AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He smiled. ‘So, pack a bikini and I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning, early—say seven.’
She was allowing him to take over. But really she didn’t have a lot of strength left to argue. ‘And we could talk about the contract?’ she managed vaguely as he pulled away from her.
He smiled at that. ‘On Monday we will talk about the contract.’
‘I have to be back in the office on Monday.’ ‘We’ll see.’
‘No, I really have to be back by Monday morning.’ He nodded and reached for his jacket. ‘Get some sleep and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
HEAT danced like shimmering water on the tarmac road.
Ahead, through the haze, Cat could see the blue glimmer of the sea. She couldn’t believe that she was back in Crete, that she was pregnant or that she was here with Nicholas Zentenas. As she sat next to him in the open-top Jeep, her mind was bouncing in much the same way as the vehicle had a few moments ago over some of the potholed lanes.
It was all happening too fast. She didn’t know what to think. But she was already starting to regret coming here. As soon as the private jet had landed an hour ago on the runway, the memories of Crete had started and now they were competing for space along with everything else she had to reflect on.
‘Here we are; this is my home.’ Nicholas drove the car around the curve of the bay. Up ahead, a white villa gleamed bright in the sunshine; perched like a wedding cake in three tiers, it looked down over an olive grove towards a stunning white beach.
Pink oleander lined the driveway and the gardens were tropically lush, thanks no doubt to a robust sprinkler system. Red bougainvillea was twined over the carport and a turquoise pool sparkled against the greenery, sun-beds and parasols laid out in invitation.
‘It’s a beautiful place,’ Cat remarked as they stepped out of the vehicle.
‘I like it.’ He took her overnight bag from the back of the car and led the way up to the front door.
No expense had been spared inside the villa and the furnishings were exquisite but to Cat’s surprise it also had a homely lived-in feel with the trinkets of everyday life scattered around. She glanced at the family photographs as she followed him through towards the master bedroom and made a note to go back and study them in more detail later.
Like the rest of the house, the bedroom was luxurious but it was the spectacular views along the coast from large sliding glass doors that held her attention.
‘Its lovely that the coastline is unspoilt.’ She walked across to look out. ‘So many scenic places seem to be turning into concrete jungles these days, with no regard for beauty or wildlife.’ She reached to slide the door open. The air was hot and silent except for the distant sound of the waves breaking on the shore below. ‘I hate the way some developers destroy our environments under the guise of progress.’
‘So do I.’ Nicholas watched her with a frown. He wanted to remind her that her father was one of those people but he bit the words back. Did she just lie to herself? he wondered. Or was she simply blinded by love for her family?
And, if that was the case, did that make her a bad person? Suddenly he didn’t think so. He swept a hand through the darkness of his hair, wondering if once again he was looking for excuses to justify her behaviour. The trouble was that these kind of doubts had been plaguing him for a while now—in fact, ever since spending time with her in Venice he was finding it harder and harder to see her in any kind of cold and calculating light.
She turned and he quickly composed himself. ‘I think it’s time for lunch. Are you hungry?’
‘Maybe—a little.’
He nodded. ‘I’ll go and throw something together in the kitchen. Make yourself at home.’
When he left the room Cat changed out of her jeans and put on a red bikini and a matching pair of shorts with a cropped white T-shirt. Then she padded barefoot outside to dip a toe into the turquoise water of the pool and admire the garden. When she walked back up towards the house she saw Nicholas through an open door that led through from the kitchen on to the terrace.
She leaned against the doorframe and watched him for a moment whilst he was unaware of her presence. It was strange seeing him in this domesticated setting; he seemed so relaxed, and even more attractive if that was at all possible.
‘Need some help?’ she asked as he turned and saw her.
‘No, I was just making a salad.’
‘What, without a chef?’ she teased him. ‘Are you sure you can manage without that team of staff who usually cater to your every whim?’
‘Highly amusing, Catherine!’ He smiled. ‘If you are going to make fun, you may as well make yourself useful. Come in here and cater to a few of my whims.’
‘Sounds interesting.’
‘I can make it very interesting.’ He caught hold of her as she stepped thro
ugh the doorway and pulled her into his arms to kiss her. It was a hard yet intimately satisfying kiss and at the same time he was pulling her T-shirt off.
