Page 29 of Hot Greek Summer

They all slumped back onto their sunbeds with the cocktails on their bellies.

‘My advice?’ Stella said. ‘Have fun, but stick to those outside feels only.’

Frankie made sounds of approval. ‘Because your heart isn’t ready for any action.’

‘I guess that’s the beauty of him, then,’ Winnie said. ‘His heart belongs to the island, and his work, and his home, and cold beer. He neither needs nor wants a woman for anything other than carnal pleasures.’

‘If you don’t want him, can I have him?’ Stella sighed. ‘That sounds like my ideal man. If he were blonde I’d be shoving you off a cliff to get to him.’

Nordic men were Stella’s weakness; it had been a longstanding joke that she hung around in Ikea in eternal hope of bumping into Alexander Skarsgard. She’d have moved to the Arctic Circle long ago if there was a beach and it wasn’t freezing. Salopettes were so not her thing.

They lapsed into companionable silence, looking out over the glittering Med, each of them lost in thought.

Frankie imagined the twins strolling down the deserted beach in front of her, and idly wondered if there was someone out there who might save his dynamite kisses all for her one day. The very idea came as a surprise; she’d had so little time for romance in her life for a long time, she’d almost written herself off.

Stella felt encouraged by the fact that at least one of them had already found a little heat, though she wouldn’t have put money on Winnie being first to break cover. Her mind wandered back to her apartment back in England, the scene of many of her easy come, easy go romances, and she was surprised to find that, for now at least, she wasn’t missing the slick, sophisticated trappings of success.

Winnie closed her eyes and slid into a daydream, a daydream of capable male hands rubbing sun cream into her shoulders, of a man bending to kiss her neck. She twisted around to try to catch a glimpse of his face, and in doing so jolted herself awake and sloshed her cocktail all over her navel.

‘Balls.’

She jerked up, annoyed with herself.

Now she’d never get to see who’d been kissing her neck.

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘Ladies, I need some help.’

Stella and Frankie were in organisation mode behind the reception desk a few mornings later, and Winnie was halfway up a stepladder putting a fresh coat of white paint on the window shutters. All three of them turned to look at Corinna as she came through their open front door on a waft of Chanel and a clatter of tan high-heeled sandals. She looked spectacular in an orange silk shift, her long hair in a businesslike chignon and her lipstick a perfect match with her dress.

‘What can we help with?’ Frankie smiled and closed the ledger.

Stella poured Corinna a glass of water from the iced jug on the counter and handed it over. ‘Too early for a shot of island gin in it?’ she said, knowing that a little after ten in the morning was hardcore even for a Skelidos native.

‘You might all need a shot when you’ve heard what I’ve come to ask,’ Corinna said. ‘It’s my brother.’

Winnie frowned, wondering what Corinna’s brother could have to do with them.

‘Have we met him?’ Stella asked, doubtful.

God, Winnie thought. I hope she’s not about to ask one of us to go on a blind date with him. If she does, it’s definitely not going to be me.

Corinna shook her head. ‘Oh, believe me, you’d know if you’d met him. He lives over on the mainland, but he’s broken his collarbone in an accident a couple of weeks back and wants to come over and spend some time on the island to recuperate.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Frankie said, instantly sympathetic.

‘Not as sorry as I am,’ Corinna said. ‘I adore him of course, but if I have to have him in my house for six weeks I’ll go crazy. It’s a small house and he’s a big man with even bigger opinions.’

‘Ah,’ Frankie said, starting to see where the conversation was headed.

‘So you’re thinking …’ Winnie said, climbing down the ladder and placing her paintbrush on the top of the paint pot.

‘Well, you have all of these rooms available, and you need guests to stay afloat.’ Corinna waved her hand in the general direction of the staircase and looked from one to the other of them, nodding as she spoke. ‘A nice six-week booking to get the ball rolling? You’ll hardly know he’s here, I promise. He’s always on his phone doing one business deal or another. Give him the Internet and he’ll be no trouble at all.’

‘Even though he’s a big man with even bigger opinions?’ Stella laughed, seeing straight through Corinna’s words.

‘Did I say big? I meant … gregarious.’

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