The Maid's Best Kept Secret (The Marchetti Dynasty 1)

She’d have to.

‘Would you like to go dancing?’

Maggie looked at Nikos across the table. ‘Dancing?’

He sat forward. ‘Yes—you know... Somewhere they play loud music and people move energetically in a communal space.’

Maggie made a face, but her pulse was racing. This evening...this restaurant...had been the kind of date she’d never dreamed of, because it would have been way beyond her fantasies.

The restaurant Nikos had taken her to was high in a glass building with views of the Acropolis lit up at night. The lighting was golden and everyone in the place looked impossibly charismatic, beautiful. Gilded.

People had stopped and stared as Nikos and she had entered. She’d stumbled a little on the way to their table. But Nikos had put a hand to her back to steady her.

The food had been exquisite morsels of the freshest ingredients Maggie had ever tasted. She’d longed to go to the kitchen and talk to the chefs.

During dinner, Nikos had said to her, ‘It’s refreshing to be with someone who actually likes food.’

Maggie had looked up, her mouth full. When she’d been able to speak she’d said dryly, ‘I’ll take that as a compliment, shall I?’

She was in danger of being seduced all over again on another level. She put down her napkin now and looked at him suspiciously. ‘Why do you want to take me dancing?’

A look passed across his face so fast she couldn’t decipher it. Then he leant back and said, ‘Full disclosure? For two reasons. One, because I would like to dance with you, and two, we will be seen—and that’s a good thing to keep the gossip websites happy.’

Something deflated inside Maggie. Of course. She kept forgetting that everything was really an opportunity to be seen. Most likely even coming to this restaurant.

She shrugged as if she didn’t really care. ‘Okay, sure.’

As they walked out Nikos was aware of the fact that that had probably been the least enthusiastic response he’d ever got from a woman, and that not only was he drawing looks on the way out, so was Maggie.

And who could blame them? She stood out, with her height, her pale colouring and russet golden hair. Like a magnificent Valkyrie.

Nikos couldn’t even recall the type of woman he’d wanted before. They had literally paled into insignificance in his memory.

He only wanted this woman.

But he’d never wanted another woman exclusively beyond for a night or two. Uneasiness prickled over his skin and he dismissed it. Whatever this was with Maggie, surely it was a good thing that he wanted his wife? He wanted to make this relationship work. He wanted to be a good father to his son.

The thought of anything deeper...he didn’t know if he was capable of that.

Maggie wasn’t sure where the pounding of her blood stopped and the pounding of the bass began. The beat was moving through her and it was infectious.

They’d taken a short journey to this club, where Nikos had been waved in like royalty. It was a big, cavernous space, with VIP areas around the edge of the first floor, from where they could look down on the dance floor filled with people dancing sinuously.

Maggie was fascinated, sipping her mocktail.

Then Nikos stood up, holding out a hand. ‘Come on.’

Maggie put down her drink. ‘Down there?’ Her voice squeaked, which thankfully he wouldn’t notice over the music.

He nodded.

Reluctantly Maggie took Nikos’s hand and let him lead her down. As they got to the dance floor the beat changed to something much sultrier and slower. Maggie wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not. She’d dreaded looking like a fool—but now, when Nikos pulled her close, she dreaded him seeing how much of an effect he had on her.

He placed his hands on her hips, bringing her in close to where she could feel every part of his whipcord body, and as they started to move she felt the evidence of his desire.

Naturally her arms went around his neck, bringing them into closer contact. Heat and need suffused every cell in Maggie’s body. Surely this had to be the definition of dirty dancing? She tipped her head back to look at Nikos. His eyes were glittering...his jaw was tight.

She wasn’t aware of the hundreds of other people around them. It was as if they were in a bubble. He bent his head and after an infinitesimal moment, covered her mouth with his.