Page 81 of The House Swap

‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me,’ he said, pulling a key from his pocket.

She suspected he was going for humour, but the way he said it made her uneasy, and she glanced behind him, feeling a tiny lick of fear as she realised there was no one else around.

A gull cried somewhere overhead as silence fell between them.

She was being ridiculous just standing there. A decision had to be made. And, unfortunately, she would look both foolish and ungrateful if she backed out now.

It was just a boat trip to Spinalonga. She hadn’t even known Kostas. At least she was familiar with Martin, despite finding him a bit creepy. And she reminded herself that Tom trusted him. That mattered a lot.

‘Does Tom know you’re taking me instead of Kostas?’ she asked, as the question crossed her mind.

Martin shrugged. ‘I don’t know if Kostas mentioned it. I only spoke to him.’ His eyes narrowed as he studied Poppy. ‘Is everything okay? You’ll be safe out on the water with me. I know what I’m doing.’

She reddened, realising he was picking up on her reluctance.

‘Everything’s fine,’ she told him, keeping her tone light. ‘I was surprised, that’s all. Right, shall we go?’

He held her gaze for a moment longer, before stepping down into the boat.

The hull shifted beneath his weight with a hollow knock against the side of the jetty, the rope tightening briefly before settling again. He moved easily across the deck, steady despite the gentle rocking, and turned back towards her.

‘Careful stepping in,’ he said. ‘It moves a bit.’

Poppy swallowed. The boat suddenly seemed smaller now that she was about to step into it, the white fibreglass sides scuffed and chalky in the sun. The water below was dark, the surface lifting and dipping in slow, restless movements.

Martin held out his hand. ‘It’s easiest if you step down here,’ he told her, tapping the deck beside the console with the toe of his boot. ‘It’ll rock a bit but just hold on to me.’

She wasn’t confident enough to get in without his help, so she reluctantly took his hand. His grip closed firmly around hers, stronger than she expected. His fingers rough and dry against her skin.

The moment her weight landed in the boat, it jerked sharply, and despite having been warned, the sudden movement made her gasp. For a second, she thought she might lose her footing, but Martin tightened his hold and steadied her, guiding her down onto the deck.

‘Easy,’ he said, sounding amused.

Poppy let go quickly once she was balanced, brushing her hands down the front of her leggings, as if she could wipe away the awkwardness.

‘Sorry,’ she muttered. ‘It caught me off guard.’

‘Nothing to apologise for.’ He nodded towards the bow, where a padded bench curved around the front of the boat. ‘You can sit up there.’

‘Okay. Thank you.’

Carefully, she made her way along the deck, aware of the gentle sway beneath her feet. She lowered herself onto the seat. The warmth of the vinyl reminding her that there was still plenty of heat in the sun.

From here, she had a clear view of the harbour mouth ahead, and the open body of water beyond it glittered silver-blue in the late-morning light.

Feeling the boat lurch again, she glanced round, seeing Martin climb back onto the jetty. She watched him as he crouched to unloop the rope securing the boat. The movement pulled at his shirt and when he straightened, she noticed the deep ridge of scar tissue that cut down the side of his face.

He glanced up briefly, seeing her looking, and she quickly diverted her attention.

Moments later, there was a sudden movement, the hull drifting a few feet out into the water. Her stomach dipped as she realised he had pushed the boat away from the dock.

The distance between them widened slightly as it bobbed gently against the small swell rolling into the harbour. Then Martin was stepping across the gap with practised ease and dropping lightly back onto the deck.

‘You all right over there?’ he asked.

‘Yes.’ She hoped her nerves weren’t showing.

‘First time out on a boat here?’