States.”
“What type of specialty does your father practice?”
“Dad is an ophthalmologist. And yes, we all have 20/20 vision,” she added. “I also have two very smart and handsome brothers, Demo and Tony. They’re much like you and Costa. Our home was full love and laughter. I have always known how blessed I am, especially in comparison to many of my friends who do not have such close families.”
“You were born in New York, but you have no accent when you speak Greek,” he remarked.
“We went to Sunday school and Greek school twice a week. We ate dinner together every night, unless Dad had an emergency. All through the winters, we supported each other in our mutual sporting events and then usually spent our summers in Greece with the rest of the family.”
“That’s a good thing. Your summers in Greece brought you to us. You met Costa in Mykonos.”
She nodded. “I graduated from NYU, and as you know, I’ve been working for Giardetti since.”
“Brains and beauty, a combination for success in the international hotel business,” he said.
“It helps that I took French in school.” Embarrassed, she avoided the compliment. “I have the advantage of being fluent in three languages. Now tell me something I don’t know about your family.”
Relief flowed though her body when he seemed inclined to maintain their present course of conversation. If they kept talking about the families, she could stop thinking about how his musky scent was surrounding her.
Alexandros smiled and started to speak in Greek. “How far back to you want me to go?”
“When your parents met.”
“How about we climb down here, sit on the beach and enjoy the sunset while we talk?”
“Sure.” She took his outstretched hand for balance as they climbed down the monopati , a narrow little dirt path littered with stones, on the steep cliff. He wrapped his long fingers around her hand and put his body ahead of hers. Almost immediately, she regretted not wearing her sneakers and stopped talking in order to concentrate on her footing.
Without saying a word, Alexandros guided her over the well-worn path. When they were on the beach, he turned, placed one arm behind her knees and carried her. She looked into his dark brooding eyes as he took matters—and her—into his own protective hands.
“There are many loose rocks in this area. I don’t need you to fall or sprain an ankle,” he remarked, as if he did this sort of thing every day. She was about to protest when he added, “I should have realized you weren’t wearing sneakers.”
“Well thanks for the concern, but I think I’m a little too big to be carried.”
“I’m bigger, and this seems to be a perfect fit,” he argued, continuing across the expanse of black sand.
Alexandros balanced her on his knee and took off her sandals. He then placed her feet on the sand. Athena decided to let it go and change the subject.
“It’s so warm,” she said. “The weather has begun to cool off, but this sand is just a pinch off hot.”
“It’s black volcanic sand. It demands the sun’s attention all day long, so it’s always warm. However, the breeze from the sea which is at a much lower temperature, and has cooled considerably since noon,” he replied, unbuttoning his shirt in a sensual motion that had her concentrating on every movement.
Athena’s eyes burned as he pulled the shirt open and slid his arms from the sleeves.
Not again, please !
His tanned sculpted chest was broader from this angle. His jeans rested perfectly on his hips, and were worn in all the right places. Her mouth went dry and she found it hard to concentrate.
He flicked the shirt and laid it on the sand. “Come, have a seat.”
Athena hesitated, staring at him as if she was looking at an alien, but she took his hand and allowed him to guide her to his makeshift blanket. He sat behind her, stretching out a long muscular leg on either side of her body. Alexandros wrapped an arm around her
“What type of specialty does your father practice?”
“Dad is an ophthalmologist. And yes, we all have 20/20 vision,” she added. “I also have two very smart and handsome brothers, Demo and Tony. They’re much like you and Costa. Our home was full love and laughter. I have always known how blessed I am, especially in comparison to many of my friends who do not have such close families.”
“You were born in New York, but you have no accent when you speak Greek,” he remarked.
“We went to Sunday school and Greek school twice a week. We ate dinner together every night, unless Dad had an emergency. All through the winters, we supported each other in our mutual sporting events and then usually spent our summers in Greece with the rest of the family.”
“That’s a good thing. Your summers in Greece brought you to us. You met Costa in Mykonos.”
She nodded. “I graduated from NYU, and as you know, I’ve been working for Giardetti since.”
“Brains and beauty, a combination for success in the international hotel business,” he said.
“It helps that I took French in school.” Embarrassed, she avoided the compliment. “I have the advantage of being fluent in three languages. Now tell me something I don’t know about your family.”
Relief flowed though her body when he seemed inclined to maintain their present course of conversation. If they kept talking about the families, she could stop thinking about how his musky scent was surrounding her.
Alexandros smiled and started to speak in Greek. “How far back to you want me to go?”
“When your parents met.”
“How about we climb down here, sit on the beach and enjoy the sunset while we talk?”
“Sure.” She took his outstretched hand for balance as they climbed down the monopati , a narrow little dirt path littered with stones, on the steep cliff. He wrapped his long fingers around her hand and put his body ahead of hers. Almost immediately, she regretted not wearing her sneakers and stopped talking in order to concentrate on her footing.
Without saying a word, Alexandros guided her over the well-worn path. When they were on the beach, he turned, placed one arm behind her knees and carried her. She looked into his dark brooding eyes as he took matters—and her—into his own protective hands.
“There are many loose rocks in this area. I don’t need you to fall or sprain an ankle,” he remarked, as if he did this sort of thing every day. She was about to protest when he added, “I should have realized you weren’t wearing sneakers.”
“Well thanks for the concern, but I think I’m a little too big to be carried.”
“I’m bigger, and this seems to be a perfect fit,” he argued, continuing across the expanse of black sand.
Alexandros balanced her on his knee and took off her sandals. He then placed her feet on the sand. Athena decided to let it go and change the subject.
“It’s so warm,” she said. “The weather has begun to cool off, but this sand is just a pinch off hot.”
“It’s black volcanic sand. It demands the sun’s attention all day long, so it’s always warm. However, the breeze from the sea which is at a much lower temperature, and has cooled considerably since noon,” he replied, unbuttoning his shirt in a sensual motion that had her concentrating on every movement.
Athena’s eyes burned as he pulled the shirt open and slid his arms from the sleeves.
Not again, please !
His tanned sculpted chest was broader from this angle. His jeans rested perfectly on his hips, and were worn in all the right places. Her mouth went dry and she found it hard to concentrate.
He flicked the shirt and laid it on the sand. “Come, have a seat.”
Athena hesitated, staring at him as if she was looking at an alien, but she took his hand and allowed him to guide her to his makeshift blanket. He sat behind her, stretching out a long muscular leg on either side of her body. Alexandros wrapped an arm around her
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