The Soviet Comeback by Jamie Smith (best ereader for academics TXT) 📕

was telling the truth, then his job of getting into the fortress just became an awful lot easier.

Elysia returned to the table and Nikita noticed she wasn’t carrying an extra glass. She smiled at him as she sat down and Nikita was knocked out all over again. Now he was more prepared for it, however, and steeled his heart and mind to keep him in mission mode.

“Where’s your uncle?” he asked.

“He got called on to do a delivery,” she replied. “Before he left, he said to tell you that he would be driving back past your hotel tonight at eleven p.m. if you wanted to hitch another ride with him.”

“That’s very good of him; I may just take him up on that offer,” Nikita said, smiling.

Noticing the pensive look on his face, Elysia said, “Don’t mind my uncle. We struggle to understand him as much as you.”

He smiled but said nothing.

She poured him a glass of wine and raised her own to him. “In wine there is truth,” she said.

“So that’s where the truth has been hiding,” Nikita replied as they clinked glasses, and she laughed.

“You like your secrets, don’t you?”

“I like you more,” he said, taking another deep drink of the wine. It really was delicious. So much fuller of fruit and flavour than any he had tasted before. He rarely experienced alcohol other than vodka in Russia, but that was sharp and strong and designed to keep you warm. His experiences of wine had been limited to training in being able to pass off a working knowledge of wines should he ever need to mix with that crowd. None of his training had given him Greek wine, however.

“That’s delicious,” he said to her, nodding to his glass.

“As my grandpa said, Greek wine is the best.”

“He’s clearly a very wise man! Why have I never had it before?”

“As with everything else, Greece doesn’t get the respect it deserves around the world. We have fallen behind and there doesn’t seem to be the motivation to catch up and let the world enjoy what we do here. Also, I must admit that we are over-inclined to keep it all for ourselves.”

“I’m happy to be sharing in the secret with you, Elysia.”

During his second glass of the wine, as he took a sip, he deliberately put his glass down so that his hand would touch hers. He left his hand there so their little fingers were just faintly touching.

Nikita was no longer even aware of what she was talking about, and tried to refocus.

He noticed she had fallen silent and was looking at him and her finger shifted slightly so that it was on top of his own.

He was aware of his heartbeat quickening, as he felt awkward and excited simultaneously.

The sun was lower in the sky now, casting long shadows across the bar, and the cicadas were in full voice. Nikita gazed out at the view, which he’d taken little notice of until now. The sun hovered on the horizon, giving everything a golden glow. With the boats visible, bobbing gently on the water, and the mountains diving down into a long outcropping peppered with small red flowers, it was as if traced from a postcard.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Elysia. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever seen.”

He could think of nothing but their touching hands, and he gently wrapped his little finger around hers.

“Thank you for walking into my shop today; I think it was just about worth losing out on any customers this afternoon,” she chided. She moved her second finger under his.

Looking fixedly at the view, he swept his hand across hers, and squeezed it. She turned hers upside down so that the palms were facing, and laced her fingers into his.

He brought his gaze back round to her and they both looked at their hands and laughed awkwardly.

At that moment her grandfather appeared through the French doors, making his way towards them. Nikita quickly withdrew his hand. Elysia looked momentarily hurt before he nodded behind her towards the old man, who was tottering slowly towards them carrying a bottle of wine and a plate piled high with food. Nikita sighed to himself. So much time building towards holding hands only for it to be immediately taken away.

Theo laid the food and wine down and kissed Elysia on the head, before looking disparagingly at Nikita. They both thanked him as he muttered something in Greek and headed back in to the bar, teetering slightly as he made his way past the tables and chairs.

Looking at the food Nikita saw olives, flatbread, hummus, tomatoes and stuffed vine leaves.

“Well don’t just stare at it; we Greeks believe food is there to be enjoyed,” she said as she scooped up some hummus with a stuffed vine leaf. Nikita was fairly sure that was not how they were meant to be eaten but ‘when in Rome’, he thought and dived in.

Elysia went to open the second bottle of wine, but Nikita raised his hand. “I’d better not have any more to drink; I need a clear head for the evening ahead.”

“You presume a great deal, Nathan,” she said, arching an eyebrow.

“No, no you misunderstand,” he replied hastily. “I have to meet a business acquaintance this evening so I need a clear mind.”

“Oh… OK.”

“But by all means you enjoy some more wine. I’ll be sorry to have to leave,” he said, picking up some flatbread. It was warm and powdery in his hands.

She smiled unconvincingly, and he sensed a sudden tension between them but knew he needed to go.

“I don’t know what you’re used to, but I’m a bit different to other men.”

She laughed. “I don’t doubt it, Nathan.”

Finishing his glass of wine, he stood up.

“You’re leaving already?”

“I must,” he answered, his head