Greek's Marriage Bargain by Lilly LaRue Page B

grinned. Too young for her even if she weren’t still married. He was probably closer to Arianna’s age than her own.
    Not able to turn and walk away without being rude, Leah walked deeper into the garden, toward the man. He greeted her in Greek, and she shook her head. “I don’t really speak your language. Do you speak English?”
    “A little, Kyria Andrakis.”
    “What are you working on?”
    He waved to a row of lotus trees. “I am to prune so they will blooming in the fall. The fruit is delicious.”
    She cocked her head, examining the slender green leaves. “I think I know this as a date plum tree.”
    He nodded and continued with his work. Leah watched him for a couple of minutes, feeling awkward. “What is your name?” she asked finally, more to break the silence than anything else.
    “Angelo, Kyria Andrakis.”
    She wandered around his work area, examining the plants bloom. Tenacious violets and narcissus flowers still bloomed in the wilting heat. “What else do you do here, Angelo?”
    “I am the gardener. Irina is a distant cousin.”
    Leah took a sip of her water before saying, “You’re young for such a job. Did you design all this?” There were new additions and changes to the gardens from the last time she’d explored the grounds six years ago.
    Angelo shook his head. “No, Kyria . Kyrios Andrakis hired a company from Athens to design the layouts. I maintain what they have done.” He grinned, displaying even white teeth against his deeply tanned skin. “It is big work, but I keep doing it busy.”
    “It keeps you busy?” At his nod, she asked, “Do you have staff?”
    He shrugged one shoulder. “When needed, I will give my little brothers help to me.”
    She licked her lips, torn between her desire to dig into the deep, rich soil and the definite class distinctions between them. Of course, she was once the servant’s child too, though Dmitri had regarded Miles as a friend, not servant.
    It had been years since she’d really gardened, and the longing filled her. Leah knew to her core that Nikos would disapprove of what she was about to do, which made it a little more fun—and more dangerous. She would have to keep her activities secret from him.
    With a deep breath, Leah said, “I’d be happy to help.” At his shocked expression, she prepared herself for the imminent task of convincing the young man to let the wife of Nikos Andrakis dig in the dirt and follow his commands. She almost giggled with giddiness, feeling lighter than she had since arriving on Trini Island.
     
    Eventually, she had worn down Angelo’s resistance and persuaded him she could be useful. Leah spent the next several days immersed in landscaping. Sometimes, she worked alongside Angelo in companionable silence, and other times he gave her a task to perform solo. He seemed as enchanted with the dirt and plants as she did, preferring to work quietly, though he chatted gregariously during breaks, even attempting to teach her some Greek.
    The pleasant days still didn’t get her through the awkward evenings. Nikos was much too attentive, and his determination to seduce her apparently hadn’t faltered. She had tried every way she could think of to dissuade him, to no avail. Leah was just relieved he hadn’t resorted to more than a few lingering touches, or her will power might fade away.
    It annoyed her that she spent many nights tossing and turning, her body aching for his, before finally falling into a restless sleep where he haunted her dreams. She was determined to resist the impulse to sleep with her husband, no matter how difficult he made it.
    Several days after beginning her new routine of gardening during the day and dodging her husband in the evenings, Leah entered the master suite after a long day of gardening, dirt under her fingernails and on her nose. She grimaced to see Nikos sitting at the desk, typing on his laptop. He was engrossed, and she managed to wipe the dirt off her nose before he looked