A Greek Affair (Seven Days to Fall in Love #4)

by E. M. Irons

  “That’s a shitty reason to be with someone, and you know it. Why are you feeling guilty?”

  “He texted me today.”

  “Why?” She was suspicious.

  “He apologised. And asked about the trip, said he wished he was here.”

  “He’s sniffing around.”

  “He’s not. I think he felt guilty.”

  “I think he’s an asshole like every man, and he’ll try to keep you on the side just in case his new relationship doesn’t work.”

  “Lovely point of view, Ophelia.” I could hear a man’s voice saying from afar.

  “What does the closed door mean, Jonathan?” She looked away from the phone.

  “As if a closed door would work for us. Come on, Ollie.” My screen was suddenly filled with another face that I knew well, my sister’s best friend, Jonathan. “Hey, baby Leigh! Do you need me to go to Edinburgh and kick your ex’s ass? I’m sure Ollie can be my alibi just in case he tries to sue me.”

  I laughed at him. “It’s fine, thank you.”

  “Just checking. Or I could end him and make it look like an accident.”

  “I said that!” Ophelia high-fived him.

  “Great minds think alike.” He grinned at her.

  My sister and Jonathan met during law school in Oxford University and never parted ways. They were best friends, constantly bickering like an old couple and supporting each other in the ups and downs of life, and they even worked together. I knew that deep down they were meant for one another, but I don’t think they were ready for that yet.

  “So, what are we talking about?” Jonathan made himself comfortable on my sister’s chair armrest and took the phone out of her hand, stretching it so I could see them both easily.

  “I was telling Liv that her ex is a weasel and that he’s trying to contact her so he can keep her around, just in case.”

  “Interesting. What did he say?”

  I read it out loud. "I’m sorry about everything. How’s the trip? Wish I was there with you."

  “Oh yeah, he’s trying to keep you as the back-up plan.”

  “The what?”

  “You know, if things don’t work out with this new girl, he left a door open to get back with you.”

  “I think we should pay him a visit.” My sister was a maniac, but I loved her for it.

  “What was your reply?"

  “Nothing, I chose to ignore it."

  “Good girl.” He smiled at me.

  There was a loud knock on my door.

  “Guys, wait a second, someone’s at the door.”

  “Look at the peephole before opening!” My sister warned me, and I just rolled my eyes, leaving the phone on the bed.

  There was a member of the cruise staff outside, and I was quite baffled. Maybe there was something wrong with the ship, and we would need to evacuate or something. Cracking the door, I squished my face in the space. I was still wearing only a towel, after all.

  “Good evening, Miss Leigh. We have your order, would you like me to leave it on the table or just hand it over?” He was holding a tray and smiling at me.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t order anything. Maybe there was a misunderstanding?”

  “Just a second.” He balanced the tray in one hand and looked at the paper he fished out of his pocket. “No, that’s it. Mr. Knight from the cabin 17006 made the request for you: a large Margherita pizza and a bottle of red wine.”

  Elliot sent me this?

  “Oh.” I was stupidly surprised. “Come in, please.”

  I scrambled behind the door, trying to hide myself while he left the tray on my small table.

  “Enjoy!” He was already leaving when I remembered the tip.

  “Wait, the tip. Sorry, I just need my bag.”

  “It’s already taken care of, Miss, but thanks. Have a great night.”

  And I was alone in the room, with a hot pizza and a bottle of wine. Just like I’d told Elliot I wanted.

  “Hello?!” My sister’s voice came out of the phone that was lying on the bed.

  “I just got pizza and wine delivered here.” I was smiling so big that my face almost split in two. “Elliot sent it over.”

  “Uhhh, nice move. I like him already.” My sister winked at me.

  “Who's Elliot? I do not approve." It was Jonathan frowning.

  “A guy she met on the cruise. And now she has a major crush on him."

  “Do we like him?” He looked at her.

  “So far, so good.”

  “Fantastic. Girls, I would love to stay and chat more, but my secretary is waving at me and she looks desperate. Duty calls.” He rose, straightening his suit. “Baby Leigh, take care of yourself and enjoy the trip. When you’re back we can go and see you in Edinburgh or you can come down and stay in London for the weekend.”

  “Deal.” I smiled at him, loving him for the care he had with us.

  “And I will walk you home, Ollie, so just wait for me, ok?”

  He walked out of the screen and I heard the door opening and closing.

  “I love Jonathan, and I miss you both. When I’m back, let’s all get together.”

  “We miss you too. Can’t wait for you to finish your post grad and come back to London.”

  “If I ever get a job there.”

  “Oh please, anyone would be lucky to have you.” She was my biggest supporter ever.“ And speaking of lucky to have… Pizza and wine, huh?"

  I felt my cheeks getting warm.

  “I told him I was craving pizza and wanted to have an early night, so I wouldn’t have to dine with him and his group.”

  “And leave it to him to deliver your request.”

  I shook my head, still baffled.

  “Olivia, listen to me.” She had that serious tone again. “Stop overthinking and overanalyzing, ok? You met a nice guy, you’re single and you’re just enjoying yourself. You don’t have to have the answers right away. Just go for it, without second guessing yourself. You still have four days on the ship, make them count.”

  “Thanks, sis.”

  “Anytime, baby monster.” Her eyes were soft, glinting with all the love we shared.

  “Better eat this pizza, or it’ll get cold.”

  “Dig in. Oh, and just one last thing: if you disappear again, I’ll find you, punch you in the tits and lock you up in my apartment. Got it?”

  I sputter a laugh. “Got it, you freak.”

  “Great! Love you, take care and enjoy yourself.”

  “Love you too.”

  We hung up, and I was left lighter and more at ease, with a full pizza to eat and a bottle of wine to drink. Things were good.

  7

  I was up early thanks to my food coma and all the wine I drank before crashing into bed and sleeping like a baby. Walking down the corridor to Elliot’s cabin, I was surprised to see him coming my way, head bowed and hands in his pockets. After last night, I was following my sister’s advice and was ready to enjoy the moment, avoiding any kind of analysis about my feelings and my relationship, or past relationship.

  “Well, well, if it’s not my fairy pizza godmother.” I was smirking.

  His head shot up, and his eyes found mine. “I was just heading to your room.”

  “Like my sister told me yesterday: great minds think alike. I was on my way to you.”

  “You have a sister?”

  We met in the middle.

  “I do. She’s two years older than me and a successful lawyer. And my best friend.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “Yeah.” I smiled up at him, noticing again our height difference. “Do you have any siblings?"

  “No, I’m an only child. Although my cousins were pretty much like siblings to me. We grew up in each other's pockets, and we are still pretty tight.”

  “That’s nice.” I repeated him, making him smile. “I loved the pizza and the wine, thank you.”

  “Good. I thought you might.”

  I rose to my tiptoes and gave h
im a quick kiss on the chin, the only place I could reach without climbing him like a tree. He held me on the spot, hands coming to my elbows, and kissed me on the lips.

  “Good morning.” He whispered, his lips still touching mine.

  “Good morning to you too.” I kissed him once more. “Ready to explore Santorini?”

  Nodding, he held his palm out, and we interlaced our fingers.

  “How do you feel about having breakfast on the island?”

  “How fast can we leave the ship?”

  He laughed and tugged me forward, heading to the elevators and to the ferries. Once on land, we went straight to Melenio, a cafe with wonderful sweets and even better coffee. We were seated outside, and the view of Caldera was breathtaking, warming us for the day ahead.

  Walking around, we stopped to plan where to go first, and that’s when I saw the donkeys. Actual donkeys, to take tourists around, and climb the absurd stairs. Mischief took over my body, and I turned to Elliot, who was trying to read a map.

  “Let’s go on a donkey ride.” My eyes sparkled.

  “Excuse me?” He looked me over, confused.

  I pointed at the animals. “Let’s go around Santorini in donkeys.”

  “You are joking, right?”

  “Don’t you want the real Greek experience?”

  “And that involves donkey rides?” He folded the map and stuck it in his pocket. “No, that’s a hard no.”

  “But they are super cute!”

  “Yes, they are. But I’m not riding a donkey.”

  “Imagine the wonderful story you could tell your friends: riding in the sunset, with a fantastic donkey and me!”

  I was struggling not to giggle, and when he squinted his eyes at me, trying to think of a way out, I couldn’t hold it anymore and burst out laughing.

  “Very funny, shorty. Those poor donkeys deserve a better life than caring tourists uphill.”

  “True. Poor donkeys.” I was smiling from ear to ear, because to top it off, Elliot has a good heart.

  “But I found a better way to get around the island.”

  “Do tell.” I batted my eyelashes at him.

  “Scooters.”

  “Come again?” I was shocked. “The tiny motorcycles?”

  “Oh yeah.” He was grinning like a lunatic.

  “I feel like this is a bad idea.”

  “Oh, come on! Don’t you want an authentic Greek experience?” He was teasing me.

  “Ok, but just so you know, if I die, my sister will kill me.”

  That made him laugh out loud, and because I’m that easy to convince, half an hour later I was behind him, holding his torso for dear life and zipping around Santorini in a scooter.

  We chose to do something different, ignoring our previous plans and just going with the flow. We drove through the coast, stopping at beautiful beaches and diving in secluded spots, we parked near ruins and explored aimlessly, and we even found a vineyard and did a tour and tasting. Lost in time, I went into a little store and bought enough stuff for a spontaneous picnic that we did on a hillside overlooking the sea.

  I spread my beach towel and we ate, falling asleep under the sun with our bellies full. I woke a while later, my head on Elliot’s chest, his arm gathering me close, and our legs tangled. Listening to his calm heartbeat, I could only think that this was the kind of love that I wanted, an easy one, where you could talk and feel safe and protected, with no drama and no childish behaviour. All those fairytales and 90s romantic comedies taught us wrong, because the good kind of love was this one.

  Elliot moved under me and I shifted, supporting my head on my hand, looking down at him.

  “Hello, sleeping beauty.” I chanted.

  He chuckled and scrubbed his eyes.

  “I haven’t slept this well in a long time."

  “And that was just a power nap.”

  “Imagine a full eight hours?” He joked.

  And I really could imagine that. Sleeping beside him, waking up and finding myself surrounded by his delicious smell.

  “What time is it?”

  “Almost four.” I looked at my phone.

  “We still have time.”

  And he pulled me to him and kissed me. It started soft and slow, but our tongues tangled and his hands began to caress me all over. He shifted us, and I was under him, my hands on his back, dragging him closer. We were like teenagers making out, discovering each other's bodies and likes and dislikes. I gave his lip a bite, and he grunted, kissing me harder.

  And a honk brought us back to reality.

  He collapsed on his back, staring at the sky and breathing heavily. I turned my head and watched him, wishing we were back on the ship, preferably in one of our cabins, taking our clothes off.

  “I got a little carried away. Sorry.” He spoke quietly.

  “I don't mind. Anytime you want to make out, just give me a call.” I tried to lighten the mood.

  He sat and looked at me over his shoulder, smirking. “Don't give me ideas."

  We were silent for a few minutes until I got up. It was best to move on. “How about ice creams in Oia?"

  “Sounds good.”

  We packed, threw our garbage away and were on the road again, heading to Oia and its perfect Greek view. Elliot parked the scooter in a little street, and we walked around, taking pictures. Once we got our ice creams and were seated on a staircase, I gave way to my curiosity.

  “Elliot, can I ask you something? Or better yet, a few things."

  “Of course, go for it.” He was looking at me sideways, licking his ice cream slowly.

  “What do you actually do?”

  He laughed out loud again, and I was proud to acknowledge that this was becoming a habit between us.

  “I'm a consultant. Mr. Chapman hired me to research and report if buying the cruise line is a solid investment."

  “Oh, ok. I thought you worked for him."

  “Technically I do, but only for this project. I have my own consulting company.”

  “Fancy!” I joked.

  “Hardly. It’s long hours, a lot of problems, some crazy ass clients and a huge amount of stress.”

  “But you love it.” It wasn’t a question. He seemed happy with his job.

  “I’m not sure if love is the right word. I enjoy solving problems, understanding numbers and coming up with possibilities.”

  “And how old are you?”

  “35.”

  Hummm… Seven years my senior, not so bad.

  “Now, the million dollar question: why are you single?" He choked. “I mean, are you single? Shit, I don’t want to presume. No, wait, you told me you didn’t have a girlfriend, right?”

  “Good God! Yes, I’m single. No, I don’t have a girlfriend. I wouldn’t be here or kissing you otherwise.”

  I shook my head. He really didn’t seem like the cheating kind, and so far, he was a great guy and an honest one. But I’d also believed the same about James, so…

  “My cousin Daisy would have my balls if I ever behaved that way. And growing up with her taught me to respect women. She met some douchebags in her life, and I had my share of wiping her tears away."

  “She seems nice.”

  “She’s the best. A firecracker that made me and her brother gain some grey hairs before it was time.”

  We were almost done with our treats, but I was enjoying talking and learning more about him.

  “And you live in London."

  “I do. I like big cities, the bustling energy. Do you?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I studied in Oxford and now I’m in Edinburgh, but I grew up in London. And my sister’s there."

  “Any plans to return?” Did he sound hopeful or was I imagining?

  “It depends on the museums. I would love to work in one of them, but they need to hire me first."

  “Really?”

  “I love restoration, so it would be a dream job.”

  “But you are a history post grad, right?”

  “
Yes, but I had a double major in university, anthropology and history. Now I am focusing on restoration. I’m a nerd, as you can see.”

  “I like that about you. You’re so unapologetic about your love for history and the past and culture.”

  “Thanks. It was complicated growing up, because children and teenagers can be mean, but my sister was always there to punch whoever bullied me.” I laughed, remembering her unwavering support, even when it included punching another kid or just terrifying them. “The interrogation is over. For now."

  “Did I pass?”

  “With flying colours.”

  We decided to return early to the cruise and enjoy a little of the amenities on board. I really hadn’t had the chance to go to the swimming pool, or see other activities, and it sounded nice to just kick back and relax. I went straight to the sun loungers and was beginning to undress when Elliot’s phone rang. He picked it up, paced around and sat on the end of my spot. When he hung up, he looked sorry.

  “It’s work. I have some catching up to do, so I need to head to the cabin. I’ll see you at dinner?”

  “Sure. We need to tell them our adventures in Santorini.”

  “Ok then.” He looked around, saw a group of guys nearby, and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Before I could reply, he leaned over, grabbed my head, and smacked my lips with a searing kiss. Leaning back, he stared deep into my eyes, nodded and left. I was too stunned to do anything other than just watch his retreating back. Turning back, I caught the group of guys watching me with disappointed looks. One of them shrugged his shoulders and another one saluted me with his beer glass. Maybe Elliot was marking his territory. Wait, wait, I was not some piece of land to be pissed on, to ward away enemies.

  My head was working overtime when I heard my phone ping with incoming texts and notifications. I was probably on a lucky spot where the signal was good, and that was the perfect distraction that I needed.

  Picking up my phone, I saw my Instagram filled with likes and comments on the pictures from Greece. Some other apps were overflowing with updates and when I finally opened my text messages, I was surprised to see, once again, a text from James.

  I miss you.

  What the actual fuck? Well, I don’t miss you, James. Thank you very much. I screen-shotted the screen and sent it to my sister, who replied with some amazing GIFs. I chose to ignore his text again, because honestly, what could I possibly reply?