Page 132 of Love Among the Ruins
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
DOMINIC
Eleni seemed more nervous than he’d expected her to be, and it surprised him.
This environment wasn’t new to her. She’d worked on the yachts and at parties of the wealthy.
With her beauty, and sassy attitude, he’d expected her to deal with this just fine, so when her discomfort was palpable, it threw him for a loop. Wanting to put her at ease, he’d done his best, taking her hand, reassuring her, trying to say the right things—but he wasn’t sure it had worked.
But something else was happening, for him at least. Taking her hand did something to him. It wasn’t only her soft skin, or her small hand that fit so well inside his big one. It was more than that; complicated in a million different ways it didn’t need to be, because of who he was.
He’d caught Galatis staring in his direction, the old man’s sad dog eyes flitting between him and Eleni. It had been the reason why Dominic had leaned closer to Eleni and put on a show of affection for the man to witness.
True to form, the old hulking beast of a man was slowly making his way towards them.
“Dominic,” the old man greeted him warmly.
“Good to see you, Hector.” They shook hands, and by his side, Dominic could feel Eleni’s nervousness. The old man’s gaze fastened on Eleni, his eyes slowly taking in her face, inch by inch. “Who is this delightful young lady?”
“This is Eleni.” He didn’t saywhoshe was.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Hector introduced his wife, whose hand Eleni shook gently. She complimented Eleni on her dress, and Eleni warmed to her instantly.
Hector was all smiles and softness around his wife. A different man altogether. Dominic was reminded of Hector’s words about what had motivated him to be successful, of how he had done it all for his family.
He squeezed Eleni’s hand even more firmly, willing to speak up for her and the workplace romance, should the need arise.
“Shall we take our seats?” Hector’s wife asked him.
“We will speak later, Dominic.” With that the old man and his wife left them, leaving Dominic to lead Eleni to one of the seats a few rows back from the front. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”
“He didn’t recognize me.” She let out a breath.
“I wouldn’t have cared even if he had.” He motioned for Eleni to take a seat first. She seemed nervous again as she looked around surveying the crowd.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his mouth near her ear. A flowery, clean scent wafted over him.
“You keep asking me that.”
“I want to keep making sure that you’re okay.”
“I’d tell you if I wasn’t,” she whispered back.
“Would you though?” He raised an eyebrow, doubting that she would.
She smiled in response, and he was undone, thinking of her in a way that was guaranteed to bring trouble.
A few moments later Demi walked past on the arm of her father—a man who had been bitterly disappointed when he and Demi had broken up—but it wasn’t Demi he was looking at.
Eleni smoothed down her skirt, placing her clutch over it, her hand going to her hair slide and adjusting it. He observed her in awe, wanted to put his hand on her to reassure her, but he could not move and was content to sit and take in all of her while she was unaware.
The way she’d done her hair suited her and showed off her long neck and perfect little nose. Her eyes, large and brown, wide like a doe’s, with lashes extra thick and long today, and a thin satiny line of eye pencil on the upper lids. Her lips, full, cherry red and glossy.
He knew all this in detail because he couldn’t stop looking at her. With her cheekbones high and sculpted, her skin smooth and velvety, he could only imagine his lips skirting across that skin.
A shiver rolled over him.
Jesus. No boner in here. Please.
