Delta's Deceit [ShadowPack #4]

Anika was looking around the café as it has an ambiance to it. She loved it and hope for the next few days she will be spending some time here on her own. Not that she didn't want Damien to be here with her but if he agreed, she would love that as well.

"And here we are," Sam said as she was setting the special brunch meals in front of them. Anika's eyes bulged at the size of the meal. It could easily feed 3 people and think that she will have to finish this on her own.

"Thank you, Sam," Damien said as she nodded and went to take other orders from other customers. Anika was looking at the meal before she turned to look at Damien. He was watching her and she licked her lips.

"I don't think I can finish this in one sitting," she said before Damien smiled.

"Of course not. I would not expect you to be finishing it at all but it will be a good idea to box it and bring it back to your room later for an early dinner," Damien said before he took a fork and a knife and dug in. Anika bit her lower lips before she did the same as Sam came to put their coffees in front of them.

She nodded at her as Sam was smiling at her before she turned away and went to help with other customers. The café was not crowded but most of the people were bringing their purchases into the café and put them aside as they were eating their orders from the café. Anika sighed as she put some of the brunches into her mouth.

The taste exploded inside her mouth as she stared wide eyes at Damien. Her tour guide just smirked.

"It's the best in town. And if anything you want to try, you have to come here. Sam will be here to help you since you cannot read Greek," he said before Anika was arching her eyebrow at him as she was sipping on her coffee.

"And where will you at that time, Damien?" she asked after she put the coffee down. Damien was sipping on his own coffee before he licked his lips. Anika's gaze went to his kissable lips before he cleared his throat.

"Well, I will be doing some stuff before I take you sightseeing around the town. Perhaps you would love to go around in the forest that was outside your window?" he asked before Anika beamed at him.

"You can do that?" she asked before Damien nodded.

"I can get words around and perhaps private hiking with you. I know the Al—I mean the leader that controls the area. It was sacred ground to most people in Paphos but I know some of them. I can introduce to you later if you want," he said as if Damien thought that she was to stay in Paphos. Her heart ached for Anika wished that it will be true.

Who am I kidding? I can't stay in Paphos, I have work waiting for me in Italy and I don't think Pierre would let me go just like that, she mused before Anika dropped her eyes to look at the food. She sighed before she turned to look at the streets that the farmer's market stood and instantly she wanted to go to the market.

"Are you finished? I wish to go around the farmer's market before the day ends," she said before turning to look at Damien. He was looking at Sam who was smiling and shaking her head at one of the customers. Anika felt dread in her chest before Damien turned to look at her. Then, words just came out of her mouth.

"Is she your girlfriend?" she blurted to Damien before her eyes widened. Anika clamped her hands on her mouth before Damien was blinking his eyes at her.

"Sorry?"

"I am so sorry. I don't mean to pry and I don't think you need to answer that. I don't know what's wrong with me. Most of the time, I am not like this," Anika blabbered before Damien took her hand into his and she turned to look into his eyes.

"Anika, she's not my girlfriend and I told you before, if I like a woman, she will know and frankly, I think I have found the one for me," his husky voice was making her stomach flipped. Her breaths ragged before Damien chuckled and stood up as he released her hands.

She wanted his hand on her.

"I'll be right back. I get the boxes and then we can go out to explore the market," he said before he went to the counter, talking to Sam as she handed the boxes. Then, her eyebrows furrowed before she turned to look at Anika. She turned away as Damien was making his way toward her with Sam behind her.

"You're leaving? I was about to take my break and hope to talk to you for a moment," Sam said before Damien explained that he will bring her around the market to explore. Sam smiled.

"Then perhaps you should bring her to the Folk Festival. It will be grand for her to look around," Sam said before she was turning to look at Anika, seeing that she did not know what this Folk Festival entitled.

"It will be fun! There are vendors that you would look around and you get to mingle with a lot of people who usually shy on most occasions," she said, talking with abandon as Damien was scowling at her.

"Sam, I don't think—"

"And it will be a good time for Damien to bring you around. If you would like that, Anika. Not that I am forcing you and Damien to go together to that festival," she said. Anika couldn't help but notice the gleam in her eyes as she was suggesting the festival and the fact that Damien will bring her there.

Was Sam about to set up a date for her with Damien? Anika did not know what to think about that.

"Well," Damien cleared his throat as she turned to look at her tour guide. He was staring at her and there was a moment when she knew where this will go. She was hoping for it as her heart was beating so fast.

"If you would like to come with me, I would be delighted to show you around, Anika," his velvet voice enveloped her, and Anika found that she was nodding at Sam's suggestion. Sam was smiling at them the whole time before she nudged Damien in the ribs with her elbows.

"I will be going there as well for Sebastian would not be coming around this month, as always," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"But I think Karisa will be delighted to go to the Folk Festival with me," she said as she mentioned another woman. Anika blinked as she did not know who this Karisa person was.

"She's my best friend. She's the oldest daughter of the old carpenter there," Sam said as she pointed at the shop that was known as Papadopoulos' Carpentry. Then, she saw someone was getting outside the shop and turned to look at them through the window.

He was handsome, with a rugged look to his black hair and hard face. Anika heard something before the man smirked and went away as she turned to look at Sam who was moving away from them as she went back to stand behind the counter.

"Here's the boxes. I think we can pack this up and go to the market now," Damien said as he handed the box to Anika and packed up their meals before leaving the café with a wave at Sam.

*****

"This place is incredible," she said as she was staring around. Anika turned to smell the spices and the fresh fruits that the vendors have as they were shouting toward the passerby to stop and buy their produce.

Anika smiled when she stopped at a peach vendor while an old man came up to them and started speaking in Greek. She turned to look at Damien before he translated for her.

"He was asking if you want some peaches to sample?" he said as his grey orbs were on her face. Anika turned to look at the peaches that were on display and nodding her head toward Damien. He spoke again and the old man was smiling at them before taking peaches and cut them into pieces before handing one to Damien and one to Anika. She thanked him and put the peach into her mouth. She moaned.

"This is the best peach I ever had in my life. I think I want some of them to bring them back to my room," she told Damien who was looking at her as she was talking to him. He was frozen as if something was sticking his gaze to her face. His eyes were seemed to be glowing before he blinked and a smile was plastered to his lips.

He turned to look at the old man and told him to get some of the peaches. The old man nodded before he went to take the plastic bag and put some big peaches into them. He handed it to Damien and as before, he paid for her as Anika was scowling at him.

"You could at least let me pay for these peaches. I want to pay for them and I want to carry them as well," she said as she noticed that Damien was carrying their meals as well as the peaches. Anika felt like she was using him when Damien was supposed to be her tour guide. Damien turned to look at her, amusement was in his eyes. She gritted her teeth.

"Damien let me pay for them. Please," she said before Damien was sighing and told her the truth.

"The old man said that we can have the peaches. He thought that you're so cute and wanted to give some of his best peaches for you to eat later," he said before Anika shook her head. She reached out for her purse and pulled 20 euro before she handed it to the old man. He refused but Anika can be stubborn sometimes as well.

"It's okay. I want to pay for them. Please take it," she said before the old man sighed in defeat. He nodded at her before Anika smiled and took the peaches from Damien as she walked away from the vendor. Damien spoke to him some more before he was following her.

"You are a stubborn woman," he mumbled but Anika caught it as she glanced at him over her shoulder.

"You better get used to it. I'm sure you don't like your woman to be so stubborn now, don't you?" she said but the only reply that Damien gave her was his sounding laughter that made her stomach fluttered with butterflies.