Playing by the Greek's Rules (Puffin Island 0.50)

Nik paused and spoke directly to the camera, relaxed and at ease as he repeated Lily’s words without a single error.

She stared at him. ‘You must have an incredible short-term memory.’

A reporter stepped forward. ‘Who’s your guest tonight, Nik?’

Nik turned towards her and she realised he was leaving it up to her to decide whether to give them a name or not.

‘I’m a friend,’ she muttered and Nik smiled, took her hand and led her up the steps to the welcome committee at the top.

The first person she spotted was David Ashurst and she stopped in dismay. In answer to Nik’s questioning look, she shook her head quickly, misery and panic creating a sick cocktail inside her. ‘I’m fine. I saw someone I didn’t expect to see, that’s all. I didn’t think he’d have the nerve to show up.’

‘That’s him?’ His gaze travelled from her face to the man looking awkward at the top of the steps. ‘He is the reason you’re hoping for a personality transplant?’

‘His name is Professor Ashurst. He has a wife,’ she muttered in an undertone. ‘Can you believe that? I actually cried over that loser. Do I have time to get my notebook out of my bag? I can’t remember what I wrote down.’

‘I’ll tell you what to say.’ He leaned closer and whispered something in her ear that made her gasp.

‘I can’t say that.’

‘No? Then how’s this for an alternative?’ Sliding his arm round her waist, he pressed his hand to the base of her spine and flattened her against him. She looked up at him, hypnotised by those spectacular dark eyes and the raw sexuality in his gaze. Before she could ask what he was doing he lowered his head and kissed her.

Pleasure screamed through her, sensation scorching her skin and stoking a pool of heat low in her belly. She’d been kissed before, but never like this. Nik used his mouth with slow, sensual expertise and she felt a rush of exquisite excitement burn through her body. Her nerve endings tingled, her tummy flipped like a gymnast in a competition, and Lily was possessed by a deep, dark craving that was entirely new to her. Oblivious to their audience, she pushed against his hard, powerful frame and felt his arms tighten around her in a gesture that was unmistakably possessive. It was a taste rather than a feast, but it left her starving for more so that when he slowly lifted his head she swayed towards him dizzily, trying to balance herself.

‘Wh-why did you do that?’

He dragged his thumb slowly across her lower lip and released her. ‘Because you didn’t know what to say and sometimes actions speak louder than words.’

‘You’re an amazing kisser.’ Lily blinked as a flashbulb went off in her face. ‘Now there’s no chance your girlfriend will believe I’m the cleaner.’

‘No chance.’ His gaze lingered on her mouth. ‘And she isn’t my girlfriend.’

Her head spun and her legs felt shaky. She was aware of the women staring at her enviously and David gaping at her, shell-shocked.

As she floated up the last few steps to the top she smiled at him, feeling strong for the first time in days. ‘Hi, Professor Ass—Ashurst.’ She told herself it was the heat that was making her dizzy and disorientated, not the kiss. ‘Have a safe flight home tomorrow. I’m sure your family has missed you.’

There was no opportunity for him to respond because the curator of the museum stepped forward to welcome them, shaking Nik’s hand and virtually prostrating himself in gratitude.

‘Mr Zervakis—your generosity—this wing is the most exciting moment of my career—’ the normally articulate man was stammering. ‘I know your schedule is demanding but we’d be honoured if you’d meet the team and then take a quick tour.’

Lily kept a discreet distance but Nik took her hand and clamped her next to his side, a gesture that earned her a quizzical look from Brittany, who was looking sleek and pretty in a short blue dress that showed off her long legs. She was standing next to Spy, whose eyes were glued to Lily’s cleavage, confirming all her worst fears about the suitability of the dress.

The whole situation felt surreal.

One moment she’d been half naked and shivering on the bathroom floor, the next she’d been whisked into an elegant bedroom by a team of four people who had proceeded to style her hair, do her make-up and generally make her fit to be seen on the arm of Nik Zervakis.

Three dresses had magically appeared and Nik had strolled into the room in mid phone call, gestured to one of them and then left without even pausing in his conversation.

It had been on the tip of Lily’s tongue to select a different dress on principle. Then she’d reasoned that not only had he provided the dress, thus allowing her to turn up at the museum opening in the first place, but that he’d picked the dress she would have chosen herself.

All the same, she felt self-conscious as her friends and colleagues

working on the project at Aptera stood together while she was treated like a VIP.

As the curator led them towards the first display Lily forgot to be self-conscious and examined the pot.

‘This is early Minoan.’

Nik stared at it with a neutral expression. ‘You know that because it’s more cracked than the others?’