Cassia wanted nothing more at that moment than to have the nerve to reach up, pull him back to her and give in. Once they’d slept together she was sure she wouldn’t satisfy him…a man with his reputation, used to women like Isadora! One night with Cassia would cure him of whatever madness she was sure was just tied up with his lust for revenge.He turned and stalked to the door, turning back just as he reached it. Dinner will be served at eight.She stood for a long time, waiting for her body to cool down. A curt knock came on the door, and Cassia steeled herself, expecting to see Calix again. But it opened to reveal Thea, who had put her bags inside the door. She was almost gone when Cassia called to her. ‘Thea…’ She walked over when the woman stopped, her heart aching that Thea could be so cold.'Thea… It’s good to see you again.The older woman just looked at Cassia, grunted something unintelligible and left.Cassia went and sat down on the bed. Her head reeled. Little had she known
That evening, when Calix returned, he felt hot and sticky and cross with himself for having gone into Athens. A visit to his mother hadn’t helped his mood. She was as cold and wrapped up in herself as ever. He didn’t need to remind himself that she hadn’t even bothered coming to the wedding. His own family had been in woefully short supply. After making sure she had everything she needed, he left. which she’d barely noticed.When he’d been born, as an unplanned late arrival, ten years after the youngest daughter, his parents had only been happy for the fact that they’d finally had a boy, and a proper heir. Their own interests always had been in themselves, not their children, and Calix’s sisters had all been married by the time he’d been in his early teens. He’d long ago shut himself off from the pain of his family’s indifference.Climbing up the hill to the villa in his four-wheel-drive he found his thoughts straying in an annoyingly familiar direction. Cassia. Wondering what she wou
She stuck out her tongue in a ridiculously childish gesture at his back, and curiously, it actually did make her feel a little better. She followed her autocratic husband into the villa.Calix sat sprawled in a chair in the hall waiting for Cassia to come downstairs that evening. His body had a satisfyingly tired ache. After their little exchange, he’d gone back to the pool and swum lengths to try and forget the fact that he wanted Cassia more than he’d ever wanted another woman. And that he was very much afraid that he’d be the one to go through the door first. The fact that she could arouse him to the point that he couldn’t even control his impulses made him seethe.She appeared at the top of the stairs at that moment and the mere sight of her made a complete waste of his punishing physical exertion in the pool. As if he’d just received an injection of pure adrenalin, Calix shot to his feet. What killed him about watching her come down the stairs was that she wasn’t even dressed to
Cassia looked around the restaurant again. Holding her back so straight and being on her guard was exhausting. like her see-sawing emotions. One minute she’d feel herself start to open, like a flower turning towards the sun, and the next she’d remember and close up. Calix was so much harder to handle when he was Cassia had been about to say nice things to herself, but he wasn’t even being particularly nice; he was being polite and civil, and she was like a pathetic mouse, picking up crumbs.The dinner had been exquisite, and the surroundings were beautiful. They’d been treated like royalty since they’d arrived. But this seesawing wouldn’t stop. As if a force bigger than her was playing with her like a puppet on a string. What made it even harder was that their conversation hadn’t strayed into any dangerous areas, and she’d found herself genuinely enjoying talking to him. She felt herself relaxing, ever so slightly. I was even laughing briefly at one point, which felt great after weeks
She came to in the most horrific, undignified fashion, hunched over a toilet bowl, her whole upper body dripping wet, retching. Calix was behind her, holding her hair back as life slammed back into her and she emptied her stomach. Finally it was over. She was shaking all over violently. She felt herself being pulled back up and a wet cloth over her face and neck. It felt wonderful. Then she was sitting on his lap and being held very firmly against a broad chest until the shaking started to subside. She finally managed faintly, ‘Where…where are we?’A rumble came from under her cheek. "In the staff toilet of the restaurant."Cassia closed her eyes and clung to Calix. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry…’When she opened them again, she took in the shower and realized that he must have had to put her underneath it to wake her up somehow. She pulled back.‘I’m so sorry…’‘Don’t be. Cassia, what the hell was that?’ His voice was harsh. ‘For goodness’ sake, woman, if you’re allergic to liqueur or coffee, wh
When Cassia woke the next morning, her stomach muscles felt tender. She must have sensed something because just as she came fully awake, her door opened. Calix. Dressed and looking fresh and bright. Clean shaven. Her belly tightened and she pulled the sheet up around her neck.He walked in and opened the curtains that covered the French doors leading onto her veranda. He stood looking out for a minute, hands stuck deep in his pockets, and then turned around. "How are you feeling today?""Much better," she said, "thank you." I’m—’He slashed a hand in the air. Don’t say sorry, Cassia; you couldn’t help it. You must have some kind of sensitivity to liqueurs. Maybe the shellfishYou mean a sensitivity to the past!She watched warily as he came close to the bed. He looked so tall, imposing, and masculine.‘I’m afraid I have to go to London for a couple of days. One of our ships has had a mutiny of sorts among the crew…’ His mouth quirked. ‘It would appear that only I can sort it out.’Cas
Unmistakable pride shone from Thea’s face. The past took on a different hue immediately. The person that Calix had become when his father died had been born out of great responsibility and necessity; not a greedy desire to make money. Cassia felt ill again. She looked at Thea with stricken eyes.‘My parents…they threw him out of the house. I’ll never forget it.’Thea nodded. ‘I thought so.’ She shook her head at Cassia’s look. ‘No, he didn’t tell me, but I knew something bad had happened over there. He never mentioned your family again. And, in truth, you, your parents, your cousins were all the family he really had.’Cassia felt numb. more than numb. She’d known they’d always been close, but he’d always seemed so... self-sufficient. He’d always held something back. He’d never talked about his own family. Not really. For the first time, she could see how it could have been possible for her parents to judge him so harshly if they’d felt they hadn’t known him that well.It was so much w
And suddenly, it didn’t matter right at that moment why she was there, because all Cassia was aware of was his thigh between hers and how she ached to feel more, to experience him fully. She could have tried to run away, but she might as well be running from herself. Maybe if he’d come out with clothes on, maybe this heated insanity wouldn’t have taken over her body and soul... But to have seen him naked...With a guttural, broken moan of something in Greek, he bent his head and took her mouth in an onslaught so savage and so passionate that Cassia’s head almost exploded with the feeling. Electricity coursed through her body. Unable to resist the overwhelming need, she strained to meet him on tiptoe, wrapping her arms around his neck. She ached to be closer and welcomed his thigh between hers, trapping it. She could feel the moist expression of her lust between her thighs, moistening her pants, and she moved subtly against him. The pulse between her legs beat for release.He tore his