Page 74 of Love on the Rocks
I looked down at her stomach. “No, you should take it easy. I’m just being a baby. It’s been so nice having friends here.”
“I think you already have friends here.”
I rolled my eyes at her and took another sip of wine, my eyes drawn back as always to Nikos where he stood silhouetted against the lowering sun.
Chapter 29
Mia reclined on the plush cushions of Angelos’s yacht admiring him. His skin gleamed like polished bronze, muscles rippling as he steered the boat into the harbor of his isolated island. She would paint him one day, she decided. She wanted something to remember him by once she returned to her lonely life in London.
- One Week with the Greek
NIKOS
It was nearly dusk by the time we made it back to my place. Callie didn’t say much on the way back, and I didn’t know how she was feeling about that kiss back at the vineyard. I knew how I was feeling: I wanted more.
I always wanted more where she was concerned.
I was heading down a dangerous path. There were so many reasons not to pursue this. My goal hadn’t changed, though I knew it was almost a lost cause; I didn’t want that resort to be built. But if it wasn’t, she’d leave. And we’d never see each other again.
And even if she did stay, it would be for six months, a year max. She already said her ultimate goal was to have a restaurant of her own in a big European city. She didn’t want to stay on some isolated island in the middle of the Aegean.
When we docked outside Callie’s house, Olivia’s eyes were glassy. “It’s our last night.”
“How about if I leave you two alone for the evening? You can have a girls’ night,” suggested Jake. “That is, if Nick’s not sick of me yet.”
“Not at all. I’d like to hear more about this project of yours,” I said.
The taverna was hopping. Panos was there with his guitar and a new batch of his artisanal lager, which we drank as we chatted about Jake’s projects—his vineyard and the book he’d been asked to write on French wines.
“It means dragging Olivia on lots of road trips. I’m lucky she doesn’t complain. She’s more sociable than I am, so it’s helpful to have her there.”
He was curious about my grandfather’s book and my work on Kos. I enjoyed his company. He was easy to talk to, and I was sure that we’d be buddies if we lived in the same town.
Eventually, the conversation came around to Callie. He gave off a protective vibe when he talked about her. “She’s a very brave woman coming out here on her own. Olivia’s nickname for her is ‘fearless.’”
He took another swig of lager. “She’s incredibly loyal. Maybe to a fault. The Greystones have a reputation in the hospitality industry for being killers. She’s always been quick to come to their defense. And Gaz, the guy she was dating—maybe I shouldn’t talk about this—” He paused, and I tensed. Getting confirmation that she had been with that sleazy fucker made me want to break something. “He played some sick mind games with her for years. I’d hate to see her get hurt again.”
I grimaced. “I’m sure you heard that we didn’t get off to the best start. It wasn’t my finest hour. But I only have the utmost respect for her. She’s the real deal—talented, generous, beautiful . . .”
He laughed and slapped me on the back. “You got it bad. Courage, brother! I’ve been there.” He raised his glass to mine. “Well, Olivia and I are rooting for you. Just don’t do anything stupid or they’ll sic Olivia’s cousin on you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is he an assassin or something?”
Jake laughed. “An Air Force pilot. But to hear them talk, he’s an ultimate fight club champion.”
One beer led to another and then we moved on to whiskey. We were thoroughly drunk but somehow managed to make it back over the hill. I knocked as softly as possible on Callie’s door, letting Jake lean onto my shoulder.
When Callie opened the door in a wispy robe, her hair piled on top of her head and not a speck of makeup on, it was all I could do not to push her against the wall and kiss my way down her body.
She sighed and called over her shoulder, “Liv, he’s drugged your husband.”
“Not drugged,” said Jake. “Moonshined.”
“That’s what I meant.”
Olivia appeared, eyebrows drawn. “You’re in for a rude awakening tomorrow.”
“Today, actually,” I corrected.
