Tension immediately flared between them. Sam withdrew her hand as Leo’s gaze slid to her shoulders and lower to her breasts. The look he gave her made her legs weak.
“You will burn,” he said. “You should put more sunscreen on.”
Sam looked down at her pink, flat belly and frowned. “You’re probably right.” She reached into her tote bag and pulled out her tube of sun block.
“Allow me,” he offered politely. “I’ll do your back.”
The raw tension between them mounted. “No, thank you. That’s not necessary.”
“Sam,” he began, his tone firm, “if I do not apply it, you will suffer tonight.”
Sam’s cheeks grew warm. He was right, of course. She nodded slowly and handed him the tube of sun block. Their fingers brushed and she tingled with awareness where their skin met.
“Turn around,” he said.
The moment his hands slid the cool, soothing lotion over her back, she relaxed. His touch was like heaven, satin, and magic all rolled in one.
“How did you come to work at an orphanage?” He asked quietly, his hands dipping lower to the small of her back.
“Mm? Oh, a couple of reasons, really. I love children, and my parents always instilled in us the importance of giving back to the world. Most of my siblings do some form of volunteer work.” Sam was having a hard time concentrating because his touch was so hypnotic. She almost sighed. “My parents are still very active in the community. Just last month, they welcomed another young boy into our family.”
“Like John,” he said quietly.
“Mm-hm. I was four when John came to live with us. He taught me how to ride my first bike, he helped me with my homework, and he was there for me when I had a hard time in school with the other kids.” She paused and wondered if she should say more. “Kids can be very cruel. I never really fit in growing up.”
“Why not?”
“I was different. I knew things.”
“What kind of things?”
She gave a small shrug. “Things. Who would get hurt in the playground, when school would be closed because of freak weather, which girl liked which boy and vice versa. Things like that. It took me a long time to accept I was different and I had to embrace my gift and use it to help people.”
“Do you have visions?”
“Yes.” Sam tensed. She didn’t want to ruin this nice moment with him by giving him the opportunity to call her a fraud or a fake. “Anyway, my past doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m an adult now and I have control over who can and can’t hurt me.”
“How long have you had your gift?”
“For as long as I can remember. My aunt Zoe is gifted, too. She gave me my first set of Tarot cards on my eighth birthday. She taught me how to read them. I still have them. They’re all worn out and faded, but they still do the job.”
“Do you only read the cards for clients or do you read them for yourself as well?”
“Both. They’ve helped me make some very important decisions in my life.”
“Have you based most of your decisions on your readings?”
“Yes. They’ve never let me down.” His hands were soothing her and she was very calm. “Most people had friends growing up—I had my cards. I was kind of a loner.”
“Is that why you’re still single?” He asked quietly.
“You could say that. I broke up with my first boyfriend because I found out he was cheating on me. I broke up with my second boyfriend because I saw he would turn into an alcoholic.”
“And your third?”
She shook her head. “No third. I stopped dating after that. What was the use?”
“So you’ve based your decisions on love on what you have read from your Tarot.”
“Mm,” she murmured. His touch was putting her to sleep. “What do you base your decisions on?” He was taking an awfully long time applying the lotion, she realised suddenly. Was he enjoying this as much as she was?
“Facts. Truth. My gut instinct.”
Sam smiled. “How very male of you. Most men do.”
“Isn’t it possible you may get it wrong one day? That what you see may not be the best decision?”
“No. I’ve never been wrong yet.”
He paused for so long, Sam wondered what he was thinking. “And you read Toni her cards and told her she would fall in love with John,” he said.
“Mm.”
“You predicted to her they would get married.”
Despite the sun’s warmth and Leo’s hypnotic caresses, Sam grew cold. “Yes.”
“Before or after she met him?”
Her idyllic moment with him snapped and she swung around. “What are you implying, Leo? That I conned your sister into marrying John? That I influenced her?” She made a move to grab her bags.
His hand shot out and he stopped her from rising. Her heated glare dimmed under the sincerity softening his expression. “Sam, I was not implying anything. Please believe me.”
She remained silent, sensing his honesty.
Leo gave her a rueful look. “I was merely stating a fact. My sister has had a long string of poor judgement behind her. She jumps into water without testing the temperature first. We are a protective family. She must marry into a family we can trust.
“John and I love Toni. You need to stop forming all these preconceived notions about us. You don’t know me, Leo.”
He nodded slowly. “I know and that is something I would like to rectify,” he added, watching her intently. He reached for her bags and rose. “We should get going, Sam. We will be alone tonight. I have postponed the dinner my mother had planned tonight with Katina’s family and Maria is staying at the hospital. We will have ample time to get to know each other.”
“Your parents left?’’ She would be alone with Leo tonight. Somehow that didn’t sit well with her.
“They left first thing this morning. They have their own homes in Athens, England, and New York.”
“My goodness,” she said, wondering just how wealthy Toni’s family was.
“My parents will return tomorrow night and we will have my mother’s dinner party then.” His mouth softened. “She was quite intrigued by you.”
Sam was uneasy that she would meet Katina for the first time tomorrow. “I like your parents. Their aura is very warm and generous, protective and loving.”
“You don’t say,” he said, the expression behind his eyes softening.
“Yes.” She rose and slipped on her yellow sundress over her bikini. Leo’s gaze flickered approvingly over her body and a warm blush settled on her cheeks.
“And you?” He asked casually. “Are you family-oriented? Do you want children one day?”
“If the right man came along,” she replied. “I don’t know if he exists, though. It’s a little difficult for me to fall in love when men are an open book to me.”
Leo stiffened. “Am I an open book to you?”
His question surprised her. Was he implying he could fall into the category of a man she could fall in love with? “No. You’re one of the few people I can’t read completely.” She didn’t want to admit to him she’d been trying to read him for two months and finally managed to catch a small glimpse of his aura last night in her bedroom.
“Well, then,” he said firmly, his hand reaching for the small of her back to guide her from the beach while his other hand carried their bags. “Since we will be alone for the evening tonight, that will give you ample time to figure me out.”
Sam laughed nervously. “Perhaps tonight would be an ideal time for me to give you a reading.”
He flashed her a seductive smile. “Actually, I am not as adverse to the idea anymore.”
“You’re not? I thought—”
“People can change their minds, Sam. It is done, then. After dinner you will give me a reading. Somehow, I have the feeling the experience will be very entertaining.”
She saw his car parked behind the Volvo. “Since Maria won’t be in, I will make us
dinner,” she offered.
“As it happens, I will be the one cooking tonight. I thought I would cook us a couple of steaks and grill some asparagus.” Sam’s expression made him raise his brow. “Are you surprised to find I know my way around a kitchen?”
“A little.”
“Well, it seems now you are the one who has formed a preconceived opinion of me. Tonight we will remedy that. We have all night long to get to know each other better.”
On the outside, she smiled politely, but on the inside, she wanted to run.
“I will follow you up to the house,” he added smoothly.
* * * *
It was almost six and she wasn’t even dressed yet! Sam stared at the clothes she had placed on the bed, mulling over her choices.
She stared at the black, mini dress with spaghetti straps and chewed her lower lip. Too sexy, she thought. Next, she decided, and shifted her gaze to her following selection. The red dress was frilly and long, the bodice a snug, empire cut that lifted her breasts and gave her more cleavage than she cared to reveal. Wrong! If the black dress was too sexy, this one screamed come and get me.
She glanced at the clock and sighed. She would just have to go with her original choice, she thought, and looked at her white, short sleeved, silk top and black, A-line skirt that fell softly around her knees. Her pretty black and gold sling back sandals would be the finishing touch.
Quickly she dressed and dabbed a little perfume behind her ears.
Sam was nervous. Was this a date? She gave herself one last look in the mirror, satisfied with her appearance. Her tan gave her a healthy glow and her hair behaved, falling in thick, lustrous waves down her back.
Taking a deep breath, she left her bedroom and went downstairs. She had reached the mid-point down the stairs when she caught sight of Leo, dressed in black slacks and a navy shirt, coming out into the hall. Her steps faltered as she ran her gaze over his tall, muscular physique.
He stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at her as she proceeded to make her way down. She smiled nervously at him, her stomach fluttering a mile a minute. He didn’t return the smile as he stared at her. A low, imperceptible sound reached her and she frowned. Was he growling softly? The sound stopped as soon as she reached him. He raked a dark, smouldering gaze over her face. His nostrils were flared, his dark eyes hinting flashes of amber, and a muscle was throbbed alongside his strong jaw. Sam wondered if she put on too much perfume.
“You look beautiful, Sam,” he said, his tone husky.
“Thank you.”
She almost blurted how gorgeous he looked and cleared her throat to cover the nervous giggle that rose in her throat. She inhaled a shaky breath and smiled up at him. He took her hand and as soon as he touched her, an immediate wave of calm settled over her. He led her toward the kitchen.
“I thought we would eat here. It’s much more personal than the huge dining room. Is that fine with you?”
“Perfect,” she said.
She saw he had already set two dinner settings on the kitchen table. He walked over to the stove. “The steaks and asparagus are done.” He prepared two plates and brought them to the table.
“Can I help you with anything?” She asked politely.
“No, thank you. Everything is ready.” He opened a bottle of red wine and poured some into two crystal wine glasses. He picked up the glasses and turned around, watching her where she stood near the entrance. His gaze held hers as he made his way slowly toward her.
“To getting to know each other,” he said quietly, handing her a glass.
Sam smiled. “Yes. To getting to know each other.”
They chatted for a bit about day-to-day things—the weather, how she enjoyed her trip so far, good stores to visit in town—and all the while, Sam knew Leo was trying to make her feel at ease.
The steak was succulent. Sam finished every morsel and smiled her appreciation at him. She complimented him on his cooking and he returned her smile with a pleased look on his face. Their conversation turned toward his property.
“I have a couple of homes in addition to this summer house,” he explained. “One is in England and the other one is in New York.” He paused, giving her a deliberate stare. “You live in Maine. It is not far from New York.”
“No, it isn’t. You can say we’re practically neighbors back in the States.”
He nodded, his expression curiously satisfied. “Our twelve hotels are scattered all over the world. This villa is my place to get away from it all. I come here almost every summer.”
“You travel a lot.”
“Yes, but I would like to put down roots one day and start a family. Perhaps in my home in New York.”
Sam thought of Leo with a family, living in a beautiful home, with his children playing in the backyard, while his wife made dinner. Her heart tightened. She gave him a contemplative look.
“I think you’d make a fine father one day,” she said, speaking her thoughts out loud as she recalled his kind gesture when he bought Alek the paint set. As soon as Sam voiced the words, she was embarrassed. “Leo, thank you for a wonderful dinner,” she added quickly to change the subject.
His face turned serious. “You were nervous at the beginning.”
“A bit, but not anymore.” She placed her glass down. She had drank three glasses and she was starting to get tipsy. “I think the wine helped. I’m not much of a drinker.”
“The night is still young,” he said holding her gaze. “You could give me my reading now. We could go into the library.”
“That’s a great idea.” They both rose and together the cleared the dishes from the table.
He took her hand and led her out into the hall. He paused and glanced down at her. “Don’t you need your cards?”
She smiled up at him. “Oh, that’s right. I’ll only be a minute.”
She returned in no time and found him in the library settled comfortably at a two-seater, round table by the window. He caught her eye and smiled. Her heart tripped at the familiar look he gave her and a sudden realisation hit her. This was a date. Leo was clearly wining and dining her. The thought gave her a jolt of anticipation in the pit of her stomach. Sam had no doubt where he wanted the evening to end up. Did she want the same thing? Was she ready to lose all her inhibitions and explore the passion that simmered beneath his dark, smouldering gaze?
A touch of nerves attacked her and she took the seat across from him. Sam placed her Tarot on the table and without any sense of vanity, she put on the black wired reading glasses she had brought downstairs with her. She gave him a self-assured look. “Short-sighted, but I can spot a fly on a wall a hundred feet away.”
He smiled. “You look like a school teacher.”
“I feel like a school teacher when I wear them.”
“A sexy school teacher.”
“Oh,” she said. She proceeded to shuffle the cards, flustered as she tried to focus on what she was doing. She heard him chuckle. It was an attractive sound and she half smiled.
“I make you nervous, don’t I?”
She tossed him a sharp look. “Not at all.”
“Why do my compliments make you feel uncomfortable. I thought women liked compliments.”
“We do.” She laid the cards down in the pattern of the past, present, and future.
“Don’t men compliment you?”
“Sometimes.” She looked up at him. “Now, if you’re done with all these questions, I’m ready to read your cards.”
Chapter 7
“Hmm. Curious,” she murmured.
“Indeed.”
“Yes, I’m picking up a lot of colors around you. The red signifies…er…passion and love, which is in the process of coming into your life, and the black is something secretive. You…and your family….guard something, a secret, perhaps.” She frowned and looked up at him curiously. “Does that make any sense to you?” Why wouldn’t it, she thought? Didn’t all families have skeletons in their closets?
“
Yes. Go on,” he said, his expression revealing nothing.
“Let’s see. Odd, I keep seeing a full moon.” She frowned unable to shake the image. “Oh, wait. I’m picking up a name. This person, a male, has a lot of dark energy around him.” Sam tensed and shot him an alarmed look. “Leo, this person must not be trusted. Who’s Carl?”
Shock fell over his face. “Did you say Carl?”
“Yes,” she replied, noting him clench his hand on the table. Something had changed about him. He was no longer the man trying to wine and dine her. A veil had fallen over his face, making him appear guarded and cautious.
“That would be Carlos Ventura, but I have heard his associate call him Carl.”
“That must be him, then. That’s who I see.”
His face tensed. “You see him?”
“Not completely, but I can give you a general description.”
“Go ahead,” he said in a grim tone.
Sam could feel the scepticism pouring out of his stiff posture, but she continued with the reading because she was used to his reaction. Mostly everyone she read to for the first time responded like this. People got spooked and she couldn’t fault him for feeling the same way.
“He’s six feet tall,” she continued calmly, “lean, with dark short hair, but it looks greasy and stringy, as though he puts too much gel on it. And I see a mark below his left eye.”
“That is a scar,” he offered coldly. “What is it about him you don’t trust?”
“I see him as an unscrupulous man. He has no regards for the feelings of others and he takes what he wants at any cost. Odd,” she added under her breath as her ears tingled. “I don’t know why, but I keep hearing ringing and bells.”
“That’s enough.”
Sam looked up at him sharply. “Excuse me?” “
“Who did you get this information from? Tell me,” he demanded.
Sam knotted her brow in consternation. “Leo, I don’t know what you mean. I’ve never heard of this man before now.” She paused, but he remained silent, immoveable. She pursed her lips. “Oh my God, you don’t believe me,” she added quietly. Her date with Leo was obviously taking a turn for the worst and the realization flooded her with disappointment.
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