Page 89 of Love Among the Ruins
At least he’d saved her from making a fool of herself. But had she detected a hint of evasiveness? He didn’t seem to want to tell her when he’d come back.
Why did it matter?
She groaned loudly, hating this.
Itdidmatter.
She was consumed by the need to know, and not in a good way.
Something had changed. For her, at least. Something about Dominic and the way she saw him.
Which was why she could not stay here another night. She decided to take a shower, clean up the bedroom, have some breakfast and then get a taxi back to her hotel.
Slowly and carefully, after taking a couple of pills, she was able to spring into action. After her shower, she managed to hobble to the kitchen, make herself a bowl of cereal and pour a cup of coffee. She enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, taking longer than normal because she didn’t want to leave, and because this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, having a sleepover at a billionaire’s place. She couldn’t wait to tell Stefanos about it, long after she’d left the company. He would ask her too many questions. He would worry too much.
And nothing had happened, or was going to happen, but Stefanos wouldn’t believe her anyway.
She stacked the dishwasher, then got her belongings together, packing the T-shirt Dominic had lent so that she could wash and return it to him. She put her sandals in there, because the flip-flops were so comfortable and she couldn’t wear anything else.
As she searched on her phone for the number of a local taxi company, the sound of a car made her look up.
Dominic?
What was he doing home so soon?
She hadn’t even made her getaway. Why had she taken her sweet time having breakfast?
She peered through the windows and saw a black SUV.
It was a different car. She worried about what had happened to the Merc, and worried even more that he had come home. She wished she’d left earlier because Dominic wouldn’t let her leave now.
She snuck another peak through the windows and saw the car door open. A man got out, but there was something different about him. He looked similar to Dominic at first glance, but the way he moved was different, more of a cocky swagger, where Dominic’s gait was more purposeful. This man’s hair was different, too, lighter, more blond.
And then it hit her like a bolt of lightning, straight through her chest.
He wasn’t Dominic.
Alexander?
She jolted away from the window, then couldn’t resist another peek. He was pacing around talking to someone on the phone.
This. Was. Alexander.
Óh Theé mou.
She couldn’t be seen here. This man was opinionated, and uptight and mean, a hundred times more than Dominic had ever been, judging by the way Dominic had described him. She looked around for a place to hide, the house was big enough for her to.
But the sound of voices outside the door made her freeze. She stood frozen in the large living room, and wished she’d woken up earlier so that she wouldn’t be in this mess.
It was too late to hide, and too late to leave.
She was stuck.
She rushed into the utility room and set her bag in there, then looked around in panic.
Dominic’s judgmental older brother couldn’t see her. Not like this. He wouldn’t believe her excuse of a sprained ankle, or that Dominic was being kind to her by letting her stay the night.
No, Dominic’s older brother would have a thing or two to say about her, a temporary employee, being here overnight. He’d presume the very worst and think she and Dominic were having a summer fling. Then he’d relay everything back to their father. She couldn’t let that happen to Dominic.
