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

‘Count Alfredo Pizzoli—please meet my wife, Maggie.’

The man held out his hand. ‘A pleasure, my dear. So it wasn’t an urban myth, then, your marriage?’

The man guffawed and Nikos said a few more words to him before expertly guiding Maggie deeper into the room, where she was introduced to many more people. This was a very different milieu from Alexiou’s friendly and lively Greek birthday party. There was a more cynical edge here.

After a sit-down dinner, and some speeches by various guests about the work that the charities were doing, everyone got up and started milling around.

Nikos stood up and held out a hand for Maggie. He led her towards a room where she could hear soft jazz. It was another ballroom, with a band in the corner on a raised dais. Couples were dancing, bathed in the soft golden light of lots of candles. It was incredibly romantic.

‘Like to dance?’

Maggie looked up at Nikos. ‘Do I have a choice?’

He led her onto the dance floor even as he said, ‘You always have a choice, Maggie.’

Yes, and she’d made a profound one last year, when she’d chosen to succumb to this man’s seduction.

Yet even now—finding her way in his world, uncertain about his relationship with Daniel, with her—could she regret it? Not for Daniel’s sake, obviously. And not even for her own.

Even if he never loves you? asked a voice.

He wants me, she answered herself almost desperately.

He pulled her close against his body, his hand moving over her back, one hand high against his chest. They fitted. Even in high heels her head came to just below his jaw.

And I want him.

Maybe that was enough? She knew she was fighting a losing battle, resisting him. She wanted to sink into him now and let him take her whole weight. So she did—and it was the easiest thing in the world. Too easy...

She looked up at him, admitting wryly, ‘I was afraid I was attracted to you because of your charisma and power. My mother always said that was what dazzled her about my father—until she saw what he really was... But after meeting the people here this evening I know it’s not that. They have charisma and power, but they’re not nice people.’

Nikos’s mouth tipped up at one corner. ‘Are you saying you like me for myself?’

Maggie heard the mocking tone in his voice and ignored it. ‘Would that be so bad?’

Tension came into his body. His hand stilled on her back. But his voice was light. ‘I keep telling you I’m not that nice.’

‘I don’t think that’s really for you to decide.’

Nikos stopped moving, ‘Don’t do this, Maggie. Don’t think that I’m different from these people. I’m one of them. I come from this world. You’re a romantic—you’re trying to make me fit into the template you have for a happy future. You know I can’t promise you that.’

His cynicism rubbed her raw—especially when her whole body ached for fulfilment. ‘Don’t patronise me, Nikos. Maybe let’s just see what kind of future we can have before writing it off, hmm?’

She pushed free of his arms and went to walk away, but her hand was grabbed and she found herself being whirled back into Nikos’s arms. It would look as if they were still dancing, but the tension between them was thick.

Before Maggie could do or say anything else Nikos was cupping her jaw and holding her close. And then his mouth was covering hers.

At first Maggie resisted with everything she had. But it was futile. She wanted him too much, and she hated it that knowing he hadn’t been with anyone else since here made her desire for him even more potent.

Anger at him for having such a cataclysmic effect on her made her accept his kiss, and she felt a surge of adrenalin rush through them both as she wound her arms around his neck and matched him. Pressing close. Tongues duelling.

They both pulled back at the same moment, breaths coming fast and hard. Hearts pounding.

Nikos just said, ‘I want you. Now.’

Maggie didn’t feel conflicted any more. She felt needy. Aching.

She said the only word she could. ‘Yes.’