by Lilly LaRue
The black car whisked them up the winding hill to the villa. Arianna had rolled down her window, and the scent of tropical flowers made Leah’s nostrils flare. She breathed deeply, with anticipation. As she did so, the clean, male scent of Nikos teased her nose. She swallowed thickly, deliberately turning her head away from him, to lean closer to the open window. The change of position angled her bottom closer to Nikos, and she recoiled as though his touch had burned. In a way, it had. It burned her to have him so close, infringing upon her space.
Liar, whispered that annoying voice, which she quickly quashed.
“Would you like to hang your head out the window? Perhaps let the breeze flap your tongue?” teased Nikos.
She shot him a glare and refocused on the land as they pulled up the driveway, parking in front of the villa. Nikos was the first out, and she breathed a sigh of relief. The relief was short-lived, because he paused, reaching in to offer her a hand out as the driver came around to let out Arianna. “I can manage,” she said through gritted teeth as she put her legs out.
“It’s no trouble.” He overrode her objection by grasping her hand and giving her a gentle tug. Her momentum shifted, sending her sprawling forward, straight into Nikos’s arms.
“A simple thank you would have sufficed.” His lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. She’d like to think her hot glower influenced his decision.
She jerked upright, straightened her spine, and stepped away from him. “Thank you for making me stumble,” she said as coldly as she could manage and turned away from him. To her annoyance, he laughed softly behind her.
To her surprise, Irina came bustling out of the villa. The housekeeper had to be over sixty by now, but she was still at her post. In a shower of Greek, Irina swept Arianna into a big hug, her larger girth swallowing up the other’s smaller frame. After a moment, Arianna fought her way free, and Irina moved on to Nikos. Leah couldn’t hide her pleasure at the way the older woman engulfed the man in one of her massive hugs. When she released him, she patted his face and spoke lovingly in Greek.
Leah walked by them, surprised when Irina touched her arm. She turned to smile at the older woman and found herself wrapped in her arms. She knew Irina from other visits, but it had been years, and she’d never been greeted with a hug before.
“Ah, Kyria Andrakis, welcome. The last time I saw you, you were younger than Miss Arianna.”
Leah shook her head as best she could with Irina’s hands framing her face. “I think I was seventeen.” It had been the summer before Arianna’s mother died, the year she’d developed a huge crush on Nikos. Thank goodness she was over that.
“You have become a beautiful woman, Kyria Andrakis. I can see why Mr. Nikos married you.”
Leah flushed, deliberately not looking at Nikos. “Please call me Leah.”
Irina nodded, clearly not one to adhere to rigid standards of conduct. “Come, Kyria Leah, and Miss Arianna,” she threaded her arms through theirs, practically marching the women up the marble stairs and into the house, with Nikos trailing behind.
The interior was more luxurious than she’d remembered, complete with a marble mosaic of one the saints on the foyer floor. It seemed disrespectful to walk on it, and she wasn’t even religious. The others trod over the saint without a glance downward, so she did the same. More marble stairs, carpeted with a maroon runner, led them to the next floor, where Irina released Arianna in front of her room. She didn’t wait for the girl to enter as she hurried Leah on. “You will love the master suite, Kyria Leah. It is heaven.”
Leah nodded, not really paying attention. She was too busy trying to keep up with the powerhouse old woman. When they entered the master suite, she didn’t give it much thought. At Nikos’s home in New York, they shared the master suite, though with separate bedrooms and bathrooms. If the staff there thought it was odd, they’d known better than to express the opinion.
“Heaven,” repeated Irina with a sigh. “This is the perfect place to make a baby, Kyria Leah. Miss Arianna and Mr. Nikos were both conceived here.”
Leah choked, somehow managing a nod. She voiced words of appreciation to Irina as the other woman left her after one last hug. It was then she noticed Nikos was also in the room. She’d hoped he’d gone straight to the study, or anywhere else. Being in a bedroom with him, alone, was awkward.
She turned toward the doors, opening the first to reveal a dressing room with another door. “Is my room through here?”
Nikos shrugged. “It can be yours if you’d like.”
Leah frowned at the odd comment and walked through the dressing room to open the other door. She opened it and stepped into the other room, startled to find a nursery. An antique crib, armoire, and chair took up most of one wall. There were toys lined neatly on shelves, obviously dusted regularly. To her relief, she spotted a single bed against another wall—probably for a nanny. It wasn’t the luxurious king-size bed she was used to, but she’d make do. She would have made do with the crib in order to avoid sharing a room with Nikos.
To her surprise, he followed. “Will this room suit you?”
She shrugged. “It’s fine.” Feeling lost, reluctant to meet his eyes, Leah fussed with the button of her linen jacket. “Though it is lacking in closet space.”
Nikos nodded, leaning against the doorjamb as though he planned to stay there all day. “There’s plenty of room in my closet.”
“Thanks.” An awkward silence fell, and she searched for something to say. “What are—?”
“Dinner is—” said Nikos simultaneously. “What were you saying?”
“I was going to ask if you knew Arianna’s plans for the summer?”
He shrugged. “I imagine she’ll spend much of her time on the beach. There are several young people living in the area, and she will likely want to renew her friendships with them.”
“Ah.”
Nikos straightened, walking toward her. He seemed to loom over her even more than usual. He was several inches taller, but she didn’t usually feel uncomfortable when he stood so close—not that he’d stood this close to her in a long time. “And what are your plans, Leah?”
She swallowed audibly when he brushed his hand against her cheek as he pushed a strand of hair back in place. “Nothing.” Her voice emerged a husky croak.
Nikos lifted a brow. “Nothing? Will you be staying in bed all day? How unproductive, but fun.” He winked.
She suppressed the overwhelming urge to blush. “Of course not. I’ll find something to amuse myself. I always do.” Leah schooled her expression into neutrality, taking a step back from her husband. “I think I will take a nap though.” She glanced pointedly at the door.
With a crook of his lips, Nikos turned and sauntered away, pausing once more at the door to glance back. “If you decide that bed is too small, you are welcome to mine.”
She didn’t reply, but knew he was aware of the double entendre in his words by his rich chuckle and the gleam in his eyes as he left. Leah waited until she heard the outer door of his room close, ensuring he had left the suite, before relaxing her stiff posture. She was tired, but wondered if she would be able to sleep with the thoughts whirling through her mind. What was Nikos up to? He never acted like that. Why had he suddenly started treating her with intimate familiarity, when he had made it very clear he wanted nothing physical from her so long ago?
Chapter Two
Despite her confusion, Leah had managed to sleep. When she woke, a glance out the window revealed the sun was about to set, meaning it would soon be dinnertime. She stretched, wincing at the kink in her neck. The bed certainly left much to be desired, but she wouldn’t be borrowing Nikos’s anytime soon.
Never, she silently amended as she slipped from the bed and straightened her slept-in clothes, going in search of the lavatory. The other door from the main bedroom opened to reveal an opulent bathroom, and she sighed with delight at the sunken marble tub, complete with whirlpool jets.
She shed her wrinkled travel clothes
, leaving them in a heap near the tub. The water rushed from the crystal faucet with a small nudge, filling the whirlpool much faster than she’d have expected. Leah stepped into the tub, going down the marble steps until she was waist-deep in the warm water. Settling onto the built-in bench, she turned on the jets using the control panel and lay back, resting her head on the padded ledge.
When Leah glanced up, her lips quirked at the sight of a fresco of cavorting, bare-bottomed cherubs on the ceiling. Someone had obviously attempted to give the room a romantic feel, evidenced from the tub clearly meant for two to the tiny votives in crystal holders scattered all around the room. However, any romantic vibe came to a screeching halt with the cherubs. How could anyone feel sexy with a group of chubby little angels staring down at them? She giggled at the thought, relieved to see the tacky cherubs. They would preclude any sort of romantic interludes.
Not that she and Nikos would have indulged in any such thing. A frown turned down the corners of her mouth when she imagined her husband in the tub with another woman. Scowling, Leah let out the water and stood up, wrapping herself in a plush towel the color of ripe plums.
At the mirror, she met her own gaze briefly before looking away, disconcerted by her expression. She wasn’t jealous, of course. Her relationship with Nikos allowed no room for such emotions. Her negative reaction to the idea of Nikos having sex with another woman in the bathtub was simply due to the possibility Arianna might find out. The girl knew Leah was returning to college when she went off to university, but Arianna had no idea she and Nikos were divorcing. It would be a terrible way for her to discover the true state of their marriage.
This time, she avoided looking at herself to keep from seeing any trace of artifice in her expression. It would be impossible to make herself believe the assertion if she admitted to lying to herself.
A few moments later, Leah left the bathroom, still in the towel. She walked to the last door, finding a huge walk-in closet. Someone, presumably Irina, had unpacked her clothes. A quick search revealed her underwear in one of the drawers built into the closet. Her stomach churned in reaction to the sight of her underwear nestled snugly alongside Nikos’s.
Giving in to a compulsion she couldn’t ignore, Leah reached out a shaking hand to lift a pair of his briefs. The silky black material was cool against her fingers, though she could imagine how hot it would be with his skin underneath. She had no trouble picturing him wearing nothing but the briefs… and then nothing.
With a growl of annoyance, she dropped the underwear, snatched up a pair of her panties, and slammed shut the drawer. Whatever was wrong with her had to stop now. It had taken much too long for her to become immune to Nikos’s presence for her to risk destroying that immunity by indulging in carnal thoughts about him.
Frustration. That’s all it was. She was physically frustrated, and so close to the end of their marriage of convenience that her body was stirring to life. Leah would finally have a chance to pursue a sexual relationship in just a few months, and she could no longer fully suppress her natural urges. It had been to her detriment to experience desire while married to Nikos, so she had shut off that part of her, ruthlessly squashing any sexual sparks that cropped up. The vacation and change of scenery must be the cause of her temporary insanity. The last thing she wanted was to feel attracted to Nikos again, when she was so close to being free.
Leah slipped out of the towel, draped it on a hook, and slipped on the white panties she’d grabbed randomly from the drawer. They were demure and comfortable, though not at all sexy. That suited her just fine.
In just her underwear, Leah sorted through her clothes, finally selecting a yellow dress that bared her arms and back. The sun was gone, but it would still be hot, especially if they ate outside, as had been the custom the last time she visited the island.
To her horror, as she took the dress from its hanger, she heard the main door open. Leah scrambled to slip on the dress, trying to cover her nakedness before Nikos saw her. Somehow, she managed to wriggle into it, thankful the dress had built-in support that disguised her lack of a bra.
She was flushed and flustered when Nikos stopped at the entry to the closet, leaning in slightly. He seemed to know she had been practically naked just a millisecond ago, and his eyes lingered on her breasts for a moment before his gaze rose to meet hers.
“Are you ready to dine?” His tone was bland, but his eyes sparkled with amusement.
Leah nodded. “Of course.” She turned from him to select a pair of golden sandals from the small selection she’d packed, sliding them onto her feet as fast as possible. She could practically feel the heat of his gaze caressing her buttocks as she knelt to adjust the straps.
When she turned around, there was no hint that he’d been ogling her, but she couldn’t help ogling him. He’d stripped off his shirt and was reaching for another. There was nothing overtly sexual about him being in khaki slacks, bare from the waist up for a moment before he slid on a polo shirt, but it sent all kinds of naughty thoughts skittering through her brain.
Clearing her throat, Leah tore her gaze from the rippling muscles of his tanned torso, sidling past him. “Excuse me,” she said breathily as her body touched his. She didn’t wait for a response as she fled from the closet and the master suite, anxious to put space between them so she could regain control and marshal her errant thoughts.
By the time she’d traversed the marble staircase and made her way to the salon, Leah had returned to her cool, collected self. If she hadn’t, she could at least give the appearance of being collected. Arianna sat on a white velvet couch, casually clad in capris and a modest halter top. That meant there would be no guests tonight, to her relief. Leah wasn’t up to putting on the usual married act required when she and Nikos socialized.
She’d barely sat down on the couch when Nikos appeared. He looked at ease in his casual outfit, not like the CEO of an international corporation that made him one of the richest men in the world. He seemed approachable, which made her stomach knot with tension. She preferred Nikos be remote, distracted, and buried in his work. It was disconcerting to see him so relaxed, and she was glad this would be her last vacation with him.
Irina appeared in the doorway. “Dinner is served.”
Leah jumped to her feet as though propelled by a spring, hurrying forward. She was desperate to escape the salon, where Nikos seemed to consume all the oxygen and take up all the space. Being on the patio would temper his larger-than-life presence that was so distressing to her this evening.
She forced herself to fall into step with Nikos and Arianna instead of racing ahead. Leah’s head swam for a moment when Nikos placed a warm hand on her bare back. It was nothing more than a courteous gesture, but his fingers scorched her skin, making her shift with discomfort, though she didn’t break contact. It wouldn’t be polite to act like she couldn’t stand him to touch her at all. Choosing not to step away had nothing to do with liking his touch entirely too much.
It was a relief to break free of his hand to settle into the chair he assisted her into before doing the same for Arianna. She was reading too much into Nikos’s behavior. He was mostly freed from the burden of work for the first time since they’d married, and it was only natural that he would be more open and friendly. It meant nothing. She meant nothing to him, she ruthlessly reminded herself. There was no doubt about that, despite his perplexing behavior today.
Arianna chattered away as they dined on olives and aubergine marinated in olive oil, followed by fish in a yogurt-mint sauce, perfectly grilled vegetables, and a plate of cheese and figs to round out the meal. She was able to contribute to the conversation on autopilot while her brain continuously scolded her about allowing any emotion except remote politeness in regards to Nikos.
When they returned to the salon for more conversation and thick Greek coffee served in demitasse cups, she was less bothered by Nikos’s proximity, despite him sitting just a few feet away. Instead, she focused on Arianna, discussing the
girl’s plans for her vacation, which were basically as Nikos had told her earlier.
When she caught Arianna smothering a yawn behind her hand, Leah stretched slightly. “Would anyone mind if we cut the evening short? I am exhausted.” Her nap had given her a fresh burst of energy, but she didn’t want to embarrass Arianna by suggesting it was bedtime for the younger girl.
Arianna nodded. “I could use an early night.”
Her stomach dropped when Nikos said, “So could I.” To her relief, he didn’t place a hand on her back this time as they walked up the stairs close together. Her stomach knotted with apprehension as they bid goodnight to Arianna and continued on to the master suite. Despite her mental reassurances that Nikos’s actions meant nothing, she couldn’t help worrying that they did. Was he as physically frustrated as she was? Did Leah present a convenient body for him to use over the summer? She doubted it. Nikos had never been blatant about having other women, but she knew he must have during their marriage. They hadn’t discussed it, but she had instinctively known he wouldn’t remain celibate for three years—just as she had instinctively known his Greek pride would insist that she did.
She held her breath as they entered the suite, pausing uncertainly near the door to the nursery. “Good night,” she said with a hint of chill in her tone, prepared to rebuff any advances he might make.
“Good night, Leah.” His voice betrayed nothing as he walked past her to the bathroom.
She closed the door with more force than necessary, not certain why she was annoyed. She should have been overjoyed that he had been so disinterested in her that he had practically looked right through her on his way to perform his nightly ablutions. She certainly shouldn’t be gnashing her teeth with anger that he had suddenly become so distant again. The last thing she wanted was the complication of sex when they were so close to the end of their marriage.
Right?
It had taken Nikos a considerable amount of time to fall asleep, and he was briefly confused upon waking just a short time after finally dropping off. Something had awakened him, though he didn’t know what. A furtive scraping sound made him tense, and his heart hammered in his chest as he speculated that Leah was creeping through the darkened room, making her way to his bed to take him up on the invitation to share.
