Dreaming Of... Greece

“You noticed that.”

“It was hard not to.” She chuckled without looking at him. “I would imagine a man with your looks and minus a wedding ring needs rescuing from myriads of females.”

He blinked. “My looks?”

“You know very well you’re the embodiment of a Greek god.”

Akis frowned. “Which terrifying one are you referring to?”

At this point she laughed. “I didn’t have any particular god in mind. It’s something American women say when they’ve met an exceptionally good-looking man.”

“Then they haven’t seen one of our Greek statues up close or they’d run for their lives in the other direction.”

Her laughing continued. He decided she was somewhat of a tease.

“I don’t know. Despite your fearsome expression, the female pursuing you tonight didn’t seem turned off by you. Quite the opposite, in fact.”

That’s exactly what Althea had been doing for weeks. Maybe he’d misjudged her, but it didn’t matter because he hadn’t been attracted. “You saved me from being caught. For that, I’m in your debt.”

“I’m in yours for giving me a lift to the hotel,” she came right back. “We’re even.”

Akis had never met a woman like her. “Are you a friend of Theo’s or Chloe’s? I don’t even know your name.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

Her remark shouldn’t have bothered him, but it did...

They continued down the busy street. “Oh— Look—” she cried softly. “See that store on the right? Alpha/Omega 24?” He nodded. “That’s the one where I fell. My hotel is in the next block.”

* * *

Raina couldn’t believe that the incredible man she’d seen on the street yesterday was none other than Theo’s best man. It was an amazing coincidence. She was actually upset with herself for having any feelings about seeing him again tonight.

Since her divorce, there’d been no man in her life and she’d purposely kept it that way. She didn’t want to fall in love again and take the chance of being hurt. For this man to have already made an impact on her without even trying was disturbing. After the pain she’d been through because of Byron, she never wanted to experience it again.

When the driver drove up in front of the hotel, Raina was relieved that the striking Greek male sitting next to her had gone quiet and didn’t pressure her for more information. That was good.

She found that when she used a man’s tactics of a little false flattery on him, the fun went out of it on his part. Knowing Raina could see through his strategy, his interest had quickly waned. She wanted to leave Greece with no complications. Already she knew this man was unforgettable. The sooner she could get away from him, the better.

“Thanks again for the lift,” she said in a cheery voice, needing to escape the potency of his male charisma.

He opened the door and took her crutches to help her from the back of the limo. She put them underneath her arms and started for the entrance. After pushing the hotel door open, he accompanied her as far as the foyer. She kept moving toward the elevator. While she waited, she turned in his direction.

“Like you, I appreciated being rescued.” The lift door finally opened. “Good night.” She stepped inside without looking back, praying for it to close fast in case he decided to go upstairs with her.

Raina willed her heart to stop thudding. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d said he looked like a Greek god. From his black hair and eyes to his tall, powerful build, he was the personification of male perfection. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him all evening. His image would be all over the television tonight, causing legions of women to swoon.

Chloe had raved about Theo’s looks, but he couldn’t hold a candle to his best man. What had she called him? Akis something or other. He had a self-assured presence, bordering on an arrogance he probably wasn’t aware of.

The maid of honor who’d danced with him earlier had looked pained when he’d left her side and made a beeline to Raina’s table. Here Raina had tried so hard to be invisible during the reception. But at least no one recognized her.

So far the only photos taken of her were because the best man with his Greek-god looks had helped her out to the limo. Until now Raina had managed to escape any notoriety. The paparazzi were following him, not her. Chloe’s beautiful day had gone perfectly without a marring incident of any kind. If ever a bride looked euphoric...

Grateful for the reception to be over, she let herself into the room. To her surprise there was a light blinking on the phone. It couldn’t possibly be Chloe. Maybe it was the front desk. She used her crutches to reach the bedside and sat down to find out if something was wrong.

When she picked up, she listened to the message from Nora Milonis, Chloe’s mother. She was sending a car for Raina in the morning and insisted she spend the rest of her time in Athens with them. Be ready at 9:00 a.m. Absolutely no excuses now that the wedding was over!

She’d known the invitation was coming. It warmed her heart and put her in a much better mood.

Once she’d called for ice and was ready for bed, she elevated her leg and turned on the TV. But her mind wandered to the man who’d brought her home.

He spoke English with a deep, heavy Greek accent she found appealing. The man hadn’t done anything, yet he’d disturbed her senses that had lain dormant since she’d discovered her husband had been unfaithful to her. The way he’d looked at her both yesterday and tonight had made her feel alive for the first time in years and he hadn’t even touched her!

Why this man? Why now? She couldn’t understand what it was that made him so fascinating to her. That was the trouble. She didn’t want to find him fascinating because it meant a part of her wanted to see him again.

She’d planned to fly back to California soon, but her sprained ankle prevented her from leaving for a while. How wonderful that she’d be able to spend time with Chloe’s parents after all! Raina needed family right now, even if it wasn’t her own.

The doctor had warned her to keep it supported close to a week for a faster recovery. She’d planned to do work on her laptop and get in some reading.

Anything to keep her mind off Theo’s best man.

CHAPTER TWO

“KALIMERA, GALEN.”

The clerk’s head lifted. “Kyrie Giannopoulos—what a surprise to see you in here this morning! I didn’t expect a visit before next week.”

Galen reminded Akis of himself at an earlier age. He was eager for the work and anxious to please. So far, Akis had had no complaints about him. “I came by to find out if you were on duty the day before yesterday when an American woman slipped and fell.”

“Yes. Mikos and I were both here. How did you know?”

“That’s not important. Tell me what happened.”

Akis listened as his employee recounted the same story the exciting woman had told him last night. “Did she threaten to sue?”

“No. She claimed it was her fault.”

“Did you fill out an incident report?”

“Yes. It’s on the desk in the back room. I told the ambulance attendant the store would be responsible for the bill.”

“You did exactly the right thing. Thank you.”

Akis walked behind the counter and entered the small room, anxious to see what was written. He reached in the Out basket and found the injury report.

June 3, 1:45 p.m.

Ginger Moss: American, age 26

Athens address: The Diethnes Hotel.

Customer fell on wet floor after purchasing some headache medicine. She limped in pain. I called an ambulance. She was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital. Signed: Galen.

Ginger... He liked the name very much. He liked everything about her too much. She’d caused him a restless night despite the fact that the whole wedding day had been exhausting. Ginger Moss had that effect on a man.

Akis had felt her magic and couldn’t throw it off. Now that he was armed with her name, he planned to seek her out so he could get to know her better. Since he didn’t know her agenda, he had no idea how long she’d be in Athens. The only way to find out was to head over to her hotel.

Galen poked his head in the door. “Is everything all right, boss?”

“You two are doing a fine job.”

“Thanks. About that American woman who slipped and fell?”

Akis turned his head to look at his employee. “Yes?”

“Mikos had just mopped the floor before she came in. We did have the caution sign set out on the floor.”

“Good.” He nodded to his two employees and went back out to the limo. “I’ll walk to the Diethnes from here,” he told the driver. “Follow me and wait in front until you hear from me again.”

A few minutes later he entered the hotel lobby and told the concierge he’d like to speak to one of their guests named Ginger Moss. The other man shook his head. “We don’t have a tourist staying here with that name.”

Akis unconsciously ran a hand through his hair in surprise. “You’re sure? Maybe if I explain that the woman I’m looking for was using crutches when I dropped her off here last night.”

“Ah... The one with hair the color of a Titian painting and a figure like the statue in the museum. You know—the one of the goddess Aphrodite carrying a pitcher?”

Yes—that was the precise one Akis had envisioned himself.

He thought back to last night. She’d been elusive about everything. What kind of a game was she playing? He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, remembering her comment about him resembling a Greek god. Touché.

“Would you ring her room and tell her the man who helped her home last night is in the lobby and wishes to talk to her?”

His shoulders hunched. “I can’t. She checked out an hour ago.”

“You mean permanently?” he barked the question.

“Of course.”

“Did she leave a forwarding address?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“Did she go by taxi?”

“I don’t know. I was busy at the desk.”

“What name did she register under?”

“Unless you have a judge’s warrant, I can’t tell you.”

Trying to tamp down his frustration, he thanked the man and hurried outside to the limo where his driver was waiting.

“Shall I take you to the office?

“Not yet. I have a phone call to make first.” Akis climbed in the back and phoned Theo’s parents. He reached his friend’s mother. After chatting for a moment about the perfect wedding, she mentioned Althea and her disappointment that Akis had needed to leave the reception so soon. Akis reminded her that something pressing in business had come up. Then he got to the point.

“Did you invite an American woman named Ginger Moss to the wedding reception?”

“Moss? No,” she claimed after reflection. “That’s an unusual name, and it certainly wasn’t on our list or I would have remembered. Why?”

So that was the reason why Theo hadn’t arranged for her to stay at the Grand Bretagne. “I’m trying to find her.”

After a silence, “Is she the person who caused you to walk away from Althea so fast last night?”

Akis didn’t mind her teasing insinuation. Theo’s parents were like a second family to him. For the last year both of them had kept reminding him it was time he got married, too. “No. As I was leaving the ballroom, I ran into the woman who was on crutches and needed help out to a taxi.”

“Hmm. Why don’t you check with Chloe’s parents? They must have invited her. If they haven’t heard of her, either, maybe she was a friend of Chloe’s or Theo’s. Perhaps they invited her too late to receive an invitation.”

“Maybe,” he muttered. “She hadn’t been at the church or I would have remembered,” he said quietly. “Thanks. We’ll all have to get together after they get back from their honeymoon.”

“Wonderful, but don’t you dare be a stranger while they’re away!”

“I won’t,” Akis promised, but his mind was on the woman he’d asked to dance last night. He could have sworn there’d been feelings between them. Sparks. Some nuance of chemistry that had happened immediately while they were on the sidewalk and wouldn’t leave him alone. Yet she’d run off this morning.

No matter what, he intended to find her. It bothered him that she’d given him the slip when she knew he wanted to get to know her better. Maybe it was his pride that made him want to prove she had feelings for him, too. One thing was certain. He wasn’t going to let her disappear on him.

Without wasting another moment, he phoned Chloe’s house. The housekeeper said she’d put through the call to Chloe’s father because Kyria Milonis was occupied.

The more Akis thought about it, the more he decided this woman had to be a friend of Chloe’s. Otherwise Theo would have talked about her long before now. He wouldn’t have been able to help himself because even if he was head over heels in love with Chloe, this Ginger, or whoever she was, stood out from the rest.

Why had she sat at the last table near the doors last night? It was almost as if she hadn’t wanted to be seen. Her behavior was a mystery to him. Vasso would be shocked by the strength of his brother’s desire to find the tantalizing female. Nothing like this had ever happened before. No one was more shocked than Akis himself. In case she’d be leaving Athens soon, he had to work fast.

“Akis, my boy!” came the booming voice of Chloe’s father. “Great to hear from you! We’re going to miss the kids. The place feels empty. Come on over to the house for lunch. My wife will be thrilled. We’ll eat by the pool.”

The perfect place to vet Chloe’s parents. “I’ll be there soon, Socus. Thank you.”

* * *

After getting settled on a patio lounger by the pool with her leg raised, Raina smiled at Chloe’s mother who hovered around her like her grandmother used to do. She loved her friend’s parents and drew great comfort from being with them. They couldn’t seem to do enough for her.

“We were always sorry that you didn’t come to live with us after Chloe’s school year with you ended. It was all Chloe had talked about.”

“I would have come, but as you know my grandmother wasn’t well and I was afraid to leave her. Then I started college and met the man who became my husband. When our marriage didn’t work out, I divorced him. Then, of course, my grandmother died and I needed to take care of my grandfather, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer. There was never a good time to come to Greece.”

Chloe’s father patted her hand. “You’ve had a great load on your shoulders.”

“My grandparents raised me. I loved them so much and owed them everything. But I have to tell you, the year Chloe spent with me was the happiest of my life. It was like having a sister. My grandparents adored her.”

Nora smiled with tears in her eyes. “She loved the three of you. Why don’t you consider this your temporary home and stay with us for a time? There’s nothing we’d like more. Chloe would be ecstatic.”

“That would be wonderful, but I have a job waiting for me when I get back.”

“You like your work?”

“Very much,” but she was prevented from saying more because a maid appeared beneath the striped patio awning. She said something in Greek and suddenly the best man walked out on the terrace.

“Akis!” Nora cried with warmth in her voice.

Raina’s heart skipped several beats. In a short-sleeved white crew neck and matching cargo pants, he robbed her of breath, with his rock-hard physique and arresting Greek features.

He hadn’t seen Raina yet and said something in Greek to Chloe’s parents with an aura of authority she was sure came naturally to him. He sounded intense, with no accompanying smile. After he stopped talking, they both started to chuckle and turned to Raina.

The man’s dark head jerked around in her direction. His penetrating gaze caused her body to fill with heat. To her dismay she lay helpless on the lounger in another T-shirt and jeans with her leg propped, hardly an exciting sight. The look of shock on his face was priceless.

“You’re here,” he muttered, rubbing his chest absently. “I went to the hotel but the concierge said you’d already checked out. Theo’s parents claimed they didn’t know you, so I decided to come over here to find out if you were a friend of Chloe’s.”

The knowledge that he’d been trying to find her excited her. Again she was struck by his heavily accented English. For want of a better word, she found it endearing. Raina nodded to him, stunned that he’d gone to such lengths to find her. “Friends from a long time ago. Her parents sent a car for me this morning so we could visit.”

“Which has been long overdue,” Nora stated in English.

He still looked thunderstruck. Raina could read his mind. “Did you think I had invited myself to the reception?”

“No, but I got the feeling you didn’t want to be noticed,” he drawled. She had the feeling nothing got past him.

“While you two talk, I’ll tell Ione to serve lunch out here.” Nora got up from the deck chair and Chloe’s father followed her, leaving them alone.

Raina swallowed hard. She never imagined seeing him again and wasn’t prepared for this overwhelming response to the very sight of him.

He pulled up a deck chair and sat down next to her. His black eyes played over her from head to toe, missing nothing in between. Her pulse raced. “How’s the pain this morning?”

“I took an ibuprofen and now it’s hardly noticeable. At this rate I’ll be able to fly home soon.”

“What’s the rush?”

“Work is waiting for me.” I don’t dare spend any more time around you. I didn’t come to Greece to meet a man who has already become too important to me.

He leaned forward with his hands clasped between his hard muscled legs. “What kind?”

Oh, boy. She could tell she was in for a vetting. The less he knew about her, the better. She was afraid to be open with her feelings for fear of being hurt again. After having made a huge mistake in choosing Byron, she feared she didn’t have wise judgment when it came to men.

Byron had been relentless in his pursuit of her. She’d been so naive and so flattered by his attention, she’d fallen into his grasping, narcissistic hands like an apple from a tree. His betrayal of her even before their marriage had scarred her for life, forcing her to grow up overnight.

Never again would she allow herself to be caught off guard, even if this man thrilled her to the core of her being. Raina would rather leave Greece without feeling any tug of emotion for this dark-haired stranger. He was already dangerous to her peace of mind.

“I work in a lab with a team of people.” That was as much as she was willing to reveal. “What do you do for a living?”

He studied her intently. “My brother and I are in business. That’s how I met Theo. So now that we have that out of the way, how did you meet Chloe?”

Raina could tell he was equally reticent to talk about himself. That was fine with her. He could keep his secrets, whatever they were. “My senior year of high school, she came to live with me in California for the school year so she could learn English. That year there were three other students from other countries living with some of the students’ families.”

“Was it a reciprocal arrangement?”

“Yes. After graduation I was supposed to spend the next year with her family, but too many things at the time prevented me from coming here to live with them.”

Needing some space to gather her composure before he asked her any more questions, she sat up and swung her legs to the ground. He anticipated her movements and handed her the crutches lying by the side of the lounger. “Thank you,” she said, tucking them beneath her arms. “If you’ll excuse me, please, I need to use the restroom.”

“Of course.”

Raina could see in his eyes she hadn’t fooled him, but what did it matter. She hurried through the mansion to her suite of rooms. The fabulous Milonis estate had been built along neoclassical lines in its purest architectural form. So different from the home where she’d been raised in Carmel.

When she eventually returned to the patio, she discovered Akis in the swimming pool. Their lunch had been brought out to the patio table. While he was doing laps at tremendous speed, she sat down in one of the chairs around the table and dug into the salad filled with delicious chicken, feta cheese and olives.

Chloe’s parents were nowhere in sight. Raina had hoped they’d come out to provide a buffer against his questions, but no such luck. Chloe’s parents were a very hip couple she adored. Raina could see why. Too bad they thought they were aiding a romantic situation by staying away.

As her eyes looked out at the pool, Akis suddenly raised his head. The wet black hair was swept back from his forehead to reveal his extraordinary male features. The moment he saw her, he levered himself from the aquamarine water and reached for a towel, giving her more than a glimpse of his splendid body. He must have borrowed someone’s black trunks. They hung low on his hips.

“Last night you resembled one of your disgruntled gods,” she teased to fight her attraction. “Today you’ve morphed into Poseidon.”

Akis finished drying himself off before he sat down in a chair opposite her and plucked a big olive from the salad his white teeth bit into with relish. Between his olive skin and black hair, he was a work of art if there was such a label to describe a beautiful man. To her consternation, everything he said and did intrigued her.

“Oddly enough you haven’t changed since last night,” he remarked. “The concierge said you resembled Aphrodite, a description that fits you in every detail except for your crutches.”

She laughed to let him know she didn’t take him seriously. To believe him would be a huge mistake. “Careful,” she cautioned. “You might just turn my head if you keep up that malarkey.”

One dark brow lifted. “Malarkey?”

“An English expression for nonsense.”

His jet-black eyes came alive. “You mean my methods are working?” By now he’d devoured a roll and most of his salad.

“Absolutely. But since I won’t be in Greece long, maybe your time would be better spent talking to someone of your own kind and background.”

In an instant his jaw hardened. Uh-oh. She must have struck a nerve.

“My own kind?” The words came out more like a soft hiss.

She choked on her iced tea. What had she said to provoke such a reaction? “Surely you must realize I meant no offense. Perhaps the maid of honor wasn’t to your liking last night, but I saw a lot of lovely Greek women at the reception—women who live here and would enjoy your attention.”

Akis sat back in the chair. “Meaning you don’t?”

“I didn’t say that!” Their conversation had taken a strange twist.

“Let’s start over again.” He cocked his head. “We weren’t formally introduced. My name is Akis Giannopoulos as you already know. What’s yours?”

She took a deep breath. “Raina.”

“Ah. Raina what?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Does it matter when we’ll never see each other again?”

“That’s the second time you’ve used the same excuse not to tell me.”

“I simply don’t see the point.” He grew on her with every moment they spent together. This wasn’t supposed to happen!

An ominous silence surrounded them. “Obviously not. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to change clothes in the cabana.”

She’d made him angry. Good. Raina wanted him to leave her alone. But as she watched him stride to the other side of the pool, she experienced a strange sense of loss totally at odds with her determination to separate herself from him.

Raina wanted to escape any more involvement because she had a premonition this man had the power to hurt her in a way not even Byron had done. Akis made her feel things she didn’t want to feel. To give in to her desire to be with him could bring her joy, but for how long? When the excitement wore off for him, would he find someone else? Raina was afraid to trust what she was feeling. She quickly grabbed her crutches and hurried to find Chloe’s mother who was in the kitchen.

“Thank you for the delicious lunch, Nora. Now if you don’t mind, my ankle has started to ache again. I’m going to go to my room and lie down for a while. Please say goodbye to Mr. Giannopoulos for me. He came over to your home to visit with you and is still out in the pool.”

Her eyes widened. “Of course. Can I get you anything?”

“Not a thing. You’ve done too much for me already. I just need to rest my leg for a while.”

“Then go on.” The two women hugged and she left the kitchen for her suite of rooms. In truth Raina needed to get her mind off Akis. Since she hadn’t had family around for a long time, it felt wonderful to be spoiled by two people who showed her so much love. Hopefully when Raina went back outside later, she’d find Akis gone.

With Chloe and Theo touring the fjords in Norway for the next two weeks, she hoped Akis wouldn’t drop by until after the couple had returned from their honeymoon. After a few days’ reunion in order to meet Theo, Raina would fly back to Monterey.

* * *

Akis took his time dressing. He knew instinctively Raina had said and done things to discourage him. Why? One of her stiletto-like jabs had worked its way under his skin and had taken hold.

How much did she know about him? Had she been insinuating that he wasn’t good enough for her? Was it something Chloe had told her about his roots?

His own kind and background? Was he being paranoid?

Raina had rushed to explain what she’d meant when she’d told him he’d be better off spending time with his own kind and background instead of an American who’d be leaving soon. Even if he’d felt her sincerity and were willing to believe her explanation, the words had sunk deep in that vulnerable spot inside him and wouldn’t go away.

He and Vasso were the brothers who’d climbed out of poverty without the benefit of formalized education. No college, no university degrees to hang on the wall. Akis wasn’t well read or well traveled. He came out of that class of poor people who didn’t have that kind of money, nor the sophistication. Whatever he and his brother had achieved had come through hard work.

No matter how much money he made now, it didn’t give him the polish of someone like Theo who’d attended the finest university to become a banker like his father and grandfather before him. Akis could hold his own, but he was aware of certain inadequacies that would never change.

By now he got along fine in English, but being with her made him realize how much he didn’t know about her language. He wasn’t like Theo, who’d spent a year in England and spoke English with only a trace of accent.

Chloe could answer a lot of his questions, but she wasn’t available and wouldn’t be home for a fortnight. That presented a problem. Before long her former high school friend would be back in California. This woman worked in a lab? What kind? She could have meant anything.

His head was spinning with questions for which there were no answers. Not yet anyway.

When he left the cabana, he wasn’t surprised to find Raina had disappeared on him. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough. On his way into the house he ran into Nora. Though tempted to ask questions he knew she could answer, he didn’t want to drag her into something that was strictly between him and Raina.

“The wedding was beautiful. Now you can relax for a little while. Thank you for lunch.”

“You’re always welcome here. You know that. Raina’s ankle was hurting and she went to her room. She asked me to say goodbye to you.”

“I appreciate that. She did seem a little under the weather.”

He kissed her cheek and left the house for the limo where his driver was waiting. “Take me to the office.”

During the ride he sat back trying to figure out what was going on with her. She’d told his employee at the store her name was Ginger Moss, but the concierge denied any knowledge of it. Why in the hell had she done that?

Once back at the Giannopoulos business complex off Syntagma Square, he walked through the empty offices to his private suite. It was a good thing it was Sunday. In this mood he’d probably bite the heads off the staff.

Vasso would be back tomorrow, but Akis needed to talk to him. His brother was busy overseeing a new store opening in Heraklion. If not for the wedding, Akis would have gone with him.

He rang Vasso’s cell phone number. It was four o’clock in the afternoon. He should still be at the grand opening to make sure everything went smoothly. “Pick up, Vasso.” But it went through to his voice mail. Akis left the message for him to call ASAP. While he waited to hear from him, he caught up on some paperwork.

When his brother hadn’t phoned him by seven-thirty, Akis couldn’t take it anymore and decided to drive back to the Milonis estate. Before the night was out he would find out why she didn’t want to let him into her life. Was it because she thought he was beneath her socially? Wasn’t he good enough for her? If that was the case, then she needed to say that to his face.

Raina was different than any woman he’d ever met. He was deeply attracted not only to her looks but to her personality, as well. She could fight it all she wanted, but they had a connection. He just had to tear down that wall she’d put up. It was important to him.

Ione, the Milonises’ housekeeper, met him at the door and explained that Chloe’s parents had gone out for dinner, but they’d be back shortly.

“What about their houseguest?”

“Thespinis Maywood is in the den watching television.”

Maywood...

So she hadn’t run away quite yet. Pleased by the information he said, “I’ll just say hello to her, then. Thanks, Ione.” Without hesitation he walked past her and found his way to the room in question. Having been over here many times, he knew where to go.

The door was already open so he walked in to find her lying on the couch in front of the TV with a couple of throw pillows elevating her leg. She was dressed in the same jeans and T-shirt she’d worn earlier.