His Forbidden Bride (18 page)

Her smile became mischievous. 'I think that comes with the territory.' She

paused. 'So where is there less temptation?'

'I can't think of a single place,' Andreas admitted unevenly, after a pause.

'But the Silver Caves are public enough, and have tourists. We'l go there.'

'Yes,' she said. 'It might be best.'

'Ah,' he said softly. 'My lovely girl, do not look at me like that.'

Zoe was trembling as he drew her back into his arms. He whispered her

name, looking deep into her eyes, then his lips came down on hers for the

first time, exploring its contours with infinite gentleness, restraining any more

passionate demand with iron control.

And she wanted more—wanted it so badly that it was anguish to remain

passive in his embrace. She needed to twine her arms round his neck, part

her lips for the intimate invasion of his tongue, let her hands caress the long,

hard lines of his back. Then pull him down to the sand, offering herself with

unresisting joy, knowing the delight of his body naked against hers at last.

She was melting—scalding with desire, pressing closer to him with a little

pleading murmur. Candidly testing the power of his restraint.

His breathing was ragged as he released her, the dark eyes glittering hotly,

his hands lingering reluctantly on her skin, savouring its texture, the racing

heat below its surface.

He said hoarsely, 'And now we go,
agapi mou
, and at once, or I cannot

answer for the consequences.'

He turned away, reaching for his clothes, and Zoe, with an aching, silent

sigh, realised she must do the same.

The entrance to the caves was narrow, half sandy track, half steps leading

downwards, but there were plenty of guiding lights on the wal s, which

glimmered like mother-of-pearl in their glow.

At the bottom there was a tiny wooden jetty, where the rowing boats were

moored. The silver gleam of the water had an otherworld quality that was

almost eerie, and Zoe was quite glad to be part of a queue of sightseers,

and not on her own.

She was stil shaking inside from the memory of Andreas' kiss, her lips

throbbing with heat, her entire body pulsing with the force of the emotions he

had awakened in her.

Think about something else, she adjured herself as the woman guide

launched into a commentary about the history of the caves and their

discovery. But how was that possible when she was with the man she

wanted with such desperation, her senses reacting almost frantically to the

warmth of his body, the essential male scent of him?

When it was their turn, she sat beside Andreas in the bow, aware of little but

his arm holding her lightly, while their boatman sent them skimming across

the surface of the lake.

The power of the cave's echo was being demonstrated with gusto from the

other boats, with screams of simulated terror, and sinister booming laughs

reverberating round the walls.

'You know the legend?' Andreas murmured quietly in her ear, during an

infrequent lull.

'Yes, I read about it A little spooky for my taste.'

He smiled. 'You don't want to try it? To cal my name and see if I wil be true

to you?'

'It's not necessary. Anyway, I'm not superstitious.' Zoe bent her head, and

made a business of dabbling her fingers in the water. But not for long. 'God,

it's like ice.' She snatched her hand back.

'Then I'l call to you instead.' He was clearly undeterred by her lukewarm

response.

'No,' she said quickly, aware of a sudden, inexplicable unease. 'Don't,

Andreas, please.'

His brows rose. 'You don't dare have your good faith tested,
pedhi mou
?'

'It's just a sil y story,' she said. 'And, besides, there are al these people

around.' She managed a laugh. 'I'd feel such a fool'

'Then we wil come back some evening, when we have the place to

ourselves, and the cave will give us its blessing,' he said. 'As a man of

Thania I must obey the tradition before I marry.'

Zoe started so violently that the boat rocked, and the boatman growled a

warning.

She said breathlessly, 'You're talking about
marriage
?'

'Zoe
mou
,' he said patiently. 'Have you listened to anything I have said to you? I thought I had made it clear I want you to share my life, not just my

bed.'

'Andreas.' Her face warmed frantically. She dropped her voice to a whisper.

'The boatman will hear you.'

'He speaks no English, and he knows better than to listen, or repeat what he

has heard.' He paused 'Why do you stil doubt me,
pedhi mou
?'

She said slowly, 'Because it's all happening so fast.' She paused. 'And girls

like me don't usual y marry men in your position. You must know that.'

His mouth twisted. 'Ah, you think you're too good for me, perhaps? You

could be right. See, I admit it.'

Her hands gripped together tightly in her lap. 'Oh, please be serious. I'm

sure it can't be this simple—that you're expected to propose to someone

suitable. Make a—a dynastic marriage.'

'It has been mentioned.' He shrugged. 'But I have always insisted that I

would make my own choice,
matia mou
.' He smiled at her. 'And although I

did not know it, I was waiting for you.'

'I don't think I altogether believe that.' Zoe's flush deepened, and her mouth

curved almost shyly. 'But I like to hear you say it.'

'You still doubt me?' he asked reproachful y. 'Maybe I should ask the echo to

judge me, after al .'

'No,' Zoe said vehemently, as he half turned towards the corner of the cave.

'Please, darling. Not now. We'l come back another time, as you said.'

He looked back at her, his brows lifting. He said gently, '
Pedhi mou
, it's just a legend. Why does it disturb you so much?'

She tried to laugh. 'I keep thinking—suppose we cal each other's names,

and there's only silence. I—I don't want to tempt providence.' She gave a

slight shiver. 'And it's cold down here, too.'

'You wish to go?' She nodded jerkily, and he signalled to the boatman to

take them back to the jetty.

They were quiet on the drive back to Livassi. Andreas was frowning slightly,

his fingers tapping the wheel with a touch of impatience as he drove. Zoe

stole glances at him, wondering what he was thinking. Could he already be

having regrets about declaring himself so recklessly? she asked herself with

an inward shiver.

When they drew up outside the hotel, she said with a catch in her voice,

'Wil I see you tonight?'

'No,
pedhi mou
. I have things to do, and people to talk to, my father among them,' He paused. 'But I will see you in the morning. We wil spend time at

the Vil a Danaë together, and talk and make some plans. At what time shall

I come for you?'

'I'l make my own way there.' She wrinkled her nose. 'After al , we don't want

to cause any more gossip than necessary.'

'Soon,' he said, 'the whole world will know.' He took her hand and kissed it,

his lips swift and sensuous against her fingers. 'Until tomorrow,
agapi mou
.

Sleep wel , and dream of me.'

As the Jeep pul ed away Zoe stood on the hotel steps, lifting a hand to wave

him goodbye, and paused, the realisation that she didn't want him to go

suddenly overwhelming her in a wave of utter desolation.

As if, she thought, her heart thudding, something were tel ing her that it was

over. That it was the end of her happiness, and she would never see him

again.

She cal ed his name, wanting to summon him back, her voice high and

frightened, but the Jeep was already gone, leaving just a wisp of exhaust

fumes lingering in its wake.

And then, as she had dreaded, there was only silence.

Zoe was thankful that neither Stavros nor Sherry were in reception to

witness her making such a fool of herself. In fact, there seemed to be no

one around at all, suggesting that they were all in the kitchen getting the

preparations for dinner under way.

'What did I think I was doing?' she asked herself, grimacing. 'Screaming like

a banshee after a man, who couldn't possibly have heard me anyway.'

Because that was what had happened, and there was nothing more to it, so

there was no need to feel so—so doomed.

'You're just being totally absurd,' she told herself as she walked through to

the courtyard and sat down at a table.

Yet it was little wonder that she should be in such a state of turmoil. Her

whole life seemed to have taken some quantum leap into the unknown, and

she was still reeling from the effects.

Which was why she'd wanted Andreas to come back, she reasoned. She

needed the reassurance of his physical presence—the caress in his voice

as he cal ed her his own—the strong shoulder for her to rest against The

long fingers clasping hers. And the sweet heart-pounding magic of his

mouth possessing hers.

But instinct warned her that she would be unwise to cling too closely, or

become too dependent on him. That he had a life totally outside her own

experience, and responsibilities that she couldn't even begin to comprehend

yet. And that there would be times when that life would take him away from

her.

That was probably one of things he wanted to discuss with her tomorrow. To

spel out exactly what marriage to him would entail.

It wouldn't be easy, she knew, but she would cope. And she would stand

beside him, rather than drag him back.

Part of her attraction for him, she suspected, was the feet that she earned

her living, and lived and travel ed alone. Quite a change, in al probability,

from the spoiled, sheltered girls who were part of his own world.

Maybe, too, he still sensed there was something she was hiding from him,

and found this intriguing.

But no longer, she decided with steely resolution. She knew now that she

had to tel him everything. That it wasn't enough to tear up the paperwork

and cal it quits. Because that would not bury the past. And, unless she was

completely honest with him, the gift of the Vil a Danaë to her mother would

always be there in the back of her mind, hanging over their lives like a

distant shadow.

And she wanted no shadows, she told herself, smiling. No secrets, either.

Just their voices, united, echoing together down the years to come. And

she'd been a fool not to trust the legend of the Caves of Silver.