Welcome To Crete - Regreece (100 best novels of all time txt) 📗

woman had an element of softness about her face and figure. The tumble of soft, blonde curls and pale, turquoise eyes almost gave her an air of vulnerability regardless of the scowl on her face.


"Perhaps you should inform your friend about the dangers of walking out into the middle of the road," he said with polite sarcasm. His voice was firm but had lost most of its edge now. Sal placed a hand on the man's arm to get his attention and he broke eye contact with Fay to look sideways at her in surprise.


"I don't suppose you could help us? We do have rather a lot of luggage and we just need to get to that apartment down there," she said, pointing down the road. Fay turned to her with an incredulous look and then swung her head back to the man with a sarcastic smile.


"You know, we can manage just fine," she assured him, glaring back at Sal. "My friend here seems to be suffering from a bad case of jet lag, it must have affected her judgement." Suddenly Fay felt the bag in her hands move and she turned back to see the man prising it away from her. "Listen, if we'd have wanted your help..."


The man cut in again. "You'd have what? Asked for it? She already has," he said, following Sal down the road and leaving Fay behind with an astounded look on her face.


"Okay, but we would have been just fine without your help Mister!" she shouted after him, reluctantly tagging behind.

Fay was irritated to see both Sal and the stranger finally disappear into her apartment block and she sped up suddenly, racing up the stairs and squeezing past them to unlock the front door.

"Thank you, we can manage now," she said politely, turning to the man and blocking the entrance to her apartment at the same time. He grinned at her reluctant expression of gratitude.


"Hey, would you like a coffee now that you're here?" Sal said, pushing past Fay and dragging her bags into the lounge. Fay's eyes widened at her friend's invitation and the man laughed out loud, seeming to enjoy Fay's discomfort as he moved around her to enter the apartment.


"I think I could manage a coffee," he chuckled.

The man strode around the room; taking in its contents and making Fay feel uncomfortable with his presence in her lounge. He had the kind of disturbingly inquisitive eyes which seemed to be constantly assessing everything and coming to, what she could only assume would be, the wrong conclusions.

Good Lord! Did anyone actually live in that place?

He searched the room for any evidence of imperfections: a stray coffee cup left on a table, a misplaced cushion on the sofa, an ornament that wasn't strategically placed, but he found none. The immaculate, cream cushions were lined up on the black leather sofa, the glass coasters were placed perfectly on the coffee table, the ornamental candles and glass vases were set down in lines on the shelving units and the white tiled floor showed no signs of ever being trodden on. He had this sudden urge to mess everything up just to see what her reaction would be, but instead he contented himself with discretely nudging one ornament out of place and turning to see if she had noticed. Fay's attention was however fixed on Sal at that moment and she watched with annoyance as Sal flicked the switch on her kettle and took out three mugs from her cupboard. Feeling surplus to requirements in her own home, Fay moved to turn the PC on in the corner of the room, muttering to herself,


"I just wanted a peaceful day and what do I get? A friend who picks up complete strangers off the street, and an arrogant, male chauvinist invading my apartment!"


Sal and the stranger exchanged looks and tried not to laugh.

Fay checked her e-mails and attempted to ignore the fact that there was a strange man sitting on her sofa chatting with her best friend. Nevertheless, as she read her messages her eyes unconsciously moved from the screen from time to time as curiosity got the better of her. The man had fallen into easy conversation with Sal and he exuded charm as he listened politely to Sal's lively chatter, laughing at the appropriate times and drawing her in with the warmth of his chocolate coloured eyes and seductive smile. She suddenly became irritated by the fact that Sal was so obviously enjoying his company that she had conveniently forgotten the man had almost run her over less than an hour ago!

"Sal, I said that we would meet Pat in the bar at four o clock," she hinted, glancing at her watch, turning off the PC and standing up.


"Okay," Sal replied, returning to her conversation.


Fay sighed and leant against a shelf with one elbow, staring at the man in an attempt to make him feel uncomfortable enough to leave. The man's eyes flicked towards her and then to her right where the ornament had been repositioned. She followed the movement of his gaze and instinctively lifted her hand to straighten the object, but stopped abruptly and narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion. A slow smile spread across his face and she dropped her hand, growling with annoyance.


"Err, sorry to interrupt but I could do with getting a shower," she said with barely concealed anger, giving the man a purposeful glare.


He laughed. "Go ahead; I wasn't planning on getting in there with you."


She looked taken aback and felt her face begin to redden.


Why was she blushing? She never blushed. This was ridiculous!

"Not unless I'm invited to anyway," he added with a grin. Sal giggled.


"Right, I've had enough!" Fay exclaimed, charging over to the sofa, taking the mug out of the man's hand, placing it onto the coffee table and dragging him up from the sofa by the arm. "Thank you very much for your help, but goodbye." She pushed him towards the door and he looked down at her hands on his chest with a raised eyebrow.


"Is she always this physical?" he said over her shoulder to Sal.


Sal laughed. "Not usually, thanks for the help," she called out as the door was closed behind him.

As soon as the sound of his footsteps on the stairs faded Fay turned to Sal with a frown. "Did you have to invite him in?" she asked, striding over to the coffee table, collecting up the coffee cups and straightening the coasters.


"Hey, I thought he was nice. Good looking too, don't you think?" Sal replied.


Fay tutted. "He was arrogant in the extreme and very assuming!"

Oops, perhaps Sal shouldn't have told him where the bar was then.

"And very good looking," Sal added, grinning at Fay.


"Well he's gone now and we're going to be late for Pat," Fay replied.


"Look I'll make do with a quick wash and a change of clothes, then you can get showered and meet us down there," Sal suggested.


Fay sighed. "Okay, fine. Just don't go picking up any more strange men along the way," she said, ushering Sal into the bathroom.


Chapter 2

Fay entered The Wheelhouse and scanned the people in the room for Sal and Pat. The bar was housed in an old building where the paintwork and furniture had seen better days. The darkness of the woodwork and navy blue walls didn't add much to the decor either and gave the impression that the bar was narrower than it actually was. Despite this though the place had a homely feel about it with the pictures and soft furnishings that had been dotted around the room. Many of the British workers in the town frequented the establishment for the warm welcome they received from Ruth, the bar owner, who always offered a sympathetic ear and friendly conversation. Expats could often be seen sitting at the bar reading one of the paperback books that lined the shelves running down the length of the room, or watching a DVD of classic British television whilst enjoying a beer.

Fay eventually spotted Sal sitting at the far end of the bar with an assortment of take away boxes in front of her. As she made her way across the room a number of people looked up and smiled or waved at Fay.


"Hi you two, I see you've introduced Sal to the local take away then Pat," Fay said as she approached them. A woman with wild curly hair and a bright smile looked up.


"Well, it would be rude not to," Pat said with a wink. Fay sat next to them at the bar and peered into the takeaway box.


"What is this anyway?" she asked with curiosity, looking down at the remains of some kind of meat in sauce.


"Mmm it was lovely, Chef Chicken and potatoes in the oven, not to mention an excellent glass of local wine. Good place is this Fay. Can't believe they let you eat takeaways in here too." Sal replied.


"Yep, as long as you order drinks and don't cause too much chaos the rules are pretty much that there are none."


Pat laughed and looked at Sal dubiously. "Well I'm sure that Sal can manage to order the drinks but do you really think she's capable of not causing any chaos?" Fay shook her head and they both chuckled. Sal smiled sarcastically.

The bar owner overheard the tail end of their conversation and appeared in front of them, folding her arms on the bar and leaning over it to talk.


"Who's causing chaos in my bar?" Ruth asked with a grin.


"No chaos as of yet Ruth but watch this space." Pat said looking across at Sal.


Sal abruptly put her wine glass down on the bar and glared at them. "Hey, I'm being picked on here and I've only just arrived!"


"Don't worry Sal; I've seen these two cause enough chaos in their time. Glass of wine Fay?" Ruth asked.


"Go on then Ruth but I can't stay long, I've got a review to finish I'm afraid."


Sal turned to Fay with a frown. "You can't work tonight; it's my first