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The Millionaire's True Worth
Rebecca Winters
The secret millionaire…When wealthy socialite Raina Maywood attends her best friend’s wedding, the last thing she’s expecting is her own romance! Since her marriage imploded, she’s learnt to keep her distance…until she meets gorgeous best man, Akis!Self-made millionaire Akis mistrusts women who only have eyes for his wallet, but the beautiful stranger he meets at the wedding doesn’t even know he’s rich. Their connection is instant, and profound. Has Akis finally found the woman who loves the man behind the millionaire?



Greek Billionaires
Two billionaire brothers…brides wanted!
Gorgeous Greek brothers Akis and Vannis Giannopoulos have the world at their feet.
They have everything they need…except love.
Until their lives—and hearts!—are turned upside down when two feisty women arrive on their luxurious Greek island.
Akis meets his match, and the only woman who can discover the man beneath the suit and tie, in
The Millionaire’s True Worth
And look out for
A Wedding for the Greek Tycoon
Available from September 2015
Let Rebecca Winters whisk you away with this riveting and emotional new duet!
The Millionaire’s
True Worth
Rebecca Winters


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
REBECCA WINTERS lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. With canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favorite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels, because writing is her passion, along with her family and church.
Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to e-mail her, please visit her website at www.cleanromances.com (http://www.cleanromances.com).
Contents
Cover (#u985f5235-42ae-5a57-b9b2-11d2195ea3ca)
Introduction (#udde2151a-e5f4-57ec-b65b-aed3a559aadd)
Title Page (#u389ce25d-561b-59d8-8f03-890d165416ab)
About the Author (#uf264205c-f3db-56a6-a8ff-631c3dea4aca)
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#u0e9a4ff0-3a2e-5211-83b2-26ea86a15da2)
“CHLOE? I’M SORRY I can’t be your maid of honor, but you know why.”
Following that statement there was a long silence on Chloe’s part. But Raina had her job plus the many responsibilities thrown onto her shoulders since the death of her grandfather. She was now heiress to the Maywood billion-dollar fortune and was constantly in the news. When she went out in public, the paparazzi were right on her heels.
Chloe’s family were high-profile Greek industrialists, a favorite target of the European paparazzi. Her marriage would be the top story in Athens. “If I were your maid of honor, the media would make a circus out of your special day.” Raina feared it would take the spotlight off her dear friend. For Chloe’s sake, she couldn’t risk it.
Too much had happened in the intervening years. It had been eight years, in fact, since Chloe had lived with Raina and her grandparents during her senior year of high school. But they’d stayed in touch by phone and the internet.
Three years ago Raina’s grandmother had died and Chloe had come to California with her parents for the funeral. Just nine months ago Raina’s grandfather had died and once again Chloe and her family had flown over to be with her for his funeral. Their close friendship had helped her get through her grief, and Chloe’s family had begged Raina to come back to Greece with them.
“Please tell me you understand, Chloe. I have no desire to intrude on your joy.”
“I don’t care about me.”
“But I do.”
After a resigned sigh Chloe said, “Then at least stay at the house with me and my family. After all you did for me when I lived with you, my parents are anxious to do everything they can for you.”
“Tell you what. After you’ve left on your honeymoon I’ll be thrilled to spend time with them before I fly back to California.”
“They’ll want you to stay for several months. Think about it. We could have such a wonderful time together.”
“I will think about it. As for right now I can’t wait to be at your reception. The photos you sent me in your wedding dress are fabulous!”
“But you won’t get to see me married at the church.”
“Much as I’m sorry about that, it’s better this way. I’ve already booked a room at the Diethnes Hotel. You can reach me on the phone there or on my cell phone. Chloe? You promise you haven’t told your fiancé my plans?”
“I swear it. Of course he knows all about you, but he doesn’t have any idea that you are coming to Greece.”
“Good. That’s how I want things to stay. This is going to be your day! If the press finds out I’m there, I’m afraid it will ruin things for you. Later this year I’ll fly over to meet him, or you can fly to California.”
“I promise. He’s so wonderful, I can’t eat or sleep.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Ta le-me, Chloe,” she said, using one of the few Greek expressions she still remembered, before hanging up.
Six years ago Raina had been in the same excited condition as her friend. Halfway through college she’d met Byron Wallace, a writer. After a whirlwind romance they were married. But it didn’t take long to see his selfish nature and suspect her new husband of being unfaithful. Armed with proof of his infidelity even before their two-year marriage anniversary, she’d divorced him, only to lose her grandmother to heart failure.
In her pain she vowed never to marry again. She’d told as much to her beloved, ailing grandfather who’d passed away from stomach cancer.
Chloe’s phone call a month ago about her impending marriage had come as a wonderful surprise. Since the death of Raina’s grandfather, it was the one piece of news that put some excitement back into her life.
The head of her team at the lab was aware she hadn’t taken a vacation in several years. He urged her to take the time off for as long as she wanted. “Go to Greece and be with your friend,” he’d said. “We’ll still be here when you get back.”
Raina thought about it. A change of scene to enjoy Chloe’s nuptials might be exactly what she needed.
* * *
Maybe it was the stress of everything she’d had to do before her flight to Athens, Greece. All Raina knew was that she had developed a splitting headache. She needed a strong painkiller. After filing out of the coach section to clear customs wearing jeans and a T-shirt, she retrieved her medium-sized suitcase and left the terminal late morning to find a taxi.
“The Diethnes Hotel, please,” she told the driver. The man at the travel agency in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, had booked the budget hotel for her. From there she could walk to Syntagma Square and the city center without problem.
Chloe had phoned her from Athens yesterday to exclaim over the gorgeous seventy-eight-degree temperature, perfect for her June wedding that would take place tomorrow. Considering the prominence of the Milonis and Chiotis families, it promised to be one of the country’s major society events of the summer.
Raina, a strawberry blonde with wavy hair cut neck length, looked at the clear blue Greek sky, a good omen for the impending festivities. Chloe was the sweetest girl in the world. Raina hoped she was marrying an honorable man who’d be true to her.
Raina hadn’t been so lucky in that department, but four years had passed since the divorce and she refused to let any remaining clouds dampen the excitement for her friend. Every woman went into marriage praying it would last forever. A woman had that right, didn’t she?
Once she’d been shown to her room and had unpacked, Raina went back downstairs for directions to the nearest pharmacy for headache medicine. The concierge told her there was a convenience store in the next block many of the American tourists frequented.
Raina thanked him and made her way down the street.
* * *
Akis Giannopoulos smiled at his best friend. “Are you ready to take the big plunge?”
Theo grinned. “You already know the answer to that question. If I’d had my way, I would have kidnapped Chloe and married her in private several months ago. But her mother and mine have had an agenda since the engagement. Wouldn’t you know the guest list includes a cast of thousands?”
“You’re a lucky man.” Akis was happy for him. Theo and Chloe seemed to be a perfect match. “Can I do any last-minute service for you before you become a married man?”
“You did more than enough helping me make all the hotel arrangements for our out-of-town guests. I suggest you go back to the penthouse. I need my best man relaxed before the big day tomorrow. Will your brother be there?”
“Vasso phoned me earlier. He’ll make it to the wedding, but then he has to get back to the grand opening so he’ll miss the reception.”
“Understood. So, I’ll see you at the church in the morning?”
Akis hugged him. “Try to keep me away.”
The two men had been friends for a long time. Naturally Akis was thrilled for Theo, but he was surprised to discover just how much he would miss the camaraderie they’d shared as bachelors. Having done so many things together, Akis was feeling a real sense of loss.
Theo’s life would now be swept up with Chloe’s. Falling in love with her had changed his friend. He was excited for this marriage. Akis marveled that Theo wanted it so much.
How could he feel so certain that marrying Chloe was the right thing for him?
Marriage meant a lifelong commitment. The woman would have to be so sensational. Akis couldn’t fathom finding such a woman.
Aware he was in a despondent mood that wasn’t like him, he left the bank Theo’s family had owned for several decades and decided to walk to the penthouse in order to shake it off. After the wedding rehearsal that had taken place this morning, exercise was what he needed.
Tourists had flooded into Athens. He saw every kind and description as he made his way to the Giannopoulos complex. After turning a corner, he almost bumped into a beautiful female in a T-shirt and jeans coming in his direction.
“Me seen xo rees, thespinis,” he apologized, getting out of her way just in time.
She murmured something he didn’t quite hear. For a moment their eyes locked. He felt like he’d suddenly come in contact with an electric current. She must have felt it, too, because he saw little bursts of violet coming from those velvety depths before she walked on. By the way she moved, she had a definite destination in mind. The last thing he saw was her blondish-red hair gleaming in the sun before she rounded the corner behind him.
* * *
Raina slowed down, shocked by what had just happened. Maybe it was her bad headache that had caused her to almost walk into the most gorgeous male she’d ever seen in her life. Not in her wildest dreams could she have conjured such a man.
She needed medicine fast!
Luckily the sign for the convenience store was in Greek and English. Alpha/Omega 24. Translation—everything from A to Z. That was a clever name for the store. Its interior looked like “everywhere USA.” There was a caution sign saying Wet Floor in both languages as you walked in.
She tiptoed over the newly mopped floor in her sandals to the counter. The male clerk, probably college age, helped her find the over-the-counter medicine section for headaches.
After picking it out plus a bottle of water, she followed him back to the counter to pay for the items with some euros. While she waited, she opened the water and took two pills. On her way out, the clerk asked her where she was staying. Raina told him she was just passing through and started for the exit. But somehow, she didn’t know how, she slipped and fell.
“Whoa—” Pain radiated from her ankle. The clerk rushed from behind the counter to help her get up. When she tried to stand, it really hurt. Hopefully the medicine would help tamp down the pain.
He hurried into a back room and brought out a chair so she could sit down. “I’m calling the hospital.”
“I don’t think there’s a need for that.”
He ignored her. “This is the store’s fault. You stay there.”
She felt the fool sitting there while there were customers coming in and out. The other clerk who’d mopped the floor waited on them. In a few minutes an ambulance drove up in front. By then she’d answered a few questions the clerk had asked in order to fill out an incident form.
Because she was incognito, she gave her grandmother’s name with her information so no one would pick up on her name. To her dismay there was a small crowd standing around as she was helped outside. Great! Exactly what she didn’t want.
“Thank you,” she said to the clerk before being helped into the back by one of the attendants. “You’ve been very kind and I appreciate it.”
Two hours later her sprain had been wrapped. She needed to put ice on it and elevate her leg to cut down the swelling. The ER doctor fitted her with crutches and sent them with her in the taxi, letting her know the bill would be taken care of by the store where she’d fallen.
After the wedding reception, Raina would make certain her insurance company would reimburse the store. After all, the accident was her fault.
For the time being, she needed to lie down and call room service for her meals and ice. How crazy was it that she would have to go to the reception tomorrow evening on crutches. No matter what, she refused to miss her dear friend’s celebration.
After flying all this way, how even crazier was it that all she could think about was the man she’d come close to colliding with earlier in the day. She’d never experienced anything like that before. The streets of Athens were crowded with hundreds of people. How was it that one man could rob her of breath just looking at him?
* * *
With a champagne glass in hand, Akis stood at the head table to toast the bride and groom. “It was a great honor Theo Chiotis bestowed on me when he asked me to be his best man. No man has had a better friend.” Except for Vasso, of course. “After meeting and getting to know Chloe, I can say without reservation that no man could have married a sweeter woman. To Theo and Chloe. May you always be as happy as you are today.”
After the crowd applauded, other friends of the bridal couple made their toasts. Akis was thankful his part in the long wedding-day festivities was officially over. When he felt a decent interval of time had passed, he would slip out of the luxurious Grand Bretagne Hotel ballroom unnoticed and leave for the penthouse.
To love a woman enough to go through this exhaustive kind of day was anathema to Akis. No man appreciated women more than he did, but his business affairs with thirty-year-old Vasso kept him too busy to enjoy more than a surface relationship that didn’t last long.
Though he congratulated himself on reaching the age of twenty-nine without yet succumbing to marriage, Theo’s wedding caused Akis to question what was going on with him and his brother.
The two of them had been in business since they were young boys. To this point in time no enduring love interest had interfered with their lives and they’d managed to make their dream to rise out of poverty come true. Besides owning a conglomerate of retail stores throughout Greece, they’d set up a charity Foundation with two centers, one in Greece, the other in New York City.
Their dirt-poor background might be a memory, but it was the one that drove them so they’d never know what it was like to go hungry again. Unfortunately their ascent from rags to riches didn’t come without some drawbacks. For various reasons both he and Vasso found it difficult to trust the women who came into their lives. They enjoyed brief relationships. But they grew leery when they came across women who seemed to love them for themselves, with no interest in their money. He thought about their parents who, though they were painfully poor and scraped for every drachma, had loved and were devoted to one another. They came from the same island with the same expectations of life and the ability to endure the ups and downs of marriage. Both Akis and Vasso wanted a union like their parents’, one that would last forever. But finding the right woman seemed to be growing harder.
Akis’s thoughts wandered back to the words he’d just spoken to the guests in the ballroom. He’d meant what he’d said about Chloe, who was kind and compatible. She suited Theo, who also had a winning nature. They both came from the same elite, socioeconomic background that helped them to trust that neither had an agenda. If two people could make it through this life together and be happy, he imagined they would.
Every so often he felt the maid of honor’s dark eyes willing him to pay attention to her. Althea Loris was one of Chloe’s friends, a very glamorous woman as yet unattached. She’d tried to corner him at various parties given before the wedding. Althea came from a good family with a modest income, but Akis sensed how much she wanted all the trappings of a marriage like Chloe’s.
Even if Akis had felt an attraction, he would have wondered if she’d set her eyes on him for what he could give her monetarily. It wasn’t fair to judge, but he couldn’t ignore his basic instinct about her.
There was nothing he wanted more than to be loved for himself. An imperfect self, to be sure. Both he and Vasso had been born into a family where you worked by the sweat of your brow all the days of your life. The idea of a formal education was unheard of, but he hadn’t worried about it until the summer right before he had to do his military service.
An Italian tourist named Fabrizia, who was staying on the island that July, had flirted with Akis at the store where he worked. He couldn’t speak Italian, nor she Greek, so they managed with passable English. He was attracted and spent time swimming with her when he could get an hour off. By the time she had to go home, he’d fallen for her and wanted to know when she’d be back.
After kissing him passionately she’d said, “I won’t be able to come.” In the next breath she’d told him she’d be getting married soon to one of the attorneys working for her father in Rome. “But I’ll never forget my beautiful grocery boy. Why couldn’t you be the attorney my parents have picked out for me?”
Not only had his pride taken a direct hit, her question had made him startlingly aware of his shortcomings, the kind that went soil-deep. The kind that separated the rich from the poor. From that time on, Akis had enjoyed several relationships with women, but they didn’t approach the level of his wanting to get married.
Too bad his brother had to leave after the wedding at the church and couldn’t attend the reception. He was away on important business at the moment so he couldn’t rescue Akis with a legitimate excuse to leave early. Akis would have to manufacture a good one on his own.
Thankfully the speeches were almost over. Chloe’s father was the last person to speak. After getting choked up because he was losing his precious daughter to Theo, he urged everyone to enjoy the rest of the evening and dance.
Akis watched as Theo escorted Chloe to the floor for the first dance. Soon other couples joined them. That meant Akis had to fulfill one last duty. It was expected that he ask Althea, who was more than eager to find herself in his arms.
“I’ve been waiting for this all day, Akis.”
He knew what she was saying, what she was hoping for, but he couldn’t force interest that wasn’t there. The long, exhausting wedding day was almost over. Akis couldn’t wait to leave, but he needed to choose his words carefully. “Unfortunately I still have business to do after the reception is over.”
Her head jerked up. “Business? Tonight?”
“My work is never done.” As the music was coming to an end, he danced her over to her parents’ table and let her go. “Thank you, Althea. Theo asked me to mingle so if you’ll excuse me, there’s one more person I should dance with before I leave.” The lie had just come to him.
While she looked at him with genuine disappointment, he smiled at her parents before he moved through the crowded room toward the rear of the ballroom. In order to prove he hadn’t told an untruth, he looked for any woman at one of the tables who didn’t have an escort, whom he could ask to dance.
At the round table nearest the rear doors he saw a woman sitting alone. Another couple sat across from her, but it was clear she didn’t have a man with her. Knowing Althea was still watching him, he walked toward the stranger. Maybe she was waiting for someone, but he’d take his chances.
Closer now he could make out classic features beneath hair an incredible light gold with a natural hint of red. He’d only seen hair that color on one other woman. His breath caught. She wore a pale blue silk suit jacket with a small enamel locket hanging around her neck. He imagined she was in her mid-twenties. He saw no rings.
Akis approached her. “Excuse me, thespinis. I see you’re alone for the moment. As best man of this wedding, if you’d permit, I’d like to dance with you.”
Her eyes lifted to his.
Those eyes. They were the same eyes he’d looked into yesterday, but tonight he discovered they were a stunning shade of lavender blue and he found himself lost in them.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t speak Greek.”
Her comment jarred him back to the present. What was this American beauty doing at Theo’s wedding reception? Switching to unpolished English he said, “We passed in the street yesterday.”
“I remember almost bumping into you,” she murmured, averting her eyes. He noticed with satisfaction that a nerve throbbed in her throat above her locket. She was as excited as he was by this unexpected meeting. “I came close to knocking you down because I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
He smiled. “No problem. Just now I asked you to dance, but perhaps you’re waiting for the man who brought you.”
A delicate flush filled her cheeks. “No. I came alone. Thank you for the invitation, but I was just getting ready to leave.”
He wasn’t about to let her go a second time. “Surely you can spare one dance with me? I need rescuing.”
“Where’s your wife?”
“I’ve never had a wife. As for a girlfriend, I haven’t had one in months.” It was the truth.
“Then who was the woman with the long black hair you were dancing with moments ago?”
So she’d noticed. “You’re very observant. She was the maid of honor. It would have been unkind not to dance with her.”
With a twinkle in her eyes, she leaned to the right and retrieved a pair of crutches from the floor. She stood them on end. “Unless you’re prepared for your feet to be impaled by one of these, I’ll do you a favor and exit the room.”
She’d surprised Akis. This had to be a very recent injury. Her legitimate excuse to turn him down only fed his determination to get to know her better. Yesterday he’d wanted to pursue her, but hadn’t dared for fear of alarming her. “Then let me help you.”
Without hesitation he took the crutches from her and waited until she got to her feet. She was probably five foot seven, with enticing curves. The matching suit skirt covered womanly hips and slender legs. His gaze fell lower to the left ankle that had been wrapped. She wore a sandal on her foot and a low-heeled shoe on the other.
“Thank you.” She reached for the crutches and fit them beneath her arms. The delicate fragrance emanating from her assailed him. “Why don’t you ask the other woman at my table to dance? I’m sure her partner won’t mind.”
“I’d rather help you to your room.”
“I’m not staying here.”
That was interesting. He’d helped Theo make arrangements for all their out-of-town guests to stay here. “Then I’ll walk you outside and take you wherever you’d like to go.”
“As long as you’re offering, I wouldn’t say no if you hailed a taxi for me. I’m craving my hotel room so I can elevate my leg.”
“I’ll do better than that.” Akis accompanied her from the ballroom and down the hall to the foyer. The woman at his side managed her crutches with little trouble. En route he phoned his driver and told him to come to the hotel entrance.
As they walked outside, flashes from the cameras of the paparazzi blinded them. Chloe and Theo’s wedding would be the top story making the ten o’clock news on television. Video of prominent guests and the best man attending the reception filmed by TV news crews would be included.
Some of the paparazzi called out questions about the beautiful woman with Akis. He hated the attention though he was used to it, and kept walking her to the smoked-glass limo without answering them. He took her crutches so she could get in, then he followed and shut the door before sitting opposite her. “Are you all right?”
“I am. Are you?”
“I am now. The press is unrelenting. Tell me where you’re staying and I’ll let the driver know.”
“The Diethnes.”
A lot of tourists on a budget frequented two-star hotels like that one. Until he and Vasso had started making money, he could never have afforded to stay at any hotel. Period. Akis gave his driver directions and they pulled away from the Grand Bretagne. “When did you have time to injure your ankle?”
She let out a sound of exasperation. “It happened right after you and I passed on the sidewalk. I had a headache and was on my way to a store for some medicine. While I was inside, I slipped on the wet floor. It was such a stupid accident, totally my fault for not paying attention. The clerk was incredibly kind and called the ambulance for me.”
Akis mulled over her answer. Had she decided it would be easier to attend the reception rather than the wedding because of her injury? If she’d been at the church, he wouldn’t have been able to take his eyes off her during the ceremony.
“Are you in pain?”
“Not really. It’s more a dull ache until I rest it.”
“I’m sorry you had to fall, especially the day before the wedding.”
“Funny about life, isn’t it?” she murmured. “You never know what’s going to happen when you get up in the morning.” The almost haunted tone in her voice intrigued him.
“How true. When I left for the wedding, I didn’t know I was going to meet the lovely stranger who’d passed me on the street yesterday.”
“Or be chased by the maid of honor tonight,” she said in a wry tone. “Am I mistaken, or were you taking flight?”
“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 (#u0e9a4ff0-3a2e-5211-83b2-26ea86a15da2)
“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.
“That was quite a disappearing act you performed earlier,” he stated from the doorway.
Her eyes met his calmly, as if she’d known he would show up again and was amused by it. Challenged by her deliberate pretense of indifference to him he said, “What does one call you? Ginger when you’re with strangers, but just Raina with close friends?”
A sigh escaped her lips. After turning off the TV with the remote, she sat up and moved her legs to the floor. “I take it you went to the store where I fell.” She stared hard at him. “I must admit I’m shocked that the clerk would give you my name. That’s privileged information.”
“Agreed, but it was false information. In case you were worried, I happen to own that store.”
“What?” Those incredible lavender eyes of hers had suddenly turned a darker hue. At last something had shaken her out of her almost condescending attitude. Did she really not know how he earned his living? Because of her relationship with the Milonis family, he found it hard, if not impossible, to believe.
“I read the incident report written up in the back room. You gave my employee the name of Ginger Moss, age twenty-six. What name will I find if I ask you to show me your passport? It will be important when I pay your hospital bill. They’ll need more information to correct the discrepancy on the record.”
“My insurance will reimburse you.” She rested her hands on the top of her thighs. “I sometimes go by the nickname Ginger.”
“Because of your hair?”
Her eyes fell away. “Yes.”
“Even if I were to believe you, that’s neither here nor there. I want to know why you felt you had to maintain your lie with me when you’re a close friend of the woman who married my best friend.”
The silence deafened him.
“I’ll find out the truth before long. Why not be honest with me now and get it over with?” he pressed.
“Is that the only reason you came over here again?”
“What do you think?”
More color filled her cheeks. “I—I wish I hadn’t told you where I’d fallen.”
“Since I found you here at Chloe’s, it’s a moot point.”
She stirred restlessly. “You want me to apologize?”
Akis had her rattled, otherwise she wouldn’t have asked those questions. He rubbed his lower lip with his thumb. “You want the truth from me? Do you think that’s fair when you’ve exempted yourself from being forthcoming with me?”
She moistened her lips, drawing his attention to them. All night he’d wondered what she’d taste like. “I meant no harm.”
“If that’s the case, then why the deception?”
“Look—” She sounded exasperated. Her cheeks grew more flushed as she got to her feet and fitted the crutches beneath her arms. “I haven’t had a meaningful relationship with a man for a long time because it’s the way I’ve wanted it.”
He walked over to her. “But clearly there’ve been a lot of men who’ve wanted one with you. You think I’m just another man you can ignore without telling me why?” She looked away quickly, letting him know he’d guessed the truth. “A woman with your looks naturally attracts a lot of unwanted attention. It must be galling to realize that whatever you did to put me off, fate had a hand in my showing up at Chloe’s home. Prove to me my interest in you isn’t wanted and I’ll leave now.”
She looked the slightest bit anxious. “Akis—I just don’t think it wise to get to know you better.”
“Why? Because you haven’t been honest with me and there is a man back home you’re involved with?”
“No,” she volunteered so fast and emphatically, he believed her. “There’s no one. This conversation is ridiculous.”
“It would be if I didn’t know that you’re interested in me, too. But for some reason, you’re afraid and are using the excuse of having to fly to California to put me off. I want to know why.”
“I’m not afraid of you. That’s absurd.”
“Last night you cheated me out of a dance. I don’t know about you, but I need to feel your mouth moving beneath mine or I might go a little mad with wanting.”
“Please don’t say things like that,” she whispered.
“Because you know you want it, too?”
Her breathing sounded shallow. “Maybe I do, but I’m afraid.”
“Of me?” He brushed his lips against hers.
“No. Not you. I’m afraid of my own feelings.”
“Shall we find out if they’re as strong as mine?” He wrapped her in his arms, crutches and all. His lips caught the small cry that escaped hers, giving him the opportunity to coax a deeper kiss from her. First one, then another, until she allowed him full access and the spark between them ignited into fire.
“Akis—” she cried softly before kissing him back with a hunger that thrilled him. He’d kissed other women, but nothing prepared him for the surge of desire driving both of them as they swayed together.
“I want you, Raina,” he whispered against her creamy throat, “more than any woman I’ve ever wanted in my life.” He came close to forgetting her sprained ankle until a moan sounded in her throat, prompting him to release her with reluctance and step away.
She steadied herself with the crutches for control. Those enticing lips looked swollen and thoroughly kissed. “That shouldn’t have happened.” The tremor in her voice was achingly real.
“But it did because we both wanted it.” He took a quick breath. “I want to spend time with you, and from the way you kissed me, I know you want the same thing.” His comment coincided with the arrival of Chloe’s parents, who walked in on the two of them.
“Weren’t you over here earlier?” Socus teased him in his native tongue. “No wonder our guest didn’t mind that we had an important business dinner to attend.”
Akis shook his head. “She didn’t know I was coming over again.”
“We’re glad you’re here, Akis,” Nora said in English. “We don’t want her to leave. Please do what you can to persuade her to stay until Chloe and Theo get back.”
Socus chimed in. “If we had our way, we’d insist on your living with us for a long time, young woman.”
Raina’s eyes misted over. “You’re such dear people and have been wonderful to me. But I’m afraid I have too many responsibilities at home to remain here for any length of time.”
“Your ankle needs at least a week to heal before we let you get on a plane,” Chloe’s father declared. “But we can talk more about this in the morning. Good night, you two.”
After they left the room Akis said, “Your ankle could use more rest. There’s nothing I’d like better than to help you pass the time.”
He sensed she knew she was defeated, but that didn’t stop her from darting him a piercing glance. “What about your work?”
“My brother will fill in for me. We do it for each other when necessary.” He stood there with his hands on his hips. “You look tired, so I’m going to leave. If I come over in the morning, will I still find you here?”
Her eyes flashed. “Perhaps the question should be, will you show up since you have a disparaging opinion of me?”
“You mean after you told me I should stick with my own kind and background?”
She stirred restlessly. “I can see you still haven’t forgiven me for an innocent remark.”
“There was nothing innocent about it. But the way you kissed me back a few minutes ago confirms my original gut instinct that you know something significant has happened to both of us. Good night, thespinis.”
He left the house for the limo. On the way to his penthouse his cell phone rang. One look at the caller ID and he clicked on. “Vasso? How come it’s taken you so long to get back to me?”
“Nice talking to you, too, bro.”
His head reared. “Sorry.”
“The phone died on me and I just got back to my hotel to recharge it. What’s wrong? You don’t sound like yourself.”
“That’s because I’m not.”
“The opening went fine.”
Akis was in such a state he’d forgotten to ask. “Sorry. My mind is on something else.”
“Was there a problem at the wedding? I saw you on the evening news helping a beautiful woman on crutches into the limo.”
So Vasso saw it. “She’s the reason I called. When will you be back?”
His brother laughed. “I’ll fly in around 7:00 a.m. and should be at the office by nine.”
“If you’re that late, I’m afraid I won’t be there.”
“That sounded cryptic. Why?”
“Something happened at the reception.”
“You sound odd. What is it?”
“I’ve...met someone.”
“I’m not even going to try to figure that one out. Just tell me what has you so damned upset.”
“Believe it or not, a woman has come into my life.”
“There’ve been several women in your life over the years. Tell me something I don’t know. Are we talking about the woman on crutches?”
“Yes. This one is different.” Both brothers had led a bachelor life for so long, not even Akis believed what had happened to him since he’d seen Raina on the street.
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
Vasso exhaled sharply. “She feels the same way?”
His teeth snapped together. “After the way she kissed me back tonight, I’d stake my life on it.”
“But you only met her last evening.”
“I know. She looks like Aphrodite with lavender eyes.”
“I’ll admit she was a stunner.” Laughter burst out of Vasso. “But you sound like you still need to sleep off the champagne.”

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