Mediterranean Seduction. Кэрол Мортимер
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to lave, nibble and kiss every inch of her delectable body. He knew she would taste every bit as sweet as she looked. He even had cause to be thankful for the vile costume. It moulded every inch of her with intimate attention to detail, forcing him to look into her eyes for the sake of his sanity.
But he would have to find out more about her. Why had she made Iskos her base? Coincidence? He thought not. What was she working on so busily at her laptop? He remembered the folded sheets, still in the back pocket of his shorts on the shore, and felt a rush of anticipation and dread. Why did she feel the need to hide her work from him if it was innocent?
Too many questions still awaiting answers. He would be mad to soften, to get to know the warm, headstrong woman beneath the incredible body. Be satisfied with the goods on display, Iannis thought cynically—and then, remembering the Sirens, he added silently to himself, And only sample those when it is safe to do so.
Charlotte felt the sexual tension ebb away without understanding what had happened. But still warmth persisted in trickling through her veins—and not just because Iannis looked so incredible, with locks of wet hair flicked around his face and his lips set in a firm line that seemed to demand she tease them apart and entice them to soften. His eyes were like black gold, with jewels of intelligence sparking at their core, and at that moment she wanted him on any terms. But what did she have to do to get the response she longed for from him?
‘I’ll take you back,’ he said.
Iannis could think of nothing but the sheets of paper in the pocket of his shorts. He could not wait to return to shore and read them. He had to know what she had written. Indicating that Charlotte should sit down, he picked up the oars before she had a chance to complain.
He didn’t speak a word to her as he pulled for shore.
It had been a good day. He had made lunch, as he’d said he would, and Charlotte should be content. But she was not content—far from it. She couldn’t even enjoy watching his muscles flex as he worked the oars, because it was clear he was intent on returning to land as fast as possible. He didn’t trouble to hide the fact that he’d had enough of her. And what had she learned for her article? Nothing. What had she learned about Iannis the man? Nothing! Apart from the fact that she liked him a lot more than was good for her.
And now he was aloof, closed off to her…after everything they had shared—she had shared, Charlotte realised, compressing her lips together in a flat, angry line. While she had been giving Iannis an insight into her formative years he had given her precisely nothing in return. He had used her—for what? His amusement? To laugh about with his friends in the taverna?
She was damned well going to find out just exactly what was going on—who he was. Did he have a wife? The thought made her feel physically sick, but more determined than ever. She had to know the truth, and the only way to do that was to follow him when they got back to shore. Even if he lived alone, a home was like a car, or clothes, his choice of friends—it would say so much about him…there would be clues. At least she would know something of him that way. And anything she saw would be meat for her article.
That was how she must regard him from now on—a subject for her article and nothing more. Two could play at the ‘give it all, then snatch it back’ emotional game, Charlotte mused tensely.
‘Thank you for taking me out on the boat,’ she said after they had disembarked, watching Iannis pull it clear of the shallows. ‘Will you be rowing home?’
‘No,’ he told her over his shoulder. ‘I’ve already arranged for someone to come and get the boat—and the barbecue,’ he added, jerking his chin towards it.
Charlotte contained her excitement as she watched Iannis settle the boat between some rocks, where even a freak tide couldn’t hope to drag it out to sea. It would make it so much easier to follow him if he was on foot.
It was a great hiding place for the boat, she realised as he straightened up. That was why she hadn’t spotted it before. What else was he hiding from her? She had to know, to save anyone else who might be involved—and save herself, Charlotte accepted grimly. Normally she wouldn’t consider sneaking about, but she wasn’t going to be a doormat either.
Charlotte concealed her impatience as she waited for Iannis to leave. ‘I’m going to sunbathe a little before I go back,’ she said, stretching her arms languidly, as if to emphasise the fact that she wasn’t going anywhere fast.
‘Well, don’t take your costume off,’ he warned in a low growl. ‘Marianna’s son will be down here soon, to collect up everything I’ve left behind.’ Slanting her a glance, he frowned. ‘Do you frequently sunbathe at dusk?’
The day was slipping away fast, and Charlotte realised she needed to come up with a reasonable explanation. ‘I have fair skin. I prefer to sunbathe when it is cooler.’
‘In that case you will have your wish,’ Iannis agreed sardonically, dipping his head towards the sun, suspended like a giant orange balloon above the horizon. ‘I will call on you before I set my bait this evening.’ By which time I will have read your notes, he thought with satisfaction, and will have judged you guilty or not guilty.
Would she make it back in time after following him home? Charlotte wondered anxiously. Iannis would move fast, and he knew the island far better than she did. He might take some shortcut…
‘Is that not convenient?’ he demanded when she remained silent.
‘When, exactly?’ Charlotte pressed cautiously.
‘Some time before Marianna leaves,’ Iannis replied. ‘I wish to speak with her, and I think it may be easier for me to find her at your villa than to catch her at home.’
Was he resentful of her relationship with Marianna? Charlotte wondered curiously. ‘If you call after seven you will miss her,’ she said. And if you call much before half-past six I won’t be there. ‘Six forty-five?’ she offered with a shrug.
‘A small window of opportunity,’ Iannis remarked ironically.
‘I’ll need a bath…wash my hair—’
‘I am coming to see Marianna,’ he reminded her coolly.
‘Ah, yes, but that is the best time to see Marianna,’ Charlotte said, making it up as she went along. ‘She doesn’t like to be disturbed when she is working—she will be getting ready to leave at that time.’
‘Very well. I will try and accommodate Marianna’s hectic schedule,’ Iannis agreed with a mocking bow.
And by then I will know a lot more about you, Charlotte thought with satisfaction as she watched him collect his things. ‘Why don’t you use this?’ she suggested, pressing Marianna’s basket into his hands to make her own task easier. ‘You can return it to Marianna tonight.’
‘That would be useful,’ he conceded with a nod.
‘Thanks again,’ Charlotte called, hopping with impatience until he finally made off towards the cliff path.
Anticipation was coiled up inside her like a tightly wound spring, and she was barely able to wait until he disappeared out of sight. But Charlotte made herself count up to twenty, and then ran lightly across the sand in his tracks.
As she had suspected, he moved fast over the rugged terrain. As they dropped down towards the town Charlotte pictured him in a bare room somewhere amidst the brightly painted houses that fringed the small harbour. He would have few luxuries, and everything would have been carefully chosen. Usefulness would be all that mattered where his possessions were concerned.
Marianna had explained to her that the colourful harbour dwellings, so unlike the stark white houses clinging to the hillsides, owed their individuality to a time when only fishermen had lived there. If a distress signal was raised at any one of them, men fishing out in the bay could easily identify the household in question.
But Iannis strode straight past each gaily painted doorway without a second