Playing by the Greek's Rules (15 page)

‘What then?'

He was silent for a long moment because it was a topic he had never discussed with anyone. ‘I stayed away from him because of her feelings for me.'

‘That's what I'm saying! Because the two of you didn't get along, he suffered.'

‘Not because I didn't like her. Because she liked me—a little too much.' He spoke with raw emphasis and saw the moment her expression changed and understanding dawned. ‘That's right. My stepmother took her desire to be “close” to me to disturbing extremes.'

Lily's expression moved through a spectrum encompassing confusion, disbelief and finally horror. ‘Oh,
no
, your poor father—does he know?'

‘I sincerely hope not. I stayed away to avoid there ever being any chance he would witness something that might cause him distress. Despite my personal views on Callie I did not wish to see his marriage ended and I certainly didn't want to be considered the cause of it, because that would have created a rift that never would have healed.'

‘So you stayed away to prevent a rift between you, but it caused a rift anyway and he doesn't even know the reason. Do you think you should have told him?'

‘I asked myself that question over and over again, but I decided not to.' He hesitated. ‘She was unfaithful several times during their short marriage and my father knew. There was nothing to be gained by revealing the truth and I didn't want to add to my father's pain.'

‘Of course you didn't.' Lily's eyes filled. ‘And all this time I was thinking it was because of your stubborn pride, because you didn't like the woman and were determined to punish him. I was
so wrong
. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.'

More unsettled by the tears than he was by her anger, Nik backed away. ‘Don't cry. And there is nothing to forgive you for.'

‘I misjudged you. I leaped to conclusions and I try never to do that.'

‘It doesn't matter.'

‘It does to me. You said that she had affairs—' Her eyes widened. ‘Do you think that Chloe might not be—?'

He tensed because it was a possibility that had crossed his mind. ‘I don't know, but it makes no difference now. My father's lawyers are taking steps to make sure it's a legal adoption.'

‘But if she isn't and your father ever finds out—'

‘It would make no difference to the way he feels about Chloe. Despite everything, I actually do believe she is my father's child. For a start she has certain physical characteristics that are particular to my family, and then there is the fact that Callie did everything in her power to keep her from him.'

‘You really think she used her child as currency?'

‘Yes.' Nik didn't hesitate and he saw the distress in her eyes.

‘I think I dislike her almost as much as you do.'

‘I doubt that.'

‘I'm starting to see why you were worried about your father marrying again. Is Callie the reason you don't believe love exists?'

‘No.' His voice didn't sound like his own. ‘I formed that conclusion long before Callie.'

He waited for her to question him further but instead she leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

Unaccustomed to any physical contact that wasn't sexual, he tensed. ‘What's that for?'

‘Because you were put in a hideous,
horrible
position with Callie and the only choice you had was to stay away from your father. I think you're a very honourable person.'

He breathed deeply. ‘Lily—'

‘And because you were let down by a woman at a very vulnerable age. But I know you don't want to talk about that so I won't mention it again. And now why don't we go to bed and have apology sex? That's one we haven't tried before, but I'm willing to give it my all.'

* * *

Hours later they lay on top of the bed, wrapped around each other while the night breeze cooled their heated flesh.

Lily thought he was asleep, but then he stirred and tightened his grip.

‘Thank you for helping with Chloe. You were very good with her.'

‘One day I'd love to have children of my own, but it isn't something I usually admit to out loud. When people ask about your aspirations, they want to hear about your career. Wanting a family isn't a valid life choice. And I'm happy and interested in my job, but I don't want it to be all there is in my life.'

‘Why did you choose archaeology?'

‘I suppose I'm fascinated by the way people lived in the past. It tells us a lot about where we come from. Maybe it's because I don't know where I come from that it always interested me.'

There was a long silence. ‘You know nothing about your mother?'

‘Very little. I like to think she loved me, but she wasn't able to care for me. We assume she was a teenager. What I always wonder is why no one helped her. She obviously didn't feel she could even tell anyone she was pregnant. I think about that more than anything and I feel horrible that there wasn't anyone special in her life she could trust. She must have been so lonely and frightened.'

‘Have you tried to trace her?'

‘The police tried to trace her at the time but they had no success. They thought she was probably from somewhere outside London.' It was something she hadn't discussed with anyone before and she wondered why she was doing so now, with him. Maybe because he, too, had been abandoned by his mother, even though the circumstances were different. Or maybe because his honesty made him surprisingly easy to talk to. He didn't sugar coat his views on life, nor did he lie. After the brutal shock of discovering how wrong she'd been about David Ashurst, it was a relief to be with someone who was exactly who he seemed to be. And although she'd accused Nik of arrogance, part of her could understand how watching her with Chloe might have unsettled him. That moment had highlighted their basic differences and the truth was that his extreme reaction to her ‘baby moment' had been driven more by his reluctance to mislead her, than arrogance.

It was obvious that his issues with love and marriage had been cemented early in life.

What psychological damage had his mother caused when she'd walked out leaving her young son watching from the hallway?

What message had that sent to him? That relationships didn't last? If a mother could leave her child, what did that say to a young boy about the enduring quality of love?

He'd been let down by the one person he should have been able to depend on, his childhood rocked by insecurity and lack of trust. Everything that had followed had cemented his belief that relationships were a transitory thing with no substance.

‘We're not so different, you and I, Nik Zervakis.' She spoke softly. ‘We're each a product of our pasts, except that it sent us in different directions. You ceased to believe true love existed, whereas I was determined to find it. It's why we're both bad at relationships.'

‘I'm not bad at relationships.'

‘You don't have relationships, Nik. You have sex.'

‘Sex is a type of relationship.'

‘Not really. It's superficial.'

‘Why are we talking about me? Tell me why you think you're bad at relationships.'

‘Because I care too much. I try too hard.'

‘You want the fairy tale.'

‘Not really. When you describe it that way it makes it sound silly and unachievable and I don't think what I want is unrealistic.'

‘What do you want?'

There was a faint splash from beyond the open doors as a tiny bird skimmed across the pool.

‘I want to be special to someone.' She spoke softly, saying the words aloud for the first time in her life. ‘Not just special. I'm going to tell you something, and if you laugh you will be sorry—'

‘I promise not to laugh.'

‘I want to be someone's favourite person.'

There was a long silence and then his arms tightened. ‘I'm sure you're special to a lot of people.'

‘Not really.' She felt the hot sting of tears and was relieved it was dark. ‘My life has been like a car park. People come and go. No one stays around for long. I have friends. Good friends, but it's not the same as being someone's favourite person. I want to be someone's dream come true. I want to be the person they call when they're happy or sad. The one they want to wake up next to and grow old with.' She wondered why she was telling him this, when his ambitions were diametrically opposed to hers. ‘You think I'm crazy.'

‘That isn't what I think.' His voice was husky and she turned her head to look at him but his features were indistinct in the darkness.

‘Thank you for listening.' She felt sleep descend and suppressed a yawn. ‘I know you don't think love exists, but I hope that one day you find a favourite person.'

‘In bed, you are definitely my favourite person. Does that count?' He pulled the sheet up over her body, but didn't release her. ‘Now get some sleep.'

* * *

The next couple of days passed in a whirl of social events. Helicopters and boats came and went, although tucked away on the far side of the idyllic island Lily was barely aware of the existence of other people. For her, it was all about Nik.

There had been a subtle shift in their relationship, although she had a feeling that the shift was all on her side. Now, instead of believing him to be cold and aloof, she saw that he was guarded. Instead of controlling, she saw him as someone determined to be in charge of his own destiny.

In between socialising, she lounged by the pool and spent time on the small private beach next to Camomile Villa.

She loved swimming in the sea and more than once Nik had to extract her with minutes to spare before she was expected to accompany him to another lunch or dinner.

He was absent a lot of the time and she was aware that he'd been spending that time with his father and, judging from the more harmonious atmosphere, that time had been well spent.

After that first awkward lunch, he'd stopped firing questions at Diandra and if he wasn't completely warm in his interactions with her, he was at least civil.

To avoid the madness of the wedding preparations, Nik was determined to show Lily the island.

The day before the wedding he pulled her from bed just before sunrise.

‘What time do you call this?' Sleepy and fuzzy-headed after a night that had consisted of more sex than sleep, she grumbled her way to the bathroom and whimpered a protest when he thrust her under cold water. ‘You're a sadist.'

‘You are going to thank me. Wear sturdy shoes.'

‘The Prince never said that to Cinderella and I am never going to thank you for anything.' But she dragged on her shorts and a pair of running shoes, smothering a yawn as she followed him out of the villa. She stopped when she saw the vintage Vespa by the gates. ‘I hate to be the one to tell you this but something weird happened to your limo overnight.'

‘When I was a teenager this was my favourite way of getting round the island.' He swung his leg over the bike with fluid predatory grace and she laughed.

‘You are too tall for this thing.' But her heart gave a little bump as she slid behind him and wrapped her arms round hard male muscle. ‘Shouldn't I have a helmet or a seat belt or something?'

‘Hold onto me.'

They wound their way along dusty roads, past rocky coves and beautiful beaches and up to the crumbling ruins of the Venetian fort where they abandoned the scooter and walked the rest of the way. He took her hand and they scrambled to the top as dawn was breaking.

The view was breathtaking, and she sat next to him, her thigh brushing his as they watched the sun slowly wake and stretch out fingers of dazzling light across the surface of the sea.

‘I could live here,' she said simply. ‘There's something about the light, the warmth, the people—London seems so grey in comparison. I can't believe you grew up here. You're so lucky. Not that you know that of course—you take it all for granted.'

‘Not all.'

He'd brought a flask of strong Greek coffee and some of the sweet pastries she adored and she nibbled the corner and licked her fingers.

‘I don't believe you made those.'

‘Diandra made both the coffee and the pastries.'

‘Diandra.' She grinned and nudged him with her shoulder. ‘Confess. You're starting to like her.'

‘She is an excellent cook.'

‘And a good person. You're starting to like her.'

‘I admit that what I took for a guilty conscience appears to be shyness.'

‘You like her.'

His eyes gleamed. ‘Maybe. A little.'

‘There, you said it and it didn't kill you. I'll make a romantic of you yet.' She finished the pastry, contemplated another and decided she wouldn't get into the dress she'd brought to wear at the wedding. ‘That was the perfect start to the day.'

‘Worth waking up for?' His voice was husky and she turned her head, met his sleepy, sexy gaze and felt her tummy tumble.

‘Yes. Of course, it would be easier to wake up if you'd let me sleep at night.'

He lowered his forehead to hers. ‘Do you want to sleep,
erota mou
?' He curved his hand behind her head and kissed her with lingering purpose. ‘I could take you back to bed right now if that is what you want.'

Her heart was pounding. She had to keep telling herself that this was about sex and nothing else. ‘What's the alternative?'

‘There are Minoan remains west of here if you want to extend the trip.'

‘There are Minoan remains all over Crete,' she said weakly, telling herself that she could spend the rest of her life digging around in Minoan remains, but after this trip was over she'd never again get the chance to spend time with Nik Zervakis. ‘Bed sounds good to me.'

CHAPTER NINE

T
HE
CREAM
OF
Europe's great and good turned up to witness the wedding of Kostas Zervakis and Diandra.

‘It's busier than Paris in fashion week,' Lily observed as they gathered for the actual wedding.

Nik was looking supremely handsome in a dark suit and whatever reservations he had about witnessing yet another marriage of his parent he managed to hide behind layers of sophisticated charm.

‘You're doing well,' Lily murmured, reaching down to rescue the small posy of flowers that Chloe had managed to drop twice already. ‘I'm proud of you. No frowning. All you have to do is keep it up for another few hours and you're done.'

He curved his arm round her waist. ‘What's my reward for not frowning?'

‘Angry sex.'

There was laughter in his eyes. ‘Angry sex?'

‘Yes. I like that sort. It's good to see you out of control.'

‘I'm never out of control.'

‘You were totally out of control, Mr Zervakis, and you hate that.' She hooked her finger into the front of his shirt and saw his eyes darken. ‘You are used to being in control of everything. The people around you, your work environment, your emotions—angry sex is the only time I've ever seen you lose it. It felt good knowing I was the one responsible for breaking down that iron self-control of yours. Now, stop talking and focus. This is Diandra's moment.'

The wedding went perfectly, Chloe managed to hold onto the posy and after witnessing the ceremony Lily was left in no doubt that the love between Kostas and Diandra was genuine.

‘She's his favourite person,' she whispered in a choked voice and Nik turned to her, wry humour in his eyes.

‘Of course she is. She cooks for him, takes care of his child and generally makes his life run smoothly.'

‘That isn't what makes this special. He could pay someone to do that.'

‘He
is
paying her.'

‘Don't start.' She refused to let him spoil the moment. ‘Have you seen the way he looks at her? He doesn't see anyone else, Nik. The rest of us could all disappear.'

‘That's the best idea I've heard in a long time. Let's do it.'

‘No. I don't go to many weddings and this one is perfect.' Teasing him, she leaned closer. ‘One day that is going to be you.'

He gave her a warning look. ‘Lily—'

‘I know, I know.' She shrugged. ‘It's a wedding. Everyone dreams at weddings. Today, I want everyone to be happy.'

‘Good. Let's sneak away and make each other happy.' His eyes dropped to her mouth. ‘Wait here. There's one thing I have to do before we leave.' Leaving Lily standing in the shade, he walked across to his new stepmother and took her hands in his.

Lily watched, a lump in her throat, as he drew her to one side.

She couldn't hear what was said but she saw Diandra visibly relax as they talked and laughed together. And then they were joined by Kostas, who evidently didn't want to be parted from his new bride.

The whole event left Lily with a warm feeling and a genuine belief that this family really might live happily. Oh, there would be challenges of course, but a strong family weathered those together and she was sure that, no matter what had gone before, Kostas and Diandra were a strong family.

Just one dark cloud hovered on the horizon, shadowing her happiness. Now that the wedding was over, they'd both be returning to the reality of their lives.

And Nik Zervakis had no place in the reality of her life.

Still, they had one more night and she wasn't going to spoil today by worrying about tomorrow. She was lost in a private and very erotic fantasy about what the night might bring when Kostas drew her to one side.

‘I have an enormous favour to ask of you.'

‘Of course.' Her mind elsewhere, Lily wondered if it was time to be a bit more bold and inventive in the bedroom. Nik brought a seemingly never-ending source of energy, creativity and sexual expertise to every encounter and she wondered if it was time she took the initiative. Planning ways to give him a night he'd never forget, she remembered Kostas was talking and forced herself to concentrate.

‘Would you take Chloe for us tonight? I am thrilled she is with us, but I want this one night with Diandra. Chloe likes you. You have a way with children.'

Lily's plans for an erotic night that Nik would remember for ever evaporated.

How could she refuse when her relationship with Nik was a transitory thing and this one was for ever?

‘Of course.' She hid her disappointment beneath a smile, and decided that the news that they were sharing Camomile Villa with a toddler was probably best broken when it was too late for Nik to do anything about it, so instead of enlisting his help to transport Chloe's gear across to the villa, she did it herself, sending a message via Diandra to tell him she was tired and to meet her back there when he was ready.

She'd settled a sleepy Chloe into her bed at the villa when she heard his footsteps on the terrace.

‘You should have waited for me.' Nik stopped in the doorway as she put her finger to her lips.

‘Shh—she's sleeping.'

‘
Who
is sleeping?'

‘Chloe.' She pointed to where Chloe lay, splayed like a starfish in the middle of the bed. ‘It's their wedding night, Nik. They don't want to have to think about getting up to a toddler. And in case you're thinking you don't want to get up to a toddler either, you don't have to. I'll do it.'

He removed his tie and disposed of his jacket. ‘She is going to sleep in the bed?'

‘Yes. I thought we could babysit her together.' She eyed him, unsure how he'd react. ‘I know this is going to ruin our last night. Are you angry?'

‘No.' He undid the buttons on his shirt and sighed. ‘It was the right thing to do. I should have thought of it.'

‘She might keep us awake all night.'

His eyes gleamed with faint mockery. ‘We've had plenty of practice.' He looked at the child on the bed. ‘Tell me what you want me to do. This should be my responsibility, not yours. And I want to do the right thing. It's important to me that she feels secure and loved.'

Her insides melted. ‘You don't have to “do” anything. And if you'd rather go to bed, that's fine.'

‘I have a better idea. We have a drink on the terrace. Open the doors. That way we'll hear her if she wakes up and she won't be able to escape without us seeing.'

‘She's a child, not a wild animal.' But his determination to give his half-sister the security she deserved touched her, and Lily stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. ‘And a drink is a good idea. I didn't drink anything at the wedding because I was so nervous that something might go wrong.'

‘I know the feeling.' He slid his hand behind her head and tilted her face to his. ‘Thank you for coming with me. I have no doubt at all that the wedding was a happier experience for everyone involved because you were there.' His gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered there and her heart started to pound.

All day, she'd been aware of him. Of the leashed power concealed beneath the perfect cut of his suit, of the raw sexuality framed by spectacular good looks.

A cry from the bedroom shattered the moment and she eased away regretfully. ‘Could you pick her up while I fetch her a drink? Diandra says she usually has a drink of warm milk before she goes to sleep and I'm sure today was unsettling for her.'

‘It was unsettling for all of us,' he drawled and she smiled.

‘Do you want warm milk, too? Because I could fix that.'

‘I was thinking more of chilled champagne.' He glanced towards the bedroom and gave a resigned sigh. ‘I will go to her, but don't blame me when I make it a thousand times worse.'

Perhaps because he was so blisteringly self-assured in every other aspect of his life, she found his lack of confidence strangely endearing. ‘You won't make it worse.'

She walked quickly through to the kitchen and warmed milk, tension spreading across her shoulders as she heard Chloe's cries. Knowing that all that howling would simply ensure that Nik didn't offer to help a second time, she moved as quickly as she could. As she left the kitchen, the cries ceased and she paused in the doorway of the bedroom, transfixed by the sight of Nik holding his little sister against his shoulder, one strong, bronzed hand against her back as he supported her on his arm. As she watched, she saw the little girl lift her hand and rub the roughness of his jaw.

He caught that hand in his fingers, speaking to her in Greek, his voice deep and soothing.

Lily had no idea what he was saying, but whatever it was seemed to be working because Chloe's eyes drifted shut and her head thudded onto his broad shoulder as she fell asleep, her blonde curls a livid contrast to the dark shadow of his strong jaw.

Nik stood still, as if he wasn't sure what to do now, and then caught sight of Lily in the doorway. He gave her a rueful smile at his own expense and she smiled.

‘Try putting her back down on the bed.'

As careful as if he'd been handling delicate Venetian glass, Nik lowered the child to the bed but instantly she whimpered and tightened her grip around his neck like a barnacle refusing to be chipped away from a rock.

He kept his hand securely on her back and cast Lily a questioning look. ‘Now what?'

‘Er—sit down in the chair with her in your lap and give her some milk,' Lily suggested, and he strolled onto the terrace, sat on one of the comfortable sunloungers and let the toddler snuggle against him.

‘When I said I wanted to spend the evening on the terrace with a woman this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.'

‘Two women.' Laughing, she sat down next to him and offered Chloe the milk. ‘Here you go, sweetheart. Cow juice.'

Nik raised his eyebrows. ‘Cow juice?'

‘One of my friends used to call it that because whenever she said “milk” her child used to go demented.' Seeing that the child was sleepy, Lily tried to keep her hold on the cup but small fingers grabbed it, sloshing a fair proportion of the contents over Nik's trousers.

To give him his due, he didn't shift. Simply looked at her with an expression that told her she was going to pay later.

‘Thanks to you I now have “cow juice” on my suit.'

‘Sorry.' She was trying not to laugh because she didn't want to rouse the sleepy, milk-guzzling toddler. ‘I'll have it cleaned.'

‘Let me.' He covered Chloe's small fingers with his large hand, holding the cup while she drank.

Lily swallowed. ‘You see? You have a natural talent.'

His gaze flickered to hers. ‘Take that look off your face. This is a one-time crisis-management situation, never to be repeated.'

‘Right. Because she isn't the most adorable thing you've ever seen.'

Nik glanced down at the blonde curls rioting against the crisp white of his shirt. ‘I have a fair amount of experience with women and I can tell you that this one is going to be high maintenance.'

‘What gave you that idea? The fact that she wouldn't stay in her bed or the fact that she spilled her drink over you?'

‘For my father's sake I hope that isn't a foreshadowing of her teenage years.' Gently, he removed the empty cup from Chloe's limp fingers and handed it back to Lily. ‘She's fast asleep. Now it's my turn. Champagne. Ice. You.' His gaze met hers and she saw humour and promise under layers of potent sex appeal.

Her stomach dropped and she reached and took Chloe from him. ‘I'll tuck her in.'

He rose to his feet, dwarfing her. ‘I'll get the champagne.'

Wondering if the intense sexual charge ever diminished when you were with a man like him, Lily tiptoed through to the bedroom and tucked Chloe carefully into the middle of the enormous bed.

This time the child didn't stir.

Lily brushed her hand lightly over those blonde curls and stared down at her for a long moment, a lump in her throat. When she grew up was she going to wonder about her mother? Did Callie intend to be in her life or had she moved on to the next thing?

Closing the doors of the bedroom, Lily took the cup back to the kitchen. By the time she returned Nik was standing on the terrace wearing casual trousers and a shirt.

‘You changed.'

‘It didn't feel right to be drinking champagne in wet trousers.' He handed her a glass. ‘She's asleep?'

‘For now. I don't think she'll wake up. She's exhausted.' She sipped the champagne. ‘It was a lovely wedding. For what it's worth, I like Diandra a lot.'

‘So do I.'

She lowered the glass. ‘Do you believe she loves him?'

‘I'm not qualified to judge emotions, but they seem happy together. And I'm impressed by how willingly she has welcomed Chloe.'

She slipped off her shoes and sat on the sunlounger. ‘I think Chloe will have a loving and stable home.'

He sat down next to her, his thigh brushing against hers. ‘You didn't have that.'

She stared at the floodlit pool. ‘No. I was a really sickly child. Trust me, you don't want the details, but as a result of that I moved from foster home to foster home because I was a lot of trouble to take care of. When you face the possibility of having to spend half the night in a hospital with a sick kid when you already have others at home, you take the easier option. I was never the easy option.'

He covered her hand with his. ‘Was adoption never considered?'

‘Older children aren't easy to place. Especially not sickly older children. Every time I arrived somewhere new I used to hope this might be permanent, but it never was. Anyway, enough of that. I've already told you far more than you ever wanted to know about me. You hate talking about family and personal things.'

‘With you I do things I don't do with other people. Like attend weddings.' He turned her face to his and kissed her. ‘You had a very unstable, unpredictable childhood and yet still you believe that something else is possible.'