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Damn her, she was making him act like some hormone-fuelled teenager, Nikos scowling knowing that even as a teenager he had never acted that way. He had wanted her with a rawness that was so new to him, feeling the confusion filling him. What was it about Mina Lane? Why was she affecting him in this way, bringing chaos to his legendary coolness, even now he just wanted to have her back in his arms.
Her hurt had been genuine and his reaction to it just as real. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, and make everything right for her, something he had never before felt for any woman. Frowning he had realised that he had never before come across a woman like Mina Lane, smart, tough yet with a vulnerability which was playing havoc with him, Nikos scowling Claire’s words once more coming back to haunt him.
Once more starting the engine he had frowned thoughtfully. What he had said had been true. She really did need somebody right now and perhaps given his guilt over forcing her into a position that she had not wanted to be in, it was right that he was the one to be there for her. As he had driven the short distance home he had ignored his body’s message that there was a lot more to it than that.
Chapter Five
At six the following evening Nikos had once more swung the car into the driveway of the Villa Aqua, smiling seeing Mina waiting for him by the door, her hair pulled up at the back, the image of Bridget Jones making him laugh as he had stopped. Mina had looked at him, her eyes questioning.
“What is so funny?” she had asked softly, as he had pointed to her hair.
“The image of Bridget Jones is now forever burned into my mind when picking up a lady”.
Mina’s lips twitching at the memory of the first time she had ever ridden in his car, her head nodding softly as she had moved into the passenger seat. With a small knowing smile, he had looked towards the house.
“Did you not want me talking to your mother again Mina?”
His eyes full of humour, as she had looked nervously away.
“I …I just thought you would appreciate my being ready…as I recall you like that about women”.
With a small smile he had held her gaze, letting her know that he had understood only too well why she had met him at the door, not wanting a repeat of the previous day, her mother so open about the past these days.
He had taken her around the island in the car, stopping often at small inlets to point out areas hidden from the road, Mina loving the lush beauty of the island set so perfectly within the azure sea, her eyes sparkling as she would gasp at her surroundings.
Finally he had reached the pinnacle, parking the car and opening her door for her before moving to the trunk to pull out a hamper. Raising her eyebrow she had looked at him.
“You packed a picnic?” seeing as he had smiled warmly.
“Now I know that we both know that if I did it would be a disaster…no Theresa packed it…oh and she asked me to tell you that she is thinking of you”.
With a grin she had taken his hand allowing him to pull her further up the hill until they had reached the very top with the island spread out around them.
“Oh my God Nikos…It is beautiful” she had whispered with real feeling in her voice, the magnificent scenery still visible even as the sun had started to sink low into the sea. Grinning, he had thrown the blanket onto the ground, spreading out the contents of the basket, Mina suddenly realising that she was hungry seeing the treats Theresa had packed, having eaten little the past few days.
“You…have not seen anything yet” he had chuckled, motioning for her to join him as he had thrown himself onto the covering, Mina moving over to him with a laugh.
Together the two had sat in comfortable silence; Mina nibbling on the sandwiches as her eyes had drank in her surroundings. As the last of the sun had sunk into the sea, his hand had moved to touch her arm, his smile warm.
“Watch this” he had breathed softly as the sky had erupted into a myriad of colours, all filling the night with pinks, reds and oranges, their colours so vibrant, Mina unaware as she had stared open-mouthed at the display before her. It was only his low voice that had pulled her eyes from it, his handsome features softened and bathed in the glow of the show.
“You like?”
Mina gulping softly at the way her whole body was filled with a need for this man, her head nodding her voice husky “Yes…I like”
Nikos gasping as he had seen the fire behind her stoke so deep in her lovely green eyes. Sitting up his hands had moved to cup her face, Mina not struggling or trying to stop him as his mouth had descended to take hers.
This soft touch was all it took before the desire within them both had engulfed them, Nikos pushing the food aside as he had pulled her down beside him laying over her, his tongue caressing hers as she had ran her fingers through his hair, feeling as they shook. With a tortured groan he had looked deeply into her passion-filled eyes, so bright as they looked back at him.
“Why is it when I’m with you Mina…I just want to hold you, touch you…make love to you?”
The fire that had flared deep in the depths of her had done nothing to diminish this need, as she had lifted her head and with a small growl of her own had whispered so seductively “Then why don’t you?” Nikos groaning as he had done exactly that.
On the drive back both had been quiet, Nikos inwardly kicking himself. He had been determined that evening to prove to her that he could show restraint, but it had disappeared like seeds on the breeze, his need for this woman so strong, confusing the hell out of him. When she looked at him with the softness in her eyes it was as if he lost all control, this addiction to her concerning him.
Mina too could not understand how he could affect her the way he did. Normally so shy with men, he seemed to bring out the wild animalistic side to her nature, their lovemaking passionate and overpowering in its intensity. Even now sitting by him she could feel her body jump with arousal just by looking at him. Closing her eyes to stop her hand moving to run along his thigh, she instinctively knew that he would have pulled over; neither of them stopping what would happen next, Mina shaken with the intensity of her need for this man.
As they had once more pulled up at the villa, he had walked her to the door, pulling her into his arms
“I’m not sure when I will be able to come back, maybe not for a couple of days” he had whispered against her, seeing the disappointment fill her face before she had looked down, her features more guarded as she had again looked back.
“It’s fine…probably for the best…we both have a lot to do right?” Nikos nodding against her.
“I will phone you though”.
Mina had nodded, backing from him as she had pulled at the front door “Sure…if you like” she had spoke, a forced smile on her mouth as she had opened the door, slipping inside as he had made to move towards her.
Inside, she had silently moved back to her bedroom, chastising herself softly under her breath, “Stupid, stupid, stupid”.
She had meant to hold back from him, to not let him seduce her again as he had done at the cabana Mina hating herself for her inability to fight her body’s desire for him. To him she was somebody to fill the void left by Claire, or worse still somebody to be pitied, cared for.
She had wanted him to see that she could cope, did not need or want him, groaning as her stomach had flipped at the memory of their love making, a traitor of the worst kind. Now he would think her some pathetic sex toy to be used as and when he could be bothered. Moving to her bed she had wondered if she even counted as a part time mistress, again feeling the self-loathing filling her.
For two days Nikos had held back from visiting. His intentions that evening had been to prove to himself that he could show restraint, however, it had only taken one look from her to have him pulling her into his arms, so much for restraint. Mina Lane was confusing him, and he had to put distance between them. He had phoned her the previous day, Mina answering, her voice aloof but polite. The fire between them on the hillside seemingly forgotten by her, as he had made polite conversation enquiring after her mother’s health, wanting so badly to tell her he was coming over, that he wanted to hold her, kiss her make love to her.
The second day she had not picked up the phone, and he had left a message, waiting the rest of the evening for a call back from her that never came. In his villa he had paced backwards and forwards, the rest of the household looking at each other and shrugging at his brusqueness. Once more she was ignoring him, Nikos shuddering knowing what had happened the last time he had done something about that, knowing that all he could do was wait for her to answer him.
For three days Mina had watched her mother, each day seeing as she had become frailer and frailer. Although far from being frightened by her condition, she seemed more relaxed and peaceful, a serenity falling over her. She had enjoyed sitting by the pool, soaking up the sunshine as she had recounted stories of their growing up, many forgotten by Mina who would sit quietly listening to her.
She was constantly on oxygen now and the sound of the machine humming as it fed the life giving air through the pipes attached to her nose frightened Mina as she had held her small frail hand.
