33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Who’s coming fishing with me? Tom? Are you coming?”
Tom looks at the gear Nikos is holding, but he seems uninterested. “I think I’ll just stay here until you return.”
“Are you sure, hon?” I ask, not wanting to make him feel left out.
“Positive.”
I bend over and kiss his cheek and then follow Nikos who’s already a few steps ahead. “Hey, wait up! I’m coming with you!”
“Get your water shoes on, Lisa. You’ll be holding this while I look for any small fish, okay?”
He points toward the intricate lamp and I stop to put on the thick latex shoes on before I walk close to him again. A moment later he turns the lamp on and a whitish, led-like light illuminates the peaceful night.
And then, I watch as he takes out a collapsible spear and walks into the sea until he’s knee-deep in it.
I have never done this before, so I take a moment to get my bearings and he turns around to look at me, a grin on his face. “I’m going to need you alongside me, Lisa. You’ll be my guiding light so to speak.”
I nod but keep from laughing out loud at the use of his last words. When I’m right beside him, he rewards me with a smile and marches on. I follow him, holding up the lamp as he slowly walks along the sea bank, the air smelling of seaweed, salt, and iodine.
“I need the lamp a bit lower, so I can detect movement in the water,” he says a moment later and I lower the lamp so that it’s almost touching the surface of the water. “This method of night fishing is called pirofani, Lisa. My father used to take my mother and me with him on calm nights like these, and we’d search the coast for hours. ”
“So, this thing is supposed to attract the fish?” I ask, my curiosity slowly kicking in. “This light?”
He stops and turns to look into my eyes. “That’s right. Small fish get lured to it. It’s a slim one that I’ll be able to spear them on the first try and I very much doubt I’ll get a second shot at it, but that’s half the fun, isn’t it? The chase?”
He is still now, and our eyes remain locked for a long, heated moment and I’m sure he’s not just being literal this time. His words have a deep impact on me and I feel myself flushing.
Swallowing hard, I let my gaze drop to the lantern, wishing he would just stop with the innuendos.
“Watch out for the sea urchins. We should be able to get quite a few of those on these waters. Don’t pick out the really black ones, though. They’re not edible.”
“And how will I be able to see them? I can barely make out anything inside the water.”
“Your eyes will get used to the dark. Just be careful where you step.”
He turns away, and I follow along with him only getting a few shots now and then while I have been busy picking out several sea urchins along the way.
I look at what he dropped into the bucket, cringing at the large crabs wiggling their little legs, trying to escape. “You’re going to eat all these?”
He turns to look at me, a grin on his face. “What do you think?”
“I’ve never eaten a sea urchin or a crab before.”
“Let’s crack open an urchin and you can have first dibs.”
“Hmmm. I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Nikos, considering…”
My voice trails off but I don’t think he’s listening to what I’m saying. He’s already used his pocket knife to slice one open, handing it to me. “Here, try it. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before and it’s considered one of the greatest aphrodisiacs.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I stare at him for a long moment before I take the sea offering, silently examining the gooey orangey insides, the heady smell tickling my nose.
I watch as he slices another one open, carefully draining the salty water out and swallowing its contents a moment later.
I bring the spiky little creature to my mouth, trying to convince myself to eat it but failing miserably.
“I can’t eat this, Nikos. I’m sorry. Not after what I just did.”
I watch as a grin forms across his face, and he nods.
The night is getting breezier as time goes by and after a few more minutes, we start heading back.
“So, is it over?” I ask, not wanting this night to end.
“Yes. That’s it for tonight.”
“Are you tired?”
He drops the spear and sits down spreading his knees and motions for me to join him. I smile and lower myself to fit between his legs.
“I could go for hours more, Lisa.”
Those seven little words unsettle me in ways I never thought possible. I swallow hard not daring to turn back to face him but I know he said it on purpose and I can’t let it slide this time around.
“I wonder if you ever stop to notice the things that come out of your mouth.” I wait for his response, and he nudges me hard on my sides with both hands, his breath falling warm and steady on the back of my neck.
“You think I don’t? You think this is easy for me, Lisa? Huh? Sharing you with your husband and then going back as if nothing ever happened? Do you have any idea what that does to me? What I'll feel like after we leave here, tonight?” He leans close and I don’t resist him as he slowly spins me around to face him and I know that he’s going to kiss me. I stay still, waiting for the inevitable to happen but his next words take me by surprise. "I think I'm in love with you. How's that for ridiculous, huh?"
I don't think about what I'm doing as I lower my head and kiss his lips, kissing him as softy as a whispered breath. Soft as a feather. But he'll have none of it. Not after what he just said. He deepens our kiss, using his tongue, slowly. Thoroughly. He tastes like beer and cigarettes and all things sin and I pull away, panicking, the emotions making me go haywire.
“I’m sorry, Nikos. I can—”
“Shhh,” he whispers. “I know. Thank you for an unforgettable evening, Lisa.”
I try to compose myself, failing miserably. “Are you sure you want to leave now? I brought food for us to eat. It’d be a shame to waste it.”
“I’ll let you enjoy the rest of the night with your husband. You can walk back on your own, right? It’s only a couple of minutes.”
“What about the sea urchins?”
“You can keep them. Maybe Tom will try one and see what he’s missing. Put them in the fridge in salt water.”
He doesn’t say another word, and I watch as he walks away, leaving me with a basket full of sea urchins and a night filled with memories and his confession that I can't share with my husband even if I wanted to.