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

‘I’m creative. It’s not a problem.’ She remembered she was wearing his shirt. ‘I’ll return this, obviously.’

A smile flickered at the corners of his mouth. ‘It looks better on you than it does on me. Keep it.’

His gaze collided with hers and suddenly it was hard to breathe. Sexual tension simmered in the air and she was acutely aware of the oppressive heat in the small room that had no air conditioning. Blistering, blinding awareness clouded her vision until the only thing in her world was him. She wanted so badly to touch him. She wanted to lean into that muscled power, rip off those clothes and beg him to do all the things he’d done to her the night before. Shaken, she assumed she was alone in feeling that way and then saw something flare in his eyes and knew she wasn’t. He was sexually aroused and thinking all the things she was thinking.

‘Nik—’

‘Saturday.’ His tone was thickened, his eyes a dark, dangerous black. ‘I will pick you up at eight a.m.’

She watched him leave, wondering what the rules of engagement were when one night wasn’t enough.

CHAPTER SIX

NIK PUT HIS foot down and pushed the Ferrari to its limits on the empty road that led to the north-western tip of Crete.

He spent the majority of his time at the ZervaCo offices in San Francisco. When he returned to Crete it was to his villa on the beach near Chania, not to the island that had been his home growing up.

For reasons he tried not to think about, he’d avoided the place for the past few years and the closer he got to their destination, the blacker his mood.

Lily, by contrast, was visibly excited. She’d been waiting on the street when he’d arrived, her bag by her feet and she’d proceeded to question him non-stop. ‘So will this be like My Big Fat Greek Wedding? I loved that movie. Will there be dancing? Brittany and I have been learning the kalamatianós at the taverna near our apartment so I should be able to join in as long as no one minds losing their toes.’ She hummed a Greek tune to herself and he sent her an exasperated look.

‘Are you ever not cheerful?’

The humming stopped and she glanced at him. ‘You want me to be miserable? Did I misunderstand the brief, because I thought I was supposed to be the sunshine to your thundercloud. I didn’t realise I had to be a thundercloud, too.’

Despite his mood, he found himself smiling. ‘Are you capable of being a thundercloud?’

‘I’m human. I have my low moments, same as anyone.’

‘Tell me your last low moment.’

‘No, because then I might cry and you’d dump me by the side of the road and leave me to be pecked to death by buzzards.’ She gave him a cheery smile. ‘This is the point where you reassure me that you wouldn’t leave me by the side of the road, and that there are no buzzards in Crete.’

‘There are buzzards. Crete has a varied habitat. We have vultures, Golden Eagle, kestrel—’ he slowed down as he approached a narrow section of the road ‘—but I have no intention of leaving you by the side of the road.’

‘I’d like to think that decision is driven by your inherent good nature and kindness towards your fellow man, but I’m pretty sure it’s because you don’t want to have to go to this wedding alone.’

‘You’re right. My actions are almost always driven by self-interest.’

‘I don’t understand you at all. I love weddings.’

‘Even when you don’t know the people involved?’

‘I support the principle. I think it’s lovely that your father is getting married again.’

Nik struggled to subdue a rush of emotion. ‘It is not lovely that he is getting married again. It’s ill advised.’

‘That’s your opinion. But it isn’t what you think that matters, is it? It’s what he thinks.’ She spoke with gentle emphasis. ‘And he thinks it’s a good idea. For the record, I think it says a lot about a person that he is prepared to get married again.’

‘It does.’ As they hit a straight section of road, he pushed the car to its limits and the engine gave a throaty roar. ‘It says he’s a man with an inability to learn from his mistakes.’

‘I don’t see it that way.’ Her hair whipped around her face and she anchored it with her hand and lifted her face to the s

un. ‘I think it shows optimism and I love that.’

Hearing the breathy, happy note in her voice he shook his head. ‘Lily, how have you survived in this world without being eaten alive by unscrupulous people determined to take advantage of you?’

‘I’ve been hurt on many occasions.’