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‘I will kill you, Rion Moralis, if you have lost my coin. You put it on the table and I can’t see it anywhere now.’
Rion couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing …
‘It is not funny. The coin might be a valuable find—very ancient. You said it was Greek.’
‘It is. But it is not gold and not very old,’ he said, grinning down at her. ‘It is a fifty-drachma coin from nineteen-ninety, and no longer any use because the Greek currency changed to the euro in two thousand and one.’
Selina was crushed ‘Really?’ She looked up into Rion’s laughing eyes. ‘You knew before we—’
‘Sorry. Yes. But you were so excited I didn’t want to disillusion you.’
‘You mean until you had your wicked way with me?’ She grinned up at him.
Rion swept her up in his arms. ‘What can I say? A man needs to do what a man needs to do.’ He buried his head in her glorious hair and, biting his lip to stop laughing, carried her to her cabin and lowered her gently to her feet. ‘Take a rest before dinner, Selina, you have had a strenuous day.’ And, planting a swift kiss on the tip of her nose, he walked out, still grinning broadly.
‘You look happy,’ Dimitri said as he strolled into the main salon and poured himself a whisky from the bar.
‘I am,’ he said, glancing at his old friend who was sitting having his usual whisky and soda. He realised he actually was. He hadn’t felt this good in ages. Raising his glass, he took a swig of whisky. ‘It was a great dive and Selina really surprised me. She is very good.’
‘What happened with the gold lump she recovered from the seabed?’
Rion grinned and told him.
Dimitri started to chuckle, then laughed out loud. ‘I bet Selina was disappointed it wasn’t the treasure she thought she had found.’
‘No, she took it quite well—she saw the funny side,’ Rion corrected him.
‘Yes, she would,’ Dimitri said, more seriously. ‘Selina is an incredible girl—just the sort you should marry. If I was single and twenty years younger I’d marry her myself.’
A sharp stab of anger twisted Rion’s gut at the mention of marriage. Selina was hot in bed but he would never forget she had betrayed him.
‘That’s never going to happen. She is my ex-wife.’
Dimitri choked on his whisky.
Selina awoke to a loud whirring noise and turned her head. The impression of Rion’s head on the pillow was the only sign he had been in the bed, but stretching her body reminded her. At dinner last night Dimitri and Ted had delighted in teasing her about the coin she had found, and finally Rion had decided they needed an early night. They had retired to bed, where they had indulged their sexual appetite to the full, and now he had gone—not that Selina was complaining. She had been with him all the way and was exhausted. Glancing at the bedside clock, she groaned.
It was only five in the morning. As the noise got louder she rolled over onto her stomach and pulled a pillow over her head to block out the sound. She needed her sleep. It would be nice to wake up in her own bed for a change—she never had so far …
The next time she opened her eyes she saw Rion, dressed in his usual khaki shorts and a white open-necked shirt, his hair still wet from the shower. He looked disgustingly fit and devilishly attractive. ‘What time is it?’ she asked. And, not waiting for an answer, said, ‘A terrible noise woke me up at five this morning. You had gone. What was it?’ She assumed he had gone to investigate.
‘Nothing to worry about and it is now ten.’ Handing her a cup of coffee, he added, ‘Drink this and then get dressed. I have a surprise for you.’
He put his hand in his shorts’ pocket and handed her a coin.
She turned it over and saw the date: nineteen-ninety. ‘You are joking?’
Rion leant over and dropped a brief kiss on her parted lips. ‘I thought you might like to have it as a keepsake.’
‘Very funny. I am never going to live this down—and if that is the surprise, I am not impressed,’ she said, but grinned and put the coin on the side table.
‘No, that is not the surprise. When you are ready meet me at the diving station.’
Round-eyed, Selina looked at the new red-trimmed black wetsuit and saw it was her size. Then she looked up at the two men standing watching her, both with broad grins on their faces.
‘I love it! Thank you.’ She stretched up and flung her arms around Rion’s neck and kissed his cheek. ‘But where did you get it from, out here in the middle of the sea?’
‘The noise you heard last night was a helicopter. I had it flown in from Cyprus.’
‘What …?’ she exclaimed, taking a step back. For Rion to go to so much trouble for her was incredible—and then another thought struck her. ‘That helicopter must have cost a fortune. With all the needy people in the world tell me you didn’t waste all that money just for a wetsuit? The old one was fine,’ she remonstrated.
‘No, of course not,’ Rion replied, and Dimitri cut in.
‘The helicopter was delivering essential supplies and more oxygen tanks. The wetsuit was just added to the list. Try it for size and then you and Rion can get a dive in—about forty-five minutes, okay?’
‘Oh, great.’ Selina grinned. ‘I don’t have to feel guilty.’
Apart from being teased by just about everyone on board about her so-called find the day before, today had been perfect, Selina thought later that evening when, wearing the blue silk dress, she joined Rion, Ted and Dimitri for dinner in the main salon.
The conversation was mostly about diving, and Dimitri made her laugh when he recounted some of his experiences as a diving instructor. Selina was surprised to learn he had known Rion since he was a boy, and had actually taught Rion’s mother Theodora, whom the yacht was named after, to dive. Selina had assumed the yacht was named after some woman Rion had known, and though she was loath to admit it she was relieved to know she was wrong.
Apparently Dimitri, who was also a qualified geologist, had worked as a diving instructor in Greece in his twenties, and then when he’d met his wife, who was South American, had moved to Brazil and started his own diving school there. It had become highly successful and now his eldest son ran it so Dimitri had the time to concentrate on exploration. He read old literature on wrecks and, using his geology skills in studying the seabed, was hoping to find some evidence of them, if not the actual wrecks.
‘So that is why you spent most of today’s dive with your camera and stopped me from picking anything up,’ Selina prompted, grinning at Rion.
‘Something like that, sweetheart,’ Rion said, with an amused smile that made the men grin.
She had no idea why. But the endearment and the tenderness she heard in his voice stole her breath away.
Later there was no thought of sleep as they lay in the big bed, naked limbs entwined, flesh on flesh, exploring and encouraging, bodies moving in perfect rhythm as they found the highest pinnacle of pleasure.
The following two days went by much the same. Rion restricted her to one dive a day, and though she never found anything significant, she didn’t mind. Much as she loved scuba-diving, she found she was also enjoying the leisure time. Usually she was an early riser—seven at the latest—but now she slept until nine or later. Whether it was the exercise, the lifestyle of sun, sea and sex, she didn’t analyse. She simply took each day as it came and was surprisingly content to do so.
But in the darkest corner of her mind a warning voice told her it was far too good to last. This casually dressed, caring and friendly Rion was not the real Rion—the ruthless business tycoon who had cut her out of his life without a word—and she was in grave danger of living in a fool’s paradise if she let herself believe otherwise.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SELINA wasn’t sure what or who had woken her and languidly she turned her head, resting her eyes on Rion. He was lying flat on his back, one long arm stretched across the top of the pillow behind her head, the other flung out across the bed, palm-up, long fingers loosely curled. His broad chest rose and fell. He was deeply asleep.
He had made wonderful love to her—slowly, tenderly, laughing, talking and teasing. She had unthinkingly commented that she had never realised a honeymoon could be such fun, and he had made amazing love to her again until, exhausted, they had slept.
Raising a hand, she lightly brushed back a lock of black hair from his brow. In sleep he looked younger, the long, thick black lashes edging his cheekbones concealing the cynical hardness that she had noticed in his eyes when they met again.
Since their first dive together, she mused, there had been no trace of hardness when her eyes met his, but an ease and humour—even gentleness. Against all the odds given their mutual past and the reason she was here, she felt as if they had developed a friendship of equals.
In the depths of the sea, moving among a myriad of aquatic life in a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes as diving buddies, it was magical. The correct signals were instinctive but almost superfluous. They were so attuned to each other—perfect partners. Over meals with the others, or amid the talk and laughter during the day, she was always conscious of the underlying sensual awareness between them. She sensed it in a light touch on her arm, saw it in a look, a certain gleam in his eyes. She knew it meant Rion always wanted to make love to her.
No, he didn’t. There was no love involved …
She tried to remind herself of that and realised it was becoming much harder for her to believe that the passion they shared was basic sex. True for Rion, yes … she had known that from the day she had seen him with those other women, heard the comments about him on video …
In a cruel moment of self-awareness she knew she could no longer fool herself that it was true for her. The ache in her heart growing with every breath she took, she stared through the darkness and finally accepted her own truth.
She loved Rion—probably always had …
Lying next to him in the vast bed, she squeezed back the tears that threatened. She had cried an ocean of tears over Rion six years ago, and she knew she had to get away before she broke down and humiliated herself by doing the same again.
Tentatively she edged away from the warmth of his big body. He wasn’t holding her, but she felt him stir and froze for an instant then moved again making sure to miss his arm across the top of her pillow. Finally she slid out of bed.
Uncaring that she was naked, she quietly fled back to her own cabin.
Selina closed the door behind her and with legs like lead crossed the room to flop face-down on the bed.
She couldn’t and wouldn’t put herself through the agony and humiliation of loving Rion again. But she felt the pressure building up inside her, the pain she was helpless to prevent, and silent tears of anguish filled her eyes before running down her pale cheeks. A low moan escaped her as she felt the salty taste of tears on her lips.
Hating her own weakness, she rubbed the tears away with a fist and rolled over onto her back. She gazed sightlessly at the ceiling, her mind churning with memories she would never forget.
Why, oh, why had she put her head in the same noose twice? she asked herself. She was not a teenager any more with a head full of romantic dreams of a soul mate, a husband, a family. She was a twenty-four-year-old career woman who had learnt more about the sordid side of life than she could ever have imagined, and in her own small way was trying to do something to improve the lives of others a lot less fortunate than her.
So she loved Rion, and she would have to live with that knowledge to her dying day, she thought bleakly. It changed nothing …
She slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she stood under the soothing spray. She still had her work, her purpose in life, and she still had to get through a few more days with Rion. She hated him for what he had done to her before, and yet paradoxically still loved him. He must never find out.
She turned off the shower and stepped out, drying herself with a large towel. She walked back into the room and glanced at the bed. No—lying down was not an option. In sleep the dreams would come, and she did not need that. She pulled on a bra and pants and padded back into the bathroom. Taking the hair dryer from the wall, she methodically dried her long hair. Then she returned to the bedroom. Pulling on her denim shorts, she slipped a black tee shirt over her head and crossed to the table. She sat down on the sofa and picked up her phone, surprised to see it was six in the morning.
She would have to face Rion soon, and she realised that to retain her pride and dignity everything must seem the same. She must behave the same. Five days left … could she do it? Yes, she had to … and then when the time came she would get the money for the shares and with her head held high walk away and never look back.
She’d wait an hour or so. A buffet breakfast was set out every morning from seven until ten by Louis, the French chef. She would make an appearance at seven. In the meantime, after answering a few e-mails she would contact Beth. They were about twelve hours ahead in the Far East—early evening was a good time to catch her.
Talking to Beth reminded Selina of the good in her normal life. She told Beth she was enjoying her holiday, and had been on a scuba-diving trip with a few others on the cruise and it had been great. Not exactly a lie. She simply omitted the fact it was a private yacht. Then she listened to her friend’s news, the latest successes, and hearing about the antics of the children lifted Selina’s spirits. She promised Beth she would see her in seven or eight days’ time and would stay three weeks before flying on to Australia to meet a client, and then rang off.
Popping her phone into the pocket of her shorts, she determinedly left the cabin to face the day and Rion.
She wandered into the salon, where the breakfast buffet was laid out. It was empty except for Louis, and she helped herself to a mug of fresh-ground coffee. She told him she was going to eat outside and reached for one of his delicious pastries, but he insisted he would serve her.
The main salon opened onto a semi-circular lounging area, with big soft cream leather seats arranged to follow the curve and a circular table in the centre. A tinted-glass retractable roof protected the furnishings without impeding on the view.
Selina took a long swallow of coffee and glanced around the empty deck and then out to the sea, glistening in the early-morning sun. Placing her cup on the table, she sat down.
‘Voilá!’ Louis appeared with a tray laden with exquisite pastries and placed it on the table with a flourish.
‘Louis, you are spoiling me—I only wanted one.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll get fat if I eat any more.’
In a Gallic gesture he flung his hands wide. ‘Ah Selina, ma chére, a woman as beautiful as you deserves to be spoilt. Trust me … I am a connoisseur of women and you are not the type to ever get fat.’
‘And you are an incorrigible flirt.’ She grinned.
‘Yes, he is,’ a deep voice drawled, and Selina glanced up as Rion sank down beside her. ‘Bring me a coffee please, Louis,’ he added as he slid his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her.
She dissolved at his touch, and knew without a shadow of a doubt she still loved him.
‘That’s better,’ Rion breathed, raising his head. ‘What happened to you? My bed was empty when I woke up.’
‘You happened. You were spread-eagle across the bed and I almost fell out, so I got up, intending to get in the other side, then remembered I wanted to call Beth and my phone was in my cabin. She is in the Far East, and with the time difference I was able to catch her. Plus, as we are going on a dive this morning, I needed the rest.’ She knew she was babbling, but could not help herself.
Rion sat back. He didn’t need reminding of Beth. Her father had been Selina’s divorce lawyer. But he was not in the mood to argue. He had other things on his mind—the possibility of a great deal going belly-up. But he was not about to let that happen.
He’d had a meeting scheduled for nine days’ time in Athens, with the owner of an American company who had offered Rion the chance to buy his company at a price to be agreed. This morning the man had contacted him to cancel, saying he had changed his schedule and would not be going to Greece after all. He would be in Malta for the next three days with his wife, then she was returning to the USA. He had further business in the Far East—maybe they could reschedule the meeting there?
Rion guessed the man was having second thoughts about selling, but knew it was too good a deal to miss. His mind was filtering through all the possibilities.
‘So you still keep in touch? That’s nice,’ he said rather belatedly to Selina. ‘But about the dive … I will not have time today—something has come up and I need to work on it. I’ll get Dimitri to partner you.’
Selina recognised the distant look in his eyes from old. Rion was here, but his brilliant mind was miles away. The warning voice in the darkest reaches of her mind rang loud and clear but too late. It had been too good to last. She had been right to be wary. Rion had not changed. Work was his great interest—scuba-diving and sex his relaxation.
He proved it that night at dinner. The yacht was sailing on to the last diving site, where they were due to stay for two days before cruising back to Greece. But over the meal, as the conversation turned to the next day’s dive, Rion said that unfortunately it would have to be the last. They were sailing on to Malta as soon as the dive was done tomorrow. Captain Ted had plotted a course so they would arrive in Malta late the next afternoon, and Rion had a meeting to attend in the capital, Valletta.
Selina’s eyes rested on Rion at the head of the table.
‘Just like that we are going to Malta?’ she snapped, still shaken and confused by the realisation that she loved Rion, and angry at him because he wasn’t worth her love, and angry at herself for her weakness …
His jaw tightened and his hard eyes met hers. She could tell he did not like being challenged.
‘Unavoidable, I’m afraid,’ he said smoothly. ‘I have a company to run and it takes precedence over everything else.’
‘Yes, of course,’ she said, with a hint of sarcasm … She was not in the least surprised. She knew just how persistent Rion could be in business. He had wealth and power and a single-minded ruthless determination to get his own way—a combination almost impossible to beat. He had married her and divorced her all in the name of business … now he had virtually blackmailed her into his bed. She could not see what benefit it was to him businesswise, but she would not be surprised if it was!
‘You will like Malta, Selina. I have it on good authority the shopping is excellent.’
His condescending tone infuriated her.
‘I know. I have been there,’ she said, anger and resentment swirling around inside her. His ‘good authority’ was one of his women, probably.
‘Not that surprising. Malta is a very popular holiday destination with the English, I believe.’
‘I wasn’t on holiday. I was working for an Arab sheikh,’ she shot back. ‘He was a generous man and gave me a lot of free time.’
Something ugly moved in his black eyes, but no hint of emotion disturbed the sharp angles of his handsome face. ‘Good for you.’
‘Yes, it was very good. I got to go diving off the island of Gozo.’ She tore her gaze away from Rion to glance across the table at Dimitri. ‘You should try it, Dimitri, if you have not already. The rock formation from the island and deep into the sea is fascinating, and the number of wrecks is amazing—from ancient times to the Second World War.’
Dimitri grinned at her. ‘No, I haven’t. But if we get there early enough maybe you can show me, as Rion will be otherwise occupied?’
‘I’d be delighted to,’ Selina agreed.
‘Forget it,’ Rion commanded, and frowned.
The moment he had seen Selina walk into the room he had sensed something different about her. Gone were the blue and yellow dresses she habitually wore, with their gently curved necklines so neatly styled to skim her figure. Instead she was wearing tailored white pants that clung to her hips and thighs and a skimpy green top, and she was wearing make-up for the first time since coming on board.
His frown deepened. She looked stunning, with the creamy curves of her breasts revealed by the silk top and her hair flowing in soft waves over her shoulders, and bore little resemblance to the Orphan Annie persona he had come to know and like. Was he disappointed? No. Selina was as he had thought when he’d met her again: the same as every other foxy female he had known, adopting an age-old ploy to try and arouse his jealousy by deliberately baiting him. Probably because he had been working most of the day and she had been deprived of his attention. She was flirting with Dimitri and his old friend was encouraging her for devilment, he knew. But Rion was never jealous, and no woman ever distracted him from his work, so he refused to rise to the bait.
‘When we arrive in Malta I doubt there will be enough light to allow you to travel to Gozo and dive. Plus I have invited an American couple for dinner and you will need to be prepared to meet them. Sorry, Selina—another time, perhaps.’
Selina’s eye rested on Rion. The supercilious swine wasn’t sorry at all. ‘No need to apologise—it does not matter. I get plenty of opportunities in my line of work.’ She smiled sweetly at him and resumed eating, letting the conversation flow around her.
Why she loved Rion she could not imagine. He was the most arrogant, overbearing man she had ever met—and she had met a few. Some even wealthier than Rion and, if she was being dispassionate about it, some better-looking. The Arab sheikh for one had been the most classically beautiful man she had ever seen, and surprisingly nice. He was very happily married—albeit with four wives—but had told her if he’d had a vacancy he would have married her …
The rest of the meal was a tense affair. Selina felt her nerves tighten every time she glanced up and met Rion’s dark, impenetrable gaze. She was glad when the meal was over, and refused to join the men on deck for a nightcap.
‘Goodnight,’ she said, and left.
Back in her cabin, she stripped off her clothes. Feeling vulnerable, she had put on a little make-up and dressed differently to give her confidence a boost. Now, as she removed her make-up with a cleansing wipe and walked into the en-suite bathroom, she wondered why she’d bothered. She piled her hair up and tucked it under a shower cap, then turned on the water and took a quick shower. Stepping back out, she dried herself, pulled off the shower cap and shook her hair out. She slipped on the towelling robe provided, and tied the belt loosely around her waist.
Sighing, she walked back into the bedroom—and froze. Rion was standing by the table, her phone in his hand.
‘What are you doing with that?’ she demanded, dashing across to him and grasping at her phone. ‘That is my private property and you have no right to touch it.’
‘I heard you in the shower and answered it for you,’ he said, with the arch of an ebony brow. ‘Someone called Trevor wanted you to confirm your date of arrival.’
Rion was angry. His expression was bland, but she could tell by the glitter in his eyes and the tension in his huge body.
‘I will later,’ she shot back, and shoved the phone in the pocket of her robe.
But Rion was not finished.
‘I told him I didn’t know the exact date but that you were my cruising companion for the next four days, if that helped.’
‘Oh, hell!’ she exclaimed.
As Rion reached for the belt of her robe, she batted his hand away in her agitation and glared furiously up at him.