Greek men.” She shook her head, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
She placed her soft hand in his and stepped from the car. It felt so nice to hold it, just as it had when he’d washed her palm at the clinic, and he couldn’t seem to make himself let go. A little surprised that she didn’t release his either, he gave in to enjoying the simple connection. Stars began towink in the darkening sky as they strolled down the brick promenade that went for a good quarter mile along the lapping gulf waters.
“I’ve been in Greece two months, and I’m still amazed at all the little restaurants that line the water in every town,” she said, gazing at the lanterns and lights beneath huge umbrellas connected together, one after another. “So pretty. With comfy seats too, if you want, instead of a table. I wish there were more places like this in the States.”
“I went to med school in New Jersey,” he said. “I admit I never got used to the beach restaurants there. Always wanting you to move on your way right after you’re done. In Greece, you’re expected to eat and relax for the night.”
“Somehow when you said you lived in the US, I was picturing LA or Montana.”
Her eyes were filled with a teasing look, and he found himself drifting closer until his shoulder brushed hers. “LA or Montana? First, I’d say those two places don’t have much in common, and second, I’d ask why.”
“I’m not sure.” She tilted her head at him, seeming to size him up, and he grew even more curious about what she was thinking. “Maybe because you seem sophisticated and at the same time rugged. Like a Greek cowboy.”
Sophisticated but rugged sounded pretty good.As if she might find him attractive, and he certainly found her very attractive. “I’m more of a Greek goat boy than a cowboy, since it was my job to look after ours when I was a kid.”
“Goat boy?” She laughed. “Sorry. Doesn’t work at all for you.”
“You might change your mind if I show up smelling like one of Cassie’s goats sometime. She and Petros like to pretend they’re horses and bring them into the ‘stable.’ Which is her name for our living room.”
“Oh, my gosh, that’s adorable.”
“Not when your house smells like a barn.”
Her laugh, the sparkle in her eyes, were sheer temptation. The kind of temptation that left Andros wondering if he could possibly resist. If he could keep his hands and lips to himself when all he wanted at that moment was to pull her close and kiss that smiling mouth.
He drew in a deep breath, glad they’d arrived at one of his favorite restaurants, interrupting his dangerous thoughts. “Would you like to sit at a table, or have mezedes on these seats looking out over the water?”
“Mezedes?”
“You’ve been in Greece two months and don’t know what mezedes are?” He teased her with mock astonishment. “Appetizer-sized plates for dinner, instead of one entrée. Eating various meze over a whole evening, preferably with ouzo to drink, is a Greek tradition.”
“Ouzo? You’re kidding. That stuff is awful!” He had to grin at the cute way she scrunched up her face. “Mel and Tom had us all try it at dinner in Delphi one night and I could barely swallow it.”
“Don’t worry. Ouzo’s optional.”
“Good, because the meze sounds wonderful. I like trying different things. And I want to enjoy seeing the water while I still can.”
A reminder that she wouldn’t be here for long. But when it came right down to it, what did it matter? He wasn’t capable of futures or happy-ever-afters with a woman anyway. And they were far enough away that he didn’t have to worry about the gossip Kastorini townsfolk used to love to share about him, back in the careless days of his youth. Which had extended into too many careless days with women in his adulthood, too.
They sat side by side in the cushioned wicker seat, and it took effort to concentrate on the menu instead of how close she was,
She placed her soft hand in his and stepped from the car. It felt so nice to hold it, just as it had when he’d washed her palm at the clinic, and he couldn’t seem to make himself let go. A little surprised that she didn’t release his either, he gave in to enjoying the simple connection. Stars began towink in the darkening sky as they strolled down the brick promenade that went for a good quarter mile along the lapping gulf waters.
“I’ve been in Greece two months, and I’m still amazed at all the little restaurants that line the water in every town,” she said, gazing at the lanterns and lights beneath huge umbrellas connected together, one after another. “So pretty. With comfy seats too, if you want, instead of a table. I wish there were more places like this in the States.”
“I went to med school in New Jersey,” he said. “I admit I never got used to the beach restaurants there. Always wanting you to move on your way right after you’re done. In Greece, you’re expected to eat and relax for the night.”
“Somehow when you said you lived in the US, I was picturing LA or Montana.”
Her eyes were filled with a teasing look, and he found himself drifting closer until his shoulder brushed hers. “LA or Montana? First, I’d say those two places don’t have much in common, and second, I’d ask why.”
“I’m not sure.” She tilted her head at him, seeming to size him up, and he grew even more curious about what she was thinking. “Maybe because you seem sophisticated and at the same time rugged. Like a Greek cowboy.”
Sophisticated but rugged sounded pretty good.As if she might find him attractive, and he certainly found her very attractive. “I’m more of a Greek goat boy than a cowboy, since it was my job to look after ours when I was a kid.”
“Goat boy?” She laughed. “Sorry. Doesn’t work at all for you.”
“You might change your mind if I show up smelling like one of Cassie’s goats sometime. She and Petros like to pretend they’re horses and bring them into the ‘stable.’ Which is her name for our living room.”
“Oh, my gosh, that’s adorable.”
“Not when your house smells like a barn.”
Her laugh, the sparkle in her eyes, were sheer temptation. The kind of temptation that left Andros wondering if he could possibly resist. If he could keep his hands and lips to himself when all he wanted at that moment was to pull her close and kiss that smiling mouth.
He drew in a deep breath, glad they’d arrived at one of his favorite restaurants, interrupting his dangerous thoughts. “Would you like to sit at a table, or have mezedes on these seats looking out over the water?”
“Mezedes?”
“You’ve been in Greece two months and don’t know what mezedes are?” He teased her with mock astonishment. “Appetizer-sized plates for dinner, instead of one entrée. Eating various meze over a whole evening, preferably with ouzo to drink, is a Greek tradition.”
“Ouzo? You’re kidding. That stuff is awful!” He had to grin at the cute way she scrunched up her face. “Mel and Tom had us all try it at dinner in Delphi one night and I could barely swallow it.”
“Don’t worry. Ouzo’s optional.”
“Good, because the meze sounds wonderful. I like trying different things. And I want to enjoy seeing the water while I still can.”
A reminder that she wouldn’t be here for long. But when it came right down to it, what did it matter? He wasn’t capable of futures or happy-ever-afters with a woman anyway. And they were far enough away that he didn’t have to worry about the gossip Kastorini townsfolk used to love to share about him, back in the careless days of his youth. Which had extended into too many careless days with women in his adulthood, too.
They sat side by side in the cushioned wicker seat, and it took effort to concentrate on the menu instead of how close she was,
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