Chapter Fourteen #2
She checked out Theo from the corner of her eye. So that explains it, the lightness in his mood. Dani opened her mouth, “Actually, we’re not—”
But Theo cut her off. “We’re not sure when we’re going to get married, but hopefully soon.”
Theo wrapped his arm around her shoulders. If she didn’t know any better, it would have seemed like a possessive move. Little did the rest of them know Theo was just cockblocking her with more of his big-brother protective bullshit.
“I thought you said she was flirting with you earlier, ξ?δερφε?” Christos said to Andreas, teasingly.
Dani could feel heat rising throughout her body.
“You’re no cousin of mine,” Andreas said, tossing his napkin across the table at Christos’s face. “I’m sorry. I already explained to your fiancé, I meant no offense,” he then said to Dani.
“No offense taken,” Theo said to Andreas and then turned toward Christos, “but I guarantee we’re very much in love.”
Dani’s cheeks flushed at the words: in love.
“Prove it,” Christos said.
Theo scoffed. “This is absurd. How are we supposed to prove it?”
“Kiss her.”
Dani tensed, trying not to let her panic show on her face. Oh God. Oh God.
“We’re not kissing in front of all of you,” Theo said. Dani couldn’t tell if the disgusted look he was making was in response to the demand to prove it or the thought of kissing her.
“Maybe that’s enough, Christos,” Andreas said.
“Why? It’s a kiss. If they’re so in love, it shouldn’t be a big deal,” Christos said.
Dani’s gaze shot around the table, taking in everyone’s expressions. Confusion. Fascination. Interest.
“Φ?λησ? την! Φ?λησ? την!” the rest of the group started chanting, joyfully pounding their fists on the table.
It was obvious they wanted to see a kiss. So she turned to Theo and said, “Let’s just do it,” unsure why she was even going along with it.
“Okay, fine,” he said, leaning over and planting a quick, chaste kiss on Dani’s lips. “There.”
There? Theo’s papou kissed better than that. Was this seriously the kiss she’d fantasized about for the last almost two decades? Because talk about a letdown.
“Boooooooo!”
“You call that a kiss?”
I couldn’t agree more.
“That’s how I kiss my sister!”
That tracks.
“Φ?λησ? την! Φ?λησ? την!”
Their calls came from all directions.
“All right!” Theo said with a mix of annoyance and amusement.
Theo turned to Dani and placed his hand upon her cheek before pulling her in.
Her heart pounded as he scanned her face.
Questioning her. Surely wondering what was going on in her head.
She closed her eyes, allowing him to bring her face to his.
Their lips touched, hesitantly at first, caressing each other with slow, tentative movements.
His lips were softer and fuller than she’d imagined, a sharp—and delightful—contrast to the roughness of his beard.
His thumb grazed her jaw as he opened his mouth to her, waiting for her to invite him in.
And once she did, his tongue glided into her mouth, tangling with her own and sending lightning-like pulses throughout her body.
?A la verga! She was kissing Theo Galanis.
Suddenly, they were unable to get enough of each other. She sucked in a breath before their lips turned eager. His hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head, holding her to him. Taking her in. She reached her hand to his shirt, twisting it in her fist. She needed him closer.
He tasted of ouzo and lemon, delightful on her taste buds despite her earlier objection to the anise flavor. But on Theo’s tongue? She savored it. She wanted more of it.
Of him.
This kiss was everything she’d always wanted.
The rest of the world faded away. There were only Dani and Theo.
Like so many times before, the two of them together even though everyone else carried on in their lives.
Always finding their way back to each other, even when every other part of their lives continued to pull them apart.
Always Theo.
It’s always been you.
The words came out of nowhere, barreling through her brain like a runaway train. She squeezed her eyes tighter, and a hazy image of him in her apartment last year came into view.
Theo, it’s always been you. It’s only ever been you.
Dani pulled Theo in deeper, trying desperately to remember more of that night. Her hungry lips needed more, so she took his face in her hands. The harder she pressed, the faster the memories flooded her mind.
The micheladas and fries. Karaoke. Going back to her apartment. Talking on the couch until God knows when. Their knees touching. Fingers twirling together in each other’s hands.
Everything finally hit her like a tidal wave.
Have you ever thought about…us? she’d asked.
Sure, I have.
Then why haven’t you ever tried to kiss me?
I…I didn’t realize that you wanted me to.
Of course I have. Theo, it’s always been you. It’s only ever been you.
Suddenly, what had happened that night became crystal clear. She’d placed her hand on the side of his face and scooted closer to him, bringing her face up to his. Their foreheads had touched, the tips of their noses brushing. But when Dani had opened her mouth and leaned in, Theo had stopped her.
Dani…I…I can’t.
Christos’s house suddenly snapped into focus, and Dani flung her eyelids open. Somehow during their kiss, she’d crawled practically into Theo’s lap. His hands were around her waist, her knee across his thigh. Like she was about to jump him right in front of all these people.
She pulled her lips from Theo’s, and he opened his eyes, looking up at her with his beautiful blue irises. Eyes she’d stared into so many times before, but in this moment, there was something else there. Worry? Regret? Apology?
Pity?
She’d seen him make the same face that night. After she told him how she’d felt, and he’d rejected her. Something else had happened that night, though. Why couldn’t she remember? Moments before…the memory was getting less fuzzy…moments before she’d…oh fuck.
Before she’d vomited on his shirt.
How could she have forgotten?
Their present audience hooted and hollered, clapping at their very open, sensual display.
Most of Dani’s relationships had been hot, heavy, and brief, so she’d never been one to shy away from public displays of affection, but not like this.
Not where she was two seconds away from straddling a man in front of others.
And not when in the midst of remembering one of the most mortifying moments of her life.
Her cheeks flushed, almost matching her pinky-peach dress. And when she glanced down, she could see her nipples at full attention.
“Now that’s what I call a kiss!” someone called out, clearly unaware of her mental anguish.
While the rest of the party seemingly moved on, she quickly removed herself from Theo’s lap and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, trying to play down the moment with a bashful smile. And avoiding eye contact with Theo. The last thing she needed was his pity.
But he turned to her and placed his hand on her forearm.
“Dani…I…I…”
Can’t.
“I’m sorry,” she then said, hurrying from her seat and rushing out of the room with one hand on her lips and the other across her waist. She didn’t want to hear that word out of his mouth again. Once had been enough.
Air. She needed air. Her heart pounded as she made a beeline out the door to the patio. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
She paced with her hands on her hips. This whole time, had Theo remembered that night? Had he been living with that memory each day for the last year? Aware that she’d poured out her heart and that he’d said no?
How could she have been so foolish? And she’d come here? To Greece? He must have really thought she was pathetic, still clinging on even after she’d thought he’d died. No wonder he’d been acting weird around her.
A light caught her attention—the glass patio door catching the reflection of the moon as Theo opened it to join her outside.
“Please, Theo. Please not now,” she said, walking along the railing to the far end of the patio where hopefully no one else could see her.
But he either didn’t hear her or didn’t care, because he walked right over to where she was hiding.
“Hey,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder like a football coach trying to console a player off his game.
She closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. She hadn’t cried the first time Theo had rejected her—that she could remember—and she certainly wasn’t going to do so now.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what got into me,” she said, waving him away and refusing to look at him.
“There’s nothing to apologize about. Everyone was egging us on.”
“I know. But I didn’t mean to get so into it,” she said, rolling her eyes at herself for acting like a silly, dreamy-eyed teenager.
“Well, I suppose if we’re making apologies, then I should be the one apologizing to you.”
She furrowed her brow and finally looked his way.
“Apologize for what?”
“For putting you in an awkward position.”
She shook her head, still not getting it.
“With your boyfriend,” he followed up.
What on earth was he talking about? “Boyfriend? What boyfriend?”
Why did he think…
“Oh God, you’re not still on this whole thing with Andreas, are you?”
“No, I’m talking about your guy back home. Your…your beau.”
“My beau?” She stared at him incredulously for a moment and then burst out laughing. He didn’t actually think Beau was her boyfriend, did he? By the utterly confused look on his face, Theo clearly had no idea what he was talking about.
“But—but your dad said—” Theo sputtered as Dani was trying to control her chuckles.
“And what did he tell you exactly?” She folded her arms.
“He’d said you were out with your beau. We talked about this.”
“And that’s how he said it? He said I was with my beau?”
“Yeah…?” Now Theo was the one who wasn’t getting it.
“Well, my beau is my coworker who happens to be named Beau. My very gay coworker.”