Loving The Boss (Gems 0f Love Book 1)

by Agnes Canestri

Right, there was the other man. The one with the dark blond hair and surfer look. The one who had spoken about some business with Matteo. About that pearl. Did she dare to ask him what it meant?

  She inhaled and pressed her hands to the table. “Do you mind if I ask you about this pearl you spoke about? If I’m not mistaken, Rosalie gave you some information about it the night when we…you know…when we danced.”

  The memory of his arms around her waist washed through her with the force of a tornado and her fingers trembled on the white tablecloth.

  Matteo squared his shoulders. He tilted his head to the side, and watched her for a long moment.

  Why wasn’t he speaking? Was she overstepping her role as an assistant by asking about it?

  He slowly nodded. “Very well. I haven’t spoken to many people about this here. Only to Bradley and Nathan. Rosalie found out about it by chance. But I think it’s fair that you learn why I accepted this job in the first place, given that you work with me.”

  Why he accepted this job? So this pearl story was truly important. Eleni felt her chest expand with anticipation. She leaned forward on her chair.

  Matteo cleared his throat. “So let me tell you about the Pearl of the Deep Blue.”

  Chapter 19

  Matteo glanced at Eleni. Was he really going to tell her why he’d come to this island? What if she thought he was a silly dreamer like his two pals had when he shared his vision with them?

  Her eyes were wide, and her whole body angled forward. She looked like she was truly curious about his reasons. It wouldn’t be the first time she had surprised him after all.

  He cleared his throat. “So let me tell you about the Pearl of the Deep Blue.”

  “The Pearl of the Deep Blue?”

  Why did these words sound so sensual on her lips? No, this wasn’t a useful direction for his thoughts.

  Matteo wrinkled his nose. He had to get back to his story—fast. “It’s a legend. A free diver once discovered a cave around these islands and named it the Pearl of the Deep Blue. The only way to access the cave is through a hidden underwater passage.”

  Eleni’s eyebrows arched. “So you think it exists? And it’s here?”

  Matteo scratched his chin. “Yes, I think it does. However, nobody knows the exact location. The diver travelled back with a small crew to film the Pearl, but their boat had an accident. Nobody survived.”

  Eleni gasped. “And you still want to search for it? Why?”

  How could he describe it to her without sounding like a maniac or a fool? “It’s like the Holy Grail for free divers. Everybody wants to find it, but nobody has up till now. If I manage to, and then open up a free-diving school, the reputation of my courses would increase exponentially.”

  Eleni narrowed her eyes. She shifted on her chair, her face drawn into a concentrated grimace. “So that’s your dream? You’re planning to open a school with Luke? He’s collecting the money for it while you work to secure its fame.”

  Matteo’s mouth popped open. Eleni was quick. He didn’t need to explain too much, and she understood immediately what he wanted.

  A warm feeling flooded his chest. He’d never met anyone with whom he could talk like he was doing with her now. Apart from Luke, but he was his best buddy, so didn’t really count.

  He nodded. “Yes, that’s the idea. Giada and Ginny think it’s too much of a longshot. Giordano and Bianca are my only supporters.”

  He raised his eyes to meet Eleni’s gaze. Now the moment of truth. “What do you think about it?”

  Eleni stared into his eyes without answering. She bit her lower lip.

  Matteo couldn’t help it. His glance dipped. His pulse quickened as he watched her lips acquire a rosier tint than usual. The urge to bend forward and taste her overcame him. The desire spread into his limbs. Was he going to be able to resist?

  Eleni blinked then turned her head to the side. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea. It’s risky, but it isn’t bad. That is, if it works. What makes you think the Pearl is on this island?”

  Matteo rubbed his neck. Thank heavens Eleni had more sense than he did. Or maybe she didn’t feel that magnetic pull between them? The thought made his heart squeeze.

  No, he just needed to focus on their conversation instead of the elemental attraction he felt toward her. It would be fine.

  “Luke and I have studied the geography of the area. Triquol is the only one in the archipelago that has the right cave structure to harbor such an underwater passage. Also, that night in the Bliss, you know when Rosalie dared me to dance and I asked you to—”

  Heat crept up his spine. Holding Eleni that first night still haunted him in his dreams.

  Eleni leaned closer. “Yes?”

  “That night she revealed to me that she saw an ancient map in James’ office. It located the Pearl in the southern part of the island, not too far from the Purple Rain.”

  Eleni’s jaw dropped. “Where we went today? So that’s why you stayed so long in the water. You weren’t just securing the site, but also looking for the Pearl.”

  Matteo gritted his teeth. “Yes, but without success. Maybe next time you could help me?”

  Why was he asking this of Eleni? Why did he suddenly want to share the moment of discovery with her?

  Eleni’s eyes widened and she blushed. After a second, however, her lips curled up making her eyes crinkle in delicious little lines. “Okay, next time I might try. I’d love to help you.”

  Matteo’s heart drummed. He had seen the panic in her eyes this morning. For her to agree to come with him into the deep blue was something significant.

  His breathing quickened. Why did the possibility of finding the cave without her witnessing it make him feel hollow? Was he perhaps falling for her?

  His eyes wandered to Eleni’s face again. Her mouth opened, and she licked her lower lip.

  A fire ignited in Matteo. How could he have her at arm’s length and not give in to the desire? Their eyes met, and he watched her breathing deepen.

  Was she maybe starting to get feelings for him?

  Matteo’s heart sank. What was he doing? He mustn’t go down this road. Once the Pearl was found, he was going to quit his job and leave the island. The school was his future, not Eleni. If they started something now, it couldn’t last.

  He pressed his fists to his thighs. This dinner had been a mistake. Speaking to Eleni about his plans had been a mistake. He knew it, and yet he did it anyways.

  Matteo forced himself to break the eye contact and pushed back his chair. He had to remain strong. He didn’t have a place for a woman in his life.

  He stood up. “You’re done eating, right? I’ll clean up the dishes.”

  Eleni jumped up and stepped over to his side. “Let me help you.”

  Her arm brushed his, and Matteo almost dropped the plates. “No, that’s fine. I’ve got it. Besides Bianca would kill me if she knew I let you wash up.”

  Eleni glanced at her watch then shifted her weight to her left leg. She looked around the room. Her eyes stopped on the window. “Oh, it’s already dark outside.”

  Matteo put the plates on the kitchen counter and walked back to her.

  He didn’t want Eleni to leave, but he had to send her away. He was hardly able to control his hands. They itched to pull her fragile waist close to him.

  “Yes, it’s quite late. Perhaps it would be best if you went home now.”

  Eleni flinched then nodded with a hasty movement. “Oh, gosh, yes sure. I didn’t mean to disturb you this long.”

  Her cheeks became crimson, and she hurried to collect her bag from the chair.

  Great, he had behaved like a first class jerk.

  “No, you didn’t disturb me. It’s just—”

  What was he supposed to say? It’s just that I can’t see you standing there without wanting to kiss you? Your very presence makes me have doubts about my own priorities in life?

  Eleni waved with her hand. “No, no. Don’t explain. It’s all fine.
I get it. Mhmm… I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning?”

  Matteo throat thickened. Would a couple hours be enough to empty his heart of Eleni’s bewitching effect? Definitely not.

  He lifted one finger. “You know what? I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you take tomorrow off? You had your first boat trip today, and it was intense. Maybe resting and staying away from the dive center for a day will do you good.”

  And hopefully me.

  Eleni’s face froze. She gawked at Matteo without blinking then lowered her glance. “Sure, fine. You’re the boss. See you on Saturday then.”

  She turned without looking at him and slipped out the door.

  When she’d disappeared, Matteo squeezed his palms against his temples.

  What had he done? It was obvious Eleni felt hurt. He could see it in her eyes.

  He shook his head. No, it was better this way. Maybe he had misinterpreted her signs. Eleni couldn’t possibly have fallen for him.

  But he was at great risk of falling for her. Physical distance was essential for now. He had to keep his head and heart straight and focused.

  He lowered his hands and walked to the kitchen. He turned on the water and started to scrub the plates.

  Chapter 20

  Eleni looked around the large terrace of the Bliss. It was relatively empty. Her eyes flicked to the grey clouds. She didn’t mind the untypically somber weather. It suited her mood.

  She lifted her cup and took a sip. The tangy bergamot blended well with the dark flavor. Hmm, her Dad would love this particular Earl Grey blend.

  As she remembered her father’s long nose and silver glasses, her stomach hardened. Did Dad know she’d been harboring the guilt over her mother’s death? Probably not. She should have spoken to him, or at least to Lydia, ages ago. She’d been stupid for keeping silent for so long.

  She shrugged her shoulders to check whether the weight of remorse was still there. Nope. She felt much lighter, as if the shackles of a haunted past had dissipated. It was all thanks to Matteo.

  Her heart sank. No, this was the wrong course for her thoughts. She shouldn’t go back and remember yesterday. Not Matteo’s strong arms, nor his gentle smile. And definitely not those special moments when she thought he was going to kiss her.

  Eleni’s hands became heavy, and she lowered her cup to the table.

  Perhaps it would be best if you went home now.

  Had she been a fool for letting this single phrase hurt her so much? After all, Matteo had done nothing wrong. He had been a perfect gentleman. He had listened to her, he had consoled her, and he had even cooked dinner. So what if he didn’t want to kiss her? Or let her stay the night?

  Heat flushed Eleni’s cheeks. This hideous crush of hers had to stop. She couldn’t fall in love with her boss. No, these were all sensations she had to release somehow. She lifted her palms and pressed them against her chest.

  “There you are, little roomie!”

  Cath’s cheerful voice made Eleni jump.

  She trotted over to Eleni’s table, wearing her yoga uniform. She grabbed a chair and slouched into it. “What are you doing here all by yourself?”

  Eleni plastered on a smile. It was a good thing Cath was here. She was starting to get all gloomy. “Nothing, just chilling a bit, I guess. Enjoying my free time.”

  Cath reached over the table and poked her on the shoulder. “Oh, you lucky one. With Tariq as my direct boss, I hardly get any free moments. Let alone days off.”

  She moved her hands up to her nape and loosened her ponytail. Her brown curls bounced joyfully around her face. “Anyways, I have a half hour break between two classes, so I’ll keep you company.”

  Jenny walked over to their table. “What can I get you?”

  Cath ordered a water.

  Jenny turned to Eleni. “And you, honey?”

  “I’m all set, thanks.”

  Jenny stuck her phone into her apron pocket. “We miss you in the Bliss, you know.”

  Eleni’s eyes drifted over to Rosalie, who was chatting with Bradley at the bar. “Sure, I can imagine that.”

  Jenny followed her gaze then waved with her hand. “Oh, Rosie isn’t half so bad. I actually think she’s sorry you left. The Kasijev brother, you know the cute one, has been asking about you ever since.”

  Nikolai’s bulky shoulders and greedy glare flashed into Eleni’s mind, and she shifted on her seat. “Aha, I see. I have a lot to do in the dive center, so I don’t get much chance to come around.”

  This wasn’t the whole truth. She did pay special attention to avoid coming to the Bliss when the Russian millionaires were around.

  Jenny brushed a non-existent grain from her steep cleavage. “Don’t worry, you might get the chance to see them after all. Didn’t Rosie give you the invitation?”

  Cath leaned forward. “What invitation?”

  Jenny’s glance bounced between Cath’s and Eleni’s faces. She bit her lip. “Oh, I wasn’t supposed to say anything. I’m sorry. I’ll get your drinks soon.”

  With that, she whipped around and hurried to the bar.

  Cath narrowed her eyes. “What do you make of that?”

  She pointed to Jenny’s back.

  Eleni shook her head. “I’m not sure. But whatever it is, I won’t be going. I don’t want to see that man ever again.”

  Whatever Jenny had been referring to wasn’t something Eleni wanted to find out more about. Any invitation that resulted in her being brought into close physical contact with that beast Nikolai wasn’t good.

  Cath wiggled her brows at Eleni. “You mean Nikolai? Why? He has the looks that all his other family members lack. And he is rich. Shamelessly rich.”

  Eleni’s eyes widened. Was Cath playing with her? Eleni had gotten the impression her roommate wasn’t easily mesmerized by money and fame. Had she been wrong about her?

  Cath clapped her hands and broke into a hearty laugh. “Gotcha. I’m just joking, silly. I wouldn’t touch those creeps even if they begged me to.”

  Eleni’s shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “Phew, I almost thought the aliens had kidnapped my favorite roommate.”

  Cath stuck out her tongue. “I’m your only roommate.”

  “What’s all this cheering about?”

  Rosalie’s soprano made both Eleni and Cath turn.

  Her perfectly drawn eyebrows were pulled into a severe frown, and she held one of her hands on her hip. “You’re lucky that today most of the guests decided to enjoy the pool area. It’s very inappropriate for the staff to be behaving this loudly.”

  Cath put up her hands. “Relax, Rosie-Posie, we’ve just been enjoying a short break.” She glanced at her watch. “And, probably to your greatest pleasure, mine is already over so…” She stood up. “Tell Jenny she can cancel my water. I have a pilates class in five.”

  Eleni’s pulse quickened. She didn’t want to be left alone with Rosalie. There was something intimidating about this bombshell. She made Eleni feel small and goofy. But Cath shouldn’t miss her duties because of Eleni’s insecurity.

  So she lifted her hand and waved. “Fine, see you tonight, Cath.”

  Cath sprinted toward the main building.

  Rosalie stepped closer to Eleni. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

  Eleni’s eyes snapped to her face. “About what?”

  “That you’ll see your roommate tonight.”

  Eleni’s brows curved up. “Oh yeah? Why is that?”

  Rosalie winked at her. “Because I have a perfect offer for you that you won’t be able to refuse.” Her voice sounded warmer than it had ever been.

  There it was, the famous invitation Jenny had anticipated. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t agree. She wasn’t a gold digger, nor was she any longer Rosalie’s employee. She could decide freely if she wanted to. And she didn’t.

  Eleni plastered on a polite expression of interest. “Would you mind telling me what this exceptional offer might entail?”

  Rosalie cocked her head to the
side. “Did you know that Nikolai, Dimitrij’s brother, is going to take over their family business? Dimitrij is retiring.”

  Eleni rubbed her forehead. No, she didn’t know. But what did this information have to do with her? Nothing.

  Not unless… Oh, no. The special offer Rosalie’d mentioned had to be related to this event. Eleni’s heart constricted. If it was, and she got invited to the celebration, it was going to be super hard for her to refuse.

  Rosalie observed Eleni’s face. When Eleni didn’t say anything, Rosalie continued, “I guess that’s a no. I’ll explain to you why this information is so important. Dimitrij is one of the most revered guests in the hotel. His business, admittedly, has some shady sides, but nothing illegal.”

  Eleni snorted. Right, because the line was so clear between shady and illegal.

  Rosalie cleared her throat. “Anyways, Dimitrij is influential. Very influential. So if Nikolai takes over, he’ll be just as powerful.”

  Eleni drew her eyebrows together. Perhaps the best thing was to keep pretending she didn’t understand. “I’m sorry, Rosalie, but I still don’t see the connection with me.”

  Rosalie shifted her weight, so that her curvy hip stood out even more, almost boring into Eleni’s shoulder. “Nikolai likes you. A lot.” She opened her hands. “For whatever reason.”

  Eleni’s fists rolled into a ball underneath the table. For whatever reason. What a rude comment. It was clear Rosalie didn’t think much of Eleni’s looks.

  “I’m flattered to know,” Eleni mumbled in a flat tone.

  Rosalie licked her lips and paused for a second. She looked like a bird of prey excogitating a plan to capture her next victim. “Nikolai has been complaining about your transfer to the dive center. If you get into Nikolai’s favors, your career here at the Deep Blue will rise. Just like mine did.”

  Eleni angled away from Rosalie. “Get into Nikolai’s favors? What are you implying?”

  Rosalie beamed at her while batting her long eyelashes like a butterfly. “Nothing inappropriate, of course. Just attend his celebration party. Why, what did you think I was expecting of you?” she asked with pretend horror.