Game of Scones by Samantha Tonge Read Free Book Online Page A

leave it like this…’ He held out a hand. ‘How you see me… it is not true. I’m no playboy. It’s just… I’m so pleased to see you again. Stay a while. Tell me about your life. Let’s catch up on the time we’ve been apart.’
    I fought the urge to slip my hand into his.
    ‘Look, it’s great to see you too,’ I said, now over the shock of the change in him. Almost losing those boys gave a bit of perspective. ‘But I’m a Londoner now – part of the rat-race. An office worker. A suit wearer. Whereas you…’ I gazed around at the island… the lapping waves… the squawking seagulls… ‘We couldn’t be more different. And I’m here to spend time with Henrik. I mean, you are happy with Leila, right? Committed to spending the rest of your days with her?’
    ‘Of course,’ said Niko quickly and for some reason averted his eyes.
    ‘Just like I am committed to honest, caring Henrik,’ I continued, shifting uncomfortably. Well, I hadn’t made my mind up yet.
    ‘Henrik? Honest? Pah, I can keep quiet no longer.’ He sneered. ‘This Dutch giant is up to something. Back in January he kept meeting Stavros Lakis, our local mayor. He is a sly figure, well-known for zooming around in his new white Range Rover, smoking fancy cigars and tricking people out of money. Wake up, Pippa, your tall, handsome boyfriend whose charm is legendary, is in fact a scoundrel, making some deal with the most corrupt man on the whole of Kos island…’

Chapter Five
    I wrapped my arms around Niko’s neck. My fingers played with his curls. The teasing mouth quirked into a smile and like a mirror reflection, I’m guessing my lips quirked back. I couldn’t be more grateful to him, for pointing out the dark ways of clearly unwholesome Henrik. I mean, fancy him speaking to the dodgy town mayor. Without hesitation, I stripped off and lay down on a carpet of fallen fig leaves. Holding my hand up, I muttered ‘Ravish me, my little sea urchin… let your feelers do their work…’
    Hmm. As if that was going to happen – me play right into that gigolo’s hands? Yes, “gigolo” – all civility had left me the moment he insulted my boyfriend. I’d snorted in Niko’s face and flounced off, dignity lacking due to my high heels wobbling in the sand. It was laughable. Henrik talking to an underhand mayor meant nothing, because as everyone else on this planet knew, corruption throughout the Greek establishment was rife. In fact it would be more suspicious if Henrik had talked to an official whose reputation was still intact.
    I glanced sideways, across the shell-white pillows. Slowly Henrik’s chest rose and dipped. Yesterday we’d spent just a quiet Sunday together, by the pool, managing with basic food provisions and… okay, if you must know, we finally made love again and it was… nice.
    Aarggh, and now I’d used a word that reminded me of Niko. But me realising what a jerk Niko had grown into, forced me to abandon my doubts and realise Henrik really was a catch. My head told me to grow up – that like oysters, not all men had something priceless inside. My man had lots of good qualities, like his honesty, and that should be enough.
    I jumped as someone knocked at the villa’s front door. Henrik yawned and went to sit up. I shushed him, slipped through a gap in the mosquito net and headed towards our little blue-painted front door, which I unlocked and pulled open.
    ‘
Ya sou
, Theo!’ I squinted in the sunlight and bent down to ruffle the black hair. The little boy stood next to his dad.
    ‘Miss Pattinson…’ Mr Dellis bowed his head.
    ‘Please, call me Pippa.’ I smiled and smoothed down my nightdress. Eek, by the position of the sun, it must have already been late morning. I yawned again. ‘Excuse me – we got woken up by the fire station last night.’
    ‘Ah yes… There was a fire in a nightclub, further north – our crew went to help out. My brother is one of the team. Fortunately no one was hurt.’ Mr