by Sarah Morgan
Nik, who had done exactly that, stayed silent and of course she noticed because she was nothing if not observant.
‘Put it this way—if I’m bitten by a shark am I going to avoid swimming in the sea? I could, but then I’d be depriving myself of one of my favourite activities so instead I choose to carry on swimming and be a little more alert. Life isn’t always about taking the safe option. Risk has to be balanced against the joy of living. I call it being receptive.’
‘I call it being ridiculously naïve.’
She looked affronted. ‘You’re cross and irritable because you’re not looking forward to this, but there is no reason to take it out on me. I’m here as a volunteer, remember?’
‘You’re right. I apologise.’
‘Accepted. But for your father’s sake you need to work on your body language. If you think you’re a thundercloud you’re deluding yourself because right now you’re more of a tropical cyclone. You have to stop being judgemental and embrace what’s happening.’
Nik took the sharp right-hand turn that led down to the beach and the private ferry. ‘I am finding it hard to embrace something I know to be a mistake. It’s like watching someone driving their car full speed towards a brick wall and not trying to do something to stop it.’
‘You don’t know it’s a mistake,’ she said calmly. ‘And even if it is, he’s an adult and should be allowed to make his own decisions. Now smile.’
He pulled in, killed the engine and turned to look at her.
Those unusual violet eyes reminded him of the spring flowers that grew high in the mountains. ‘I will not be so hypocritical as to pretend I am pleased, but I promise not to spoil the moment.’
‘If you don’t smile then you will spoil the moment! Poor Diandra might take one look at your face and decide she doesn’t want to marry into your family and then your father would be heartbroken. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but be hypocritical if that’s what it takes to make you smile.’
‘Poor Diandra will not be poor for long so I think it unlikely she’ll let anything stand in the way of her wedding, even my intimidating presence.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Is that what this is about? You think she’s after his money?’
‘I have no idea but I’d be a fool not to consider it.’ Nik saw no reason to be anything but honest. ‘He is mega wealthy. She was his cook.’
‘What does her occupation have to do with it? Love is about people, not professions. And I find it very offensive that you’d even think that. You can’t judge a person based on their income. I know plenty of wealthy people who are slimeballs. In fact if we’re going with stereotypes here, I’d say that generally speaking in order to amass great wealth you have to be prepared to be pretty ruthless. There are plenty of wealthy people who aren’t that nice.’
Nik, who had never aspired to be ‘nice’, was careful not to let his expression change. ‘Are you calling me a slimeball?’
‘I’m simply pointing out that income isn’t an indicator of a person’s worth.’
‘You mean because you don’t know the level of expenditure?’
‘No! Why is everything about money with you? I’m talking about emotional worth. Your father told me about Diandra. He was ill with flu last winter after Callie left. He was so ill at one point he couldn’t drag himself from the bed. I sympathised because it happened to me once and I hope I never get flu again. Anyway, Diandra cared for him the whole time. She was the one who called the doctor. She made all his meals. That was kind, don’t you think?’
‘Or opportunistic.’
‘If you carry on thinking like that you are going to die lonely. He met her when she cooked him her special moussaka to try and tempt him to eat. I love that he doesn’t care what she does.’
‘He should care. She stands to gain an enormous amount financially from this wedding.’
‘That’s horrible.’
‘It is truly horrible. Finally we find something we agree on.’
‘I wasn’t agreeing with you! It’s your attitude that’s horrible, not this wedding. You’re not only a judgemental cynic, you’re also a raging snob.’
Nik breathed deeply. ‘I am not a raging snob, but I am realistic.’
‘No, what you are is damaged. Not everything has a price, Nik, and there are things in life that are far more important than money. Your father is trying to make a family and I think that’s admirable.’ She fumbled with the seat belt. ‘Get me out of this car before I’m contaminated by you. Your thundercloud is about to rain all over my sunny patch of life.’
Your father is trying to make a family.
Nik thought about everything that had gone before.
He’d buried the pain and hurt deep and it was something he had never talked about with anyone, especially not his father, who had his own pain to deal with. What would happen when this relationship collapsed?
‘If my father entered relationships with some degree of caution and objective contemplation then I would be less concerned, but he makes the same mistake you make. He confuses physical intimacy with love.’ He saw the colour streak across her cheeks.
‘I’m not confused. Have I spun fairy tales about the night we spent together? Have I fallen in love with you? No. I know exactly what it was and what we did. You’re in a little compartment in my brain labelled “Once in a Lifetime Experiences” along with skydiving and a helicopter flight over the New York skyline. It was amazing by the way.’
‘The helicopter flight was amazing?’
‘No, I haven’t done that yet. I was talking about the night with you, although there were moments that felt as nerve-racking as skydiving.’ Her mouth tilted into a self-conscious smile. ‘Of course it’s also a little embarrassing looking at you in daylight after all those things we did in the dark, but I’m trying not to think about it. Now stop being annoying. In fact, stop talking for a while. That way I’m less likely to kill you before we arrive.’
Nik refrained from pointing out she’d been the only one in the dark. He’d had perfect vision and he’d used it to his own shameless advantage. There wasn’t a single corner of her body he hadn’t explored and the memory of every delicious curve was welded in his brain.
He tried to work out what it was about her that was so appealing. Innocence wasn’t a quality he generally admired in a person so he had to assume the power of the attraction stemmed from the sheer novelty of being with someone who had managed to retain such an untarnished view of the world.
‘Are you embarrassed about the night we spent together?’
‘I would be if I thought about it, so I’m not thinking about it. I’m living in the moment.’ Having offered that simple solution to the problem, she reached into the back of the car for her hat. ‘You could take the same approach to the wedding. You’re not here to fix it or protect anyone. You’re here as a guest and your only responsibility is to smile and look happy. Is this it? Are we here? Because I don’t see an island. Maybe your father might have changed the venue when he saw the black cloud of your presence approaching over the horizon.’
Nik dragged his gaze from her mouth to the jetty. ‘This is it. From here, we go by boat.’
* * *
Lily stood in the prow of the boat feeling the cool brush of the wind on her face and tasting the salty air. The boat skimmed and bounced over the sparkling ocean towards the large island in the distance, sending a light spray over her face and tangling her hair.
Nik stood behind the wheel, legs braced, eyes hidden behind a pair of dark glasses. Despite the unsmiling set of his mouth, he looked more approachable and less the hard-headed businessman.
‘This is so much fun. I think I might love it more than your Ferrari.’
He gave a smile that turned him from insanely good-looking to devastating, and she felt the intensity of the a
ttraction like a physical punch.
It was true he didn’t seem to display any of the family values that were so important to her, but that didn’t do anything to diminish the sexual attraction.
As far as she could tell, he couldn’t be more perfect for a short-term relationship.
For the whole trip in the car she’d been aware of him. As he’d shifted gear his hand had brushed against her bare thigh and she’d discovered that being with him was an exciting, exhilarating experience that was like nothing she’d experienced before.
There had been a brief moment when they’d pulled into the car park that she’d thought he might be about to kiss her. He’d looked at her mouth the way a panther looked at its prey before it devoured it, but just when she’d been about to close her eyes and take a fast ride to bliss, he’d sprung from the car, leaving her to wonder if she’d imagined it.
She’d followed him to the jetty, watching in fascination as the group of people gathered there sprang to attention. If she needed any more evidence of the power he wielded, she had only to observe the way people responded to him. He behaved with an authority that was instinctive, his air of command unmistakable even in this apparently casual setting.
It was a good job he didn’t possess any of the qualities she was looking for, she thought, otherwise she’d be in trouble.
Her gaze lingered on his bronzed throat, visible at the open neck of his shirt. He handled the boat with the same confident assurance he displayed in everything and she was sure that no electrical device had ever dared to misbehave under his expert touch.
Trying not to think about just how expert his touch had been, she anchored her hair and shouted above the wind. ‘The beaches are beautiful. People aren’t allowed to bathe here?’
‘You can bathe here. You’re my guest.’ As they approached the island, he slowed the speed of the boat and skilfully steered against the dock.
Two men instantly jumped forward to help and Nik sprang from the boat and held out his hand to her.
‘I need to get my bag.’
‘They will bring our luggage up to the villa later.’
‘I have a gift for your father and it’s only one bag,’ she muttered. ‘I can carry a single bag.’
‘You bought a gift?’
‘Of course. It’s a wedding. I couldn’t come without a small gift.’ She stepped out of the bobbing boat and allowed herself to hold his hand for a few seconds longer than was necessary for balance. She felt warmth and strength flow through her fingers and had to battle the temptation to press herself against him. ‘So how many bedrooms does your father have? Are you sure there is room for me to stay?’
The question seemed to amuse him. ‘There will be room, theé mou, don’t worry. As well as the main villa, there are several other properties scattered around the island. We will be staying in one of those.’
As they walked up a sandy path she breathed in the wonderful scents of sea juniper and wild thyme. ‘One of the things I love most about Crete is the thyme honey. Brittany and I eat it for breakfast.’
‘My father keeps bees so he will be very happy to hear you say that.’
The path forked at the top and he turned right and took the path that led down to another beach. There, nestling in the small horseshoe bay of golden sand with the water almost lapping at the whitewashed walls, was a beautiful contemporary villa.
Lily stopped. ‘That’s your father’s house?’ The position was idyllic, the villa stunning, but it looked more like a honeymoon hideaway than somewhere to accommodate a large number of high-profile international guests.
‘No. This is Camomile Villa. The main house is fifteen minutes’ walk in the other direction, towards the small Venetian fort. I thought we’d unpack and breathe for an hour or so before we face the guests.’
Witnessing his tension, she felt a rush of compassion. ‘Nik—’ She put her hand on his cheek and turned his face to hers. ‘This is a wedding, not the sacking of Troy. You do not need to find your strength or breathe. Your role is to smile and enjoy yourself.’
His gaze locked on hers and she wished she hadn’t touched him. His blue-shadowed jaw was rough beneath her fingers and suddenly she was remembering that night in minute detail.
Seriously unsettled, she started to pull her hand away but he caught her wrist in his fingers and held it there.
‘You are a very unusual woman.’ His voice was husky and she gave a faint smile, ignoring the wild flutter of nerves low in her stomach.
‘I am not even going to ask what you mean by that. I’m simply going to take it as a compliment.’
‘Of course you are.’ There was a strange gleam in his eyes. ‘You see positive in everything, don’t you?’
‘Not always.’ She could have told him that she saw very little positive in being alone in the world, having no family, but given his obvious state of tension she decided to keep that confidence to herself. ‘So how do you know we’re staying in Camomile Villa? Cute name, by the way. Maybe your father has given it to one of the other guests. Shouldn’t you go and check?’
‘Camomile belongs to me.’
Lily digested that. ‘So actually you own five properties, not four.’
‘I don’t count this place.’
‘Really? Because if I owned this I’d be spending every spare minute here.’ She walked up the path, past silvery green olive trees, nets lying on the ground ready for harvesting later in the year. A small lizard lay basking in the hot sun and she smiled as it sensed company and darted for safety into the dry, dusty earth.
The path leading down to the villa cut through a garden of tumbling colour. Bougainvillaea in bright pinks and purples blended and merged against the dazzling white of the walls and the perfect blue of the sky.
Nik opened the door and Lily followed him inside.
White beamed ceilings and natural stone floors gave the interior a cool, uncluttered feel and the elegant white interior was lifted by splashes of Mediterranean blue.
‘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.
