Uncut Bundle

by Susan Stephens

  Turning to her, Tino apologised. ‘The men are about to dance the Kalamatianos. They have asked me to join them. It would be an insult to my friends if I refuse.’

  Once again she was to be denied the chance to speak to him, Lisa realised with frustration, but, like their insatiable passion for each other, it would have to wait. She returned to her seat as Tino joined the other men on the dance floor.

  The traditional dance was so powerful and so aggressively masculine Lisa started to find it unnerving. Glancing around the other women to reassure herself, she noticed how unconcerned they were—they were even urging on their men. But the more she watched and tried to tell herself that it was only a dance, the more the men’s powerful response to the rhythm made it seem like a mating call, primal and fierce, that called for submission, and promised domination. The expression in the eyes of some of the men reminded her of men in the commune, and she shuddered as the intensity soared.

  She couldn’t take any more… She didn’t even know that the music had stopped. As the cheering began Lisa blundered out of her seat, heading for the exit, blindly stumbling into tables and knocking her legs against the wooden struts.

  ‘Lisa.’

  She should have known Tino would come after her. He caught up with her before she reached the street. ‘Let go of me!’ She tried to pull away, but he was too strong for her.

  ‘Lisa—what’s wrong?’ He held her close.

  ‘Let me go, Tino.’

  ‘You’re shaking.’

  ‘No, I’m not, I’m fine.’

  ‘Then why are you running out on me?’ Steering her outside, he pinned her against the wall, arms stiffly planted either side of her face. ‘Tell me what’s wrong, Lisa.’ He gazed intently at her. ‘Look at me.’ He thumped the wall in frustration.

  ‘Why? So you can frighten me with this?’ She stared at one clenched fist pressed into the wall at the side of her face.

  ‘What?’ His face paled. ‘Is that what you think of me? Is that what you think I’m trying to do to you, Lisa? No.’ He turned away.

  This was supposed to be about him! Lisa raged at herself inwardly. Tonight was supposed to be about Tino—not about her. What had she done? Fear made her weak…fear that, having lost control with a man for the first time in her life, she was being used for sex as her mother had been used. She would never shake it off, and Tino needed someone whole, someone untouched by shadows, someone who could help him as she never could.

  ‘You’re right,’ Tino exclaimed before Lisa had chance to express her thoughts. ‘I’m no good at this—I should take you back.’ He held out his hand, and then, as if remembering how things were between them, he let it drop down to his side again.

  By the time the first fingers of dawn were edging over her balcony Lisa had finished packing. First thing on Monday she would ring all the boutiques and find out how much money she owed Tino. The monotony of packing had soothed her a little and made her see that it was better this way. There hadn’t been time to work through everything in the past that stood between them… How could there ever be enough time for that? The men’s dance in the taverna had been the turning point when she had realised that they could never have a future together.

  The rational part of her insisted that the dance had been nothing more than a celebration of the men’s heritage—but when would the past rear its ugly head again? When would it destroy them both? She had to leave Stellamaris before that happened.

  ‘Do you mind if I come in?’

  Lisa’s eyes widened with surprise to see Tino leaning into her room from the balcony outside. ‘Be my guest.’ She tried for casual, but her heart was juddering. She hadn’t expected this. It would have been easier not to see him before she left. She still wanted him so badly it was like a continual ache in her heart, and for that reason alone she had to go. She couldn’t hurt him; she could never hurt him, and if she stayed she knew she would.

  She waited tensely, watching him view all the debris on her floor. There were shoeboxes and tissue paper scattered everywhere. ‘I’ll pay you for everything.’

  He silenced her with a gesture. ‘You wanted to say something to me last night, Lisa, and we never got the chance.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter now.’ She looked away, ashamed that when she’d had her chance to ask him about his nightmares she had allowed her own fears to take precedence over his. Because she loved him she had to leave before she caused him any more harm—or herself.

  ‘I hear you’re leaving around noon?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’

  ‘Then why don’t we have breakfast together before you leave? There’s plenty of time.’

  ‘No.’ She could see he was surprised at the force of her refusal. ‘I’m really not hungry.’

  ‘You don’t need to be hungry to enjoy breakfast overlooking the sea.’

  ‘It’s too early for me.’

  He frowned as he studied her. ‘But you always like to see the sun rising over the ocean.’

  ‘Generally, yes. But today—well, I think it’s better if we make a clean break.’

  ‘Do you really believe that?’

  As he took a step forward she could have touched him. She was sure she could feel his body heat warming her. ‘I still have some clearing up to do.’

  ‘Can’t you leave that for now?’

  ‘I can’t leave the room like this.’ She looked around.

  ‘I promised Stella you would come.’

  Taking a deep breath, Lisa turned away from him to stare out across the balcony. Sunrise was playing tricks with the horizon and the sea wore a pink-tinted blanket of cloud. It was like a dream. If only it could have been a dream, how much easier that would have been for all of them. But it wasn’t a dream, it was all too real, and how could she leave Stellamaris without saying goodbye to Stella? Saying a final goodbye to everything that Tino was.

  She couldn’t refuse, Lisa realised. Tino had put her in a position where she had to share breakfast with him. She shook her head as she turned back to him. ‘You play dirty, Tino.’

  ‘Yes, I know.’

  ‘Will you give me a few minutes to clear this up?’

  ‘I’ll give you as long as you need.’

  ‘Fifteen minutes? Out by the pool?’ She didn’t expect him to catch hold of her. She didn’t expect to have his heady, familiar scent invading her senses. ‘Yes?’ she managed faintly. ‘What is it, Tino?’

  He didn’t say anything, he just held her, and then, as if accepting it was all over between them, he let her go and stood back.

  ‘I’m glad things have turned out well for you in the end, Lisa.’

  She made a sound as if she were agreeing with him. His breath was warm on her skin, and she knew the sound of his voice would be locked in her mind for ever.

  ‘I’ll see you down there.’ She kept her tone bright, and then she waited, not daring to move a muscle until he left the room. She didn’t even know that she had bitten down on her lip to keep from calling him back until she tasted the warm, salty tang of her own blood.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  IT WAS the sound of the piano that drew Lisa into the shadows of at the turn of the stairs. Sitting silently on a step, she peeped through the struts to see who was playing—though in her heart she already knew. Every pianist had their own unique sound that brought something of their personality to a composition… How could she have misjudged Tino so badly? How could she have attributed the presence of the piano to anyone else.. someone with more heart?

  He was a great deal more proficient than he had pretended to be, quite remarkable, in fact, for a man who had only learned the instrument as an adult. But then Lisa guessed that Tino would have applied himself to learning the piano with the same single-minded determination he brought to everything else.

  His sensitive touch drew an incredible array of sounds from the beautiful old instrument, but just as she found herself slipping away with the music he brought his hands down heavily on the keys.
Recoiling at the discord, she wondered if he had seen her… She held her breath, but to her relief he left quickly in the direction of the door leading outside. She counted to a hundred before following, and it took all that time for the last ugly wave of jangling sound to disappear.

  Stepping out into the fine morning light, Lisa thought the musical episode a perfect soundtrack for her affair with Tino. They were both passionate, sensitive people, but a jarring, angry chord always came between them. That was why there was no future for them together—neither of them knew how to break down the barricades they had brought with them from the past.

  Her heart thundered when she saw him waiting for her. Just a tall black silhouette in the shadows, he was a man without feature or expression, a man she still didn’t know in spite of all the intimacy they had shared. Shivering a little, she walked towards him. He came forward to greet her. He looked impossibly handsome, and totally assured.

  ‘Will you come with me to meet Stella?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Just as it looked as if they might ease into a conversation, a man hurried towards them from the house.

  Would they never have chance to hold a normal conversation? Lisa wondered as she stood to one side while Tino exchanged a few words with the man in Greek. He seemed pleased about something, she noticed as he turned to her.

  ‘Will you excuse me, Lisa? I’m afraid something has come up.’

  Something would always come up, she realised. ‘That’s fine by me. I’ll go and meet Stella; don’t worry.’

  ‘I’ll join you both later.’

  She started to say something, but Tino was already striding away towards the house. He had recovered a lot faster than she had, Lisa reflected sadly, walking away.

  ‘Lisa! What a lovely surprise!’ Stella exclaimed, stepping out of the funicular cabin. Drawing Lisa into her arms, she drew back, and looked into her face. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  Stella shook her head in disagreement. ‘I don’t believe you. You’re so tense. And where’s Tino?’ she added, looking around.

  ‘He’s been called away.’

  ‘Ah.’ Stella looked thoughtful. ‘And what is this new note of resignation in your voice? Has all the fight gone out of you, Lisa?’

  Lisa smiled a little. ‘You think I should have rugby-tackled him to the ground?’

  ‘You can’t let him have all his own way.’

  It was impossible to remain oblivious to the mischief in Stella’s eyes. ‘Next time,’ Lisa promised without much conviction.

  ‘So, there is to be a next time?’ Stella’s sharp gaze focused on her face.

  ‘No, Stella, this is my last day on Stellamaris.’

  Stella sighed as she linked arms with Lisa and drew her up the path. ‘Don’t be impatient with Tino, Lisa, he’s a very busy man.’

  ‘I’m not impatient.’ Just disappointed, sad, and angry with myself for thinking it could be any different.

  ‘I should think not,’ Stella exclaimed, snapping her out of it. ‘I am here.’

  Lisa squeezed Stella’s arm affectionately. She had to put Tino out of her mind, but Stella wasn’t making it easy for her.

  After breakfast Stella raised the subject of Tino again.

  ‘I’m not disappointed,’ Lisa lied. ‘He invited me for breakfast, I just thought he might make the effort to turn up.’

  ‘He’s a good man, Lisa.’

  Lisa turned her head away. She wasn’t ready to hear that, not from Stella, not from someone she trusted as much as she trusted Stella. Then Stella covered her hand with her own as if she sensed her turmoil. ‘Don’t…’ Lisa pulled her hand away. ‘I might cry.’

  ‘And if you do?’ Stella demanded gently. ‘What is wrong with crying, Lisa? Why are you so ashamed of your emotions?’ Digging into her pocket, she pulled out a crisply laundered handkerchief and handed it over. ‘Sometimes the view in Stellamaris is enough to make me cry…and some-times my memories are enough. Other times I cry because I am so happy—like the time when Giorgio told me how much he loved Arianna. I’m not ashamed of how I feel. I rejoice in the gift of life in all its guises. And I am Greek,’ she added, smiling mischievously, ‘so naturally I feel things very deeply, as we Greeks do. We have a hunger for life, Lisa…a passion.’

  ‘I have all those things inside me, Stella.’ Lisa’s voice was desperate. ‘But I don’t know how to set them free.’

  Stella touched her arm. ‘Then I must help you,’ she said gently.

  ‘No one can do that.’

  ‘How many Greeks do you know?’

  The expression on Stella’s face forced a smile onto Lisa’s lips. ‘Too few, and one too many.’

  ‘Tino?’ Stella asked shrewdly. ‘He’s the one too many?’

  ‘Yes,’ Lisa admitted, ‘though I don’t really know him.’

  ‘What do you want to know about him? Shall I tell you that he is the most wonderful man I have ever known? No? Why are you shaking your head at me, Lisa? Do you find that so hard to believe? Let me tell you a little more about Tino. He paid for Arianna to go to the music conservatoire. Without him my daughter’s wonderful voice would never have been recognised. And he gave me more than I could ever tell you… Far more than money, Tino is the son I never had. The apartment block where I live when I am in Athens, and the cottage here in Stellamaris—Constantine gave them to me. He gave me the whole block of apartments, Lisa.’ Stella touched her hand to her chest to express her emotion. ‘And still you frown?’ She shook her head.

  ‘I just can’t believe we’re talking about the same man. You told me once you’d known Tino for ever, so you must have known his family. Can’t you tell me a little about them so that I can understand him better?’

  It was hard to believe how rapidly Stella’s expression changed from open and friendly to completely shut.

  ‘Tino hasn’t told you about his background?’

  ‘About his family, no.’

  ‘Then I can’t tell you either. I’m sorry, Lisa, only Tino can tell you about his past.’

  And he would never do that, Lisa realised.

  ‘I’m very sorry to have deserted you, ladies.’

  ‘Tino.’ Lisa’s heart turned over as she gazed at him. ‘I wasn’t sure I would see you again.’

  He made a casual gesture. ‘They wanted me to check on something inside the house—’

  ‘We ate breakfast without you,’ Stella cut in. ‘We didn’t know how long you would be, Constantine.’

  ‘And I apologise, Ya-ya, for not being there to greet you this morning.’ Embracing Stella, Tino kissed her affectionately on both cheeks.

  ‘Whatever took you away,’ Stella said, ‘I can see it was important from your face, so I will forgive you, Constantine.’

  ‘It was important, Ya-ya. It was of the utmost importance.’

  Lisa’s stomach clenched. Why was he looking at her? ‘You haven’t been having second thoughts about the contract, have you?’

  Tipping his head to one side, Tino smiled at her. ‘I do think of some things other than business, you know.’

  ‘But not often enough,’ Stella observed tartly. ‘And now, if you two will excuse me, I should like to take a walk around the gardens to be sure that your flowers are at their best for our festival tonight, Constantine.’

  ‘Of course.’ Lisa turned to her. ‘The taxi driver told me that you fill your houses with flowers for May Day here on Stellamaris.’

  ‘Not until later today,’ Stella explained. ‘After our siesta this afternoon there will be a procession through the village, and then when all the houses are decorated there will be a party in the village square.’

  ‘Another party.’ Lisa smiled.

  ‘Life can be hard.’ Stella shrugged. ‘So we Greeks celebrate whenever we can—’ Reaching out, she rested her hand on Lisa’s arm. ‘You must make time to be happy too, Lisa.’

  ‘Will I see you before I go?’ Lisa’s throat tightened.

  �
��I’m sure we will see each other.’

  When Stella smiled at her, Lisa wanted to go and throw her arms around the elderly Greek woman and beg her not to leave. It didn’t make any sense, Lisa reasoned, watching Stella make her way down the path. She had stood on her own two feet since she could stand, she ran a huge and complex business, she had money and prestige, but right now all she wanted was for Stella to be her friend so she could learn all the things she didn’t know or understand—all the important things, the things she had never found time for in the past.