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Kate nodded. That would have to do. But deep inside her a small voice yearned for more.
The food was delicious and they both tucked in hungrily. Nikos had ordered far too much, but they attacked it with gusto, passing each other forkfuls of sea bass carpaccio and smoked salmon ravioli, exclaiming through full mouths about how good it was.
Finally stuffed, they leant back against the pillows, the wreckage of the meal still scattered on the bed before them.
‘Thank you.’ Kate turned to smile at Nikos, raising her hand to remove a crumb from his lip.
Nikos caught her hand and kissed it, his open mouth damp against her knuckles. ‘You are very welcome, agape mou.’ He emptied the last of the champagne into their glasses, holding up the bottle to look at it. ‘Shall I get us another?’
‘No.’ Kate shook her head, laughing. ‘Not unless you want to knock me out completely.’
‘Trust me...’ His eyes smouldered with intent. ‘That’s the last thing I want.’
The bottle was tossed to the floor as his arms went around her again, making the crockery and the silverware on the bed topple and crash together nosily.
‘Wait!’
Kate extricated herself from his arms and set about clearing the bed, filling the tray and placing it back on the trolley. She could feel Nikos’s eyes watching her every move, and when she turned to look at him, he patted the bed beside him.
‘Get back into bed, woman.’ It was an order, both playful and sexy.
Kate pressed her lips together. There was nothing she wanted to do more, but the worm of worry had reared its head again, and was refusing to be ignored.
Cautiously, she slid back in beside him. ‘Thank you for bringing me here to Venice.’ She arranged the sheet around her. ‘It has been wonderful. An experience I will never forget.’
‘I was hoping it would be.’ A wicked smile twinkled his eyes. ‘And it’s not over yet.’
He rolled on his side, sliding his warm leg in between hers, his intentions clear.
Kate pulled away slightly. ‘Nikos, don’t you think we should talk?’
‘Not really.’ He nuzzled into her neck, nipping at the lobe of her ear. ‘I can think of much better things to do.’
With a soft laugh Kate felt her eyelids start to close against his sensual assault—before reality crept in again. Pushing herself back against the pillows, she turned to look at him, gazing at the hard perfection of his body, the strikingly handsome planes of his shadowed face. And when he smiled at her, her heart whispered with longing.
‘I mean it, Nikos.’ She started to pleat the linen sheet beneath her fingers. ‘This past week or so has been such a whirlwind—the whole marriage thing, all the travelling, and now this...’ She flashed him a nervous glance.
‘You regret making love with me?’ His question was typically direct, his eyes dark, challenging.
‘No.’ Kate knew for certain that was true. How could she regret doing something that had felt so wonderful? So right. ‘I don’t regret it, Nikos. What about you?’ A shot of fear tinged her voice.
‘No.’ He sat up, roughly arranging the pillows behind him. ‘Me neither. Far from it.’ His hand slid under the covers to rest on Kate’s thigh, gently stroking away her fears. ‘So, if it’s not to admonish me for being a wicked seducer, what do you want to talk about?’
‘I don’t know.’ Kate chewed down on her lip. ‘Maybe you could tell me about Sofia. If I’m to meet her I’d like to learn more about her.’
‘Sofia is funny and sassy and very bright. She’s a great kid.’
Kate was surprised to see his eyes shining with something like pride. ‘You two have got quite close then?’
‘Yeah.’ Nikos gave a small nod. ‘I’d like to think so.’
Kate hesitated. ‘Philippos’s death must have come as a terrible shock to her.’
‘Fysika. Of course.’ Nikos removed his hand from her thigh and raked it through his ruffled hair, his jaw tightening.
‘And for you too?’
‘Yes, Kate, for me too.’
He gave a weary sigh, and for a moment Kate feared that the shutters were going to come down.
