CASSANDRA

"You got to be kidding, right?" I asked with a horrified expression while looking at him. Here I was, having breakfast with Calix the following morning after following him in his hotel suite after he told me to. Call me weak or anything but for some reason, I couldn't say no to him. "I already treat you to dinner that night. Why are you bringing it up again?"

He shrugged casually while intently looking at me, there was also a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. "Well, for one thing, that was not exactly what kind of dinner I had envisioned us having that night. It was takeout from our favorite restaurant and we ate on the balcony of your apartment—not that I am complaining."

"So what are you saying right now?" I asked curiously while giving him a distrustful look.

This time he gave me a full-watt smile. It was a kind of smile that no woman can resist. "Well, I want to renegotiate the terms of our agreement."

I shook my head as I sipped my coffee. "I don't think I like where this is heading," I paused before giving him a look. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Oh, come on, Cass, don't be so pessimistic." He cajoled still smiling at me as if he couldn't do evil things in this world.

I sat back on my chair, crossing my arms in my middle while staring at him with a guarded look. I still didn't know if this was a good idea to stay late at his hotel suite when I should have gone before daybreak to avoid unwanted rumors. "Fine. Let's hear it."

He gave me a disarming grin that made something inside my chest. "I am thinking instead of a candlelight dinner in a fancy restaurant how about you'll become my model for my photography today?"

My eyes widened considerably. I knew he was thinking some weird things again. I began to shake my head once again as I thought of the possibility that would happen if I agreed to his ridiculous idea. "I don't think that will be a good idea, Calix."

"It will be fun, I promised. I want to use you as a subject for my photography." He was trying to change my mind but I was not having any of it.

I looked him straight in the eyes. "That's dangerous. In case you have forgotten we are in Greece right now, this is not New York our every move is being watched here. Think about the unwanted gossip about us. I thought we're going to play our affair low-key?"

He rolled his blue eyes at me as if I was being silly. "Of course, I haven't forgotten. I was thinking of whisking you away to an island that is not frequented by tourists. I know a place where no know would recognize both of us."

"Still..." I bit my bottom lip as I contemplated silently his tempting offer. I have to admit that it was alluring to be with him in a place where no one knew about us. I haven't had time to spend with him outside my apartment or his apartment back in New York. I usually, work during the day at the gallery and my free time to see him was at night and we were usually in bed spending the night between sheets. So his offer was so appetizing to resist.

"Oh, come on, Cass, are you going to turn me down with this?"

I glanced at him with a weak resolve. He was good at this, trying to cajole me into things I wasn't even sure it was safe for this liaison we both entered. I sighed deeply searching for an answer in his magnetic eyes. "I don't understand your fascination to take my photos knowing that I am uncomfortable posing in front of a camera. As I said countless times in the past I am sure that plenty of women would willing to pose for you for free."

"It's you that I want to capture not them," he stated with a firm tone. I shot him a surprised look and then he added, "Will you allow me to capture you in photos—that is?"

"Why are you always putting me in a difficult situation, Mr. Spiridakou?" I asked with a four expression. "You must know by now that I cannot say no to you."

The grin on his face widened at my admission. For a moment, I thought I had made an error in admitting that I was a hopeless case as far as he was concerned but I wanted to be honest with him and that was what I felt. "Then, there's no reason for you to say no to my offer. I assure you that we will have a good time. Just spend the day with me."

"I am still not sure about this..."

He surprised me when he reached for my hand and placed a kiss on the center of my palm. My heart drummed in my chest while watching him still linger his lips on my palm. "I know you also want to spend the whole day with me. Let's have a date somewhere no one knows about us."

I knew when I was already beaten. Even though my brain was cautioning me about it my heart was already looking forward to it. "Fine. Let's go somewhere no one can recognize us."

"Yes!" He let out a victorious glee while forcing me to stand up from my chair as he spun me around in his arms happily.

"Put me down!" I protested with a laugh. "I am getting dizzy! I don't want to puke out my breakfast, you idiot."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly as he carefully brought me back to my feet. "I just got excited that you agree with my request."

I was silent for a moment and stared at his happy face. "But what about my clothes? I didn't have anything suitable to wear apart from my evening gown from last night. I think people will give me an odd look if I stroll around the island wearing an evening gown."

"Don't worry," he answered, kissing the tip of my nose. "I have a solution to your dilemma. Leave it to me."

I gave him a dubious look but didn't say anything. Sometimes after breakfast, I have to admit that I was in awe while examining myself in the mirror. It took him a couple of calls with my specific measurements and the style of dresses he wanted and voila...an hour or so later the dresses he ordered were on the doorstep.

"I am not sure if I will applaud you or get mad at you for getting my exact measurements without even telling you. I guess this is a common occurrence with your previous girlfriends you can do the shopping for them without their presence. Good Lord, you can be my shopper in the future."

He chuckled deeply as he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I stared at our reflection in the full-length mirror. Calix buried his nose in my hair. "I hate to break this to you but I don't have the hobbit of buying things for my previous flings—also, but be clear they weren't my girlfriends but flings, Cass. I don't do girlfriends."

"Oh, my bad, then." I mocked him while still looking at ourselves in front of the mirror.

"As for your measurements..." he stared at me through the mirror. "...I knew your size because I couldn't keep my hands off you." To emphasize his point he ran his hands on the side of my ribcage suggestively. "I know every inch of your delectable body, Miss Vitalis. Are you ready for our trip?"

"Remind me again where are we going?" I asked as I turned around to look at him.

He groaned, placing a light kiss on my unguarded mouth. "It's a surprise but I am sure you will enjoy it. Just trust me, okay?"

"All right." I conceded.

With a smirked fix on his face, he led me outside the hotel suite. We were walking hand-in-hand in the lobby of the hotel his family owned. I made sure that the wide-brim hat he also bought along with my outfit was securely placed on the top of my head and that no one would recognize me in this lobby or else it was the end of our liaison.

Calix probably felt my nervousness as he squeezed my hand firmly and hastened his pace so we could get out of the hotel as soon as possible. I only let out the breath I was holding when we were finally safe inside this car.

"That was close," I said letting out a deep breath. "I thought I would have a heart attack any moment. I was half expecting that someone would approach and recognize me in the lobby."

"Oh, where is your sense of adventure, Cass?" He taunted while driving to our known destination.

I shook my head. "I don't think I can keep up with your sense of adventure. I'd rather live my life in tranquility."

He spared me a glance before shaking his head with an amused smile playing on his lips. It didn't take long before we arrived at the docks where his yacht was waiting. He helped me get out of his car while I made sure that no one would recognize me lowering my brim hat until it hid half of my face.

The only time my nervousness left altogether was when we were already sailing on the sea. Yep, we were the only ones on this vessel and I should have expected that he was a skillful yacht driver. I was clutching my hat securely with my hand as the wind tried to blow it away while I stared ahead at the vast sea. Calix, on the other hand, calmly drives this sailboat like the captain of the ship. Soon, I saw an island, not from afar. I turned my head to look at him but his eyes were obscured by a pair of dark sunglasses.

After some time, his yacht was safely anchored near the shore and he helped me get down. I was amazed by the beauty of this small island, I didn't even know that this place existed.

"Where are we?" I asked admiring the fine white sands and clear blue sea. Just like the color of his eyes.

"Iraklia. Would you believe that there are only two villages on this little island? Do you think this is secluded enough that we can do whatever we want without the prying eyes of the public?"

I only beamed at him as we walked hand in hand once again while his camera was hanging on one side of his shoulder. I was eager to explore this island with its traditional Cycladic architecture. The white-washed houses and blue-domed churches.

Calix and I started to explore the island, from time to time he would snap photos of me, and his favorite part was when he would catch me off guard. In other words, when I was least prepared.

For a moment, I became conscious of the way I would smile in front of him while he taking my pictures. Calix lowered his camera away from his face for a moment and then smiled at me. "Just think too much about this. I want you just to act normal as usual. Don't worry, you are beautiful in every way." He even had the nerve to wink at me before focusing on taking my photos. If I didn't know better I would assume that he was trying to flirt with me.

I got even more self-conscious than before due to his words. So I chose to walk ahead of him along the shoreline. The wind was blowing my sundress and my hair as I walked along the coastline. It was so peaceful around here far from bustling places like Athens and Mykonos. I was starting to like this place.

"Cass?" I turned around to look at Calix and at that moment his camera was already waiting and capturing the moment. He seemed pleased with the outcome of the picture as he looked down at the screen of his camera with a satisfied smile. "See? I always knew that you are far more stunning than those models in New York."

I couldn't help but laugh at his jesting. "Oh, shut up! Don't try to flatter me with your words, Mister."

Instead of answering, he just held out his hand in my direction. I put my hand into his outstretched waiting hand. He took a photo of me with his outstretched hand that was holding me, it was that kind of picture you often see on social media posted by women to show off that they were in relationship goals.

For the next few hours, we strolled around Iraklia and Calix would take pictures of me and our scenery. I always knew that he was passionate about his craft and I must say that he was good at photography no wonder the gallery where I work was trying to book him for quiet sometimes now it was such a shame that he didn't do exhibits of his works.

We were sitting on the stoned steps leading to a small alley to take a rest and examine the photos he had taken in the last hours. He was showing me the picture through the screen of his camera while my chin rested on his shoulder.

His photographs were stunning.

"Goodness! Is that me?" I couldn't help but ask, seeing how beautiful I was through the lens of his camera.

"See? I told you that I have eyes on beautiful things. You just don't want to believe me."

I laughed while resting my head on his shoulder. "Fine. Whatever you say, Mister Photographer."

"Excuse me," Calix stopped a young man from walking passed us. The man looked at Calix curiously. "Can you please take a picture of us?"

I think he was a local because there were only a handful of tourists visiting this small island. "Sure, Kýrios."

I gave Calix a severe look but he didn't pay me mind as he was busy conversing with the stranger we saw on the street. And then, I saw him hand the man his smartphone and drew me closer to him. He even wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I couldn't do anything but smile stiffly while the man took a photo of us together.

"One more shot, if it's not too much to ask," Calix stated. I was about to protest when he removed my brim hat to cover our faces while the man took photos of us and then he stole a kiss from me. My heart hammered, this was the third kiss he stole from me this morning.

"You're not from this island, are you?" The stranger queried, handing back the smartphone to Calix.

"No, we're not."

"I gather that much. From the way you dress, it seems like you are from the main island. Are you here for a date, then?" The man asked brightly. I looked away from his inquiring gaze as I felt my cheeks flame from embarrassment.

Calix spared me a glance, I could see the corner of his mouth curved with a teasing smile. "Yes."

"Then, may I suggest a good place to have your lunch? It's just down this lane and it is a bistro run by an elderly couple. It is a well-known place on the island."

"Thanks. We will try it." Calix replied with a smile and the kind stranger we met left us. Calix browsed at the pictures on his phone before putting it back in his pocket and then he held out his hand to me. "Let's go?"

We walked hand-in-hand down the lane until we reached the place the young man had been talking about. Once we got there the elderly man with a kind smile on his place ushered us to the table outside since we preferred to eat our lunch outside. We have learned that there was no menu in this bistro and the owner decided what kind of dish we would serve to his customer based on what kind of produce he had acquired that day.

Calix and I were curious and he informed us about the traditional Greek meal he would serve us. While waiting for the food his wife served us Soumada, it was a traditional Greek drink made from orgeat syrup made from almonds.

I noticed that Calix was busy doing something on his phone since we sat at the table. It made me wonder what was he doing but since I respect his privacy I didn't ask it made me curious, nevertheless.

After some time our food finally arrived. I was amazed at the variety of food that had been served at our table for a short period. The elderly man then placed a dessert on the table. I looked at him questioningly. "This is for free. My wife and I had been debating in the kitchen if you two are on your honeymoon."

"Oh, we're—" I started to refute his assumption.

"Yes, we are, sir," Calix surprised me by lying to the old man. I threw him a dirty look but his attention was focused on our host. "We're newlyweds."

"Oh, perfect! It reminds me of when my wife and I married decades ago on this same island. Do you have a place to stay tonight? My wife and I would like to offer our daughter's old bedroom upstairs since she already moved out and working in Athens. Getting a place to stay here on the island will be difficult at this time of the year."

"We don't want to be a burden to you and your wife, sir," Calix said, sparing me a glance.

"Nonsense," the elderly man waved his hand dismissively. "It's not every day they are newlyweds coming to our small island. We want to make a lasting impression on how hospitable the people of Iraklia are."

When the elderly man left us so we could enjoy our food. I gave him a severe look. "How wicked of you to lead that man to think that we were a married couple."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "He offered us free food. How can I let it go to waste?"

I shook my head in utter disbelief. "I can't believe this. Are you going to take up his offer that we are going to stay here for the night?"

His blue eyes gleamed under the sunlight as his brows wiggled suggestively. "If you want."

"No," I said firmly. But later that night I found myself in a room upstairs at the bistro trying not to make a sound in case our kind hosts would hear my moans as Calix was pounding me mercilessly while I was pinned between him and the wall.

"It's okay to make a sound," Calix whispered devilishly in my ear while he was deep, deep, inside me. "I'm sure our hosts will not mind as they thought we were on our honeymoon period."

"You evil man..." I covered my mouth when a moan escaped my lips. This wicked man... I remained silent not making any sound and suffered in silence as his pace became relentless.

"Cass?"

"Hmm?"

"I know you might hate me in the morning for this but I want to leave a mark on your body that states loud and clear that you are mine." Before I have the chance to ask what he meant by that. He already dipped his head and began sucking the tender skin on my neck. I felt a sting on my neck but it was tolerable. When he finally lifted his head there was a satisfied smile playing on his lip. "There. All mine now."