Chapter 26
“You are only interested in me for one thing!” Mia drew her shirt over her naked breasts. They made love constantly now and though she enjoyed it, she couldn’t help but feel used. Yes, this had been the agreement, but she wanted him to see her as more than just her body.
“Not true, asteri mou , you fascinate me. Not just your body, but your mind too.” Angelos argued.
“Oh, then prove it! Spend the day with me, but I get to choose the activity.”
- One Week with the Greek
NIKOS
I didn’t have the heart to break it to her, but I knew for a fact that Greystone was already negotiating to buy up more land, rumor had it to build an exclusive nightclub.
Now that I no longer had the promise of an archaeological dig to block them, I was running out of stalling tactics.
My disappointment at learning about my grandfather’s cup was short-lived, probably because I’d never really allowed myself to believe it was true.
If anything, I’d wanted it to be true for him.
Irrationally, I was even glad that it meant Callie would be staying.
It surprised me that someone as clever as Callie could fall for her employer’s lies.
And that they would send her to do their dirty work.
Part of me hoped I was wrong and that she would be able to convince Greystone to adopt her ideas for the resort.
She was determined, that’s for sure, but she also had a great deal of empathy.
She saw the best in people; well, except where I was concerned. But I was working on that.
“Everything will work out. I’m sure of it.” Callie yawned. “Man, that beer really knocked me out. I’ll help you clean up and then it’s siesta time for me.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve got it.” I stood to scoop up the dishes. True to form, she refused to listen and followed me to the kitchen where she immediately started scrubbing the pots. “What did I tell you?”
“Listen, I do this all the time. I’m very quick.
” I had to peel my eyes away from the vision she offered standing in a pool of light, still in her bathing suit and lacy cover-up, her hair in a loose bun atop her head.
She had some new freckles on her nose and her cheeks were pink from the sun.
The urge to slip my arm around her waist and kiss each new freckle hit me with such intensity, it made me weak.
So I didn’t argue with her and sank onto a barstool to watch her, happy to have a few extra seconds in her company.
When she was done, she wiped her hands on an old rag hanging from the oven. “Well, that was a surprisingly pleasant afternoon. Who knew you had it in you?” She leaned against the sink. “You still haven’t told me why you did it.”
“Well, if you’re going to be serving Aegean food in your fancy restaurant, then you should have the full panoply of products in your arsenal.”
“Hmm, or maybe that seaweed is toxic, and I’ll be begging the local doctor to make a house call this evening?”
“I’m always here if you need me.” I held up my hands, and she stared at them a little too long, like she was imagining them all over her body, exactly where they wanted to be. I stepped closer and she took a ragged breath.
“No, I have to go, but thank you—for the snorkeling. And for finally being honest with me.”
I flinched because I hadn’t been entirely honest with her. I’d failed to mention that the New York party where I had my first panic attack was organized by my wife’s wealthy friends. If she knew I was technically still married, she’d slit my throat with a carving knife.
“I’ll take you out again, if you want. The sea urchin is best at dusk.”
“Sea urchin? Intriguing.” I accompanied her to the door, but she splayed her hand across my chest to stop me from following her outside. My heart pounded so hard I was sure she could feel it. “You’re not walking me home this time. It’s daylight and everyone will start gossiping again.”
“Too late for that. Didn’t you see me wave to Stamatis from the boat?”
She groaned. “Small-island gossip. Just what I need.”
“See you later, asteri mou ,” I called after her, leaning back in my doorway mesmerized by the graceful slide of her hips as she walked back home.
“Look, Doc’s in love! I told you so, didn’t I?” Dimitris and his friends laughed as they ran by. I tossed the dish towel at them, trying to convince myself that what they said wasn’t a little bit true.
* * *
“It was an excellent dinner, don’t you think, Pano?” Yiannis smiled as he swiped wet plaster on the new ceiling of the hotel.
I tried to ignore the twist of envy in my stomach.
When I’d shown up an hour ago, Panos was telling everyone about the dinner party he’d been invited to at Callie’s house two nights ago—the day after our snorkeling session.
Yiannis, Giorgos, and Stamatis were there too.
And just last night she’d hosted another party for the single girls of the island.
I’d been forced to listen to their out of tune rendition of “Barbie Girl” on repeat well past midnight.
The annoying lyrics were still playing in my head.
It looked like she intended to invite the entire island to her place. Everyone except me, that is.
“Don’t tell my mother, but I’ve never had such good food. If I could go over there every night with my guitar, I would serenade her while she cooks.” I flung my putty knife on the floor, not missing the look Panos and Yiannis exchanged.
“Yes, we’re lucky that she likes us now.” Yiannis elbowed me in the ribs. “Maybe if I ask her nicely, she might invite you to the next party.”
“I have no desire to eat with you lovesick fools,” I mumbled, trying for a tone of indifference but sounding like a kid who hadn’t been invited to his popular classmate’s birthday party.
Anyway, I didn’t want to be invited to a dinner party.
I wanted to have her all to myself. It’s all I could think about.
I’d hang out on my terrace hoping to catch a glimpse of her, only to be greeted by the sounds of raucous laughter and music at night.
So I’d close my doors and windows and try to focus on my translation work.
I don’t know what I was expecting to happen after the morning we’d spent together.
I really didn’t have any ulterior motives, despite what she thought.
Did I dream about her body and all the things I wanted to do to it?
Sure, but I hadn’t taken her out on the boat because I wanted to sleep with her again.
I liked spending time with her, and I’d hoped after spending the morning together that she wouldn’t continue to avoid me. But here we were.
What would Angelos do if he were in my shoes? Probably tie Mia to the headboard with a silk tie and eat her pussy until she relented. I couldn’t even compare my progress to Angelos, or get any tips from him, since Callie had taken the book from me.
I went down to the kafenio to contemplate how I could get my hands on that damn book again when Callie appeared, radiant as ever, like she hadn’t hosted the loudest girls’ night ever.
That wasn’t the first thing that struck me, however. It was what she was wearing.
“You’re wearing jeans,” I said as she came near enough to catch a whiff of her rosemary mint shampoo. “And sneakers.”
“Wow, there you go again, amazing me with your powers of observation.” She pulled at her worn Stevie Nicks concert T-shirt.
“It’s just surprising. You did go hiking in a storm in ballet flats and a flowy dress, you know.”
“I dress to fit my mood. It doesn’t have to make sense to you.” She glanced at her watch.
“Want a coffee?”
“Yes, excellent idea.” I went inside and ordered from Takis.
“Getting along now?” he asked with a wink. I shook my head. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m pretty sure she still hates me.”
I brought the coffee out to the table where she’d planted herself to have a good view of the incoming ferry and sat down. “Thank you.”
“Congratulations, your plan to conquer the island through your food appears to be working,” I told her and she smiled. “Sounded like you were having a good time last night. Did it turn into a slumber party?”
“Believe it or not the girls wanted to sleep in their own beds.” She sipped her coffee and eyed me over the rim of her cup. “They had a lot to say about you.”
“I can’t imagine why. It’s not like I see them much outside of a professional setting.” I shrugged.
“That’s precisely the problem. You’re not friendly enough. Oh!” She jumped up and clapped her hands together as the ferry came around the bend in the cove. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning, and I wondered who the hell was on that ferry.
I didn’t have to wait long to find out. After a few older locals got off, a younger couple emerged, and Callie squealed as she rushed to hug the dark-haired young woman. “Chicken! Oh my God, look at you! There’s really someone in there.”
She rubbed her hand over her friend’s baby bump. The guy joined them, set two heavy suitcases on the ground, pulled his sunglasses down, and gave Callie a kiss on each cheek.
“Jake’s dying for a coffee,” Callie’s friend said as they walked toward the terrace.
“We can get one here.” Callie hesitated, glancing uneasily at me. Her friend slowed down as they approached. I didn’t miss the look she threw at Callie over her sunglasses. I stood so Callie would have no choice but to introduce me.
“Nikos, this is my best friend Olivia and her husband, Jake.”
“Nice to meet you.” I held out my hand, and Olivia’s mouth twitched as she shook it.
“You’re American?” Jake asked as he shook my hand.
“He’s from Schenectady.” Callie glared at me. “But he doesn’t like to talk about it.”
I ignored her pointed remark and gestured to Takis. “Would you like a tea, juice?”
“We don’t want to keep you. Don’t you have patients to see?” asked Callie, still standing, as her friends settled into the chairs across from me.
“I have no real schedule,” I explained. “You should know that by now.”
Callie threw a meaningful look at me as Takis came out with a tray of drinks. I ignored it, addressing her friends. “Where are you from?”
“France. A small town between Marseille and Saint-Raphael,” explained Olivia.
“I don’t know France well. I’ve only been to Paris,” I admitted. From the corner of my eye I could see Callie gesturing at Olivia, who let out a dramatic yawn. “Oh, wow, I’m exhausted. I think I need to lie down.”
“Yes, we should go.” Callie stood up, scraping her chair across the stone floor.
“You didn’t finish your juice,” said Jake. Olivia gulped it down in one go, making him raise an eyebrow. He tried to hand me money, but I waved him off. “Thank you for the drinks. Nice meeting you.”
He scooped up the suitcases and followed after the two women. Takis, meanwhile, stood next to me laughing. “Doesn’t even want her friends talking to you. Looks like someone is still in the doghouse.”