Smitten in Santorini, page 8
That ended now. He was primed for a fight but wasn’t sure how to throw the first punch. Arguing with his mother was a lesson in futility; she was far too self-absorbed to care or even engage most of the time. His father would definitely have something to say but Mick had to be careful with him. Not only did he work for the company his father was part owner of, he was on a project that would keep him in Greece for the next two years. Close to his son. Close to Lena. He wanted to preserve that if at all possible. Not to mention, he loved his job. He could take his skills and experience anywhere—just as Hank had said—but he didn’t want to. He would if it came down to that, but he’d fight for what he had now. Just like he planned to fight for his son and the woman he’d never stopped loving.
* * *
Mick spent a couple hours on the construction site, getting Hank up to speed on what was going on and doing his best to look interested in his job when all he could think about was his son. The word felt strange on his lips, but it got more comfortable each time he said it. By the time he was headed home, he couldn’t wait to see Mihalis and figure out a way to bond with him since he didn’t speak more than a few words of Greek and Mihalis spoke limited English.
The villa was bustling with activity when he walked in a little while later. There was laughter and music, Raegan and Paige giggling on the couch while Mihalis wrestled with Apollo on the floor. Lena appeared to be in the kitchen cooking something that smelled wonderful and he momentarily forgot all about her betrayal. Surrounded by people he cared about, hearing his son’s laughter, the warmth brought from having someone making a home-cooked meal, all assaulted his senses in ways he wasn’t prepared for. Why did this feel so real if he and Lena weren’t meant to be?
“Anything new out there?” Raegan called out to him.
He shook his head. “Still waiting for news.”
“Grrr.” Raegan made a sound of discontentment.
“You’re home.” Lena came out of the kitchen with a warm smile, looking delightfully edible with an apron over her shorts and tank top and her hair up in a messy bun. “How’d it go?”
“Nothing new,” he said, returning her smile.
“Hopefully soon.” She waved a towel in the air. “Ten minutes for the loukoumades.” Loukoumades were pastries made of deep fried dough and then usually sprinkled with cinnamon and covered in honey.
Mihalis rattled off something in Greek that Mick didn’t understand, but Lena and Apollo laughed.
“You can’t have them all,” Lena responded in English. “You have to share.”
“Share?” The child repeated the English word with a frown so she said something in Greek and he nodded.
Mick hated not being able to communicate with his own son, but Lena was trying, talking in English as much as possible and Mihalis seemed to pick it up quickly. The loukoumades were delicious, conversation was light and filled with laughter, and Mick wanted to punch himself for being a little surly.
“Mihalis wants to go for a swim and I’ve already washed my hair today,” Lena said as she began clearing plates. “Will you take him, Mick?”
Mick’s eyes shot up to hers but he instantly nodded. “Yeah, sure. What do you think, buddy? The pool or the sea?”
“Pool!” Mihalis yelled, jumping to his feet.
“His bathing suit is hanging on the door of the bathroom,” Lena said. “Can you help him change?”
“Sure.” Mick got to his feet and held out his hand. Mihalis took it, babbling away in Greek.
“English, Mihalis!” Lena called after him.
“Is hard,” he called back.
“Try,” she responded.
He stuck his tongue out at her and everyone laughed.
16
“That was a nice thing to do,” Apollo said when Mick and Mihalis were out of earshot.
“I’m sure he’s frustrated that his child is right under his nose and he can barely communicate with him,” Lena said softly. “We’ll have to teach him a lot more English.”
“It’ll come,” Paige interjected. “Children soak that stuff up like sponges.
“I’m just feeling guilty,” Lena admitted.
Paige and Apollo followed her into the kitchen with the rest of the dishes and Lena started rinsing them to put in the dishwasher.
“You doing okay?” Apollo asked, pausing to put a gentle hand on Lena’s arm.
She nodded. “I’m getting there. It’s going to be such a nightmare to legally make Mihalis mine.”
“Can’t you just adopt him?” Paige asked. “Instead of dealing with whose name is on the birth certificate and all that?”
“Mick and I haven’t really talked about any of that,” Lena admitted. “We’re navigating these waters… it’s still sinking in that we’re back together. Even if it’s temporary.”
“Why would it be temporary?” Apollo frowned. “He’s crazy about you and I’m pretty sure you feel the same.”
“His family is never going to accept me so I don’t—”
“My family no longer has a say in anything I do,” Mick grunted, walking over to Lena and pulling her against him. “They’ve manipulated me for the last time so I don’t want you to worry about that.”
“Where’s Mihalis?” Lena asked weakly.
“Going potty.” He grimaced. “I’m not real experienced with that kind of thing. Does he need help?”
“Not if he’s just peeing, but for number two, he needs to be wiped or he’ll make a mess.”
Mick looked so dismayed Paige and Apollo burst out laughing.
“Dad lesson number one,” Apollo grinned at him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Come on. Even I know how to do this.”
“You’ve done it?” Mick made a face.
Apollo frowned. “Of course—he’s my nephew. You think I’ve never babysat?” They disappeared down the hall and Paige and Lena started to giggle.
“Oh, I’d kill for a picture of his face when you said he had to wipe him!” Paige snorted.
Lena shook her head, smiling. “He’s going to be a great dad. I can already see it in his eyes, how much he wants to bond with his son.”
“Just make sure he bonds with you again, too.”
Lena flushed. “I don’t know how that’s going to work… there’s a lot of water under the bridge for us.”
“He told Apollo he still loves you and I can tell you still love him.”
“That doesn’t change the fact I kept his kid from him.”
“Let go of the past, Lena, and think about the future.”
“I’m trying.”
* * *
Lena and Mick put Mihalis to bed together that night and Mihalis didn’t seem at all confused by the attention of a new man in his life. In fact, he seemed to accept his new surroundings without much thought. When he wrapped his arms around Mick’s neck to hug him good night, Mick was overwhelmed with emotion. He kissed the top of his head, the boy’s soft, silky hair tickling his nose, and then he and Lena backed out of the room.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. He’s… awesome.”
“He’s a great kid.”
“How much, I mean…” He paused, scratching his head. “How much part have you had in raising him?”
“A lot.” She shrugged. “Giorgios was pissy about having a newborn who woke them up several times a night, so I was basically the nanny in those days. I’d get up with him, rock him, feed him. As he got older, he always looked to me first. Sophia adores him too, of course. Even though he’s not her child, he’s her first and only nephew, so they have a strong bond, but he’s never truly gotten close to Giorgios.”
“Did Giorgios even try?”
She wrinkled her nose. “To a degree, but not really. His whole thing was for Sophia to get pregnant as quickly as possible to give him his own son and for whatever reason they couldn’t conceive. Every month that she got her period he got angrier and angrier. She never should have married him and I feel at least partially responsible for their troubles.”
“It’s not your fault she couldn’t get pregnant,” he said gently.
“No, but if it hadn’t been for me, she might have worked harder to be with her college boyfriend, Grant. She loved him.”
“Mick!” Raegan’s panicked voice wafted down the hall.
“What’s up?” He and Lena hurried down to where she was on the phone.
“There’s been another fire at the site.”
“What? Sonofabitch!” Mick grabbed his sneakers and pulled them on.
“I’ll come too,” Lena said, sliding her feet into a pair of flip flops.
“What’s going on?” Apollo came into the room.
“Another fire,” Raegan whispered somberly.
“Can you stay here with MIhalis?” Lena asked Paige hurriedly. “I think we need to go with Mick?”
“Of course.” Paige waved an arm. “Go ahead.”
Apollo paused to kiss her and then they hurried out to the rental car.
* * *
The fire had been started in the three new portable toilets they’d had delivered just yesterday. They were now nothing more than smoldering masses of smoky melted paper, plastic and wood. Mick let out a string of expletives while Apollo and Lena spoke to the firemen that had put out the fire. Hank and Pat arrived a few minutes later since Mick had called them on the way to the site.
“This is ridiculous,” Hank muttered as they filled him in on what little they knew.
“Where the hell is Loren?” Pat demanded, looking around.
Raegan shrugged. “I’ve called him twice but he doesn’t pick up.”
“That’s it, he’s done.” Pat made a slashing motion with his hand. “Unless he’s in the hospital or dead, his not answering his phone isn’t acceptable. If you see him before I do, tell him I want to talk to him.” He stalked off in the other direction.
“This was definitely no accident,” Hank spoke to Mick under his breath.
“I agree.”
“Did you piss anyone off here on the island?”
Mick shook his head. “Not that I know of. We’d barely gotten started when the first fire was set and we’ve truly laid low since then, just waiting for the investigation to be finished.”
“We need security on site at all times,” Pat said, joining them again. “It’ll eat into the profits, but at this point, we need to do something to get this project on track.”
“I wish I knew what the hell was going on,” Mick growled.
“Relax, son, it’s going to be okay.” Hank squeezed his shoulder. “Shit happens. I haven’t dealt with fire, but I had a disgruntled construction worker show up and toss a hand grenade into a stained-glass window that cost over a hundred grand.”
Pat was nodding as he rejoined them. “And remember the time our foreman was sleeping with one of the secretaries and her husband showed up and with an automatic weapon, shot up the place?”
“That was back in the late 80s,” Hank chuckled.
“Good times,” Pat added. “So don’t worry. We’ll figure out what’s going on. If we have to hire our own private investigator, I know someone. Retired MI-6. He lives and works in Vegas now, but if I call, he’ll come.”
“We’ll give them a few more days,” Hank said firmly. “If the Greeks don’t find out what’s what, we’ll call your guy. I’m done with this.”
“Why don’t you go on home, Mick?” Pat said gently. “I hear you have a lot on your plate right now.”
“This is my project,” Mick protested. “I’m not bailing on—”
“Family first,” Hank reminded him gently. “Always. Projects come and go, jobs come and go, but your family is forever.”
“I’m not giving my father anything he can hold—”
Pat held up a hand. “Stop right there. Hank and I own sixty-six percent of this company. Without our support, he can’t do anything, and we’re telling you to go home. Come on back in the morning and we’ll regroup. There’s nothing else to do tonight.”
Mick hesitated but then Lena was at his side, looking into his face questioningly.
“Nice to see you again, Lena,” Hank smiled, giving her a wink. “I wish it were under better circumstances.”
She nodded. “I wish there was more I could do.”
“The wife and I were wondering if you’d like to meet us for dinner tomorrow? Does that fit into your schedule?”
She glanced at Mick, who was nodding.
“That would be great,” Mick said. “I haven’t seen Sheila in ages.”
“I’ll let you know what time in the morning.”
“Good night then.” Mick took Lena’s hand and they headed back to the car.
17
Lena had a restless night and woke up early, just after five in the morning. Mihalis was still sleeping so she tiptoed to the bathroom and pulled on a T-shirt and shorts. She hadn’t been able to sleep, jerking awake intermittently, and it had everything to do with the man sleeping in the room down the hall. She had so much she wanted to say to him, but with everything going on, there didn’t seem to be a good time. The yearning to touch him again, to be alone with him, even if for just a little while, was overwhelming as she padded down the hall. She paused in front of his door but then softly knocked before opening it slightly.
“I’m awake,” he called out in a hoarse voice.
She softly closed the door behind her but wasn’t sure what to do next. She pressed her back against it and found his eyes in the semi-darkness.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I need you,” she whispered.
He simply held out his arms and she closed the distance between them in three long steps. Once she’d crawled onto the bed she nestled into his shoulder and closed her eyes, inhaling his masculine scent, his warmth, everything that was Mick. It had been too long, her life filled with so much sadness and fear, she wanted to lose herself in who he was and what they’d once had.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I know, baby. Me too.”
“I’m so sorry about everything. I should have trusted you, should have known you would have taken care of everything. I was just so scared…”
“It’s okay.” He was stroking her back, big hands warming her inside and out.
“I’m still scared,” she admitted. “Your family terrifies me, and if they ever treated Mihalis like they did me—”
“That will never happen,” Mick growled under his breath. “As far as I’m concerned, they may never even meet him.”
“They’re his grandparents,” she protested.
“They lost that right when they not only tried to pay you off, but then lied to me about it. My mother told me you cashed the check.”
She shivered in the cool morning air. “The only way I’d have ever cashed that check is if Mihalis had some kind of illness we couldn’t handle.”
“I know that.” He kissed the top of her head.
“What are we going to do now?” she choked, her voice breaking on a sob and catching her off-guard.
“Don’t cry.” He pulled her up until she was draped across him, her face right against his. “All that matters is you, me and Mihalis. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
“I care.” Her eyes were brimming with tears.
“Dammit, baby, I hate when you cry.”
“I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I’ve missed you so much and everything is such a mess and—” Her words were drowned by his mouth capturing hers and kissing her deeply. Their tongues slid together, dancing and dueling, a sensuous portrayal of all the time they’d lost. Nearly four years of longing and heartache began to heal with one deliciously sexy kiss that reminded them of the bond they’d always shared.
Mick slid a hand beneath her T-shirt, stroking the skin of her back and moving down to the curve of her ass. When he dipped beneath her panties, running along her cheeks and upper thighs, she sighed with contentment. Nothing was better than Mick touching her. Even without having sex, Mick’s touch was magical. His hands brought her pleasure without doing much of anything, but when he worked at turning her on, there was nothing else like it.
“Mick…”
“Do you want to be my wife, Lena?” His breath was hot against her mouth. “Not just a marriage of convenience, not just a way to get custody of our son, but really, truly be my wife.”
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted but…” She bit her lip. “I don’t want to destroy you in the process.”
“Not possible, beautiful.” He kissed her again, softly, lovingly, until there was nothing else but the two of them.
The jolt of pleasure that rocked her body was both shocking and familiar—he’d always had that effect on her. Goose bumps broke out all over her as their kisses got deeper, harder, more intense. Any doubts she’d had when she’d first come to his room vanished beneath the taste of his mouth and the warmth of his hands. It wasn’t enough, though, and she tugged her shirt off, watching his face as he ran one gentle finger around each nipple. When he captured the tip between his lips, her entire body began to throb.
“You haven’t changed a single bit,” he whispered. “Still the sexiest girl in all of Rhode Island.”
She dug her fingers into his shoulders as her head fell back, unable to do anything but moan. He continued to touch her and each swipe of his tongue brought her a little closer to the nirvana she sought. She sighed in frustration when he moved from one breast to the other.
