Dreaming Of... Greece: The Millionaire's True Worth / A Wedding for the Greek Tycoon / Her Greek Doctor's Proposal
Studying the curving lines of her mouth almost gave him a heart attack. “You mean the way mine did when you looked up at me on the sidewalk? Does an American man say ‘she’s jaw-dropping gorgeous’?”
An impish twinkle lit up her eyes. “The phrase can be used to describe a woman or a man. And there’s another more modern expression. ‘He’s hot.’”
“Which also works for a female. I’ve heard that one. Thank you for the vocabulary lesson. I’m indebted to you.” But no matter how hard he could try to catch up to her intellectual level, he would never succeed.
“Maybe you can teach me some Greek, but I know it’s a very difficult language to learn.”
“You mean right now?”
“If you’re willing.”
“Then you’ll have to sit close to me while I steer the boat.”
She shot him a side glance. “How close?”
He gripped her hand and pulled her over to the captain’s seat. After sitting down, he patted his leg. “Right here.”
“Akis—” She chuckled. “You won’t be able to drive.”
“Try me.”
As she perched on his leg, he grabbed her around the waist. “The first word I want to teach you is the most important. If you never learn another one, it won’t matter.” He started the engine and they skimmed across the water.
“What is it?”
“Repeat after me. S’agapo.”
She said it several times until she got the intonation just right. “How am I doing?”
“That was perfect.”
“What does it mean?”
“Say it to Nora and Socus and surprise them. By their reaction you’ll know what it means.”
“S’agapo. S’agapo.” She kissed his cheek and slid off his leg. “You’re a terrific teacher, but you need to concentrate on your driving. We’ve been going around in circles,” she teased.
“That’s what you’ve done to me,” he quipped back. “You have me staggering all over the place in a dazed condition.”
“Then I’m going to leave you alone until we get to that beach you told me about.”
“And then?”
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t leave me hanging like that. Once we’ve arrived at our destination, I want to know what you propose to do to me.”
She let out a devilish chuckle. “I’m considering several options, all of which require your complete attention.”
The way Akis was feeling right now, they weren’t going to make it another ten yards. “Shall we forget going anywhere and head back to my beach?”
Her smile filled all the lonely places inside him. “What kind of a tour director are you?”
“I can’t help it if my first passenger surpasses any sight I could show her. If you don’t believe me, just watch the way men look at you when you walk by. I’m the envy of every male.”
She rested her head against the seat, soaking up the sun. “Women do the same thing when they see you.”
“I’m talking about you. Did you know the newspapers have printed photos of us leaving the Grand Bretagne? The headlines read, ‘Who was the beautiful mystery woman seen with one of the Giannopoulos brothers?’”
She turned in his direction. “Chloe’s wedding made the publicity inevitable. Knowing her like I do, I’m sure she didn’t want it. She’s the sweetest, kindest girl I’ve ever known.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Theo has a similar temperament. They’re a perfect match.”
“Isn’t that wonderful? Tell me more about him.”
“He’s a vice president of the bank now.”
“Good for him, but I want to know why you like him so much.”
The more he got to know Raina, the more he realized how extraordinary she was, not only as a woman, but as a human being. “You’re a lot like Theo. You look beyond the surface to the substance of a person.”
He could feel her eyes on him. “I’m so glad he saw inside of you and was willing to take a risk for you. That’s because you’re such a good man.”
“He’s saved my back more than once.”
“In what way?”
“We signed up for the military at the same time and served together.”
Raina sat up. “How did you manage that?”
“His father had connections. I couldn’t believe it when he was assigned to my unit.”
“I take it that’s where your friendship flourished.”
“In unexpected ways. We grew close as brothers.” He would have told her more, but talking about it would touch on a painful subject he didn’t want to bring up today. “When he introduced me to Chloe six months ago, I worried she might not be good enough for him. But nothing could have been further from the truth.”
Raina’s eyes closed for a moment. She was so crazy about Akis, the thought of his breaking her heart caused her to groan.
“I had the same fear when she phoned to tell me about Theo. I knew her heart from long ago and didn’t want any man breaking it. But getting to know you, I’m convinced he must be her equal, otherwise he wouldn’t have come to be like family to you. I’m anxious to meet him when they get back from their honeymoon.”
He had to clear his throat. “We’ll definitely make that happen, but we’ve got a lot of living to do before then.”
She sat back again. “I’m loving all this, but I’m afraid I’m keeping you from your work.”
“I’m entitled to a vacation and have covered for Vasso many times.”
“I haven’t had a real one in years. It sounds like we’re a pair of workaholics. But I have to admit work has saved my life since my grandfather passed away.”
Akis filled his lungs with the sea air. “What do you say we forget everything and concentrate on having fun. We’re coming to one of the most famous beaches in all of Greece.”
Raina got up and wandered over to the side. “Those tall green hills are spectacular.”
“You can’t access them unless you climb up the eighty steep steps descending along the cliff. Your ankle is doing better, but I wouldn’t suggest you try that activity for another few weeks.”
“It’s enough just to cruise around them. I can’t get over how crystal clear the water is. Against the golden sand, you think you’ve arrived in a magical kingdom. I don’t see any other people around.”
“Without a boat it’s difficult access. Most of the tourists come in July and August. For the moment we’ve got the beach to ourselves. I’ll take us in closer. We can swim to the shore, then come back and eat on board.”
“I can’t wait!”
Neither could he. Akis needed her in his arms. When he’d found the right spot, he dropped anchor. She’d already taken off her life jacket. Soon she’d shed her top and shorts to reveal a bikini-clad body she filled out to perfection. Raina turned a beaming face to him. “See you on shore!”
A second later she climbed over the side and dove in. Now that her ankle had healed, he discovered she swam like a fish and had amazing stamina.
That’s when a warning light came on in his mind, holding him back. His father’s words came back to him again.
When you find the one, you must treat her like a queen. Your mother was my queen. I cherished and respected her from the beginning. She deserved that because not only was she going to be my wife, she was going to be the mother of our children.
As if in slow motion, he removed his life belt, pulled off his T-shirt and plunged in after her. He could hear her squeals of delight. “The water is so warm! I’ve lived by the Pacific Ocean all my life, but you always have to get used to the colder temperature. I could stay in this all day! There’s no kelp or seaweed. What’s below us?”
“Rocks made of soft limestone.”
She did a somersault and swam beneath the water. He kept track of her until she emerged further away. “They are soft.” Her laughter was music to his ears before she started swimming parallel to the long shoreline.
He’d brought her here to spend time with her and love her, but his father’s words wouldn’t leave him alone.
CHAPTER SIX
RAINA TURNED AROUND and trod water while she watched Akis coming after her like a torpedo at high speed. While his strong arms cleaved the water, his powerful legs kicked up a fountain.
Her heart raced madly as he came to a stop in front of her and raised his dark head. She could never get enough of just looking at him. “I feel like a happy little girl who’s finally out of school for the summer and has all day to play.”
“Except that you don’t look like a little girl. Do you have any conception of what kind of a problem that presents for me?”
The tremor in his voice told her what he was holding back through sheer willpower. ‘It’s not exactly easy for me, either. I’ve come out to play with a man.”
Lines darkened his features. “How many men have been in your life?”
“You mean ones who were important?”
“Yes.”
She might as well get it all said now. “There were two. Before Byron, there was a graduate assistant teaching my math class during my freshman year. He held seminars for the most promising students and has since become a professor at a west coast college.”
“What drew you to him?”
They swam around in circles, always facing each other. “His smarts. He had a different way of looking at a problem to solve it. I envied him that gift. He fed my ego by telling me I’d inherited my father’s mathematical mind.”
“Why didn’t that relationship go anywhere?”
“I didn’t find out he was married until I’d been dating him for a month.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No. I was waiting for marriage.”
“Raina...” She heard a tortured sound in his voice.
“It was over a long time ago. He didn’t wear a wedding ring. At the end of the term I went to see if my grade had been posted. The head of the math department called me in and asked me if I knew Rod was married. I felt the blood rush to my feet. After I got my second wind, I thanked him for the information.”
“What did you do?”
“Rod had a cubicle down the hall. We’d planned to go out to dinner that evening. I dropped in on him. He assumed I wanted to check on the time. I told him to do his wife a favor and take her out to dinner instead. And I added one more thing. I wouldn’t be putting in a good word for him at the jet propulsion laboratory. Then I walked out and shut the door. That was the end of it.”
A grimace darkened Akis’s face.
“I made the same mistake with Byron by putting him on a pedestal. He was a published writer who’d traveled to Europe to do art research for more books. I admired someone so intelligent and well-read. He was older and had knowledge on so many subjects. The fact that he wanted to do my great-grandfather’s story was a huge plus.
“We could talk for hours about the art we loved. I thought we’d never run out of things to discuss. What I didn’t see was his empty bank account and his proclivity for women he could prey on. Have you heard the expression ‘once bitten, twice shy’?”
“No, but I don’t need a translation,” he stated.
“In my case I was twice bitten before I learned the lesson I’d been needing.”
“Enough of the past, Raina. Let’s swim back to the cruiser and have our picnic.”
Relieved to get off the subject of her pathetic naivety, she swam next to him. He paced himself so she could keep up with him. He did everything right. How she loved him!
She loved him.
She loved him for who he was, nothing else. Raina could finally say it and not be afraid. She wanted to shout it to the world.
I’m in love with him.
Loving him wasn’t a mistake.
When they reached the ladder, he got in the boat first, then helped her up and wrapped her in one of the beach towels. He kissed her on the side of her neck, on her chin and nose, her cheeks, eyelids, earlobes.
Before he reached her mouth she said, “I’m going to fix our lunch while you relax. After we’re full, I’ll give you a big kiss for dessert.” Raina was afraid that if she stayed on deck with him another instant, she’d forget everything else.
“Coward,” he whispered against her lips before letting her go.
She hurried down the steps to the bedroom and dressed in another pair of shorts and a top. There was nothing she could do about her hair until she showered later.
In the fridge she found the ingredients to fix a Grecian-style sandwich. She made a fresh pot of coffee and put everything on the table with a couple of oranges. Akis joined her. While they finished off their orange sections, he told her they were going to head to Cape Lefkas, the inhospitable part of the island with cliffs seventy meters high. The lighthouse was built on the old temple of Apollo. From there you could view incredible vistas including Kefallonia Island.
He got up from the seat first and pressed a passionate kiss to her mouth. “That’s the sweetest dessert I ever tasted. Save me more because tonight I’ll be starving.”
Akis could have no idea of the depth of her hunger for him. She didn’t know how much longer she could go on without loving him completely. If she did that, then she’d never want to leave him. But what did Akis want?
Her experience with Byron proved to her that living happily ever after with the same person you married didn’t necessarily happen. She couldn’t bear the thought of a long-term relationship not working out with Akis. For the moment they were in a short-term situation because soon she would have to go back to California and once again take on the weight of her responsibilities.
If he wanted a life with Raina to continue, could a long-distance relationship back and forth from Greece to California work? A week fit in here and another week there throughout the year with months of separation in between?
Raina knew she was getting way ahead of herself, but every second spent with him was condemning her to be fatally in love with him for the rest of her life.
There was one thing Raina refused to do. Become so desperate that she’d marry someone else who came along in the future just to be married and have children. She could meet dozens of men and none of them would ever measure up to Akis. If her grandfather were still alive and could know this bigger-than-life man, he’d understand why Raina would never be able to settle for anyone else.
Her only choice was to spend this precious time with the man she loved and see what happened. Stop analyzing this to pieces, Raina.
He wanted to show her his Greece, so go with it and let come what may. She’d come to Athens for Chloe’s sake and had found joy beyond belief. If it meant that she could only experience it for a little while, then it was worth it. Casting any worries aside, she hurried up on deck and felt two arms grab her from behind.
“It took you long enough. I’ve been waiting for this.” He turned her around and lowered his head, covering her mouth with his own. Once again she was swept away. They’d started devouring each other when Akis unexpectedly lifted his lips from hers. “I can’t get enough of you, Raina.”
She let out a shaky breath. “I’m in the same condition.”
His hands gripped her shoulders. “I thought I could do this, but I can’t.”
When she saw the torment in his black gaze, she shuddered. “What’s wrong?”
With a sound of reluctance, he let go of her. “I’d intended to vacation with you, but it’s not working. Do you mind if we go back to the house?”
Raina took a step away from him. “Is it me? Something I’ve done?”
His answer was a long time in coming. “It’s nothing you’ve done. I want to make love to you more than you can imagine, but I don’t have the right.”
Afraid her legs wouldn’t support her, she found the nearest banquette so she could sit. Filled with anguish, she couldn’t look at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re wonderful, Raina, and you’ve changed my life to the point I don’t know where I am.”
She threw her head back. “Since you asked me to dance at the reception, my life hasn’t been the same, either. Taking a vacation probably wasn’t a good idea, but I’ll never regret the time we’ve spent together. If that’s what you want, then by all means let’s go back to Anti Paxos.”
His face was an expressionless mask. “It isn’t what I want, but I don’t see another alternative for our situation.”
She didn’t know what was driving this latest decision. But if by situation he meant that not making love to her had ruined the trip for him, then she agreed there was no point in prolonging it.
“All right.” In a quick move she reached for the life jacket and put it on. “While you get us under way, I’ll go below to clean things up in the kitchen and pack.”
He didn’t try to stop her. After getting the work done, she stayed below the whole time and rested her leg on the bed, knowing he would prefer to be alone. Her pain had gone beyond tears. When he cut the motor, she realized they’d returned to the harbor and was surprised the return trip had been so fast. There was only a slight rocking movement of the boat now that he’d pulled into the slip.
She heard footsteps in the hallway and checked her watch. It was seven-thirty. He peered inside the bedroom with an indecipherable expression in his dark eyes. “I’ll take your bag to the truck. Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Raina got up and followed him to the deck. “Just a minute. I need to stow the life jacket.” Once she’d taken it off and put it under the bench, she reached for the hand he extended to help her onto the dock. She thought he’d let go, but he kept it grasped in the warmth of his until he helped her into the truck in the parking area.
They drove in silence to his villa nestled in the greenery. It already felt like home to her. When it came time to say goodbye to this place, the wrench would be excruciating. She got out with her purse and started ahead of him along the path leading to the house. No longer needing the crutches she’d left behind, she climbed the steps to the back door. Akis let them in.
He walked her to the guest bedroom and put her bag down. “While you freshen up, I’ll start dinner.” Whatever emotions had been building inside him, he hadn’t made her privy to them.
“I won’t be long.”
She headed for the bathroom to shower and wash her hair. After using a towel to dry it, she put on her sundress. Raina had picked up a lot of sun. Even with the sunscreen, her skin felt tender. The straps of the dress wouldn’t hurt so much.
Once she’d brushed her hair, she put on lipstick and felt ready to face Akis. Before the night was over she knew there’d be a conversation and she was dreading it. When she walked into the living room, she saw that he’d opened the terrace doors. The table had been set on the patio.
He flicked her a glance and told her to come and eat. Akis had put another salad together along with fruit, rolls and coffee. He helped her into her chair and took a seat opposite her. “You picked up a lot of sun today.”
“I know. I’m feeling it now.”
“Skin like yours needs special care.”
Don’t keep it up, Akis. I can’t take it.
She’d lost her appetite, but ate a little of everything so she wouldn’t offend him. “Thank you for taking me to Lefkada. I loved every minute of it, including the helicopter tours.”
He eyed her over the rim of his coffee cup. “Do you still remember the word I taught you?”
“S’agapo. I promise to try it out on Chloe’s parents as soon as we fly back.” When there was no response, Raina got to her feet. She couldn’t stand their stilted, unnatural conversation. “Since we’re both through eating, I’ll clear the table. I can’t tell you how nice it is to be able to walk around without crutches.”
“I can only imagine.”
After two trips to the kitchen, she returned to the terrace, breathing in the fragrant air. It filtered through the house, arousing her senses. This was all too much. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to phone Nora. I promised her I’d call her, but I forgot last night. I don’t want her worried.”
Akis had gotten to his feet. “Don’t take too long. After you’ve assured her you’re all right, come back to the living room. I want you with me. We need to talk.”
He wanted her with him? She didn’t understand him. Her heightened pulse rate refused to go back to normal. “Nora may not even be available. If not, I’ll leave a message.”
As it turned out, the call went through to the Milonises’ voice messaging. She told them Akis had brought her to Anti Paxos and they’d been out in the cruiser to Lefkada. After saying she’d see them soon, she hung up and returned to the semidark living room. Akis was still out on the terrace.
His arms were stretched out against the railing, presenting a hard muscled silhouette against the starry sky.
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