When Christakos Meets His Match(21)

                And now she had a huge responsibility: Tante Josephine needed her support. She didn’t have the luxury of just thinking about herself. A small voice taunted her. But you could have had tonight. One night.

                Sidonie felt a lurch as she thought of how for one second she’d almost given in to Alexio and said yes when he’d asked if she would change her mind.

                The one thing that should have held her back was her aunt—but she had gone on her annual two-week holiday with a local charity group. Sidonie had encouraged her to go, knowing it would take her aunt’s mind off things while she sorted herself out in Dublin. For an exhilarating second Sidonie had remembered this and thought it might be possible...but she hadn’t seized the moment. Too afraid to throw caution to the wind and trust completely.

                And it was too late now anyway. She looked down and saw her hand clenched around his card. Her belly flipped. She had an image of him on his way into London to his important meeting. He would have forgotten about her already. An aberration. She’d missed her chance. Maybe she’d even dreamt him up?

                A hollow feeling made her ache inside. She turned around again and faced the door, steeling herself to go back into that throng. She would buy a seat on the next available flight and then she would find somewhere to stay—

                ‘Sidonie.’

                Her heart slammed to a stop and the blood rushed from her head to her feet. It couldn’t be.

                Sidonie forgot about the trolley and whirled around. Alexio was standing there, as gorgeous as she remembered. Not a dream. Shock mixed with relief and joy jumped in her belly.

                ‘What are you doing here? You were gone,’ she breathed, half afraid she was hallucinating.

                Alexio’s mouth tightened as if he didn’t like admitting it. ‘I doubled back...just in case.’

                Sidonie made a gesture behind her. ‘All the flights are full. A rugby match is on between England and Ireland. I can’t get home till the day after tomorrow at the earliest...’

                ‘So you’re stuck here at the airport? That’s unfortunate.’ His eyes were glinting with that dark humour again.

                Incredible joy was bubbling up inside Sidonie. He’d come back. For her. He hadn’t forgotten about her.

                She fought back the goofy grin threatening to erupt. ‘I was going to rebook my flight and then I was going to find somewhere to stay.’

                Alexio put one hand in the pocket of his trousers. His jacket hung open. He was stunning, blinding. Mesmerising.

                ‘I happen to have a very spacious apartment here in London. If you were to agree to accompany me to dinner this evening I’d let you stay. And then I’d make sure you got home at the earliest opportunity.’

                Warning bells went off in Sidonie’s head again but she ignored them. She was getting a second chance. She’d never thought she’d see this man again, because she would never have had the nerve to call him.

                She made a mental decision and took a step into the terrifying and exhilarating unknown.

                ‘I’ll accept your offer.’

                Something within her leapt to see his eyes flare and his cheeks darken with colour.

                She held up a hand. ‘On one condition.’

                ‘What?’ he bit out, clearly impatient now.