Page 29 of Modern Romance December 2025 1-4

‘You told me to stop crying earlier!’

‘That’s because I don’t do tears either.’

She gave a burst of laughter and flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in the arch of his throat. For the longest time they just held each other until she said in a small voice, ‘Where do you want me to sleep tonight?’

‘As I said earlier, that’s a choice for you to make.’

‘Oh. It’s just that I thought…’

‘That I’d run a mile when you told me you were a virgin?’

She nodded. ‘I’m not who you thought I was.’

‘Would you call me an arsehole if I told you I was glad?’

‘Yes. Arsehole.’

Laughing, he held her even tighter and buried his mouth and chin in her hair. ‘All those men you were pictured with…weren’t you ever tempted?’

‘Never. Those men really were arseholes and I felt nothing for them. They were like my father and my brothers in their attitude to women—they didn’t care about me, they cared about who I was and what was between my legs, so no, I wasn’t in the slightest bit tempted. I was having fun…or so I liked to tell myself.’

‘But you weren’t?’

‘I think you already know the answer to that. I chose them as deliberately as they chose me.’

‘But how come the truth never came out?’

‘I never told any of them I was a virgin. I just told them to keep their hands to themselves and strung them along and then dumped them when they got fed up waiting for me to say yes. I went everywhere with two humungous bodyguards so they weren’t going to argue with me and they weren’t going to tell anyone either. Who wants to admit that party girl Athena didn’t put out for you? Their egos would have been destroyed.’

‘You’ve been playing with fire.’

‘I know.’ Her voice caught. ‘Friday night made me realise what a dangerous game it’s been. I had a few lucky escapes over the years where my bodyguards had to step in.’

‘Your bodyguards slept in your room?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘You’ve taken men on family cruises before.’

‘Yes, but I always insisted they sleep in the adjoining cabin and then locked it so they couldn’t come in. You’re the first man I’ve ever shared a bed with.’ She swallowed. ‘You’re the first person I’ve trusted since your mother left my life.’

It was the starkness in her tone that pierced Draco, more so than her words. ‘I’m not a saint, Athena. Never think that. I like sex as much as the next man. When I was a teenager, my sole purpose in life was to have as much sex as I could.’

‘And did you?’

‘Not as much as I would have liked, but that changed when I started earning money and making a name for myself.’

‘Power and money is an aphrodisiac,’ she stated. ‘Women flock to you.’

‘Yes. I would love to tell you I’ve never taken advantage of it, but believe me when I tell you I’m not a saint and I’ve never pretended to be. But I don’t cheat and I don’t lie, and I never make promises I’m not going to keep.’ He sighed. ‘This thing between us…’

‘It can’t go anywhere. I know.’ Her voice was sad.

‘I don’t want to hurt you.’

‘Which is why it’s got to be you.’

‘Athena…’