Page 13 of One Weekend in Greece

Jakob shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. When he looks at me again, his face is genuinely confused. Honestly, I’m not even sure that what I just said made sense. “What did I do wrong exactly?”

“You didn’t come home. You avoided me—again.”

“I was working. I have to make up for the weekend I’m going to be gone. All of Friday’s clients have been bumped up rather than postponing them.”

That makes sense. I sound like a needy girlfriend, and I’m not even close to being his girlfriend. I feel nauseous. This is so awkward. “Sorry. But seriously, what if things between us get complicated and we ruin our relationship and it trickles into the relationship our families share?”

“We’re all adults. I’m asking you to keep our original agreement for Dafni. I can behave. Hopefully you can resist me as well. But I have to be there for Vivian and my niece’s baptism. She’d love to have you there too. Dafni and I can’t do this long trip on our own. Please. One weekend. You can start your dream job after, if you want. I’ll even call your employer for you.”

I can’t help but smile at Jakob’s pleading. “I never thought I’d see this day.”

“Are you enjoying me begging?”

“Thoroughly.”

“Please. I’ll communicate better when I’m going to be late. Or I’ll communicate with you directly rather than Miss Owens.”

“Blah. Miss Owens.”

“She’s the one who told me where to find you.”

Now that floors me. “How’d she know? And why?”

Jakob shrugs, a smug smile on his face that makes me both horny and ragey at the same time. I’m a mess of emotions tonight. He pats my knee under the table. “Let’s go.”

“Okay,” I grumble. “Don’t mention any of this tomorrow. If I remember, I’m going to pretend I don’t. If I don’t remember, allow me that blessing.”

His mischievous chuckle promises nothing.

seven

JAKOB

For the rest of the week, we don’t discuss what happened. Miss Owens doesn’t either. She doesn’t even bat an eyelash when I tell her that Miss Wilson is escorting Dafni and I to Greece. Instead of having Miss Owens give Nicole the instructions for next weekend, I do it myself.

I find her with Dafni, decorating cookies in the kitchen. My granite counter is covered in flour, colored sugar, icing, and sprinkles. Dafni has smudges of pink icing on her cheeks, but she’s giggling and her smile stretches across her precious angelic face. My chest swells at the vision before me.

Nicole’s back is to me, so I take this opportunity to admire that vision as well. She’s wearing fitted jeans that hug her curves. I remember vividly how unbelievable she felt pressed against me. One time with her—one time would be enough. I don’t have room in my life for unnecessary risks. I have my patients and Dafni, who all depend on me.

But one time with Nicole would be okay, wouldn’t it? If we had a clear understanding. She’s not like the women I’ve dated before. Nicole understands me and what’s at stake. I highly doubt she’d want to tell Noah anyway. She’s so young and carefree; she wouldn’t want a man like me, who’s tied down with a stressful and time-consuming career, a child, and is twelve years her elder. She’s not ready for that phase of her life, and I don’t want to be the one to rush her to get there either. But I’ve seen the look of desire on her beautiful face. I’ve felt her body’s response to me. One time for both of us. We deserve that.

She spins around and the air is knocked from me. Light dances in her honey-colored eyes. Her mouth is stretched in a wide smile mirroring Dafni’s. A tiny dollop of white icing id on the tip of her nose. My long legs cross the room in three steps. It takes all my strength not to lick the icing off her. Instead, I narrow my eyes. She and Dafni both sober up and stare at each other with wide eyes.

I take the spatula that’s covered in a hideous lime green–colored icing and lift it. Nicole clears her throat. “We’re going to clean everything up.”

Dropping the spatula, I then side step around her and Dafni to stand at the sink. Quietly, I turn it on and begin rinsing my hands. “Allow me to help.”

Before they can react, I grab the sprayer on the sink and begin spraying them. Dafni’s laughter fills the room, and it’s worth all the messes in the world. She dances around with her hands in the air. Nicole shrieks, but then she looks at me with a stunned expression.

After I’ve soaked them, I immediately regret spraying Nicole’s shirt, as it’s glued to her breasts, giving me a perfect outline of her delicate swells. I send Dafni to her room to prepare for a bath while Nicole stares at me.

“What?” I ask.

“You laughed.”

I give a one-shoulder shrug. “I’ve laughed before.”

“No, you’ve scoffed. Given a humorless chuckle. But this was a laugh.”

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