“I thought you might appreciate a familiar face,” Bash said, giving Sean a slow once-over. The intensity of the look made Sean’s toes curl.
“Yes,” he replied, his voice husky. He noticed Bash was still in his pilfered uniform, and he raised a brow. “You haven’t changed?”
Bash grinned, and Sean thought no one as dirty as Bash had any right to look so damned sexy. “No, I’ve been giving my report. Duty first. I figured I would take you to Nick and I’ll shower while he’s telling you about the rabbit hole you’ve fallen down.”
Sean drew in a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
“One thing first,” Bash said. He pulled Sean into his arms, before capturing Sean’s lips with his in a searing kiss.
Sean was startled at first, but his body caught on before his mind did. He wrapped his arms around Bash’s shoulders and parted his lips, an invitation Bash didn’t hesitate to take. Bash plundered Sean’s mouth with skill, making Sean’s knees turn to jelly and sending a surge of desire coursing through him. Now that they were safe, he desperately wanted to find out if the chemistry between them was as intense as he thought it might be.
Unfortunately, Bash pulled back from the kiss, and Sean made a noise of frustration as he opened his eyes. “Damn it, Bash!”
“Sorry,” Bash drawled, but from the heat in his gaze, Sean knew Bash didn’t regret the kiss one bit. “That will have to tide us over, I’m afraid. Nick doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Sean wasn’t keen on waiting, either, but he resigned himself to the inevitable, since he owed Nick Galanos a debt for his rescue. “All right,” he grumbled. “But I’m beginning to think you’re all talk and no action.”
“Oh, I’ve got the action,” Bash replied with a predatory grin. “You’ll see soon enough. Come on. The sooner this is over with, the sooner I can prove myself to you.”
Sean followed Bash down the corridor, paying more attention to his surroundings than he had when he’d been brought in. Nick Galanos was known to be fabulously wealthy, and his mansion was opulent. Not that anything was ostentatious — not like Faisal’s palace — but it was obvious everything was of the highest quality and designed to be beautiful, as well as functional and efficient. The floors were of dressed native stone, buffed smooth but not polished, with the same stone extending halfway up the walls. There were many windows to catch the Mediterranean sun, providing a breathtaking view of the azure waters surrounding the island. Rather than art objects on display, the corridors showcased a variety of flowering plants. Sean had caught sight of the solar panels lining the roofs of the buildings when they’d flown in, showing Nick Galanos had gone green in a big way. It was an unexpected facet to find in a man who had inherited a multi-billion-dollar company based on shipping oil around the world.
Galanos Shipping had existed for decades, built by Nick’s father Kristos, a contemporary of Aristotle Onassis and said to be even more ruthless. Nick had, according to rumor, expanded the fortunes of the company many times over, even with the large donations he made to charity. Galanos had endowed schools in Africa, funded hospitals in the jungles of South America, provided ships for scientific research and bought land for conservation efforts. He was often seen in the company of the rich, the famous, and the powerful, yet little was known about his private life, and access to his island was restricted to very few people. Any paparazzi trying to get close quickly found out the boats of Nick’s guards were both fast and armed.
Given that someone like Bash seemed quite at home here, Sean was beginning to understand what Nick was keeping so carefully hidden. Even though Sean didn’t know the specifics, he suspected Nikolas Galanos’s talented fingers were into far more than mundane business and charitable pies.
As if reading his thoughts, Bash gave Sean a sideways glance. “I’m rather surprised Nick brought you here,” he admitted. “Of course, after Mansur’s little bombshell, I suppose I should have been prepared. Nick is a deep man.”
“But a good one?” Bash raised a brow, wanting to know Bash’s opinion.
“The best.” Bash didn’t even try to disguise his admiration. “He not only knows the right thing to do, hedoesit. He’s a big picture sort of person, but he doesn’t overlook the individual, either.” His tone grew thoughtful. “He has a way with people. The way he talks to you, you feel you’re the most important person in the world. It’s not an act, either. I think it’s his particular gift.”
“I had a glimpse of that on the plane.” Sean chuckled. “I thought after being isolated for so long, I was running my mouth from sheer relief. But he really seemed interested in knowing what I had been through.”
“Trust me, he was.” Bash turned a corner, and they stopped in front of a set of large doors. These were of some dark wood, and carved with the Galanos family crest, a sunburst set with a variant of the all-seeing eye. “Here we are.”
“Are you sure you can’t stay?” Sean asked, then felt embarrassed, wondering if he sounded as though he were a clinging vine. He didn’t want Bash to think he was weak or needy.
Bash shook his head. “I think he wants to talk to you privately.” He smiled slightly. “I’m just a grunt. Nick probably has some plan or other he wants to discuss with you, and I have no need to know about it. It’s better for security that way. Curious people tend to get frustrated around here.”
Sean was certain Bash was far more than “just a grunt,” but he simply nodded. As close-mouthed as Bash had been about his job, he wasn’t certain Nick would be much more forthcoming.
Bash opened the door and gestured for Sean to go in. “I’ll be around when you’re done,” he murmured as Sean stepped past him. “If you’re still interested, that is.”
Sean turned his head. “Oh, I’m interested,” he replied. “Don’t worry, I shall find you.”
Bash grinned, then closed the door, and Sean watched as Nick Galanos rose from behind a glass desk on which sat at least a dozen computer screens.
“Thank you for coming, Dr. Grimaldi,” Nick said. He moved toward a leather sofa, gesturing for Sean to join him. “You look refreshed.”
“I am,” Sean said with a wry smile. “I suspect I’ll have no desire to go to the beach for some time. After thehaboob, I’ve had enough sand to last me for years.”
“I don’t blame you at all.” Nick shook his head as he lowered himself onto the sofa with a quiet sigh. “I had more than a few moments of anxiety when Mansur told me Bash had run the two of you right into the teeth of that storm. But Sebastian has the most incredible luck, and like a cat, he always seems to land on his feet. I hope I’m not around if that luck runs out.”
“I had a few moments of worry myself,” Sean admitted as he took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa. “I believe you about his luck. There was more than once when I was absolutely certain one or both of us were going to die, but it didn’t happen.”
Nick chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Some of his cadre have a saying: God protects fools, children, and idiots named Bash.”
There was something familiar about Nick’s smile, but Sean couldn’t put his finger on it. “That’s probably an accurate summary. I’m just glad that luck seemed to extend to me.”
