Page 55 of Take a Chance on Greece

‘That makes sense,’ I said. ‘But I’m surprised I didn’t let slip during the appointment that you were the one who’d told me the name Andreas, and that up to that point I’d had no idea what my bookshop guy was called. Judging by what you’ve both told me of that evening, I was in a pretty talkative mood.’

Niko pulled a face. ‘I ask you to be quiet while I tattoo. Of course, if you are in pain, or want to stop, you can speak, but I prefer to be able to concentrate. You may even have gone to sleep for a bit. It is most unusual for people to do that when it is their first tattoo.’

‘Maybe that was another sign that I wasn’t as with it as you thought I was,’ I said wryly.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement. He hadn’t been as diligent as he should have been, but from the sounds of it, I’d been pretty determined about getting the tattoo, and the poor guy had obviously been pleased at having the business on a quiet night. I couldn’t really blame him for what had happened. And as it turned out, it had all worked out for the best anyway.

Niko pushed across the sketch he had been doing. It was of an island scene, the sea lapping against a beach on which there was a lounger and parasol. In the background a mountain faded into the distance. It was recognisably the Sami coastline, with a couple of artistic liberties.

‘I can do a cover-up for free. See here, the name will be hidden in the lounger and the shading of the beach. It would not be much bigger than the artwork you already have, although it would take a while longer to do it because there is more detail to put in.’

I examined the picture carefully. It was very beautiful. He was clearly a talented artist to have produced such a sketch so quickly, and Amira had said that his work had been careful, and cleanly done. I hesitated. Now I was stone-cold sober, I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to put myself under the needle. I couldn’t really recall the pain during the tattoo, but I could certainly remember the stinging afterwards, then the swelling and the days of disgusting flaky skin. Did I really want to put myself through all that again?

‘Or I can create a design that will cover the word Andreas, and I can put Alexis on instead,’ Niko offered.

I laughed. ‘No thank you,’ I said quickly. I turned to Alexis. ‘That is no slight against you. But I realise now that I don’t need words on my skin to declare what is in my heart.’

His expression of joy said it all. I wanted to kiss him until we melted.

Niko cleared his throat.

‘Cover-up?’

‘Maybe later,’ I replied. ‘I will consider my options. But there’s somewhere very important we have to be first.’

Chapter Thirty

‘What gave me a small kernel of hope – which I told myself I didn’t even deserve to feel – was that you didn’t immediately ask who Awesome Andreas was when I said I knew. You just wanted to know why I hadn’t told you about him,’ said Alexis, some time later as we lay sprawled between the tangled covers of his bed in his apartment above the shop. It was growing dark outside, and through the half-open shutters I could hear the sounds of the street coming to life again after the afternoon break in business.

‘It never occurred to me to ask. I was so focused on you, and what we could have together, that the thought of actually encountering an Andreas was awful. Of course, I’m very much looking forward to meeting your awesome twin Andreas…’ I paused, raising my eyebrows so he could be in little doubt that I was teasing him. ‘But only because he is your family and very important to you, and therefore very important to me.’

Alexis leaned over me to pick up his glasses, then propped himself up on his elbow so he could look at me properly. He reached out with his other hand and started tracing patterns on my back, sending a delicious shiver throughout my body. I snuggled in closer.

‘I will be delighted to introduce you to him,’ he said.

‘No fear that I will run off with him?’

‘I trust you. Besides, I seem to remember you referring to me as the “hot twin” a short while ago.’

‘Can I borrow your glasses? I need to check.’ I laughed and gently pushed him back onto the covers, pinning him beneath me while I pretended to carry out a thorough examination of his features. He did his best to distract me by clasping my waist and turning the tables so that I was now the one lying among the pillows. I reached up and cupped his head in my hands. ‘Seriously, you’ll always be the hot twin to me. Even though it’s only been a few weeks, I feel like you know me better than anyone ever has. I fell for you the second moment we met – that is, when I walked in your bookshop and asked for your help. It was the second moment, but it’s the first one where I was stone cold sober and which I can remember fully, so it’s the one that really matters.’

‘Perhaps it is my bookshop that you really love me for,’ suggested Alexis with a smile.

‘Naturally,’ I replied, then kissed him so deeply that he could be in little doubt about my true feelings.

‘This may sound corny,’ I said, when we emerged for air, my fingers idly drawing circles on his chest, ‘but I think I’ve found a lot more than my ‘Amazing Alexis’ here in Kefalonia.’

Alexis chuckled, the warmth of his laughter vibrating against my ear.

‘Don’t get me wrong, finding you is the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. But I’ve found out a whole lot of other wonderful things along the way in my journey to meeting you. Things and people. I’ve started to learn a new language. Just the basics, but I’m improving every day. I’ve made some wonderful friends. I’ve developed a serioustzatzikiaddiction. But I’ve met myself as well. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I feel much more comfortable in my own skin now and a lot happier about standing up for myself. I know what I want out of life, and how I’m going to go about achieving it. I never thought a dodgy tattoo would be the catalyst for that.’

Alexis smiled back at me and I felt my senses buzzing with joyful anticipation.

‘I will always be very grateful for the tattoo,’ I continued, ‘but I think I am going to get it covered up, after all, rather than changed to Alexis. A tattoo of a name isn’t really for me, however important to me the person whose name it is. The beach scene that Niko drew was gorgeous. I can’t think of a better image to have to celebrate my new life.’

‘Whatever you choose, I am sure it will look very beautiful on you.’

His fingers returned to their dancing exploration of my skin.

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