What the Greek Can't Resist

by Maya Blake

  ‘I know but it doesn’t mean the need I have has abated. It’s still there, Ari. The need to be loved. But I know you can’t give me that. Am I right?’

  Hazel eyes darkened and he looked away.

  She tried to ignore the sharp stab of pain in her heart and forced herself to continue. ‘I told you I’d make a decision once we talked.’

  He tensed. ‘And have you?’

  She ignored all the self-preservation signs and blurted, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you.’

  His head snapped back. ‘You will?’

  She nodded. ‘I can choose to live in a fantasy where I get everything I want delivered to me on a silver platter. Or I can live in the real world where I get the baby and the family I’ve always yearned for. Two out of three will have to be enough.’

  He caught her chin and raised her head so he could look into her eyes. ‘You will marry me. You’re sure?’ His eyes blazed with an intensity that drilled to her soul.

  Nervously, she swallowed. ‘I’m sure.’

  He gave a single nod. ‘I’ll put the arrangements in place.’ He headed towards the door.

  ‘Ari?’

  He looked over his shoulder.

  ‘About...what I said earlier...’

  He shook his head. ‘Forget it. We have more important things to deal with now.’ He strode out of the room without another word.

  Shaky legs carried her to the window as the tears she’d fought so hard against slid down her cheeks.

  Against the stunning backdrop, the sun blazed down, uncaring that she’d given Ari the answer he’d been clamouring for, and yet she felt as if she was still slipping down a slope, destined for failure and heartache.

  Her hand drifted over her stomach. For better or worse, she’d made the decision for her and her baby. She had to learn to live with it.

  * * *

  Three Pantelides jets flew out of Bermuda three days later, all headed for Greece and Ari’s private island off the coast of Santorini.

  Ari had announced that morning over breakfast that they were to be married in two days at his island home.

  The news had been greeted with joy from Brianna but with more restraint from the two brothers. That neither of them looked surprised told her they’d been fully aware of the reason for Ari’s mad dash to the sky-diving site yesterday.

  Perla took the first opportunity to escape to the cabin bedroom. Ari was busy on the phone, presumably putting the arrangements he’d told her about in place.

  The irony of it didn’t escape her.

  She was an events organiser who didn’t even have a say in her own wedding. At this moment she didn’t even know who would be attending; whether it would be a large ceremony or a hole in the wall with a priest and his brothers as witnesses.

  She fell into a deep, disturbed sleep and woke to find Ari next to her. He was wide awake, staring down at her with a look on his face that stopped her breath.

  Before she could speak, he cupped her face in his hands and slanted his mouth over hers. It was rough. It was deep. And her soul sang with the feverish joy of it. She was completely unprepared when he wrenched his lips away seconds later.

  ‘Arion?’

  In silence, he climbed out of bed and began to undress.

  Perla watched him, mesmerised by the dark beauty of him and the stark need in his eyes that so echoed the one in her heart.

  She shook as he came back and stretched out next to her. Naked, gloriously aroused, his eyes intent on hers.

  ‘Do you really think we can move on from the past?’ he grated out, his voice little more than a whisper.

  An egg-sized lump wedged in her throat. ‘We can work at it, give it everything we have. Brianna told me she didn’t have a smooth childhood either.’

  ‘She didn’t.’

  ‘And I don’t think Sakis escaped your family’s devastation but they seem incredibly happy now.’

  He continued to stare at her, his eyes glinting with a sheen that made her heart twist for him.

  She didn’t utter a word when he reached for her, slid down the zip of the light grey dress she’d bought from the resort shop that morning, and pushed the straps off her shoulders. Her panties and bra came next. Then he untied her hair from its loose knot and spread it over his pillow.

  He kissed her mouth, her neck, her breasts, all the way to the heart of her, each touch, each kiss making her tremble and moan, and fight back scalding tears.

  With just his mouth he brought her to a shuddering climax, then kissed his way back up her body.

  Then he tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

  ‘What you said...about dying...take it back. Take it back now, Perla,’ he commanded, his eyes dark with torment, his voice gruff with pain.

  Her hand settled on his chest, felt his heart thunder unevenly beneath her touch. ‘I take it back. I never should’ve said that.’

  He entered her with a guttural groan that filled the room. With each thrust her heart filled with emotions she dare not let out, emotions she’d always dreamed of voicing to that one special person. The knowledge that they wouldn’t be well-received made her bite her lip.

  He hooked his arms under her knees and surged deeper inside.

  Ecstasy mushroomed through her. ‘Arion!’

  The sound of his name on her lips seemed to shatter him. Caught in the vicious web of passion, he climaxed with a tormented groan, brutally ripped from his soul.

  It took several minutes for their heartbeats to slow, for total silence to return to the cabin. But just when she thought he’d drifted off to sleep, he turned towards her.

  ‘We may not love each other but I promise to take care of you, and to care for you. And I will guarantee you this. Every night. Every day. For the rest of our lives.’

  Her heart lurched. Would that be enough?

  It didn’t matter. It was too late. Because she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was in love with Arion Pantelides.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  SANTORINI WAS JUST as magical as she remembered, even viewing it from onboard Ari’s immense yacht moored half a mile away from the capital, Fira.

  Far from thinking she would be spending the day before her wedding in Ari’s villa, he’d brought her straight to his yacht once they’d landed.

  Granted, the luxury that seemed an extension of the Pantelides name was everywhere her eyes touched.

  But the feeling that she wasn’t good enough to spend time in his family home refused to leave her. It didn’t help that Brianna had been roped into keeping her company and was determined to cheer her up. It also didn’t help that another stylist had turned up that morning with three full rails of brightly coloured designer clothes.

  In a fit of anger and misery, Perla had sent the stylist away. She was perfectly well-equipped to choose her own clothes. Except now she refused to wear black or the grey dress she’d bought before they left Bermuda.

  Leaving the suite that seemed to close in on her, she went along the wide galley and knocked on the door.

  Brianna answered with a smile. ‘I was just coming to find you. Oh, I thought you were getting dressed?’ she said as she took in Perla’s silk dressing gown.

  ‘I was, but everything I have in my wardrobe is black. I was wondering whether I could borrow something from you?’

  Brianna’s smile widened, and she stepped back. ‘Of course. Help yourself.’ She waved her towards the walk-in closet. ‘And shoes too, if you want. I think we’re the same size.’

  Perla gaped at the sheer number of clothes, her eyes widening as she spotted some seriously expensive labels.

  ‘Yeah, it’s something you’re going to have to get used to. I sent my stylist away a few times in the beginning too. Then I realised I was just delaying the inevita
ble. Our lives are too busy to accommodate spur of the moment shopping trips, and things will only get worse time-wise once the babies are born, especially if you want to continue working.’

  Perla bit her lip. ‘I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know where we’ll live or even if we’ll live together. Because Ari has chosen not to discuss it with me.’ Tears surged in her throat and she whirled away from Brianna’s concerned stare. Blindly, she reached for the first thing that came to hand and pulled out a burnished orange slip dress. ‘This one?’

  Brianna nodded. ‘It’s the perfect thing to go shopping in.’

  Perla froze. ‘Shopping?’

  ‘You’re getting married tomorrow. The least you can do is invest in some knock-out lingerie that’ll blow Ari’s mind. A woman can’t have too many weapons in her arsenal.’

  ‘That depends on what she’s fighting for,’ Perla murmured. Dropping her dressing gown, she slipped the dress over her head. The cotton felt cool against her skin and the colour lifted her spirits a fraction.

  ‘Don’t give up so easily, Perla. You’ve come too far to stop now. If you want Ari, make him stand up and take notice. Sometimes it’s the only way to win against strong-willed men.’ Her expression held a determination Perla couldn’t help but admire. ‘Are you ready?’

  With a last look in the mirror, she pursed her lips. ‘Almost.’ She dashed back to her room and dug through her handbag until she found it. Uncapping the scarlet lipstick she’d worn the night she met Ari, she boldly smoothed it over her lips.

  Brianna was waiting for her on the deck. Her eyes widened, then her smile grew. ‘Now, you’re definitely ready. Let’s go.’

  The shops weren’t as sophisticated as those on the mainland but they provided an eclectic mix that satisfied her immediate needs.

  Perla bought two sundresses, one yellow, one green, and a pair of low-heeled sandals. Against her protests, Brianna dragged her to a wedding shop with every intention of forcing her to buy lingerie.

  But Perla froze as she spotted a dress on the hanger. The simple cream Greek goddess-style dress could pass for evening-wear or wedding dress. The front was plain and sleeveless and its halter neck design would keep her cool in the Santorini heat. But it was the back that took her breath away.

  The lace pattern travelled down the middle of the back and held the skirt that hugged the hips and flared to the floor in a tiny train.

  ‘Wow. With your hair caught up, that dress would look gorgeous on you. Provided, of course, you want to look fabulous for your wedding day,’ Brianna teased.

  Curbing her indecision, Perla bought the dress. ‘Can we go now?’

  ‘Just one more stop.’ They went two doors away and entered the most unique shop Perla had ever seen. Scent candles in all shapes and colours stood on pedestals while incense burned from assorted sticks. ‘Sakis calls this my juju shop. I tend to get my way a lot when I burn a few candles on certain nights.’ She laughed.

  Forcing a smile, Perla felt herself sinking deeper into misery.

  Leaving Brianna to make her selection, she browsed the shop. As she made her way to the front, she met a woman in her early thirties. The hostile look she sent her stopped Perla in her tracks.

  A torrent of Greek followed, to which Perla shook her head and shrugged.

  Brianna turned sharply and frowned. The woman continued to speak, her voice growing louder.

  ‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand.’

  Brianna rushed forward and grasped her hand. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

  ‘What’s she saying?’

  Brianna shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’ She hurried out of the shop.

  ‘Yes, it does. You know what she was saying.’

  ‘My Greek isn’t that great,’ she said, but Perla caught her guilty look.

  She came to a dead stop on the pavement. ‘But you understood enough. Tell me, please.’

  Brianna’s lips pursed and a look of unease crossed her face. ‘The whole island knows that Ari is getting married again. His wife, Sofia, was from a large family here in Santorini. I think that woman was her cousin. They know he’s marrying a redhead and I guess she thought it was you.’

  ‘Well, she was right. What exactly did she say?’

  Brianna grimaced. ‘I think she said... God, if I get this wrong and Ari finds out, not even Sakis can save me.’

  Ice trailed up Perla’s spine. ‘What did she say?’ she demanded.

  ‘She said Ari and Sofia’s love was a match made in heaven; the love of the century. She said...’

  ‘What?’

  ‘She said Ari will never love you the way he loved her.’

  The sob that rose from her soul shattered her heart on its way up. She saw Brianna pale and reach for her hand but Perla shook her away. ‘If I’d understood that was what she was saying, I could’ve saved her the trouble. I already know Ari doesn’t love me. He never will.’

  * * *

  ‘You need to get over here, fast.’

  Fear spiked through Ari at Sakis’s tone. ‘What’s wrong? Is Perla okay?’

  ‘Yes, she’s fine physically but something happened when she went out with Brianna... Look, just get yourself over here, pronto, ne?’

  Ari ended the call and glanced at the chaos all around him. Carpenters and decorators rushed to do his bidding, to set up the place for what most couples would deem the most important day of their lives.

  But, deep down inside, he knew the most important day of his life had come and gone. The most important day of his life had happened when he’d thought he was too mired in guilt and grief to ever function properly.

  Even when he’d looked up from his drink at Macdonald Hall and his world had shifted he’d refused to acknowledge the importance of it.

  She’s fine physically...

  His breath shuddered out of him as he grabbed his jacket and ran for the door of his villa. Every day since he’d met Perla Lowell had been important but he’d been too damned afraid to admit it to himself.

  Well, it was time to stop hiding and dare to be as brave as Perla had been. It was time to take care of the single most precious thing in his life emotionally.

  He reached his yacht in record time. Sweat poured off his temples as he flew down the stairs, barely acknowledging Brianna’s anxious look or Sakis ushering her away as he headed down the galley towards his suite.

  He turned the doorknob and found it unyielding. He bit back a curse and swallowed down the fear climbing into his throat.

  ‘Perla, open the door.’

  ‘No.’ Even through the closed door he heard the pain in her voice and his chest tightened.

  ‘Glikia mou, open the door now. I’m not going anywhere until you do.’

  ‘Go back to the island where you belong. There’s nothing for you here.’

  ‘You’re wrong. Everything I want is right here. This is where I belong.’

  The silence that greeted him tore at his insides. He leaned his forehead against the door and fought the urge to smash it in. ‘Open the door, Perla. Please.’

  Another minute went by, then he heard the scrape of the lock.

  The moment it opened a crack, he slipped inside. The sight of her tear-ravaged face eviscerated him. He started to reach for her but she pulled away sharply. He clenched his fist to stop from grabbing for her. He didn’t like the hollowness filling his soul.

  ‘Tell me what happened today.’ He’d already heard the gist of it from Sakis when he’d called from the car after leaving the villa.

  ‘It doesn’t matter what happened. I thought I could do it, Ari, but I can’t.’

  His heart plunged to the bottom of his feet. ‘You can’t do what?’

  ‘Marry you. I thought I could but I can’t.’

  ‘No
t even for the sake of our child?’ He hated to play that card, but he was desperate.

  The misery when she glanced up at him made his heart bleed.

  ‘I thought I could but I will not come second best for anyone.’

  He frowned. ‘Second best? Who told you you were second best?’

  ‘No one needed to. I have eyes and a brain. You brought me here and you stashed me on your boat. Out of sight, out of mind. The moment I ventured off the boat I was reminded why I’ll never be good enough for you.’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

  ‘Sofia, your wife, will always be the love of your life. The woman at the shop called it the love story of the century. I thought I could live with that, but I can’t...’

  He ventured forward and exhaled in relief when she didn’t cringe away from him. More than anything he wanted to reach for her but he stopped himself. She could bolt, and that would destroy him.

  ‘I loved her, I won’t deny that. She saved me from a dark, bleak place and brought me back from the brink. But I wasn’t the best husband to her that I could be. I failed to save her the way she’d saved me. I should’ve been stronger for her sake.’

  ‘Every time you talk about her, I hear the pain in your voice.’

  ‘Because, despite knowing that she had the best medical care, a part of me still feels I let her down by not insisting she take the right advice.’

  ‘So it’s guilt that’s been eating at you?’

  ‘It was before, but not so much any more. As much as I regret what happened, I can’t undo the past. You’ve taught me that I need to look to the future, to let go of things I can’t change. And I have to believe that Sofia would want that for me too.’

  ‘Then why did you stash me on the boat?’ Her hurt was unmistakable.

  ‘I’m sorry. I wanted to spare Sofia’s relatives unnecessary pain, yes, but I also wanted to make sure the villa was ready for you. For our wedding. I haven’t lived here for three years, and it was nowhere near as ready as I wanted it to be.’