This Way to Paradise by Cathy Hopkins

really private. It was surrounded by olive, pine and fruit trees so that, even if there were neighbours to the left or right, you wouldn’t be aware of them. The villa looked like so many on the island with white walls and red-tiled roof but, when we stepped inside, it felt like someone’s home, which was nice after the impersonal feel of the bungalows at the centre.
    â€˜You going to show us round then?’ asked Kate.
    Tom immediately went into estate agent mode and gave us a tour. ‘Downstairs we ’ave an open-plan sitting room,’ he drawled in a rubbish Greek accent, ‘At the back is ze kitchen and utility room. At the front, we ’ave a terrace area, then steps down to an infinity pool with the most stunning view of the Aegean in the distance.’
    â€˜Crap accent,’ said Kate.
    â€˜Zank you,’ said Tom with a grin.
    â€˜Hey, I love these paintings,’ I said, noticing some seascapes on the walls in the living room.
    â€˜Oh, my gran did those,’ said Tom. ‘She lived here in her retirement.’
    â€˜They’re really good,’ Kate agreed. ‘What’s upstairs?’
    Tom flashed her a grin, then led us up some stairs, reverting to his terrible accent, which seemed to have changed from bad Greek to a cross between Russian and Welsh.
    â€˜Ve ’ave a double bedroom with a balcony at the front,’ he said as he showed us around. I noticed that he raised an eyebrow at Kate when he showed us in there and she raised an eyebrow back. ‘We ’ave ze twin-bedded rooms, a bath and shower room at the back.’
    Kate slapped him playfully. ‘Don’t ever think of acting,’ she said.‘Somehow I don’t think it would be the job for you.’
    After the tour, we went outside and chilled out around the pool. After a dip, Kate and Tom disappeared inside, leaving Robin and me alone on the sunloungers. He raised an eyebrowand grinned at me. I raised an eyebrow back to let him know that I knew what they were up to.
    For a while we read magazines, sunbathed, then swam again and, as I got out of the pool, I noticed Robin watching me. Like
really
watching me with an intense expression on his face. It made me feel uncomfortable and, although I was wearing my turquoise bikini, I felt like I was naked. As soon as I got to my lounger, I pulled my blue sarong out of my bag and draped it round me. Robin continued watching as I reapplied my sun lotion, then looked away as if he was bored, but I felt something in the air that hadn’t been there before.
    It didn’t last long as, minutes later, he disappeared into the villa and came back with a tray loaded down with a carafe of wine, fruit juice, mineral water, pitta bread, hummus, taramasalata, olives and feta cheese.
    â€˜Wow. A feast,’ I said as he placed the tray on the table by the pool.
    â€˜Thought the lady might be hungry,’ he replied and made a plate up for me and poured me a glass of wine.
    He brought both over and sat on the end of my lounger. I was about to take the plate from him but he shook his head.
    â€˜Let me feed you,’ he said.
    I didn’t know what to do. What to say. I didn’t want to look like a school kid so tried to appear casual about it. Like I was used to boys feeding me. He put some cheese on the fork, then slowly pushed it into my mouth. I felt myself blush red. I knewhe was looking straight into my eyes, but I couldn’t meet his gaze and hoped that I didn’t look cross-eyed as I tried to focus on the fork. Robin leaned back to the tray, picked up the glass of wine and held it up to my lips.
    â€˜Er . . . no . . . thanks. I’ll just stick to juice,’ I stuttered.
    â€˜Try a sip,’ he said in a husky voice. ‘It’s a very good Pinot Grigio. Tom’s dad has it flown in especially. You’ll like it.’
    I felt trapped. I really didn’t want to drink wine but I didn’t want to appear