Greek's Marriage Bargain (3 page)

Just minutes after finishing her breakfast, Arianna knocked and entered. Leah had just come out of the bathroom and was relieved not to have to explain why she’d been sleeping in the nursery. Arianna was eager to hit the beach and wade into the sparkling Aegean Sea.

“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” said Leah. “Once I change.” She glanced ruefully down at the modest pink nightgown. “I don’t think this is suitable for the beach, do you?”

With a giggle, Arianna left the bedroom and she hurried into another one-piece. This was a black suit with spaghetti straps and a hint of cleavage, cut in a style that exposed most of her back. A multicolored sarong finished the look. She slipped her feet into flip-flops and grabbed a sunhat, sunglasses, and a novel before leaving the room for the beach.

Arianna had already staked out a spot. This stretch of beach was accessible only by the Andrakis villa, along with the two closest neighbors, so she’d had her choice of locations. The younger girl lay on a blanket on the light golden sand, wearing a bikini Leah wouldn’t have the nerve to wear even at her age, let alone when she’d been eighteen.

As she sat beside Arianna, the other girl stretched and sat up. “Could you do my back?”She passed over a tube of suntan oil.

Leah dispensed a handful of the slick oil and coated Arianna’s back. The girl finished applying the oil to her legs as Leah got settled, prepared to spend the next couple of hours reading her book before she even contemplated dipping her toes into the ocean. Time to read was a rare commodity.

The sun was so bright that it prevented her from easily seeing the words. After a few pages, she gave up the attempt and lay on her stomach, watching Arianna charge fearlessly into the lapping waves. Had she ever been so young and lighthearted? It seemed impossible to think she had. The death of her mother had ended her adolescences, and the convenient marriage to Nikos had forced her to finish growing up quickly. His social circle was full of sharks, and she’d had to learn how to navigate among them in a hurry, to avoid leaving blood in the water, so to speak.

She grinned at the analogy, having no trouble imagining several of Nikos’s associates and friends as predatory sea creatures out to devour those who were weaker. It was an apt description, and her grin faded when her amusement turned to melancholy. She’d lost so much during the last three years, including the typical college experience, dating, sex, and independence.

When Arianna waved from the water, Leah lifted a hand to wave in return. She’d also gained a lot. Arianna had come through the worst time of her life with only a few emotional scars. Leah knew the other girl would have been very different if left to her own devices or banished to Greece after her father’s death. Leah had also traveled more places than she could have ever afforded on a botanist’s salary, had learned about art and culture firsthand, and had made a difference in at least a few lives with her charity work.

Sex was a small tradeoff for all the positive things she’d gained. So why did her thoughts keep returning to the carnal the past few days? Was it because she was so close to being free, or maybe it was Nikos’s sudden, and alarming, approachability? Regardless of the cause, she renewed her determination to stop thinking such thoughts and to avoid being alone with Nikos as much as possible in order to avoid temptation.

The hot sun beat down on her back, so bright she was still squinting. Leah folded her arms and laid down her head, letting her thoughts drift as she relaxed.

She jerked awake sometime later. Before she had time to process where she was, or that she’d fallen asleep on the beach, warm oil trickled over her back. Still drowsy, her eyes were half-mast as Arianna rubbed suntan oil on her back. “Thanks,” she said sleepily.

“You’re welcome,” Nikos purred. “I wouldn’t want you to burn.”

Leah stiffened, unsure how to react. It seemed truculent to pull away and sit up, but his hands were provoking all kinds of disturbing sensations. “You should stop.” Was that throaty rasp really her voice?

He made a non-committal sound as he continued stroking her back. She knew she should make a greater attempt to protest, but his touch felt so good. Leah barely stifled a moan as he trailed his fingers up her spine.

“You’re so tight.” Nikos probed her shoulders and neck with his fingers. “Are you stressed about something, Leah?” he whispered in a husky voice.

“Slept wrong.” Somehow, she pushed the words through gritted teeth, determined not to betray a reaction as Nikos drizzled more of the sun-warmed oil on her upper back and shoulders. A breeze carried the coconut scent of the oil to her nose, where it mingled with the tangy salt air and Nikos’s uniquely male aroma. Leah inhaled deeply, savoring the combination.

“You know how to avoid that problem.”

She ignored his words, clenching her hands into fists to stifle any signs of pleasure from his massage. Despite her best intentions, a whimper escaped when he worked at the kinked spot in her neck.

“Does it hurt?” asked Nikos, sounding concerned. His hands stopped moving.

She shifted restlessly, eager for his hands to continue exploring her skin under the guise of a rubdown. “No. It felt really good.”

He resumed the massage, working at the knot until her muscles were loose, and her body was languid. Her eyes had drifted closed, but they popped open with surprise when his hands moved to her front. During the process of rubbing her shoulders, he had slipped the spaghetti straps down her arms, and now she realized his fingers were gradually moving lower. He was inches away from breaching the neckline of her suit. Her nipples tightened at the thought of his hands cupping her breasts, the slick digits gliding over her soft mounds.

Frozen with indecision, Leah held her breath, not sure if she wanted his hands to go lower, or if she wanted him to stop. If she didn’t do something soon, he would take the decision from her. Was that what she wanted?

Conflicted, she remained silent as his touch became increasing light and sensual, stroking across her slippery skin. It was a relief, but also frustrating, when Arianna came running back from where she’d been chatting with a boy on the beach, plopping down on the towel beside them.

Immediately, Nikos withdrew his hands. His casual posture revealed no trace of tension, and she wondered if he was frustrated at the interruption. If so, he didn’t betray it, she thought sourly.

Sitting up, Leah took off her hat to run fingers through her tangled hair. From the corner of her eye, she watched Nikos, waiting for a reaction when she arched her back to better display her cleavage. His gaze didn’t even flicker to her as he spoke with Arianna.

“Loukas invited me into town with some of the others, so I thought I’d do that?” Arianna worded it confidently but was still subtly seeking Nikos’s approval.

Nikos grinned. “Are you sure you want to miss a stuffy party with us old people in favor of getting together with your friends?”

The younger girl rolled her eyes. “It sounds so fun,
Theo
Nikos, but I think I will force myself to go out with Loukas and his friends instead of attending your party.”

Leah frowned. “What party?”

“Caesar Kakos has invited us to a dinner party this evening.”

Leah smothered a groan, knowing she could offer no good reason why they shouldn’t go. They had no other plans, and if Arianna was going to be gone, she really didn’t want to be alone in the house with Nikos. Her reluctance to engage with his friends paled in comparison to resisting his—and her own—urges.

Chapter Three

She chose a dress that draped artfully in front to conceal more than it revealed, despite giving the opposite impression. The sheath curved around, baring her to mid-back, and fell to the middle of her calves in a whisper of silk. The blue-gray shade reminded her of the Hudson on a stormy day, making her a little homesick.

To avoid another half-dressed encounter with Nikos, she’d brought the clothes into the nursery. Her legs had acquired a nice tan earlier, so she skipped pantyhose. As Leah slipped on silver heels, she sorted through the small jewelry box she’d brought on the trip, looking for a pair of earrings Nikos had given her on their first anniversary. She knew Arianna had been behind the purchase, because the girl had felt terrible when she let that slip, but they were still her favorite pair. A light silver wrap of some diaphanous material and her evening bag completed the look. She had no further excuse to dally.

With a sigh, Leah left the nursery, not surprised to find Nikos waiting for her in the bedroom. The summer weight evening suit caressed his body the way her fingers itched to, and she clenched her hand around the purse in her hand. She couldn’t deny his attractiveness. She’d never been able to get over that, despite successfully eliminating any other inappropriate feelings for her husband.

He arched a brow as his gaze thoroughly examined her from head to toe. “Beautiful.”

She managed a small smile. “I’m ready if you are.”

Nikos nodded, but didn’t move for another long second. “Our anniversary.”

Her eyes widened. “That was months ago.”

He shook his head as he came to her, taking her arm in what could have been a polite gesture, if he hadn’t pulled her so close against him. “I’m talking about the earrings. I gave them to you on our first anniversary.”

Leah blinked. “You remember that?”

He grinned, looking sheepish. “I remember how embarrassed I was when Arianna accidentally told you she’d selected the earrings.”

They left the room, heading down the stairs to the car waiting outside. “I had already figured out the gift was her idea.”

He waited for her to slide into the limousine before joining her. “Why?”

It took a considerable amount of self-control to speak in a careless, offhanded way. “Why would we celebrate milestones in a fake marriage?”

Nikos grimaced but didn’t reply as the car drove away from the villa. The silence should have been welcome, but it was awkward and uncomfortable. They had often sat in companionable silence, usually engaged in their own activities, but there was nothing easygoing about this quiet interlude. As much as she wished to avoid the evening’s party, it was a relief to arrive at the Kakos villa a few moments later.

Leah admired the landscaping as they exited the car. The home was also lovely, but it couldn’t compare to the beauty of their villa.

She drew up short at the thought, mentally reminding herself the Andrakis villa wasn’t hers. Nothing of the Andrakis Empire belonged to her. It was foolish to allow the villa, or even the penthouse apartment where she’d resided with Nikos for the past three years, to feel like home. After the marriage dissolved, she would find a place that felt like home. Only a few more months of limbo—which should have made her feel relieved but didn’t.

Warm lights lent a welcoming glow to the home as they walked up the stairs to the entrance. Leah stiffened when Nikos suddenly took her hand. Acting on instinct, she tried to tug it away, but he tightened his grip almost imperceptibly. The strength he exerted wasn’t enough to hold her, but it would necessitate causing a scene to wrench her hand free. She glared at him, resentful that he’d maneuvered her into that position. Their usual performance involved walking together, but they had a tacit agreement to avoid touching as much as possible.

A milieu of people filled the home’s large salon, and Leah caught sight of wait staff circulating among the guests. Their crisp white uniforms were a stark contrast to the glittering finery of the guests. She had a rudimentary knowledge of designers but couldn’t identify one in particular. It was another oddity that set her apart from the women in Nikos’s social circles.

Within moments, they had integrated into the party, with Leah somehow maintaining the façade of a happily married woman enjoying a night of sophisticated company. Her book offered more entertainment, and she thought longingly of curling up in the huge tub with the paperback as the sister of their host spoke incessantly about the new wardrobe she was commissioning. Somewhere between hearing about every detail of importing the correct fabrics to arranging to bring the designer directly to Trini Island, Leah managed to finish a glass of champagne and slowly slip away from the small group of vapid women surrounding Hestia Kakos.

Leah made her way to an alcove to survey the partygoers, willing to admit only to herself that she was searching for Nikos. Some of the men in the room shared his height or had similar hairstyles or frames, but only Nikos made her heart stutter when her gaze found him. His back was to her, but she knew it was him.

Her heart skipped another beat when she saw his companion. Heat suffused her face, and she leaned against the wall for support. The last time she’d seen Maia Papadas, the other woman hadn’t worn a sexy black tube dress. She hadn’t worn anything.

During her last trip to the island, when she had half-convinced herself she was in love with Nikos, despite his lack of awareness about her existence, she had spent a lot of time moping in the gardens surrounding the villa. One afternoon, she’d been wandering the paths, looking for a place to sit and pour out the adolescent whining of her heart into the journal she had clutched in her hands, when she’d heard passionate moaning.

Feeling a thrill of curiosity that overwhelmed the voice of caution, she had stopped and sought out the source of the sounds. Peeking through a thick growth of short chaste trees, she had seen two bodies entwined in a passionate embrace. Nikos had lain on his back, his hands cupping Maia’s breasts as she rode him.

Devastated, Leah had fled from the scene and locked herself in the room she’d been assigned for the vacation. For the rest of the trip, she hadn’t set foot in the garden, and she hadn’t spoken to Nikos. He clearly hadn’t noticed, but it had made her ill to look at him.

With the perspective of some maturity, she had realized his actions were normal and healthy, and that he hadn’t betrayed her. Leah had once again been able to interact with Nikos on the few occasions they were thrown together.

Having thought she was over the trauma of the scene, it was an unpleasant shock to be reacting so strongly to the sight of her husband just talking to his former lover.

Or maybe she wasn’t his former anything? Perhaps they had continued their relationship. She knew very little about Maia. For that matter, she knew little about her husband’s personal life.

Feeling nauseated, Leah turned away from them, randomly joining another group. They seemed to be gossiping, so she tuned them out until one of the women said Maia’s name.

“Disgraceful,” said another woman.

Emboldened by the glass of champagne and morbid curiosity, Leah asked, “Why is she disgraceful?”

“Her husband was barely dead before she was on the hunt for another one,” said a woman with an English accent. “There is strong speculation that she was looking before Stavros died. He was much older than she was, so his death wasn’t unexpected.”

Leah nodded, surprised to hear them condemning the other woman for actions that weren’t unheard of among their circles.

“Everyone thought she had her claws deeply into Salus Valokis.”

“Many women breathed a sigh of relief,” interjected a stunning Greek woman in her mid-forties, who looked like she had never had to worry about competing for men’s attention.

“Until he married his assistant without a hint of warning,” said the Englishwoman, sporting a diamond wedding ring set with a diamond the size of an ice cube.

“Now, she has returned to her pursuit.”

Leah hid a grimace by taking another glass of champagne from a circulating tray.

“Most disgracefully, she continues to pursue Salus,” said the older Greek woman.

As one, all the women turned their gazes to Maia, still talking to Nikos. “Maybe she has found a new victim,” said the Englishwoman.

The older woman shook her head. “There is nothing new about that victim, Liv. Nikos Andrakis and Maia were once engaged.”

Leah choked on the second glass of champagne she had just taken a first sip from.

“My dear, are you all right?” asked the older woman.

Leah nodded. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“I pity his wife,” said the youngest woman. “He keeps her hidden away, and now he is humiliating her with his ex-fiancée.”

The Englishwoman scoffed. “I hardly think he’s humiliating his wife by talking to someone he knows.”

“Liv, you still don’t fully understand our ways,” said the older woman, but not unkindly. “Many Greek husbands are philanderers, and Greek wives are expected to turn a blind eye. Look at the pair and tell me their conversation is innocent.”

Trying to detach her perceptions from the equation, Leah eyed her husband and the other woman as impassively as possible. Maia leaned in close to Nikos, her hand on his shoulder in a possessive fashion. While Nikos didn’t appear to be as eager to touch the other woman, he definitely wasn’t backing away.

“We’re being terribly rude to discuss this in front of you without even proper introductions,” said the third woman suddenly, turning to look at Leah. “I am Sophie Russo. This is Calista Kakos,” she said of the older woman, “And Olivia Volakis.”

The Englishwoman extended the hand with the heavy rings. “It’s actually Harcourt-Volakis, and I prefer Liv.”

Leah took her hand, putting off the moment when she had to reveal her identity as the wife to be pitied. “Are you related to Salus?”

She nodded, sending waves of black hair rippling around her face. “I’m married to his brother, Ioseph.”

Aware that they were waiting for her name, Leah released Liv’s hand, took a long drink of champagne, and said, “I’m Leah Andrakis, married to Nikos Andrakis.” As the other women gasped, quickly looking away in their discomfort, she drained the glass of champagne and strolled away, hoping she looked half as composed as she strove to, instead of revealing the tattered mass of nerves she was on the inside.

Seeking sanctuary in a powder room, Leah locked the door and leaned against the counter, taking several minutes to process what she’d learned and to restore her calm. She shouldn’t feel so betrayed that Nikos had never told her about the engagement. Theirs wasn’t a normal marriage, so she had no right to be upset at the revelation or to feel jealous seeing the two of them together.

Her lips tightened as she met her eyes in the mirror. However, she was entitled to respect and to be treated like his wife in public. Humiliating her wasn’t part of their deal. He hadn’t yet crossed any lines of impropriety, but Nikos was dancing at the edge. It crossed her mind to saunter back into the party to Nikos and Maia, thread her arms around Nikos, and kiss him senseless, just to remind everyone to whom he was married.

Shaking her head, Leah opened her purse instead, removing a tube to freshen her lipstick. If she were Nikos’s true wife, she wouldn’t have had any compunction about reminding Maia of that fact, but it would be hypocritical to do so when she and Nikos both knew their marriage was coming to an end.

With a small pang in her chest, Leah took a deep breath and left the powder room, surprised by the flow of traffic passing. She soon realized the guests were moving to another room and assumed it was time for dinner. Leah refused to look for Nikos and joined the procession with her head held high.

She jumped slightly when someone placed an arm around her waist. Leah instantly recognized Nikos’s touch and scent but didn’t look at him.

“There you are. I was looking for you.”

“I’m sure,” she said icily.

Nikos frowned as they entered a large dining room arranged with multiple tables, complete with place cards. Servants in black tuxedos milled about, helping guests find their spots. “Is something wrong?”

With a shrug, Leah said, “No.” She turned her head from him under the guise of looking for their seats. The search for their spots took under a minute, and she groaned quietly when she saw Calista and Caesar Kakos seated at the head table, along with a younger man who appeared to be dateless, and three open spots. At least Hestia wasn’t seated there. She was in no mood to hear more about the woman’s couture wardrobe.

As she slid into her seat, ignoring Nikos’s assistance, Leah glanced at the remaining name card, somehow unsurprised to see Maia Papadas in elegant script on the crisp white paper. Had it been a random accident that Nikos’s ex-fiancée was also assigned to their table, or had she arranged it with one of the servants? Or had he? The last thought was too unsettling to think about, and she struggled to push it out of her mind.

To her credit, Calista didn’t avoid Leah’s gaze, and she didn’t act uncomfortable around them. The older woman wasn’t quite so adept at hiding her reaction when Maia approached their table, standing by her chair as though she didn’t have the strength to pull it out herself. When the unknown man and Nikos both got to their feet to assist her, Calista grimaced.