LEAH SAT on the beach with her arms wrapped around her raised knees, watching the surf whisper up on to the shore. The eternal rhythm of the waves was soothing. Heat beat down on her, filling her with languor. In a matter of days her skin had turned a pale gold under the kiss of the sun. How many days...ten, eleven? She didn't know. She had stopped watching clocks and studying calendars. Nik was here, not about to arrive, not about to depart, not about to leave her alone for endless weeks, and that knowledge filled her with an increasing sense of security.
She was happy, and sometimes, as now, when she was briefly free of the spell cast by Nik's vibrant proximity, being so happy frightened her. Looking back down through her life, she could never recall feeling like this. And if she allowed herself to think of the ruthless practicality which had motivated Nik into making their marriage a real marriage she marveled at her own contentment.
But then she loved Nik Andreakis. If she kept her pride and her fear of the future out of the balance, it was natural that she should be happy when he spent practically every hour of the day with her, when he made love to her over and over again with an insatiable hunger which made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world. So. she had compromised her own ideals; so what? she asked herself.
Nothing was perfect; nothing was without flaw. When you got down to basics, she had what she had always wanted. She had Nik. She was his wife. She probably had more of him than any other woman had ever had. And he was behaving like a husband. He was starting to talk in terms of 'we...us...ours', no longer separate in thought and deed but patently rearranging his thinking to see them as a couple And that was a big stride for him.
Close family or not, Nik was very much a loner, and she had never seen that in him until now. The extrovert front concealed that inner wariness or his. He found it so much easier to be sarcastic than candid where emotions were concerned. Deep down inside he had an innate reserve which astonished her. It was so foreign to the arrogant, brash image of him which she had cherished for years.
Why didn't she just admit it? she asked herself. She smiled and let her fingers trail through the silky sand. She was more in love with Nik than she had ever been. He had told her that they could have a very good marriage and this far he had proved his point. Did it really matter that he didn't love her? He wanted her...all the time. Her checks burned. But would that last? Would it be enough for him? Would he get bored? A year from now, where would they be? That was an answer nobody got to know in advance, she scolded herself.
Crunching footfalls interrupted her troubled thoughts and she turned her head. Dirnitri, one of the youngest of the household staff, was crossing the beach towards her. laden with what looked like the provisions for a picnic lunch. He greeted her in careful English and then with great ceremony proceeded to spread an immaculate cloth over the sand, Two bottles of wine in cooling-sleeves and crystal glasses were produced.
'Kyrios Andreakis will be here directly.' Dimitri imparted, and hovered with the corkscrew.
'Thank you. I'll see to the rest. It looks gorgeous,' Leah peered into the yet to be unpacked box and her mouth watered, Cook has surpassed herself.'
'I not wait, kyrie?'
'There's no need.' With difficulty, Leah hid her amusement as he laid down the corkscrew with a deep air of uncertainty. Just for once Nik could open the wine and they could serve themselves.
It was their last day on the island, she reflected sadly. Tomorrow they were flying to Athens and she would meet the rest of his family. Ponia had returned home a few days earlier. Leah had protested until the girl had grinned and said, 'Two's company, three's a pair of lovers and one gooseberry!'
