Читать книгу Greek Affairs - Кейт Хьюит - Страница 44

HIS lips were warm as they pressed against hers. Slowly he swept his tongue against her lips, seeking entrance to her mouth. Sara complied, stepping closer, longing for him to wrap her in his arms and keep the kiss going forever.

He must have read her mind as his hands moved to lift her hair, then slide down her back and pull her into closer contact. The kiss deepened, and Sara felt like she was floating. Desire flared. She actively kissed him back, her tongue dancing with his, her arms holding him as tightly as he held her. Only the lack of breath caused her to pull back eventually, gasping.

He continued to kiss her—first her cheek, then along her jaw, then a long slow slide down her throat to the rapid pulse point at the base. Then back up the other side.

She stood still as if afraid the slightest movement would end the magic. When he covered her lips again she responded. It was glorious. She could fall for this man. If he kissed her once a day, she’d probably be content to stay forever in Greece.

The thought filtered in, then struck with clarity.

She pulled back slightly, feeling dazed and confused. And guilty. She had no business becoming involved with Nikos Konstantinos. He was practically engaged to another woman. And she was trying to use him to gain access to her grandmother. Nothing was working in her favor. She suspected he would be a dangerous enemy. She dared not provoke him or lead him on. He would feel betrayed once he knew the truth. She could not aggravate the situation by sending false messages.

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

“I need to go to my cabin,” she said quietly, disentangling herself from his embrace.

He started to say something but Sara held up her hand. “No, don’t say a thing. This was not just a kiss. I can’t do this.”

She fled from the salon. Once she reached her small cabin, she shut the door softly and leaned against it. Blowing out a puff of air, she tried to get her roiling senses under control. She could feel the blood pounding through her. She was still breathing faster than normal. Good grief, she was attracted to Nikos as she’d never been to anyone else. And falling for the man was a guaranteed heartache.

She pushed away and went to the small porthole to gaze out at the rainy night. It was too dark to see much; only the dock lights cast faint illumination on the ship. The resort glowed in the wet evening. Had everyone else aboard gone to bed? She checked her watch. It was after ten. Early yet.

You’re stalling, Sara, she admonished herself. She could not get sidetracked by an attraction to Nikos. Granted he was gorgeous and successful. He had been more than kind in showing her around the island, teaching her to dive. But she knew he had no intention of becoming involved with her. Was this just a fling before settling down? The thought made her sick—and did not jibe with what she knew of Nikos. He was too honorable. So … maybe the lovely Gina was out of the running. That still didn’t give her a chance.

“Darn it,” she said aloud. The first man she’d met she really felt an attraction to, and he was off-limits. She knew he would end up disliking her once he knew she’d used him. Was there any way to keep a relationship?

Friendship—she didn’t want that, she wanted more.

She lay back on her bunk and relived the kiss. Magical, no other word. Did he know he could melt her insides with a sexy look? Did he care? He probably had women falling all over themselves to impress him.

To fulfill the promise made to her mother, she had to focus on her goal—give the last letter to her grandmother.

But she wished she could dally a bit with Nikos Konstantinos. It would make her Greek trip the ultimate fantasy.

The next morning Sara rose early. She’d slept fitfully during the night, soothed by the sound of the rain, waking as each dream cast her into Nikos’s arms. She was glad for the dreary morning sky. Working would help.

She prepared an omelet again for breakfast, with an assortment of fresh fruits and a delicious coffee blend she hadn’t tried before. She nibbled as she worked.

With only a minimum crew and Nikos, the workload was easy. Would she need to prepare any other meals besides breakfast? That would depend on the weather. It took less than a half day to reach the island. Once there another chef would be in charge. Maybe she could offer her assistance.

“I’ll take up the captain’s plate. He says we’re leaving this morning,” Stefano said.

“It’s still raining,” Sara said with another quick glance out the window.

“But not windy, which is the bad part of a storm. Rain can’t hurt the boat.”

She nodded. “There, take it away. That’s for Nikos, that’s for the captain,” she said pointing out the two plates. “Do we eat in our rooms for breakfast, too?”

“We’ll stand around the counter for breakfast. We don’t have a lot of rainy days on the ship.”

After breakfast Sara stepped out on the aft deck, keeping beneath the small overhang to stay dry. The air was humid, the rain warm to the touch when she extended her hand. If they hadn’t been in the marina, could she have gone swimming? What a novelty—to swim in the rain. At home it was usually too cold in rainy weather to swim.

She stayed awhile enjoying the change in weather, then turned to return to the galley. Stefano was about through with the dishes. He glanced up.

“The captain asked if you’d like to come to the bridge to watch as the yacht left the marina. I’ve done it a few times. Gives a different perspective to things,” he said.

“I’d love to.” She’d relish a chance to see how the yacht was actually operated.

“Take a fresh pot of coffee. It’s cool up there and the captain commented he especially liked today’s blend,” he added.

Fifteen minutes later Sara entered the bridge, two coffee mugs and a coffeepot in hand. She stopped when she saw Nikos standing at the high chart table, reviewing the charts with the captain. Heat washed through her.

He looked up casually and nodded. “Good, you brought more coffee.”

The captain smiled. “Come in. We’ll be pushing off in a few minutes. I thought you’d like to watch. Without much of a crew to cook for, you will have more free time.”

“Thank you. I brewed a fresh pot,” she said, walking over and placing the two mugs on the flat surface near the charts. Pouring the coffee carefully, she refused to allow even one drop to spill on a chart. But it took all her concentration. Her instinct was to watch Nikos.

She handed one mug to Nikos and one to the captain.

“You didn’t bring a mug for yourself,” Nikos commented, taking a sip and watching her over the rim of the cup.

“I didn’t know you were here or I would have brought another.”

He offered her his.

Sara drew in a sharp breath, hesitated, then slowly reached out and took it. The coffee was hot and fragrant. She took a couple of swallows then returned the mug, feeling an intimacy at the gesture. Moving to the wide windows, she looked at the activity on the dock. Despite the rain, men were working, wearing bright yellow slickers.

“So the storm won’t affect our trip,” she said.

“Not unless the wind kicks up again,” Nikos replied. “And we’re hoping it won’t.”

“The last weather report indicated the worst had passed,” the captain murmured, checking a list as he flipped switches and checked gauges.

She watched another minute, then made up her mind. She could act like an idiot and avoid the man as much as possible or take advantage of the invitation to the bridge and learn all she could.

She spun around and almost marched to the high table with the charts. “So what are we looking at?” she asked, peering at the yellow page with blue lines swirling around.

“A depth chart of the sea between here and the island. We are looking for deeper water, which will minimize some of the wave action. We want as smooth a journey as possible,” Nikos said, moving slightly so she could see better.

He put his arm over her shoulder and pointed to a series of irregular circles. “This shows the topography of the sea floor. Here are depth indicators.” She watched as he pointed out aspects of the chart and the route they were planning.

“How will you know where these are from up here?” she asked.

Nikos removed his arm and looked at the captain. The older man gave a concise explanation of the depth sounder and GPS positioning to which Sara was able to listen and understand without Nikos’s touch rocketing her senses.

“I thought you just hopped aboard and took off,” she said at the end of the explanation.

“More or less if we use the heliport. My father usually uses that as it’s faster than ship, but I prefer the Cassandra. Since the weather has kicked up a bit, we’re looking for a smoother passage than the usual route we take. We’ll be there by lunchtime.”

“So if it takes you hours to get there, I bet shopping is a two-day affair.”

“There are islands nearby which offer shopping and other amenities. My grandfather wants a new runabout to get to the nearest one. Takes about forty minutes in a smaller boat.”

“Your grandparents are there now?” she asked. She couldn’t be this close and bear to learn her grandmother was elsewhere.

“Of course, they’re who I’m going to see.”

She nodded and looked back out of the window.

Sara enjoyed watching the men on the dock cast off the lines. She marveled at how the captain could maneuver such a large ship away without a scrape anywhere. The rain had not abated. The large wipers on the front windows kept the glass clear. She smiled as she felt the power of the engine when they went to cruising speed sometime later.

Turning, she met Nikos’s eyes. He was standing on the far side of the bridge, leaning against the glass watching her. He raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“This is fantastic. Do you ever drive the yacht?” she asked.

“Sometimes.”

“He is as proficient as I am,” the captain commented. “Perhaps with not as much practice, though.”

“Who has time to command a yacht when a resort needs a firm hand?” Nikos asked.

“So who is running the resort while you are away?” Sara asked.

“I am. The marvels of modern electronics. I have a laptop here that connects to the main computer at the resort. My assistant can manage the day-to-day activities. I am always available if he needs me.”

“Will I meet your grandparents?” Sara asked. She might as well find out from the get-go.

“Do you wish to?” he asked.

She shrugged, trying to show a casual demeanor. What would another crew member do? She didn’t even try to guess—none of them had been invited to the bridge since she’d been on board.

“Just wondered.”

“My grandfather knows all the crew—except you. He’ll want to meet you. In the meantime, you can swim in the sea, enjoy the island. We have some beautiful flowering gardens. A nice gazebo near the beach. I’ll take you to one of the coves to dive—there are some amazing sponges and fish there.”

“Sounds like a vacation, not work,” she said. He still hadn’t answered her question. It looked as if it would be up to her to find a way to meet Eleani Konstantinos.

Once the ship was under way, Sara grew bored with watching the rain on the windows and the gray sea that stretched out to the horizon. It would have been lovely had the weather been good. She gathered up the mugs and the coffeepot and thanked the captain for the time on the bridge.

Nikos opened the door for her and followed her into the narrow passageway.

“Thanks for the chance on the bridge. I’ll get these back to the galley and see about what to prepare for lunch.”

“We’ll be at the island by lunch,” he said. “And the crew eats with the island staff. You’re done for the day.”

“Oh.”

“Dump the cups and come to the aft deck. We can sit in the lee of the wind and stay dry.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she said slowly. Her first inclination was to say yes. Yet, after his explosive kiss last night, the last thing she should do is place herself in the path of temptation.

He stopped her and swung her partway around. “Come for a little while,” he coaxed softly, his eyes warm and dark.

Her heart skipped a beat. This was so not a good idea.

“Okay. Unless it gets too wet.”

“It won’t.”

She went first to the galley, then stopped in her cabin for a sweatshirt. It was part of the uniform, with the logo of the resort clearly embroidered over her heart. She stared at herself in the mirror. “Do not forget this is only a means to an end. You are not going to get any more attached to the man!”

Sara had a feeling she was lying to herself. The attraction she felt for Nikos was not something she controlled. Maybe her tactics were wrong. Maybe she should be around him as much as possible—to see if once she saw the flaws he was bound to have, it would lessen the pull.

Nikos was already on the aft deck when she stepped out. The overhang had kept the three feet of deck closest to the main structure dry. The wind hadn’t touched it. The air was cooler than she expected. The wake was white against the steely gray of the water.

She shut the door and walked to stand beside him. Nikos had pulled two chairs over and dried them. The towel was on the floor.

Sitting, she looked at him.

“So, what shall we talk about?”

He groaned softly. “If we have to talk about what to talk about, we have nothing to say.”

“Do we?”

“You mean after last night?”

“Of course.”

“You mean a chance to kiss a beautiful woman after a pleasant evening together?”

“Good line. I think I’ve heard it before.”

He shrugged. “So I need to polish my technique.”

“I don’t think you need to change a thing. It’s clear you like your lifestyle and I live a very different one. I told you.”

He tilted his chair back, resting against the wall. “And if I don’t see them as that different?”

“Trust me, there’s a world of difference between us. You are rich, I’m not. You evidently were neglected as a child. I was not.”

“Not neglect. My parents gave me the best that money could buy.”

“Neglected by them, however. The greatest gift parents can give their children is their attention. My mother and I did so much together. Even when I was a rebellious teenager. She loved me. There was never any question.”

“Some people are not meant for marriage. My parents aren’t the only reason.”

“So what else? Burned at love?”

“You might say so. Now I wonder if I really loved Ariana at all. It was an advantageous match.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My engagement—surely you’ve heard the tale.”

She shook her head. “I thought you didn’t ask Gina Fregulia. So there was another engagement that ended. Were you heartbroken?” she asked sympathetically.

He gave a harsh laugh. “Hardly. Mad as hell. Ariana was beautiful and pleasing and professed to love me. Our relationship was meant to be, she said a hundred times.”

“Uh-oh, I think I’ve heard this tale before,” she murmured.

“Do you want to hear it or not?” he asked.

“Yes.” She closed her mouth tightly and looked at him.

He looked away. “Damn, I don’t want to explain. Sufficient to say my loving, meant-to-be fiancée found our own relationship wasn’t quite enough, so she found other meaningful relationships with as many men as she could.”

“Ouch,” Sara said. “Tacky.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Tacky? Is that all you have to say?”

“Well, you said your heart wasn’t broken. So then it was probably embarrassing to end the engagement if others knew why. But her behavior definitely was tacky. You’re well rid of her.”

He nodded. “Well rid of any suggestions for future alliances as well—unless the rules are clearly defined. In the meantime I’m content with the way my life is going.”

Sara thought about what he said. She felt the tension in his words. Maybe he had been hit harder by the betrayal than he wanted to admit, even to himself. And for a moment her heart softened. No one should be in love and have that love thrown back into their face by such wanton betrayal.

She had a hard time picturing Nikos Konstantinos heartbroken, but he might have been and hidden it from the world. She wanted to reach out and touch him with sympathy but refrained. She didn’t know how that would be received.

She began to relax. Hearing he had problems with life like anyone else made him seem more normal or approachable. Not the mighty millionaire resort owner living in an ivy-covered tower. Did she dare spend time with him? They’d never have to be alone—except when diving. He had never made an untoward comment or move on her. And she’d be leaving soon. Putting distance between them would be the best solution in the end. Despite her love of what she’d seen of Greece so far, her home was in London. Her friends were there. Her memories. Her mother was buried there.

She had a few days. She dared not reveal that being with him rocked her emotions. That kissing him was the most glorious feeling ever. That she longed for more when reality kept slapping her back. They had no future. She should adopt that as her mantra.

She dared not give voice even to herself of what she feared might happen—that she’d fall madly in love with him and end up going home with the world’s biggest heartbreak. He might like to kiss her, but his barriers were well established. She was not some femme fatale that men fell for. He’d already set his course—marriage to Gina, business arrangement. She shivered. It sounded so cold and sterile. She wanted love, heat, passion and loyalty that lasted a lifetime.

Take the time on the island as a gift. One day she could look back on her great adventure in Greece. Were all Greek women destined to heartbreak? Her mother had been betrayed yet had loved the man she gave up her family for. She had never found another to love after he had left. And her pride had kept her from admitting she’d made a mistake and returning home. Sara dearly hoped she would not follow in her footsteps. Pride was well and good in its place. But not to the detriment of love and family.

Nikos shifted his focus to the sky. “I think this storm will last all day. Not the best way to see the island when we arrive. It’s quite beautiful with all the flowers in the garden.”

“So are the gardens at the resort,” she said, feeling oddly adrift now that her goal was drawing closer. She had not thought beyond handing her grandmother the letter. What next?

“I took the advice of grandmother Eleani for the gardens. She loves flowers and worked with a landscape architect to design the gardens at the resort.”

“That’s what you call your grandmother,” she asked.

“My real grandmother died when I was a teenager. About ten or eleven years ago my grandfather married a widow—Eleani. She is a delightful person, warm and friendly and openly adores my grandfather. I can’t help but love her because of that. As you may have gathered, my family is not very demonstrative. Except for Eleani.”

Sara was hungry for any information about Eleani. But would it appear odd if she questioned Nikos? She was wary of getting to know too much about him. Wouldn’t that lead to expectations that she couldn’t fulfill? Once he knew he’d been the reason for her presence, as a key to the island, he would be furious.

Again she bemoaned that she’d met him only as a means to an end, and then had become attracted to him. Why couldn’t life be easy for once?

“So tell me why you know as much about running this boat as the captain,” she said, deliberately changing the topic.

“I love the sea. When I was younger I was always after the captain to show me how, so he convinced my grandfather to let him give me a crash course of several weeks. We loaded up on supplies and set off. It was one of the best summers of my life. I learned about charting, learned how to read the weather, how to sound for depth. How to dive. We were gone eight weeks and it flew by like the wind. By the end of the summer, I could pilot the boat as well as the captain. I had grown proficient in diving and received a good overview of the Aegean, to boot.”

Nikos told her of the villages and cities they’d visited. How he had crashed into more than one dock and had been the despair of the captain whenever he turned the yacht into a port. Sara laughed more than once, as she knew he wanted. He was a natural storyteller and she listened avidly to every word, relishing the deep tone of his voice and the fluttering inside that occurred whenever she was near him. She was growing used to being in constant turmoil around him.

When he wound down, he asked her about her favorite summer. She told him about the trek through Scotland she and her mother had made—despite the rain and cold weather.

How they ate at pubs each night and tried to like haggis, but gave up midway through their trek and switched to porridge.

At Nikos’s expression, she laughed, remembering he didn’t like oatmeal.

“So how did you end up a chef?” he asked.

“I like to cook. My mother quoted that saying ‘Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life’ to me from when I was a little girl. I learned to prepare simple Greek dishes at her side when I was quite small. It seemed like a logical career for me.”

“And it’s worked out?”

“There’s a bit of a bias against female chefs. Especially in some of the more posh restaurants in London—the ones where I could really explore all kinds of exotic dishes. But I’m still young. I’ll keep pushing ahead. The fact I’ve worked for your resort will add a fillip to my résumé. Maybe I’ll have better luck when I return to London.”

“And must you return?”

“It’s my home.” Now they were getting close to her secret.

“But not too soon,” he said.

Sara shrugged. She knew she would not have a job once Nikos discovered why she’d been working at his resort. Yet he’d been the one to ask her to accompany him to the family island. In a way, he’d facilitated part of her quest. Would he see it that way? Would he understand why she’d had to resort to subterfuge to reach her goal?

She wanted to forget about seeing her grandmother. The thought shocked her. Ever since her mother had gotten sick, Sara had wanted to reach Eleani. Two years and counting. How could she even for a moment consider coming this far and not contacting her?

Yet being with Nikos had made her more interested in this exciting man than in seeking some unknown woman who had let her only child leave and never resumed contact. What good was any of it going to do at this late date? Her mother was dead. She had tried to heal the breach and been rebuffed. Why should Sara try?

Because of a promise.

She had made her mother a promise, and Sara would stand by her word.

No matter who got hurt? a small voice inside whispered. No matter that her mother would never know one way or the other?

A promise was a promise. She had to keep hers to her dying mother.

Nikos looked at a seagull gliding on the wind.

“We’re getting close,” he said.

Sara looked around. “How can you tell? It all looks the same as it’s been since we left the resort.”

“Birds live on land. This one is either from our island or Patricia, the nearest island where you can shop.” He glanced at his watch. “Besides, we’ve been traveling long enough.”

So their time together was ending. Maybe it was for the best.

“Despite what you say about your family, you’re happy to be going home, aren’t you?” she asked.

He nodded. “The island is special. The best place for our family—when we all gather together. I won’t see my parents this visit, but my grandfather holds a special place in my heart. I owe him more than most grandchildren owe their grandfathers.”

“Family ties are the hardest ones to break. They are strong no matter what the circumstances,” Sara said slowly.

“True. I’d do anything for him.”

She nodded, studying him gravely. “No matter what he asked?”

Nikos shrugged. “I can’t imagine him asking anything I would not be willing to do.”

“Even if it were hard or seemed pointless at some stage?”

“Even then. If it meant enough for him to ask me, it would mean enough for me to do it.”

Sara looked away. Nikos had reaffirmed her own beliefs. At least they had that in common—not that he’d ever know it.

“Did I miss something?” he asked.

“What?”

“The conversation turned very solemn all of a sudden.”

“I was just asking about commitment and family ties. Sometimes things happen. Promises are made. Remember that.”

“I think I can remember that—things happen, promises are made.”

She laughed, forcing away her dismay and focusing on the moment. She’d caught a glimpse of Nikos’s attachment to his family’s island. She suddenly yearned to see it—through his eyes if possible.

Before long he rose and peered over the railing toward the bow.

“There it is.” The excitement in his tone had Sara jumping up and going to stand beside him. He drew her in front of him, holding her steady against the motion of the yacht. She peered around until she could see ahead. Rain hit her in the face, but she could see the silhouette of an island dead ahead.

Sara leaned back against Nikos’s chest. She felt the shelter of his arms as he steadied them on the railing of the ship as it rose and fell meeting the waves head-on. She could stay here forever—though they’d be soaking wet in a few minutes

“It doesn’t look like much today, but see it in the sunshine,” he said by her left ear. “When we get closer, you’ll see the house on the highest point, with gardens surrounding it like a beautiful, colorful skirt. The beach is pristine and we work to keep all oil and waste from the yacht away from the sand. The cove I told you about is around the leeward side.”

“It’s larger than I thought it would be,” she said, as the island seemed to gain in size every bit closer they came.

“A few square miles. There is a small compound behind the house where the servants have their homes. Even a guest house, which my parents use when they visit.”

Even more important than finding her grandmother, Sara would find out where Nikos called home. See what kind of place he loved. Find out more about boyhood escapades. While he sounded as if he’d led a solitary life, he’d also had this glorious place to explore. Despite what he felt as a lack of parental involvement, they had done a fine job in giving him a safe place to live as a child that he still cherished today.

Sara definitely didn’t feel that way about the flat she’d grown up in. The best thing said for it was its proximity to the public gardens.

A deckhand was on the dock waiting to tie up the Cassandra. Other than that, no one was in sight.

Sara and Nikos had returned to the bridge to watch the docking procedure. Now the captain turned off the engines and snapped up his chart portfolio. “So we are here. Sailing again when?” he asked Nikos.

“A few days at least. You’re free to do whatever you wish here. I’ll contact you in plenty of time to prepare for our return trip. It will undoubtedly be after the weekend.”

Since it was Tuesday, Sara could look forward to at least five days to see over the island. She hoped the weather would clear so she could go diving again. And see the flowers in the garden. Her heart pounded—and find her grandmother. But she was trying not to think about that step now that it was here.

“You will all take your meals at the main house as usual,” he continued. Looking at Sara he said, “A respite from your duties. Feel free to visit the house kitchen if you wish, but Dimitri and his staff will prepare our family meals.”

She nodded. They were to stay aboard during the visit. No need to have employee quarters prepared when their cabins suited. She was glad she’d brought along a couple of mystery books. Without reading to look forward to, she’d be bored to tears with the inactivity in the rain.

An older man walked down to the dock, an umbrella carefully sheltering him from the rain. He had a furled umbrella in one hand.

“I see your grandfather,” the captain said.

“I’d better go.” He hesitated a moment, looking at Sara, then nodded and left the bridge.

Sara moved to the window closest to the pathway and tried to get a good glimpse of her grandmother’s second husband. He was as tall as Nikos, she thought. Perhaps Nikos would look like him when he was old.

A feeling of regret swept through. She would not get to see him grow old. Their paths would have diverged long before either of them was old. She wished for him a happy life. Maybe Gina, or someone like her, would change his warped views of family and would love him forever.

She hoped she’d find a man like that, who could make her forget the past and sweep her away into a future of love and happiness. She sighed softly and watched as Nikos met the older man on the dock and they hugged. He took the umbrella his grandfather offered, and in only moments the two of them disappeared from view as they went up to the house.