Sensing his presence, Costas snorted again. ‘As you can see, my guard dog is at the ready. Be kind and let’s get off this tin can, ne?’
‘Of course. After you,’ Christos invited.
They exited the plane with her hand clasped firmly in his. And while she breathed a sigh of relief when Costas boarded the front vehicle and she and Christos the second, with their luggage loaded onto the third, her nerves were still all over the place as they drove away.
For the first few minutes, she stared out of the window, basking in the stunning vista of Drakonisos under the dappled light of the afternoon sun. As Greek islands went, it was one of the largest privately owned ones. It was named for its dragon-like shape as well as the craggy cliffs that lined the north of the island. Its beautiful underbelly consisted of two jaw-dropping beaches, one on the doorstep of the sprawling villa, and the other in a secluded cove half a mile away. And despite having visited twice, she knew there was far more to explore on the island. But that was a delight for later.
Nerves still jangling and knowing she couldn’t keep the question firing in her brain to herself, she turned to Christos and murmured so the driver couldn’t hear, ‘Did you know he was boarding the plane?’
He shrugged with a carelessness that set her teeth on edge. ‘I suspected he might. My grandfather isn’t known for his patience.’
‘And you didn’t warn me?’
One eyebrow quirked up. ‘So you would do what? Maintain a healthy six feet of space between us? Wasn’t it better that he caught us like that? Your blushing certainly added the perfect touch.’
‘I’m glad all this amuses you.’
‘And I’m glad to see you’re aren’t blowing anything out of proportion. At all,’ he said dryly.
Irritation sparked through her, thankfully blanketing some of the arousal still dancing beneath her skin.
‘Are you hanging on to your annoyance in place of something else?’ he enquired, after another scrutiny of her face.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
He gave a lopsided smile, then inclined his head. ‘Take that road if you must. But for the record, I wasn’t pleased that we were interrupted.’
‘Because it would’ve played further into your hands, of course.’
His smile disappeared. ‘What?’ he bit out.
‘It was all staged for his benefit, wasn’t it?’
A harsh gleam flickered in his eyes. ‘What a cynic you are.’
‘I don’t hear you denying it.’
‘Whether it was or not doesn’t matter. You’re not forgetting your role, are you?’ he asked quietly.
Alexis shot a glance at their driver before flicking her gaze his way. She couldn’t quite settle on his face because she was a little terrified she would give herself away. ‘Of course not.’
If anything, his features hardened, as if her flippant answer didn’t please him. ‘Then what’s the problem, exactly, glykia mou?’
That endearment burrowed inside, seeking a vulnerable place she couldn’t allow it to go. ‘I don’t like being blindsided.’
‘Life isn’t set out in perfect little boxes you can tick off at your leisure, Alexis. You need to be prepared for the odd curveball.’
She stiffened. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘There’s a reason you left your last firm, isn’t there? Things didn’t quite go according to plan?’
Her lungs flattened, her heart striking up a terrible hammering that attacked her ribcage. ‘You know about that?’
He inclined his head with the slightest nod. ‘Ne,’ he responded in his mother tongue, perhaps because they were in his homeland.
‘Why haven’t you asked me before?’
‘Perhaps because I was attempting to be discreet. But now it’s out in the open—’