“Athena Cavalese, a beautiful name like its owner,” Liam winced, averting his gaze as though he’d realized the potency of what he’d said.
“‘Il tuo nome e greco Era Atena,” he acknowledged the Greek origin of her name.
Athena nodded. “Dea della guerra,” Goddess of War, she said. “Daughter of Zeus, his favorite,” she added and shrugged. “My mother loved Greek mythology. I was the best reader in our family and she liked for me to read to her at...the end.”
Liam sobered, understanding what she implied. “My condolences. Were your books in Italian?”
“No. Inglese.”
He smiled. “You speak it very well.”
“We all do. My mother thought it was important. She even taught many of the children in our village. She was trying to learn and teach me Greek before she took ill.”
“Your father should be proud to have such an accomplished daughter.”
Athena rolled her eyes. “He’d rather I was dumb, ready to be wed and breeded.”
Liam gave her a measuring look. “So you don’t want a husband? Children?”
“Not now,” she answered with no hesitation and shrugged once again. “Maybe not ever. Definitely not now.”
“Your father might have something to say about that.”
“He’d disown me if he weren’t so concerned about what others might say. He only wants to take me back for punishment because there will be an audience.”
“There is a chance he’s forgotten it, you know? Fathers forgive their daughters easier, do they not?”
“That hasn’t been the case in my experience, I’m afraid,” she studied the way they’d come. “When my father says I’ve shamed the family, he speaks the truth.”
~3~
“All of this belongs to you?” Athena’s bright eyes were wide with disbelief and approval as she surveyed the stone house on the other side of the water. Only then, had it occurred to her how little she knew about her own town.
She had never traveled beyond the ridge on the other side of the great lake. Her world had been her father’s house and the homes within walking distance and sight of it. Even so, she had managed to find as much trouble as if she’d scoured the entire planet to find it.
Still, luck had found her in the most unlikely and appealing packaging. Liam Paolo Tesano. He had given her his name during the walk back to his home. During the journey, she’d expected him to put his bid in for some token of her appreciation for his rescue.
Liam had made no such requests and she couldn’t deny being somewhat disappointed. She judged him to be no older than she-sixteen, seventeen maybe? Perhaps eighteen or nineteen, though she didn’t think so. Judging by his superior build...there could be some merit to the guess she supposed. Still, he didn’t strike her as sex maddened. At that age, little kept a boy’s interest that didn’t include sex. She sensed a maturity in Liam Tesano that she had yet to sense in other boys she knew. She didn’t suppose it was an easy thing working land and keeping a home such as his on his own. Perhaps he was his own man, thriving without the shackles of family to weigh him down.
Liam hung his rifles. He propped the one left by Athena’s father against the paneled wall closest to the rifle cupboard.
“My family left,” he said, “it’s just me.”
The question settled, Athena took a slow turn around the space. There was a sitting area on the other side of the dining room. “Why didn’t you go with them?” she asked.
“My parents were killed by bandits. My brothers went to avenge them.”
“Liam,” she looked genuinely stricken. “I’m sorry. I-I’ve spoken so coldly about family and yours...”
“It’s alright,” he offered a patient smile. “Family is a challenge, I know. You should choose a room. There are two.”
“Where do you sleep? I don’t want to accidentally take yours,” she quickly added.
Liam replied at first with a slight incline of his head. “I sleep in my parent’s room in the back.” His eyes traveled the length of her then, enjoying the sight of her in his shirt. He snapped to when he saw she had taken notice.
“I should find you something more suitable,” he made a pretense of clearing his throat. “There are some of my mother’s things in a trunk in one of the extra rooms,” he rambled.
Athena followed when he set off. “Don’t you have a woman to keep the place?”
“No,” he gave her a curious look. “Why?”
Athena scanned the room. “It’s very lovely here.”
Liam looked around his home as well then turned into one of the spare rooms. He pulled a sizable trunk from the depths of a closet. “I remember the way my mother kept it when she was alive so...I try to do the same.”
Athena had lost interest in talk of housekeeping duties. Her expressive gaze followed the devastating ripple and flex of Liam’s back muscles as he hefted the trunk to a corner of the room. Stooping before it, he threw open the top and drew the back of his hand across the neatly folded garments inside.
“You’re sweet,” Athena said, smiling over the tender set to his profile. She made the observation as though it were some unexpected discovery that filled her with a sense of wonder. When he looked her way, appearing vaguely unsettled by her words, she made repairs to the realization.
“You’re very sweet to invite me to your home, offer things belonging to your own mother given what you know of me.”
Liam stood. “All I know is you needed help and I was able to provide it,” he looked back at the items in the trunk. “You should be able to find something to wear to sleep in there.”
“What about tomorrow?” she called before he made his way from the room. “My father and the polizia?”
“We’ll worry about that tomorrow, alright?”
“Most men,” she said when he turned to leave again. She waited for him to face her. “Most men would’ve already taken me three times by now.”
