by Sarah Morgan
'Yes?' he prompted her helpfully, his dark gaze still fixed on her face. 'Never even-—?'
The loosening effects of the drink were fading and she was suddenly swamped by a horrid, horrid feeling that she'd just said totally the wrong thing but she couldn't exactly work out what. Suddenly all she wanted to do was sleep.
'Well, I'm not a slut,' she repeated vaguely, 'although I like the clothes they wear. Except the shoes hurt.'
Her head thudded back against his chest and she heard him swear softly and then felt him scoop her into his arms.
She wanted to tell him that he had to get out of the habit of carrying her everywhere but it felt so nice being back in his arms that she just gave a sigh and nestled her head into his shoulder.
'You smell so good’ she muttered dreamily, 'but I'm absolutely not getting back into bed with you until you learn to say something nice. It makes me feel horrid.'
He didn't answer but she saw his jaw tighten and felt him lengthen his stride.
Cool air brushed her bare legs as he emerged from the nightclub and seconds later he deposited her on the back seat of the limo before leaning forward and hitting a button. He delivered a set of instructions to his driver in terse, clipped Greek and then sank back against the seat with a grim expression on his handsome face.
Alesia curled up on the seat like a baby and struggled not to be sick. ‘I’m never dancing again’ she groaned, closing her eyes and then opening them again quickly as the dizziness intensified. 'The whole world is still spinning.'
That's the alcohol, not the dancing’ he informed her, shooting her a glance of naked exasperation, 'and I can't believe you've reached the age of twenty-two without knowing how it feels to get drunk’
'I've reached the age of twenty-two without knowing how a lot of things feel,' she confessed sleepily, her words slurring as her head dropped back against the leather seat. These last few weeks have been one long new experience for me. Some of them good, some of them not so good. The worst by far was when you—'
‘ —didn't say anything nice to you in bed’ he finished for her, inhaling deeply like a man at the extreme limits of his patience. 'You've already told me that several times. I get the message.'
Alesia shifted her head slightly so that she could focus on him. 'Actually, I was going to say when you flirted with another woman in front of me’ she murmured, studying the harsh lines of his bronzed face and deciding that he really was shockingly handsome. 'As new experiences go, that really was the pits. But I love the clothes and the shoes. And dancing was amazing. I want you to take me again. Maybe tomorrow.'
He studied her through narrowed dark eyes, his gaze suddenly disturbingly intent. ‘Tomorrow' he warned in a soft voice, 'I have other plans for you.'
Alesia groaned. At the moment she just wanted to be left to sleep. 'Well, I expect you will have done one of your vanishing acts again by the morning’ she muttered hopefully as her eyes drifted shut again.
'No chance’ Sebastien murmured, leaning across to catch her before she sprawled on to the seat. ‘I’m going to start getting to the bottom of the person you really are, agape mou. Tomorrow, you and I are going to start really getting to know each other’
Alesia woke with a pounding headache.
'Drink this.' The deep, masculine drawl came from right beside her and she groaned and kept her eyes firmly closed.
'I can't drink anything—'
It will help.' He slid an arm under her shoulders, lifted her as if she weighed nothing and put the glass to her lips.
Alesia took a tentative sip and wrinkled her nose. 'It tastes disgusting.'
'Then maybe your education regarding the effects of alcohol is truly complete/ he said dryly. 'Trust me, it will help.'
She sipped from the glass, froze for a moment while her churning stomach protested and then relaxed. 'You're right. I feel better.'
'Good. Because you have less than an hour to get ready.' He straightened and she realized that he was already showered and dressed.
She stared at him in disbelief. 'Not more nightclubs.'
'It's lunchtime' he informed her helpfully, gesturing towards the window with a sweep of his bronzed hand, 'so no, not more nightclubs. They don't generally open until midnight but you wouldn't know that, would you, given that you'd never been to one before?'
There was something in his silky tone that smelt of danger and she looked at him anxiously. Much of the previous night was a blur. Had she really told him that? 'I—er— ' She cleared her throat awkwardly as she tried to work out how to rescue herself from the current situation. 'I didn't exactly say I hadn't been in a nightclub.'
'Yes, you did. Along with a great number of other fascinating revelations which I can't wait to explore in greater detail.' Sebastien glanced at his watch and then strode towards the door. 'I have some important calls to make before we leave, so take advantage of the time to have a shower but don't fall asleep again. My pilot will pick us up in less than an hour.'
The sickness returned. ‘ Your pilot?'
'That's right.' He opened the door and glanced back at her. 'We're going on our honeymoon. Better late than never, as the saying goes.'
'Honeymoon?' She gaped at him. 'But we weren't going to have a honeymoon. You said you didn't want to spend that much time with me.'
That was because I thought one night with you would be enough. I was wrong. I've tried cold water and I've tried avoiding you,' he told her frankly. 'Nothing works. So we'll try a different approach.'
Her mouth fell open. 'You tried avoiding me? That's why you vanished for two weeks? You were avoiding me?'
'Yes, but it didn't work. I've accepted the way things are. We're married. It's perfectly acceptable for us to spend time together and I need to get you out of my system if I'm ever to stand a chance of concentrating again.'
She stared at him, feeling slightly faint. 'And how do you propose to do that?'
‘ By having endless, uninterrupted sex, agape mou? He flashed her a smile. ‘ In less than an hour it will be just you and I and a very private island. You won't even have to dress in underwear—so don't bother to pack.'
CHAPTER SEVEN
They were flying over the sea again.
Was Greece nothing but ocean?
Alesia closed her eyes and tried to visualize land. Tried to control the almost frantic panic that erupted inside her.
'You can open your eyes’ Sebastien said, his voice tinged with amusement as he lounged in the seat next to her. ‘ We land in less than five minutes and you're missing the best view in Greece.'
Alesia kept her eyes shut. She wasn't interested in the view. She was thinking about the water. Fathoms and fathoms of ocean laid out beneath her just waiting to claim the unwary—
'Theos mou, you are white as a sheet' His voice was suddenly sharp with concern. ‘ Is this still a consequence of last night?'
She couldn't speak, fighting her own private battle against the terror that threatened to
engulf her.
There was a moment's silence and then strong fingers wrapped themselves around her cold hand. 'I remember now that you were the same colour the first time I met you. I didn't know you were so afraid of flying,' he said quietly. Forgive me. Next time we use the boat. It makes the journey a little longer but at least it will be more comfortable for you.'
At that her eyes flew open in shock. The fact that he seemed to care whether or not
she liked the helicopter surprised her.
Why would he care?
Perhaps he was just afraid that she might be ill. Didn't men hate it when women were ill? Should she confess that it was the water, not the flying?
That a boat would be even worse.
'There's no need to look at me like that’ he drawled softly. 'Everyone has a weakness. It's almost a relief to know that you have something other than just greed. You can relax now. We've landed. Welcome to my private hideaway.'
Remembering
how close the helicopter pad was to the sea from their first meeting, Alesia was tempted to shut her eyes again but she forced them to stay open, knowing that she somehow had to get herself to the villa.
The sea wasn't going to leap up and grab her, she reminded herself firmly as she descended quickly and stood on the Tarmac. This fear of hers was totally irrational and it was time she tried to conquer it
‘ You are still very pale.' Sebastien surveyed her with frowning contemplation and then spoke several words in Greek to his pilot, who melted into the background. ‘ You should lie down before dinner. Or perhaps you would prefer a swim?'
Should she confess that she never swam?
Should she tell him — ?
She licked dry lips, her heart suddenly racing with fear. 'Maybe later’
'After a few days in Athens most people can't wait to dive into the ocean’ he said, amusement flickering in his dark eyes as he glanced in her direction. 'But there's plenty of time. I have no plans to rush back to the city.'
Alesia hid her dismay.
How long exactly was he planning on staying?
It would be harder for her to phone her mother from here and if she didn't receive a call, she'd worry.
Sebastien frowned. 'You are unbelievably tense and the whole point of this trip is for you to unwind. There is nothing to do here but relax. You must still be tired after last night.'
He sounded as if he cared that she was tired and she stared at him in confusion. Why was he being nice to her all of a sudden?
Alesia gave a stiff smile. ‘I’ am tired, you're right.'
'Have a lie down before dinner—'
They walked into the villa and Alesia's eyes widened as she glanced around her. When they'd visited the island for that first meeting, she hadn't actually set foot inside the house itself.
The living area was huge and light, decorated in blues and whites with acres of cool creamy marble. Exotic plants nestled in the corner of the room and on the walls hung several huge, brightly coloured canvases. 'It's beautiful —'
‘ My cousin designed it,' he told her, pausing by her side. s he has her own interior design business. She is responsible for the paintings as well.'
'She's very talented,' Alesia breathed and then her eye settled on the grand piano in the corner of the room and she gave a gasp of pleasure and surprise. ‘ Oh!'
He followed the direction of her gaze with a quizzical frown. 'You play?'
Alesia hurried over to the piano and ran a hand lovingly over the wood. ‘ Yes.'
His eyes narrowed and he gestured towards the piano. ‘ Be my guest.'
She flushed and shook her head. ‘ No—it's fine. I don't— well—'
‘ You don't what?' His voice was soft. ' You don't want to tell me that much about yourself? Was that what your grandfather told you, Alesia? To hide the person you really are?'
Her gaze flew to his and she stared at him in consternation.
' We're married now, agape mou' he said calmly. ‘ The deal is signed and sealed. Nothing you do or say can change that. It's time to relax and be yourself .'
‘ I am myself’
He gave a wry smile. 'No. You're back to being the zipped-up version of yourself. Last night, I suspect, I had a glimpse of the real person.'
Dismay flickered through her. 'I had too much to drink—'
‘ And clearly that lowered your inhibitions sufficiently for you to reveal your true self' he drawled, dark eyes glittering as he surveyed her with no small degree of amusement. 'I discovered last night that my little kitten has claws.'
She flushed and bit her lip. 'You upset me—'
‘ A lapse that won't occur again,' he slotted in smoothly, reaching out a hand and pulling her towards him. 'I discovered that my wife has a personality which I suspect she obediently buried on the orders of her grandfather.'
Alesia swallowed. ‘ I—‘
'From now on I want you to be yourself he commanded, sliding a strong hand around her waist and pulling her against him. ‘ I want to know everything about you. No secrets.'
No secrets.
Alesia closed her eyes. He still believed that her mother was dead, killed alongside her father. But to have told him the truth would have revealed that her grandfather hated her and that this marriage had nothing to do with mending fences and everything to do with revenge.
If he discovered the extent of her deception—if he discovered everything —then there would be no containing his anger—
At some point he was bound to find out and the thought of his reaction just sickened her.
'I need to lie down—'
Sebastien muttered something under his breath in Greek. 'You are never touching alcohol again’ he vowed, taking her hand and leading her through to the master-bedroom suite.
Like the rest of the villa it was an elegant and simply decorated room and Alesia glanced around and then looked through the open glass doors on to the shady vine-covered terrace and beyond that to the large swimming pool. 'It's amazing.'
Apart from the pool, of course, but she intended to ignore that.
Suddenly she realized that the villa was a home in the way that his Athenian mansion never could be. It was full of personal touches that revealed secrets about the owner. And it was wonderfully private and quiet.
Quiet.
'Where is everyone?'
He frowned. 'Everyone?'
She waved a hand. 'Usually you are surrounded by staff—'
He gave a wry smile. This is my retreat. My private bolt-hole. I don't think it would fit into that category if I filled it full of staff, do you? This is the place I come to forget my responsibilities as an employer.'
She stared at him. 'We're on our own here? Just us?'
'Just us.' His voice was velvety smooth and she felt her heart miss a beat.
Suddenly she was aware of every vibrant, masculine inch of him.
Reminding herself that only last night he'd been wrapped around another woman, she lifted her chin and met his eyes with a challenging gaze.
'So who cooks, Sebastien?'
'We share it,' he said smoothly, his glance not flickering from her face. 'A boat delivers fresh produce on a daily basis. Discovering what is in the parcel is half the fun.'
Her mouth fell open. 'You cook? But Greek men never cook—'
Her grandfather didn't so much as make a cup of coffee.
'I frequently come here alone’ he told her calmly, 'so it was learn to cook or starve.'
Alesia stared at him in confusion, realizing that perhaps she didn't know him as well as she thought she did. But just exactly how much time had she spent with her new husband? she reminded herself. Virtually none. Apart from their wedding day, when they had barely been on speaking terms, the only time they'd spent together up until the nightclub had been spent in bed. They hadn't even shared a meal since their wedding.
Sebastien walked over to the glass doors and slid them open. 'Lie down for a few hours. I'll be on the terrace if you need anything.'
Alesia waited for him to go and then stripped down to her underwear and slid between the cool sheets with a sigh of relief.
Her head was still pounding from lack of sleep and the alcohol she'd unwittingly consumed the night before and suddenly nothing seemed clear any more.
Telling herself that she'd work it all out later, she drifted into a deep sleep.
When she awoke it was sunset and she sat up feeling guilty. How long had she slept? Too long—
And there was no sign of Sebastien.
She slid out of bed and searched for her jeans.
They have been disposed of,' came a dark drawl from the doorway and she gave a start and shot back into bed, pulling the sheet up to her neck.
'You scared me—'
He surveyed her with no small degree of amusement. 'Since we are the only two people on the island, I couldn't have been anyone else. And your schoolgirl modesty is totally unnecessary, agape mou. I'm
perfectly happy for you to walk around naked.'
She flushed to the roots of her hair. 'Well, I'm not happy,' she muttered, wondering if she'd ever feel comfortable with her body in the way that he did. ‘ And what do you mean, you've disposed of my jeans? You told me not to pack anything. The only clothes I have are the ones I was wearing earlier’
'And you won't be wearing them again’ he said smoothly, strolling into the room. He'd changed into a pair of cool linen trousers, the sleeves of his casual shirt rolled up to reveal bronzed forearms dusted with dark hairs. 'Since you didn't appear to have purchased anything suitable for a hot climate, I took the liberty of arranging a suitable wardrobe for you.'
Still clutching the sheet, she gazed at him warily. ‘ A wardrobe?'