Page 169 of Modern Romance September 2026 Books 1-4

But she didn’t have that excuse. She’d never been much of a drinker. She’d simply been bowled off her feet. There was no excuse except naiveté.

‘I asked if you’re a journalist,’ he snapped, jerking her from her dazed thoughts.

You’re in shock. That’s why you’re having trouble concentrating.

Walking slap, bang into the biggest mistake of your life is bound to do that to you.

‘I’m not deaf.’ Dido drew in a deep breath then exhaled slowly, fighting panic. ‘No, I’m not a reporter.’

He didn’t step into her personal space but somehow that space shrank as if he loomed closer, consuming all her oxygen. ‘Then why are you here?’

‘For work. How about you? Why are you here?’

His eyebrows furrowed down in a ferocious scowl. ‘None of your business.’

‘Ha! You really are arrogant. You think you’ve got the right to question me but you don’t even have the common courtesy to answer the same simple question.’

He shook his head, his mouth grim. ‘After what happened, you can’t surely expect courtesy or politeness from me, Ms Jones.’

His gaze flicked to her left hand then back to her face as if looking for a ring. His excoriating stare stung.

Those dark eyes pinioned her to the spot like a butterfly skewered for inspection. She could almost feel the piercing jab through her sternum.

Remarkably, despite the fury roiling in her bloodstream, her feet were cemented to the floor. She couldn’t even summon the power to walk away.

Dido would do anything to hide how vulnerable she felt. Her legs might be too shaky to carry her away but she was pleased to find her voice steady, laced with silky derision.

‘Of course you’re right. For a moment there I judged you against the rules of normal politeness.’ Her smile was sharp. She wished it could draw blood, but his hide was far too thick. ‘I forgot you think you operate in a different sphere to everyone else. You’re the most mannerless boor I ever met.’

If she thought his stare inimical before it was nothing to the threat of retribution pulsing from him now. His upper body seemed to swell while his jaw clenched and that proud nose pinched as if he didn’t want to inhale the same air as her.

Dido drew herself up as tall as possible, exulting in the fact she’d got under his skin. Even though she knew point scoring would achieve nothing. What she needed was to put as much distance between them as possible.

Finally getting her legs to work, she moved to one side and gestured to the open doorway. ‘You were on your way out, Mr Diamandis. Please, don’t let me keep you.’

Her excessively polite tone was meant to draw a line under the conversation. The sooner he left, the better. She needed time to regroup before meeting Chiara and her fiancé.

He peered at her under lowered brows. ‘You’re staying here?’

‘I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting someone.’

His eyes widened and for the first time she read something other than surprise and anger on his features. His expression was tight and, she guessed, fiercely controlled. Impenetrable.

He said something under his breath in what sounded like Greek. A long, machine-gun-fast stream of syllables that sounded like swearing. Fortunately she didn’t understand the language.

She gave up waiting for him to leave. Clutching her tablet to her chest, she stepped around him and into the restaurant.

The place was empty and she made her way to the table she’d shared yesterday with Chiara. It had a view over the pool and the lagoon beyond and Dido told herself that if she sat staring at the water, it would soothe her.

Fat chance! But she had to try. She couldn’t let Panos Diamandis distract her from her job.

Dido took a seat and opened her notes, schooling her features to look unperturbed. She had no idea if it worked, but after another minute she felt a change in the atmosphere, as if a threatening thunderstorm had dissipated, and knew that he’d left the room. She just hoped she had time to pull herself together in time for her meeting.

But mere minutes later she saw Chiara approaching through the garden beside the pool. She wore a wide smile that made Dido suspect her reunion with her fiancé last night had been very satisfying. But where was her man?

Her pulse quickened as someone approached Chiara. A tall, broad-shouldered man who was all too familiar. Instead of stepping aside and letting Chiara pass, he stopped and said something.

And Chiara rose on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek! Her hand, with its massive engagement ring, clutched his forearm as she leaned into him.