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

‘What about the one per cent which are an expression of genuine emotion?’

‘I’ve never encountered that rare beast, so I’m willing to play the odds.’

‘If that’s your experience, you must have met some awful women in your time. I don’t believe you’d be that unsympathetic.’

‘Believe it.’ He leaned back as the waiter delivered a selection of dishes. ‘These are Cretan specialities. Try them.’ He spooned beans in a rich tomato sauce onto her plate and added local goat’s cheese.

She nibbled the beans and moaned with pleasure. ‘These are delicious. I still can’t believe you ordered for me. Do you want to feed me, too? Because I could lie back and let you drop grapes into my mouth if that would be fun. Or you could cover my naked body with whipped cream. Is that the sort of stuff you do in bed?’

There was a dangerous glitter in his eyes. ‘You don’t want to know the sort of “stuff” I do in bed, Lily. You’re far too innocent.’

She remembered what Brittany had said about him not being tame. ‘I’m not innocent. I have big eyes and that gives people a false impression of me.’

‘You remind me of a kitten that’s been abandoned by the side of the road.’

‘You’ve got me totally wrong. I’d say I’m more of a panther.’ She clawed the air and growled. ‘A little bit predatory. A little bit dangerous.’

He gave her a long steady look and she blushed and lowered her hand.

‘All right, maybe not a panther exactly but not a kitten either.’ She thought about what lay in her past. ‘I’ll have you know I’m pretty tough. Tell me more about your family. So you have a father and a few stepmothers. How about siblings?’

‘I have one half-sister who is two.’

Lily softened. ‘I love that age. They’re so busy and into everything. Is she adorable?’

‘I’ve no idea. I’ve never met her.’

‘You’ve—’ She stared at him, shocked. ‘You mean it’s been a while since you’ve seen her.’

‘No. I mean I’ve never seen her.’ He lifted his champagne. ‘Her mother extracted all the money she could from my father and then left. She lives in Athens and visits when she wants something.’

‘Oh, my God, that’s terrible.’ Lily’s eyes filled. ‘Your poor, poor father.’

He put his glass down slowly. ‘Are you crying for my father?’

‘No.’ Her throat was thickened. ‘Maybe. Yes, a little bit.’

‘A man you’ve never met and know nothing about.’

‘Maybe I’m the one per cent who cares.’ She sniffed and he shook his head in exasperation.

‘This is your tough, ruthless streak? How can you be sad for someone you don’t know?’

‘Because I sympathise with his situation. He doesn’t see his little girl and that must be so hard. Family is the most important thing in the world and it is often the least appreciated thing.’

‘If you let a single tear fall onto your cheek,’ he said softly, ‘I’m walking out of here.’

‘I don’t believe you. You wouldn’t be that heartless. I think it’s all a big act you put on to stop women slobbering all over you.’

‘Do you want to test it?’ His tone was cool. ‘Because I suggest you wait until the end of the meal. The lamb kleftiko is the best anywhere in Greece and they make a house special with honey and pistachio nuts that you wouldn’t want to miss.’

‘But if you’re the one walking out, then I can stay here and eat your portion.’ She helped herself to another spoonful of food from the dish closest to her. ‘I don’t know why you’re so freaked out by tears. It’s not as if I was expecting you to hug me. I’ve taught myself to self-soothe.’

‘Self-soothe?’ Some of the tension left him. ‘You hug yourself?’

‘It’s important to be independent.’ She’d been self-sufficient from an early age, but the ability to do everything for herself hadn’t removed the deep longing to share her life with someone. ‘Why did your dad and his last wife divorce?’

‘Because they married,’ he said smoothly, ‘and divorce is an inevitable consequence of marriage.’