‘Gosh, this is like the walk we did in Athens,’ Becky remarked, her sandals slipping a little on the shiny well-worn stones.
‘It is a little like that,’ Elias agreed. ‘Houses on the edge of the pathway, passing almost through people’s back gardens, a small track leading up to the top.’
‘I would never have found this on my own,’ Becky told him.
‘This is one of the most notable ruins on the Ionian islands. It is from the Byzantine period, built to help defend Corfu,’ Elias explained. ‘When we reach the top, you will see the views they had to enable them to see potential invaders.’
‘We are safe now though?’ Becky asked, finally able to stand next to him, a little out of breath.
‘Well,’ Elias said, ‘you will be pleased to know this stretch of water is patrolled by the Greek navy and there is a modern look-out tower not far from here.’
‘Gosh, really? I was only joking. I presumed the only water traffic would be cruise liners. Actually, if Hazel was on board, Corfu ought to be a little afraid. Particularly the men of a certain age.’
‘There’s nothing to be afraid of up here. Only the wildlife. Maybe a few tortoises if we are lucky, or a pine marten in the trees.’
‘I have no idea what that is.’
‘It looks like a fox and a squirrel have mated and then the head of a small bear has been added.’
‘Oh, God, I know exactly what you mean now. Petra and I had one in the house. We called it “bear-thing”.’
Elias laughed. ‘It was in the house?’
‘With cats… and owls… and a flamingo.’
‘Do I need to mention this to my client?’
‘I haven’t mentioned it to Ms O’Neill.’
‘We will keep it a secret in that case.’ He squeezed her hand again. ‘Come. I want to show you the view.’
*
Becky smiled and let him lead on, his strong hand so warm in hers, so right somehow. She had seen the real Elias tonight. There had been no bravado, no cool or aloof, just a gorgeous man baring his soul to her so bravely, so genuinely. She hadn’t just wanted to squeeze his hand and tell him it was OK, she had wanted to put her arms around him and lift some of that hurt from his shoulders. But, she knew, like with her grief over the loss of her father, there was a process. Pain didn’t disappear like magic, it needed time and it needed its own space to build and build, until one day it started to recede and you could own the opportunity to change. And that’s what Elias was doing now and, somehow, she seemed to be becoming a big part of that.
‘The trees are so beautiful here,’ Becky said. ‘They’re so twisted and gnarly and arched, like they’re a natural tunnel almost.’
‘The wind must take the blame for some of that. On Corfu we can have the most terrific winds.’
‘Wow,’ Becky said, stopping still.
A large ancient stone doorway stood ahead of her, steps leading up to it and over where there was another identical doorway in the brickwork. It was like going back in time. She followed him up the steps to stand in the gap.
‘This is mostly what is left of the castle. The main gateway building. There has been restoration. It is better than it ever was but…’
‘But to have anything left at all is… wonderful.’ She put her hand out to touch the stonework, enjoying the coolness on her skin.
‘You are right, Captain Rebecca,’ Elias said. ‘In connection with Kassiopi Castle and with life. To have anything left at all is wonderful.’
She felt him tighten his grip on her hand then and pull her a little closer towards him. It sounded so clichéd that there had been something between them from their very first meeting in Row 18, but somehow there had. Despite all the telling him she was in the army and him saying he sold houses, there had always been a spark of something. And despite everything that had happened in such a short space of time, those moments had led them here.
‘Becky,’ he whispered and her name on his lips sent a shiver running down the length of her spine where the feeling began spiralling like a firework around her coccyx. Should she say something? What did she want to say to him? That she was definitely considering binning How to Find the Love of Your Life or Die Trying? Not that he was the love of her life because, well, she hadn’t exactly had a life yet…
No, Becky didn’t want to say anything. She only wanted to look. Gaze at him, this spectacularly gorgeous Greek vision she only felt more drawn to now he had opened up to her. She wanted nothing more than to inch herself forward a little, beneath this dark blanket of sky perforated only by the constellations of a thousand twinkling stars and the moon. She thought back to Petra’s story about the moon being made up of the souls of people who had passed. Was her father watching her now? Proud that she was standing on Greek soil, having an adventure of a lifetime? She looked at Elias again, wanting to bring back those memories of him holding her close on the makeshift dancefloor in Kefalonia but something was stopping her…
‘Wait,’ she said, putting a hand to his shoulder as he leaned towards her. Instantly he shifted back and she swallowed, internally cursing herself for breaking the moment.
‘Did I do something wrong?’ Elias asked, eyelashes blinking over those azure eyes.
‘Not now,’ Becky breathed, still touching his shoulder. She could feel the heat of his skin beneath his shirt and she left her fingers there, tracing the outline of the tattoo she knew lay underneath. ‘But in Kefalonia.’
She saw his body visibly sag. Was she being stupid? Too cautious?
‘It’s Petra, isn’t it?’ Elias stated with a sigh.
‘I thought… when we danced that we… connected somehow but then…’
‘We did connect, Becky,’ he said immediately. He reached out, touching her hair.
Another fizzy moment ensued, like champagne was running through her veins. With every gentle motion of his fingers her heart came alive a little bit more.
‘But it scared me,’ Elias continued. ‘It scared me how much I felt when you were in my arms and I… didn’t want to get it wrong. I know we had not known each other long but I did not want to mess it up or to… hurt you. I particularly did not want to hurt you.’
‘I’m not that fragile,’ Becky whispered, leaning into his hand a little, listening to the faint sea sounds from below them. ‘I’ve survived many things now… turbulence and… narrow caves and… octopuses coming at me from the water.’
Elias smiled for a second and then the look faded. ‘Petra… she landed on me and for the briefest of moments I did kiss her back.’ He sighed again. ‘But the truth is… my eyes were closed and in my mind… and in my heart I… was still on that dancefloor with you. And I know how that makes me sound but… as soon as I really realised what was happening, as soon as I knew how very stupid I was being…’ He placed his hand on hers, still firm against his shoulder. ‘There are no words, I know. I deserve to be thrown aside for being so weak and running away from you and…’
Becky reached up, fingers shaking, and palmed his face, holding that strong jawline in her hand, just the merest hint of stubble on his skin.