Exotic Nights

It was the turn of the women now, and the men sat and watched as they all lined up and danced. Angel had taken off her shoes, and was laughing as she bumped into Delphi. She caught Leo’s eyes as he watched from the sidelines. She found she couldn’t look away, the intensity on his face holding her captive as she made the steps that she knew by heart. That every Greek person knew by heart.

It felt like the most primitive of mating rituals. When the music died away and the DJ started again, Delphi whispered to Angel, saying cheekily, ‘If those looks are anything to go by, Leo won’t be letting you wait around to say goodbye …’

Angel knew her sister was heading off on honeymoon the next day, so she wouldn’t see her for at least a few weeks. She felt very bereft after looking out for her for so long. She also felt uncharacteristically sad for herself; her mother had abandoned her at such an early age, her father had always resented her, and any day now Leo would be turning around and telling her he’d had enough. She felt a little like a piece of flotsam and jetsam, about to be rushed downstream by an oncoming current.

But Leo was standing in front of her. She saw he was holding his jacket. ‘Ready to go?’

Angel nodded, feeling incredibly weary all of a sudden. She did not want another run-in with her father, so she got her shoes and let Leo take her hand to lead her out.

Two days after the wedding Leo walked into the villa and, after putting his briefcase in the study, strode across the hall, heading for the room Angel used as a workshop. Anticipation was fizzing in his blood. He’d come home early the day before and stood watching her for a long time before she’d noticed his presence.

Once again he’d found himself reacting helplessly to her, his eyes devouring her slim figure in a white vest and battered loose dungarees folded at the waist. Intent on her task, with her hair in a high knot and big protective glasses on, she shouldn’t have been so alluring, but she had been. The fact that his control around her was as woeful as ever had made him feel vulnerable.

All sorts of c

ontradictory feelings were running through Leo now. He’d seen her talking to her father at the wedding; well, to be more accurate, he’d seen her father talking to her, and it had looked extremely intense. It had made him suspect that perhaps they’d known that that would be their only chance to meet, hence the fervour. And then he’d seen her conspiratorial looks and smiles with her sister. No matter that he’d revised his opinion of his sister’s motives for getting married, suddenly he doubted himself again.

The facts were still stark: he’d caught her in the act of theft. A detail which seemed to be getting conveniently forgotten far too often. Something hardened inside Leo.

Just then Calista came out of another room nearby. She stopped him in his tracks and asked with a worried look on her face, ‘Have you seen Angel?’

He shook his head, feeling irrationally self-conscious. ‘No, not yet.’

Calista pointed back to the main part of the house. ‘She’s in the kitchen.’

Calista bustled off and Leo just stared after her. What was going on? And what was Angel doing in the kitchen?

Leo strode towards the kitchen, irritation spiking. He found that all the doubts that had begun to assail him had got stronger and stronger. The feeling that perhaps he’d been even more of a monumental fool than he’d thought. Angel and Delphi had got the wedding they’d wanted; he’d taken Angel into his bed. Were she and her father plotting right now to do something—? He stopped at the kitchen door when he saw Angel at the counter by the sink.

Her back was to him, but there was a set to her shoulders that seemed awfully fragile. She was dressed in a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. He glanced at his watch. They were due to go out to a film premiere in less than an hour, but Angel was nowhere near ready. Though he had to concede she got ready more quickly than any woman he’d ever known; she never played silly games and kept him waiting for the grand entrance.

He walked in and saw her shoulders tense. Her hair was down and she didn’t turn around. In light of his recent thoughts he felt anger start to bubble down low. He wasn’t used to being so sceptical of his decisions. He remembered that night in the kitchen, telling her all about his mother.

It made his voice harsh now as he came round and saw her profile, saw that she was making some kind of meatballs. That domesticity rankled. ‘We’re going out this evening.’

Angel didn’t turn to look at him; she just said in a quiet voice, ‘If you don’t mind I’d like to stay in tonight. I’m tired. But you go out.’

Something about her was so intensely vulnerable that it made the hardness swell in Leo’s chest. If she thought she was going to start playing games with him now … ‘Angel, we have an agreement. Just because your sister got the wedding she wanted it does not mean your job as my mistress is finished.’

Angel flinched minutely, as if stung. She sent Leo a quick glance without really looking at him. ‘Look, it’s just for this evening. I really am tired.’

Something about the tenseness of her stance struck him then, and the tightness in her voice. Something was wrong. Instinctively Leo put out a hand and wrapped it around Angel’s arm. She tensed, so rigid that he frowned. ‘Angel … what—?’

He had to exert pressure to get her to turn around and face him. He put two hands on her arms now, exasperation lacing his voice. ‘Angel, what’s got into you?’

She was looking down, hair covering her face. Leo put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up. Something caught his eye, and for a second he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Then something primal exploded out of him. ‘What the hell is that?’

CHAPTER NINE

ANGEL felt Leo put a hand to her face, tipping it to him slightly, and she closed her eyes. She hadn’t wanted him to see her like this; she’d wanted him to just say, ‘Okay, fine, I’ll go without you.’ But he hadn’t. She knew what he was looking at: her swollen jaw covered with a livid bruise.

Angel tried to pull free, but Leo wasn’t budging. He pushed her hair back behind her ear to have a better look. His voice was grim. ‘Have you put ice on this?’

Angel looked into his eyes for the first time. ‘It’ll hurt.’

Leo shook his head. ‘Only for the first few seconds.’ And then very gently he probed and felt her jaw. Angel winced and sucked in a breath. Leo swore softly. ‘It’s not broken, but maybe we should get it checked out at the hospital.’

Angel shook her head. ‘No, no hospital. It’s just sore.’