Even when he had still been a stranger, it was as if he had been able to read her mind.
But now…
Ioniko grunted in surprise when he suddenly felt Schuyler wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. She had never touched him first before this, and he switched the induction stove off right away and lowered the pan back on the stove. “Schuyler?” He tried to turn around, but when her arms suddenly tightened, he went completely still. “What’s wrong?”
“I think…” Schuyler swallowed hard. “I think I can give you the words soon.”
Ah. He looked down at her hands, clasped over his waist, and Ioniko slowly covered them with his. “You do not feel pressured or forced to say them?”
She shook her head and fought back tears. Oh, Nik. He used to be so, so good at reading her. Second-guessing her. He used to know her. So why was he saying the most obvious lies? Why was he making it seem that she was the one feeling pressured and forced to say the words…when those words were what he wanted to say?
He was the one who felt pressured. The one who felt forced. The one who had heard her say she loved him and had said and done nothing.
“Tonight,” Ioniko heard himself say. That there was still a large part of him that questioned the nature of his feelings for her no longer mattered. He had made her believe he loved her, and she had loved him in return.
That had to be enough, he told himself, and Ioniko strove to put aside all disturbing thoughts as he gently disentangled her arms in order to face her. “When we’re alone again, and the world is quiet, and your voice will be the only thing I’ll hear, you can give me the words then.”
A glance at his watch told Ioniko that it was already a few minutes past one, and he took his phone out to text Schuyler and make sure that she and Sara already had their lunch. While there were times that both women seemed to love food more than life itself, there were also instances when the two were too caught up with work that they even forgot to breathe.
Schuyler: Yup, done with lunch. Sara’s still with me, working. You?
Ioniko: On my way to a meeting. Text me when you’re done with work. I’ll pick you up.
Schuyler: We’ll see. Now go make another billion. XOXO
Ioniko couldn’t keep his lips from twitching at the way Schuyler had ended her text. He was willing to bet that not even her best friend would’ve guessed she was the type to send virtual hugs and kisses to her fiancé, and it felt extremely good, knowing that this side of hers was only his to enjoy.
And for it to stay that way…
His jaw clenched as his limousine rolled to a stop in front of a sports complex. Not exactly the kind of venue one would envision, meeting the man who had won Mairi away from him. Running down the steps leading to the underground basketball court, he was further disconcerted to find Damen Leventis buying what appeared a yogurt drink from the vendo machine.
“I see your tastes have drastically changed, Leventis.”
“It’s for my daughter, asshole.” But the other Greek billionaire was sporting a genial-looking grin as he turned around to shake Ioniko’s hand.
“Are you planning to shoot hoops in that?” Ioniko couldn’t help asking.
Damen rolled his eyes. “Contrary to what you seem to believe, marriage does not lessen one’s IQ.” He gestured towards the dugout, saying dryly, “I’m on babysitting duty. Mairi’s in New York for a friend’s bachelorette.”
“Ladies only?” Ioniko guessed. The grimace briefly crossed the billionaire’s handsome features was answer enough, and he chuckled.
Upon reaching the court, Ioniko immediately spotted his goddaughter standing in line with several other young girls, and all of them sporting matching basketball jerseys that bore the clubhouse logo.
“It’s Nala’s favorite sport,” Damen explained.
“How good is she?”
“She’s not good at it at all.” Damen’s tone was affable. “She’s adorably clumsy like her mother, but she likes it, so here we are.” He subjected his friend to a critical look. “And now that we’re done with the small talk…” The other man’s face became inscrutable but Damen wasn’t put off. “Your call this earlier made this meeting sound urgent.”
“It is.”
Damen raised a brow. “So?”
“What if I tell you I ended up liking someone because she unconsciously reminded me of your wife?”
“I’ll call 911,” Damen answered without hesitation, “and have you behind bars for being a sexual psycopath.”
“I’m fucking serious.”
“And you think I’m not?” Damen asked evenly. “Give me the real picture here, Vlahos. It’s been years, for God’s sake.”
“I know.”
“And you never gave any indication…”
“That’s why I said it was something I might have done unconsciously,” Ioniko bit out.
Might have done unconsciously? Damen’s gaze narrowed. While he and Ioniko would always have some sort of rivalry going on between them, he had come to regard the younger man as a friend, and one he had gotten to know pretty well over the years.