Surrender: The Greek Affair Series Book One (26 page)

The city that they both love, Athens, is a misunderstood city. It needs time to be discovered; as amongst its chaos there is order to be found. Hope remembered the first time she saw the Parthenon, the missed heartbeats and her breath catching, as it does when a lover shows up when you least expect it and you’re not sure where you are in the relationship.

She soon becomes part of the fabric that is Athens. She sits around in cafes, eats out a lot, and explores every museum in the city - and there are many. She loves the casualness of its citizens, while at the same time they seem to be rushing. As she has not grown up in Greece, she finds herself discovering the difference between a Greek of the city and the Greek of the province, as well as the difference of the Greek of the Diaspora.

For Jason, it was easier, as he had done most of his growing up in Greece. And, at the same time he had studied and lived in the UK, which was closer to his land of birth. But he too, had the Anglo Saxon Greek duality (as Hope did) only Jason had it to a lesser degree than Hope.

Tonight Jason and Hope have tickets for an outdoor concert and Herod Atticus Theatre, the old Roman theatre under the Acropolis. In this theatre some of the world’s greatest artists have given performances, both classical and popular. Tonight they are seeing a visiting ballad company. The theatre has an imposing entrance, with a wide white marble staircase.

They sit through a wonderful ballad performance, with the breeze caressing their sunburnt skins. Jason keeps turning to look at Hope, who is mesmerised by the performance, and seems to be in a trance. And he sees the fine miniscule sun bleached fuzz on her cheeks, sitting on her suntanned skin and he is mesmerised by her. After the ballad, they meet up with Pétro and Alexander and other friends, for drinks at the top of Lycavittos Hill.

In a very hilly city two big hills stand out and can be seen from every vantage point in Athens; the hill that is the Acropolis with the temple of Athena on top; the Parthenon; and Lycavittos Hill, that overlooks the city as far as the eye can see. From Lycavittus during the day one can see the Port Piraeus, one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean. At the peak of this hill there is a small church dedicated to St George, and on different levels there is a restaurant, a bar and an outdoor theatre of the modern kind, where most of the visiting rock concerts are held, amongst other performances. One hill harks back to the past and the other, the present, and both have a temple of worship on their peaks.

All of them tonight are feeling wonderful, carefree, and vibrant. Hope is happy, and in the middle of this joy she starts to wonder about living with Jason, and she instantly has an internal panic as her smile disappears. She turns and looks at Jason, watching him animated with people around him. It’s a sight that is rare, as he is a very low-key person, and she continues to stare at him. Not just for his beauty, but she wonders once again why he loves her that much that he wants to build a life with her in another country. The chatter has become white noise and she only has eyes for Jason, as she stares at him with wonder. She is not sure how long she has been in this trance, but he senses her and turns to look at her, putting his hand on her cheek and uttering softly.

“What my love?”

He keeps looking into her face, but her brain has frozen and her tongue is stuck in her mouth. He puts his other hand on her other cheek and pulls her face towards him, places a soft kiss on her lips and whispers in her ear,

“Stop thinking. It will all work out”, and he hugs her gently, holding her hand and pulling it onto his lap. Hope snaps out of it and makes an effort to enjoy the evening.

They are in a taxi on the way home in silence and it is very close to 3am. They are in the flat, when he turns to her, holding her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes, as he says,

“What is wrong
kardiαá mou (my heart)
, why are you thinking again? Let things happen. We will plan and see how it all pans out for us, but try not to fret in the meantime.”

She falls into his embrace, sighing in his chest and utters,

“I’m trying so hard, and most of the time I’m ok, but I had a bad moment tonight.”

“What about?”

“Wondering again, wondering about everything! Why you love an impossible woman like me? But most of all, what makes you so strong that you are so sure we will overcome everything?”

“
Ag
pi mou (my love)
, I’m not sure we will overcome everything, but hopefully all the important things. The most important being your lack of faith in my love for you.”

“I did not say that.” She doesn’t look at him, as she denies this, but she knows and he knows, that he is right. She has been the biggest obstacle in this relationship until recently.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know you too well by now. Let’s go to bed, because you’re always at your best teary self when you have not had enough sleep.” He holds her hand and they go towards the bedroom. He is so right. She is exhausted. She needs lots of sleep. She has chosen to live in a country where people stay up late, eat late and she can’t cope with either of these things, especially the eating late part. She will always be an Australian with her eating habits.

She gets undressed and puts on a very fine, cool cotton nightdress and lies down, much too hot for any cover. She prefers the open windows to the air conditioning while she sleeps. She’s a creature of many peculiarities, and she wonders how long he will put up with her and her idiosyncrasies. She goes to the bathroom, cleans her teeth and is about to clean her face off, with the little make-up that she wears, when he comes in behind her, curling his strong arms around her waist, and kisses her on the neck, just below her ear, making her core tighten. He looks at both of them in the mirror and orders her to sit and she does. He moves around to face her and proceeds to remove her make up and cleanse her face with gentle strokes. He puts her night cream on her face, all the time looking into her amber eyes, and when he finishes, he pulls her up by her hands and leads her to their bed.

Lying next to each other, they are both looking at the ceiling. He takes her hand and holds it between them and says without looking at her,

“I don’t want you to worry about anything. All you need to do is be happy in your decision. I will look after you, no matter what.” There is a silence and her sight becomes blurred from the tears she is trying to control, but she can’t control them. She does not want him to see them and she just lies there and says nothing. He turns his head and sees her tears running down the side of her face.

“Why are you upset, baby?” He pulls her face towards him.

She looks at him with eyes brimming, with water and her heart brimming with love,

“I’m crying from happiness. I don’t know why you’re in my life and why I deserve you. I have never been loved so unconditionally, and I don’t know what to do with this love.” She crawls towards his chest and snuggles him, wetting him with her tears, she has even learned to cry from happiness.

He removes her nightdress and looks at her. His arousal is evident, and once again she is baffled as to why he chose her. How long can he love and desire her like this? As if he has read her thoughts, he looks into her face and says,

“Forever. I will love you all my life, whatever happens.” And with that, his mouth is on her nipple and his hands all over her. He loves her with so much tenderness.

She is impatient and she whispers

“I want you inside me now.” He lies on top of her, parts her legs with his knees and she obliges opening for him, all the while looking into her eyes with love and reverence. As he enters her they both moan in ecstasy, as not only have their bodies come together, but their souls. They make slow and tender love, taking their time, while he never takes his eyes off her. He brings his face closer and seals her mouth and she gasps as she whispers in his mouth

“I love you, and it scares me.” And he whispers back in her mouth,

“Don’t be scared, I’ll always be here.”

And she explodes almost without warning and comes around him. He stops moving so he can get control as she spasms around his beautiful cock, which he has given to her to use as she wishes, and claim it as hers. But most of all, he has given her his heart and she hopes she deserves it. She looks at his face that has tightened to control and she says,

“Come for me agóri mou (my man), please come. I want to watch you.” And he does, uttering her name over and over again and she wonders again, “why me?”.

They lie sated and spent and fall asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Hope is awake. It is still dark. Jason is breathing softly, sound asleep. But something woke her. She has slight cramps in her belly and needs to pee. She gently untangles Jason’s legs from her body, and gets up, hoping she doesn’t wake him. She meanders to the adjoining bathroom, and looks after business, but suddenly realises she’s bleeding. She becomes instantly really annoyed because it has not been long enough between periods. She fixes herself up, throws some cold water on her face and goes back to bed very quietly. She sinks into Jason’s side, and he wraps his arms around her, while still sleeping. And she’s home.

She lies for a while, hoping to fall asleep, but she dozes between awake and dreamtime. She’s fully awake when Jason moans into her, holding her tight, and she can feel his erection, as he’s rubbing himself on her. As he moves his hands he feels the shield in her underwear.,

“Hey what’s this?”

“Morning to you too baby, but I have visitors. Sorry to disappoint.”

He pushes her back with his strong arms looking into her face with sleepy eyes,

“Well, that explains the water works last night, but aren’t you early?”

“Yes I’m at least ten days early, but my period has been all over the place the last few months, and I have no idea why. Anyway it will be over in five days and I’ll go see the doctor.”

“Why do you think you are disappointing me? I’m not an animal. I love your body and being inside it, but I also love holding it and talking to you and laughing with you. We should be past the notion that we are just about sex; there is so much more to us.” He pauses, looks at her with a very cheeky grin,

“But there are many more ways…” and he tapers off, as she closes her mouth over his grin.

As it has been for the last few months, her first day of bleeding is a very trying one. She’s depleted of iron, is sleepy and very unfocused. But she has Jason, and she wonders how she has survived all her life without him in her life, especially when she was not feeling well. She lies in bed while he pampers her, cooks, and sees to all her needs and his. Meanwhile, she’s always in his embrace, and he in hers.

She gets up after the first day and they continue to enjoy Athens and each other. They walk the streets of Athens, visit galleries and museums, go to the theatre, catch up with friends and life seems as if it can’t get any better, except that her bleeding will not stop. It’s been over a week now and her body is feeling it. She realises that she needs to see the doctor soon. She rings up and is given an urgent time slot and Jason is happy to take her.

Hope is so tired, her body is beginning to rebel and she thinks it’s telling her something. They wait in the doctor’s surgery until it’s her turn, and it seems like an eternity. But she goes in alone to see the doctor, much to Jason’s distress. She sits across from the doctor and tells him what has been happening for the last few months. He takes notes, and he then makes her lie down to take an ultra sound.

He puts that slimy thing all over her belly and starts to probe with the rod, taking his time and all the while, looking at the screen. She’s getting a little anxious and impatient; she’d like to know what the hell is happening to her body. After a while, he looks at her and says.

“You’re pregnant and advanced. Three months at least.” Hope’s ears are buzzing and her world stands still. All she can hear is her erratic breathing as he keeps on talking, but she doesn’t hear anything; just a mumble coming from a man’s voice. She tries to focus back to the doctor. She’s in shock, not only for the fact that she’s pregnant, but also the fact that the signs were all so wrong. She’s staring in space, in utter shock, until she hears the doctor saying to her.