Dominic laughed, the sound vibrating through her where their bodies touched. "There will never be a 'next time,'" he murmured against her lips before kissing her again, sealing the promise with actions rather than words.
Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER
"Oh," June breathed, a wholly inadequate word for the beauty before her.
Her eyes were wide as she took in the villa as it gleamed like a pearl against the azure of the Aegean Sea.
Dominic's eyes were on her face rather than the view, studying her reaction with an intensity that made her cheeks warm. "Do you like it?"
"It's magnificent," she answered honestly. "Like something from an ancient poem."
"Come," he said, his fingers entwining with hers. "Let me show you everything before they drag us inside with questions about dinner preferences and which rooms we want prepared."
June allowed herself to be led, enjoying the eager light in his blue eyes. Since learning he was not bound by the Blake curse,Dominic had changed in subtle ways. He was more inclined to make plans, more present in each moment rather than racing to the next experience. Yet his essential nature remained: the adventurer, the scholar, the man who approached life with insatiable curiosity.
"This," he announced, guiding her to an ancient olive tree whose gnarled trunk spoke of centuries endured, "is my favorite reading spot in all the world."
A curved stone bench sat beneath the tree's sprawling canopy, positioned to catch both shade and the sea breeze. June could imagine him here, a book in hand, the wind ruffling his dark hair as he lost himself in ancient texts.
"You can see the whole bay from here," Dominic continued, pointing toward the glittering expanse of water. "And in the evening, when the fishermen return with their boats, their singing carries across the water like something from another time entirely."
June squeezed his hand. "Show me more."
His smile widened as he pulled her along a winding path that led downward through terraced gardens. "The previous owner was an amateur botanist," Dominic explained as they passed beds of herbs that released their fragrance with each step. "He collected plants from across the Mediterranean. That's rosemary, of course, and thyme, but there—" he pointed to a shrub with small glossy leaves, "is a variety of bay laurel that grows only on certain Greek islands."
June brushed her fingers against the leaves, releasing a sharp, clean scent that made her think of ancient victors crowned with similar branches. It also made her stomach churn slightly, and she swallowed against the unease. "Do you use it in cooking?"
"The cook does," Dominic replied. "Wait until you taste the fish stew."
“I…I think the cook should save it for now.”
Dominic frowned and scanned her face. “Is something the matter, my love?”
“No, darling.” June rose onto the tips of her toes and kissed his lips. “I simply wish to taste it at another time.”
He smiled. “Very well, then.”
They continued and the path narrowed as it descended further, cut into the hillside with steps of uneven stone that required careful footing. Dominic's hand remained firmly around hers, steadying her whenever the path grew treacherous.
"And here," he said as they rounded a bend that opened suddenly to reveal a small cove, sheltered by rocky outcroppings and accessible only by their private path, "is where I swim at dawn, when the water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom, even in the deepest parts."
June imagined him cutting through the crystal waters, strong arms cleaving the surface in the first light of morning. The image made her pulse quicken in a way that had nothing to do with their brisk walk.
"Perhaps I'll join you tomorrow," she said, lifting an eyebrow in challenge.
His eyes darkened slightly. "I'll hold you to that, Duchess."
They descended yet another path, this one leading down to the shoreline. The sand was still warm from the day's heat, and June gladly removed her half-boots when Dominic suggested it, sighing at the sensation of fine grains between her toes.
"It feels decadent," she admitted, "walking barefoot outdoors in the open air."
"Wait until you swim in the cove," Dominic replied, his own boots dangling from one hand while the other held hers securely. "There are fish that glitter like jewels in the shallows, and the water is as warm as a bath."
They walked along the shore, waves lapping gently at their feet as the sun sank lower. June found herself stealing glances at her husband, marveling at how relaxed he appeared here, how at home in this wild, beautiful place so far from England's structured society.
I've been carrying this secret for three days, she thought with a sly smile.Waiting for the right moment.
