want to be hurt,” she whispered agreement, gripping the windowsill behind her. “But I don’t want to live without you either.”
He stared at her, trying to understand what she meant.
“I’ve tried that. It’s not for me.”
He made a dark, guttural noise. “Are you saying—,”
She didn’t help him out. She waited for him to find words. Even then, needing just that last little bit of reassurance.
“Are you saying you’re in?” He asked, quickly crossing the room but stopping just short of her.
“In what?”
“This life, with me. Side by side, for always and ever.”
Her heart skipped a beat and then, she was nodding. “Yes, I rather think I am.”
The last words were muffled, swallowed by his kiss as he drew her into his arms and mashed his mouth to hers, pouring all of his love, need and regret into that kiss, all of his promises for their future into their embrace, so she knew, without even a hint of doubt, that this was exactly as they were meant to be, both of them, together, always and forever.
* * *
Mila’s headwas spinning as she pushed into their luxurious penthouse, eyes skimming the room for Leonidas on autopilot. They’d been in Athens for the last month, since the Internationals. Mila was taking the first holiday of her career, a chance to evaluate what she wanted her next step to be, a chance to exist, side by side, with the love of her life.
“Are you here?”
“On the balcony,” he called, so she made her way out there, moving through the sliding glass doors, the panoramic view of Athens one of which she’d never tire. But her eyes shifted quickly from the azure blue sky and ancient buildings to the man in the middle of a haze of red rose petals, an ice bucket of champagne at his side. He wore a suit, no jacket, and no shoes or socks, so her heart gave a strange little twist at the sight of him like that, so devilishly handsome, so sophisticated and imposing and also so very accessible and…hers.
“What’s all this?” She asked, smiling as she moved towards him.
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Mission accomplished. Are we celebrating our one month anniversary?” She teased, moving towards him as though she were floating.
“One month? Is that all it’s been?”
“Gee, thanks a lot. Time flies when you’re having fun, huh?”
He laughed. “That’s not what I meant. Rather, it feels as though I have known you all my life.”
The laughter died in her throat. “I feel the same way.”
And then, he knelt before her, in the midst of the petals, reaching into his shirt pocket and removing a small black velvet box. “I know this is soon, but I can’t see any point in waiting. I love you. With all that I am, every fibre of my being. You are my heart, my soul, my destiny, my always, my reason for being. Every single moment of every single day I consider myself lucky to have met you. Will you marry me, little thief?”
Her heart hammered so hard against her ribs she wondered if they might splinter, and she stared first at him and then the ring, without really seeing it, then back at Leonidas.
“I know this is soon,” he repeated, when she didn’t speak. “If you’re not ready, I’ll understand.”
Still, she was silent.
