Page 75 of More Than Just Friends

And everything was so easy. So comfortable. Not in a boring way. It was just relaxed. I didn’t have to worry about saying or doing the right thing. I could just be myself.

That sense of freedom was priceless.

‘And there I was hoping that you were a secret millionairess.’ Noah chuckled.

‘Sadly not. Although, talking of loaded peeps, Sammie let it slip that there’ll be some millionaires coming to the wedding on Saturday. And even a billionaire!’

‘Yeah? I didn’t know Stella and Max had minted mates.’

‘I think there are some guests coming from other resorts and some investors. This wedding is a big deal for the hotel.’

‘I can imagine.’

‘That’s why they were doing the experiment. Shame it didn’t work though.’ I sighed.

‘Is it though?’ Noah tilted his head.

‘For them it is. But maybe not for us.’ My voice trailed off and our eyes locked.

‘Agree.’

We were silent for a few beats, then Noah took my hand. The second our palms connected a jolt of electricity rocketed through me.

‘Come on,’ he said. ‘There’s some other places I’d like to show you.’

Noah took me to see the fragments of Chora Castle, then we had a drink on the terrace of a bar in Little Venice to watch the gorgeous sunset.

It was only when we went to sit down that I realised we’d been holding hands the whole time.

It felt so natural that I hadn’t even realised.

My stomach rumbled and Noah chuckled.

‘Sounds like someone’s hungry! Petros recommended a good restaurant, so let’s go there.’

‘Petros also gives restaurant recommendations?’ I raised an impressed brow. ‘Wow. That’s one talented bird!’

‘Not Petros the pelican!’ He laughed. ‘Petros the Love Alchemist! I texted him earlier because I remembered him saying that because our stay is all-inclusive, if we dine out at their approved restaurants, the hotel will cover the cost.’

‘Brilliant! Lead the way.’

‘Of course, my fair lady.’ Noah squeezed my hand and my stomach flip-flopped.

It was official. Holding hands with Noah had become my new favourite thing.

Noah followed the directions on his phone, then led me down a passageway.

The faint sound of music wafted through the air and the more we continued walking, the louder it became.

A restaurant suddenly came into view, which I would never have guessed was here from the narrow street we’d just walked down.

The place was packed with people dining at the tables outside and at the front of them were two men singing in Greek whilst one played the long-necked Greek guitar that Noah informed me was called a bouzouki (how he knew all this stuff was beyond me).

The upbeat, addictive music instantly had us both tapping our feet.

Fairy lights decorated the trees and the same pretty pink bougainvillea flowers that were in the Love Hotel Santorini and so many other places around the island, hung from the walls and pergolas.

‘This place is beautiful!’ I said just as a cat casually walked past us. Looked like cats were just as popular here as they were in Santorini.