‘If you don’t want this place, I might live here.’ Lily looked at the shaded terrace with its beautiful infinity pool. ‘Why does anyone need a pool when the sea is five steps from the front door?’
‘Some people don’t like swimming in the sea.’
‘I’m not one of those people. I adore the sea. Nik, this place is—’ she felt a lump in her throat ‘—it’s really special.’
He opened the doors to the terrace and gave her a wary look. ‘Are you going to cry?’
‘It’s perfect.’ She blinked. ‘And I’m fine. Happy. And excited. I love Crete, but I never get the chance to enjoy it like a tourist. I’m always working.’ And never in her life had she experienced this level of luxury.
She and Brittany were always moaning about the mosquitoes and lack of air conditioning in their tiny apartment. At night they slept with the windows open to make the most of the breeze from the sea, but in the summer months it was almost unbearable indoors.
‘You are the most unusual woman I’ve ever met. You enjoy small things.’
‘This is not a small thing. And you’re the unusual one.’ She picked up her bag. ‘You take this life for granted.’
‘That is not true. I know how fortunate I am.’
‘I don’t think you do, but I’m going to be pointing it out to you every minute for the next few days so hopefully by the time we leave you will.’ She glanced around her and then looked at him expectantly. ‘My bedroom?’
For a wild, unnerving moment she hoped he was going to tell her there was just one bedroom, but he gestured to a door that led from the large spacious living area.
‘The guest suite is through there. Make yourself comfortable.’
Guest suite.
So he didn’t intend them to share a room. For Nik, it really had been one night.
/> Telling herself it was probably for the best, she followed his directions and walked through an open door into a bright, airy bedroom. The bed was draped in layers of cream and white, deep piles of cushions and pillows inviting the occupant to lounge and relax. The walls were hung with bold, contemporary art, slashes of deep blue on large canvases that added a stylish touch to the room. In one corner stood a tall, elegant vase in graduated blues, the colour shifting under the dazzling sunlight.
Lily recognised it instantly. ‘That’s one of Skylar’s pots.’
He looked at her curiously. ‘You know the artist?’
‘Skylar Tempest. She and Brittany were roommates at college. They’re best friends, as close as sisters. I would know her work anywhere. Her style, her use of colour and composition is unique, but I know that pot specifically because I talked to her about it. Brittany introduced us because Skylar wanted to talk to me about ceramics. She’s incorporated a few Minoan designs into some of her work, modernised, of course.’ She knelt down and slid her hand over the smooth surface of the glass. ‘This is from her Mediterranean Sky collection. She had a small exhibition in New York, not only glass and pots but jewellery and a couple of paintings. She’s insanely talented.’
‘You were at that exhibition?’
‘Sadly no. I don’t move in those circles. Nor do I pretend to claim any credit for any of her incredible creations, but I did talk to her about shapes and style. Of course the Minoans used terracotta clay. It was Sky’s idea to reproduce the shape in glass. Look at this—’ She trailed her finger lightly over the surface. ‘The Minoans usually decorated their pots with dark on light motifs, often of sea creatures, and she’s taken her inspiration from that. It’s genius. I can’t believe you own it. Where did you find it?’
‘I was at the exhibition.’
‘In New York? How did you even know about her?’
‘I saw her work in a small artisan jewellers in Greenwich Village and I bought one of her necklaces for—’ He broke off and Lily looked at him expectantly.
‘For? For one of your women? We’re not in a relationship, Nik. You don’t have to censor your conversation. And even if we were in a relationship you still wouldn’t need to censor it.’
‘In my experience, most women do not appreciate hearing about their predecessors.’
‘Yes, well the more I hear about the women you’ve known in your life, the more I’m not surprised. Now tell me about how you discovered Skylar.’
‘I asked to see more of her work and was told she was having an exhibition. I managed to get myself invited.’
Lily rocked back on her heels. ‘She never mentioned that she met you.’
‘We never met. I didn’t introduce myself. I went on the first night and she was surrounded by well-wishers, so I simply bought a few pieces and left. That was two years ago.’
‘So she doesn’t know she sold pieces to Nik Zervakis?’