The Greek's Long-Lost Son by Rebecca Winters Page B

We’re going to hike around until it gets dark. He’ll bring his telescope so we can look at the stars. Maybe we’ll see some UFOs.”
    Stella could only marvel.
    “It’s a good thing your aunt Rachel won’t know about this or she’d want to go with you.”
    “Don’t worry. He said no women allowed this trip.” This trip? Theo was doing everything right. She could find no fault. “I’ve got to tell Dax.”
    “Not yet,” she cautioned him. “You and I still need to talk for a minute first. Stay here.”
    “Okay. Dad wants to speak to you again.” He handed her the phone.
    “Theo?” she asked too breathlessly for her own ears.
    “Ari’s response was more than I’d hoped for. It’s yours I’m counting on now. This time, however, I’m the one waiting for you to show up. Let’s pray no dark forces will prevent you from arriving.”
    Before she could say anything, Stella heard the click. It echoed the thud of her heart.
    “Mom? Do you think Aunt Rachel would let me borrow her photos of Mars some time? I want him to see them.”
    “I’m sure she will.”
    “When do you think I could ask her?”
    “Honey? I was hoping we’d keep this from the family until after we go back to Athens. You know, until we’ve got things a little more settled.”
    “Okay.”
    “Ari? Listen to me. Your father’s here on Andros.”
    His eyes lit up. “He is?”
    “Yes. He says he has to talk to me about something very important before he flies back to Salamis. I…I told him I would try to meet him, but I need your help because I don’t want anyone else to know about it.”
    “I won’t tell.”
    “I know that, so what I’d like you to do is stay here in your room and get ready for bed. I’ll send Dax up to keep you company and you can tell him what your father has planned for tomorrow. In the meantime I’ll tell Rachel I need to do an errand and will be right back.”
    “I wish I could go.”
    “Not this time, honey. Your father and I have things we need to discuss alone. Can you understand that?” He nodded. “You’ll be seeing him tomorrow, right?”
    His lips broke into a smile. “Yeah.”
    Stella kissed him and hurried to her room for her purse. She didn’t dare change out of her pants and top she’d worn sailing. It might give her away.
    “Rachel?” she said a minute later. Everyone was out by the pool eating. “Ari’s resting. I think he got too hot, but he’s feeling better now. Anyway, I’m running into town for some things he wants. I’ll be back shortly.” She turned to Dax. “When you’re through eating, Ari hopes you’ll come up.”
    “I’m all finished,” he declared before darting away.
    Glad everyone was preoccupied with the girls, Stella hurried out to her car and headed into town. On the way she phoned the doctor and told his receptionist that Ari was doing much better so the doctor didn’t need to call back.
    Due to the tourists, she had to park a street away from Yanni’s. It was getting crowded. By the end of the evening, the night life would take over.
    She hurried inside the bistro and told the hostess she was meeting someone out on the terrace. There was no sign of Boris, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there.
    The other woman showed her to Theo’s candlelit table on the terrace. With every step, she wished she’d been able to wear an evening dress at least. Especially when she saw him get to his feet wearing an expensive black silk shirt and gray trousers. He stood out from the other males, drawing feminine attention from every direction including that of the sultry hostess.
    His black gaze swept over Stella with that old intimacy. When he helped her to be seated, she felt his hands caress her shoulders lightly, as if he couldn’t help himself. It took her back to another time when they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other.
    “You picked up a lot of sun today,” he whispered against her ear. “Your beauty radiates like a torch. Every man out