Olivia tried to approach the survey party with a festive attitude. She was going to have fun. Live for the moment. Channel her inner Sofia.
Above all, she was not going to obsess over Rick.
She was the last to arrive since she’d spent an extra hour in the lab making sure all the finds from the day’s survey had been processed. After she’d showered, she wasted valuable time agonizing over what to wear. Most of her clothes were disgustingly grungy or hopelessly wrinkled. She settled on a purple sundress with embroidery on the bodice, purchased during a family trip to Baja. Maybe no one would notice the wrinkles once it got dark outside.
When she reached the picnic tables, the students were milling around and talking. After three weeks of field school, they’d attained a palpable level of comfort around each other. Teasing and in-jokes had become the norm, especially during their nightly dinners at Spyros.
Dusty waved her over. “We clean up nicely, don’t we?” Like Olivia, she’d swapped out her work clothes for party attire. She was wearing a sleeveless green sundress embellished with white polka dots. Around her neck was an engraved pendant displaying Egyptian hieroglyphics.
“I love that dress,” Olivia said. “Mine is all crumpled from spending three weeks in my backpack. I could have used an iron.”
“What are you—my grandma? No one irons anymore.” Dusty gestured to the picnic tables. “What do you think? Do they look sufficiently festive?”
Though the rest of Camp Kouklia appeared as bare-bones as ever, the eating area had gotten a makeover. The long wooden tables were covered with blue-and-white checked cloths; atop them were flickering candles set in mason jars, vases filled with scarlet lilies, and pitchers of water and lemonade. Twinkling party lights adorned the olive trees above them.
“Looks great,” Olivia said. “Did you do this?”
“Me and Juno. She set up the music, too.” Dusty pointed to a soundbar playing a tune that sounded suspiciously like the theme from Zorba the Greek. “Grant insisted on the traditional stuff, but we’ll break out the bops once we’re done eating. Though I wish there was booze. More chance for shenanigans that way.”
“No shenanigans for me. Not tonight.” Or any night.
“You sure?” Dusty cast a glance toward Rick, who was talking with Marisol and Alisha. “He’d probably love to celebrate his big find.”
Olivia followed her gaze. Why did he have to look so good? Bad enough that he was sexy as hell when he was sweaty and dirty. He was even harder to resist when he was all cleaned up, wearing a light blue chambray shirt that brought out his tan.
Juno approached them. “Greetings, party people.” She whipped out a small silver flask and took a sip.
“Is that booze?” Olivia asked.
“Of course not. It’s cough syrup. For my ticklish throat.” Juno gave an exaggerated cough. “Kidding. His royal grumpiness is not here yet, so I have time to imbibe.” After taking another swig, she tucked it into the pocket of her long peasant skirt. “Lucky for me, tonight’s ensemble has ample pockets.”
Dusty snorted. “Nice. Just don’t get caught.”
At the sound of Rick’s laugh, Olivia snuck another peek at him. Not as discreetly as she’d hoped, since Juno raised her eyebrows.
“Were you scoping out Rick?” she asked. “For a little fun later tonight?”
“What? No!” Olivia gave an emphatic shake of her head. “I need to congratulate him for finding that site. I wanted to tell him sooner, but I was too busy in the lab. That’s all.”
Juno shrugged. “If you like him, then go for it. Like TJ said, when we’re out here, field rules apply. Why not let loose and have a little fun?”
Because my heart can’t take it.
Olivia was saved from further discussion when a cohort of women from the village arrived, bringing bountiful trays of Cypriot specialties—moussaka, kleftiko, stuffed grape leaves, and grilled chicken souvlaki. Her mouth watered at the sight of her favorite appetizers: bowls of tahini and tzatziki with peasant bread, grilled halloumi cheese, spanakopita, fried zucchini, and olives. She’d always preferred appetizers to entrees, and Cypriot appetizers did not disappoint.
Dinner was more fun than she expected. Not only was the food delicious, but everyone was in good spirits. With three weeks of surveying behind them, the field school was at the halfway point. The next three weeks would focus on the excavation unit, which offered a welcome relief from the unpredictable nature of surveying. Instead of hiking through uncharted territory, the students would work at one location for the entire time.
At Olivia’s table, the students took turns sharing their favorite—or least favorite—experiences on the survey. Dr. Roth joined them and told a few tales from his younger days. Even Grant appeared to be enjoying himself. He spent the entire party seated next to Dr. Lidia Bouras, a striking woman who was visiting the field school as a representative from the Department of Antiquities. From the way Grant hovered over her, Olivia couldn’t tell if he was trying to schmooze with her or hoping to win her affection.
After dinner, Stuart gave out the survey awards, Juno’s team performed a humorous song entitled “Somewhere Over the Transect,” and Stuart and Dusty blew everyone away with their rapid-fire version of “The Model of a Modern Archaeologist.” But even as Olivia joined in the teasing and good-natured jokes, her gaze kept wandering over to Rick. He sat with his team at the other table, his laughter so boisterous she couldn’t ignore it.
Clearly, he wasn’t missing her one bit.
When Juno switched the music from traditional Greek tunes to pop, the students held back as if hesitant to let loose. This wasn’t a dark nightclub where they’d have some degree of anonymity but a camp where they lived and worked with each other every day.
“What are you waiting for? This is a party.” Rick stood and gestured for Marisol and Alisha to accompany him. They followed his lead, imitating his exaggerated attempts at Greek dancing. Stuart and Dusty joined in next. Olivia longed to lose herself in the music and have fun. But as she watched Rick, a lump formed in her throat.
She wanted to be the one dancing with him. Not just dancing, but flirting and laughing and not holding anything back. Even if she could pretend he was merely a colleague when they worked together, she couldn’t do it now.
She caught Dusty’s attention, shouting to make herself heard over the music. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll see you later.”
“You want me to come with you?”
Though Olivia appreciated the offer, she didn’t want to drag Dusty away from Stuart. Maybe tonight, things would finally click between the two of them. “Thanks, but I’m good. I just need a break. Have fun.”
As she left the camp, the strains of music faded into the distance. She headed down the road toward the village, stopping to pet a few of her favorite stray cats. The tabby always made a beeline for her legs. She scratched its sleek head, suddenly wishing she was back at home in San Diego, curled up on the couch with the family cat, rather than stuck in Cyprus battling her uncontrollable emotions.
Without giving much thought to where she was going, she ended up at Spyros Taverna. The restaurant was bustling with customers, but she snagged a small table in the corner of the patio. The abundance of couples enjoying a romantic summer night made her all too aware of her solitary status.
After she ordered a brandy sour, she pulled out her phone to text Sofia. Her little sister was probably out partying somewhere. On a yacht. Or at a nightclub. But she was never too busy to text back.
Olivia composed her message, only to delete it. Why bother asking Sofia for advice? She knew damn well what her sister would say.
She’d order Olivia to have fun and stop worrying about the consequences. To go after Rick and tell him exactly what she wanted.
Why couldn’t she do it?
You know why. The last time you followed your heart, you paid for it.
But this scenario wasn’t remotely similar. She wasn’t nineteen, sneaking away from camp with a hot guy, a stolen truck, and a bottle of contraband booze. She was twenty-six. If she kept things with Rick discreet and didn’t break any laws, no one should care. Certainly not Dr. Roth, who seemed to live by field rules.
What’s it going to be? Three more weeks of longing?
Or three weeks with Rick, savoring every moment alone with him?
Even if he couldn’t promise her any more than that, they’d have a great time together.
She tossed back the rest of her brandy sour. The sweet cocktail flowed through her, loosening the tightness in her chest.
I’m going to do it. March back to camp, take Rick aside, and tell him how I feel.
Providing he still wanted her. She’d rebuffed him so many times he might not give her another chance.
Maybe a second drink would give her an extra dose of courage. She was about to wave the waiter over but froze at the sound of Rick’s voice.
“Olivia? What are you doing here?”
She stared up at him, stunned that he’d suddenly materialized. “I…needed a break. A drink. Not that I’m a lush or anything, but I couldn’t unwind. I mean, I should have been having fun because it’s a party…but…” Unnerved by his scrutiny, the words caught in her throat.
“Can I join you?” When she nodded, he pulled up a chair and gestured to her empty glass. “Want another?”
“Sure. A brandy sour.”
He waved over the young server. “Hey, Kostas, can we get a couple of drinks?”
“Sure, Mister Rick. Two beers?”
“Make it two brandy sours. Thanks.”
How was it that Rick always knew everyone’s name? That he seemed so comfortable everywhere he went? As he leaned back and assessed her, she flushed under his gaze, ashamed he’d caught her in such a pathetic state. What kind of loser left a party to go off and drink by herself?
“Were you looking for me?” she asked. “Or were you craving a break, too?”
“I tried to find you earlier, but Dusty told me you went for a walk. There aren’t many places to go around here, so this was my first guess.”
When the server set down their drinks, she focused on stirring hers with the swizzle stick, too nervous to meet Rick’s eyes. “Why’d you come after me? You looked like you were having a good time.”
“I was. But I’m sick of this.” He gestured at the space between them.
Her heart sank. Why had it taken her so long to have her epiphany? Now she’d ruined her chances with him. “You’re sick of me?”
“No.” He raked his hand through his hair. “Of you avoiding me. Acting like I don’t exist. If you don’t want to get involved, that’s fine. And if I came on too strong before, I’m sorry. But I’d like to be friends. It killed me that you weren’t with me when we found that Neolithic site.”
An ache built up inside of her, knowing he’d felt the same way she had. “I would have given anything to be there. Impressive find, by the way.”
“Thanks.” He sipped his drink. “So, can we try being friends again?”
His smile was so endearing it broke down the last of her defenses. Taking another swig of her cocktail, she looked him in the eye. “What if I want to be more than friends?”
He let out a long breath. “Don’t mess with me. I already like you more than I should.”
“Even after all this?”
“I can’t stop thinking about you.” He groaned. “You’re a huge pain in the ass, you know?”
A silly grin broke across her face. “But you like me anyway?”
“Of course. Because I’m a complete idiot. Even if you cut me off for seven years, I’m still not over you.”
She flinched. “Sorry. In my defense…” Shit. She didn’t have one. She pivoted and flashed him a flirty smile. “If it helps, I feel the same way. Not that you’re a pain in the ass. But I think about you constantly. I want what we had at Clear Lake, but more. A lot more.” She held his gaze, hoping to convey the longing she felt.
He brushed his hand across her cheek. “I do, too, but I don’t want you to hate me again if things go sideways.”
His touch sent butterflies spiraling through her. “This time, we won’t be breaking the law. Like you said, we’re two consenting adults. As long as we do our jobs during the day, our late-night activities shouldn’t matter.”
“What about Grant? Even if we’re discreet, he’ll figure it out.”
The young server popped over to their table to check on them, but Olivia waved him away with a brief smile before turning her attention back to Rick. “Forget about Grant. Dr. Roth is the one who matters. Right now, he thinks you’re a superstar. Not only did you save my life, but you also found a Stone Age site. You’re kicking ass.”
“Thanks, but that’s not the issue.” A furrow cropped up between Rick’s brows. “What if he’s not okay with us together? You’ve got a lot riding on his approval.”
“About that…?” She cleared her throat, uneasy at the thought of spreading gossip. “He has a reputation for fooling around in the field. He can’t punish us for doing the same thing.”
“I’d heard as much, but I’m never sure how much stock to put in rumors.”
Her heart went out to him, knowing he was thinking about Palaikastro and the way his reputation had suffered, all because of the lies spread by his former employer.
“Stuart told me, and he’s been working with him for years,” she said. “So, Dr. Roth’s not in a position to judge us, and even if Grant doesn’t approve, he doesn’t have the power to do anything about it.” A wave of regret washed over her. “I’m sorry I let him get to me.”
“Don’t be. I understand. He can be extremely intimidating.”
She twisted her hands together. “Are you up for it? I don’t want to put you at risk, so I’ll understand if you say no.” Her heart beat in a jagged rhythm as she waited for his verdict.
A tender smile played on his lips. “You think I can resist you? Not a chance. But I have to be honest. I can’t promise you anything—not when my future’s so uncertain.”
She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. “Let’s not worry about the future. For the next three weeks, let’s just indulge our steamiest fantasies.”
In an instant, all traces of uncertainty vanished from Rick’s face. He leaned in closer, pinning her with a wolfish smile. “What kind of fantasies?”
She looked down at her drink. “You know…”
“Look at me,” he growled. “I asked you what you fantasized about.”
She clenched her thighs as a surge of desire raced through her. “Us…together…and um…”
“And what? Are we naked? Am I touching you? Kissing you? Tasting you until you beg for more?”
The low timbre of his voice sent her pulse racing. She met his gaze, her whole body trembling. “I…yes?”
His eyes dilated with hunger. He looked as though he was ready to strip off her clothes right there in the taverna. “Are you sure, Olivia?”
Her breathing quickened. “Yes. Definitely. But where—”
“Finish your drink.” He tossed back his brandy sour.
She downed the rest of her cocktail, shivering as the powerful brandy hit her system. He placed a couple of bills on the table and took her hand. She stood to face him, slightly light-headed but still in control. “We aren’t going back to camp, are we?”
His mouth curved up in a devilish smile. “I’ve got a better idea. Somewhere quiet and romantic. Want to give it a try?”
Now she was intrigued. And more than a little turned on. “Yes, please. Lead the way.”