Her Greek Romance aka Greek Encounter

by Risk, Mona

  “Thank you... Efkharisto.” Ashley unfolded the napkin on her lap and set her plate in front of her on the table.

  Stefano discreetly signaled to Mikhali. The steward poured the ouzo over ice cubes and presented a glass to Ashley.

  “Ouzo, now?” She accepted the drink but arched dubious eyebrows. “You guys don’t plan to work today?”

  Not doubting for a second that his American guest would protest and refuse any drink or food from his hand, Stefano decided to keep a low profile until she loosened up. He sent a discreet glance at Ted.

  His lawyer understood the message and sat on the sofa, his drink in hand. “First, we need to celebrate. To be honest, I never expected things to work out as peacefully as they did at the courthouse.”

  “Oh.” When Ashley raised her head, Stefano caught the shadow of sadness darkening her eyes.

  Ted clinked his glass against hers. “To a cordial working relationship.”

  Ashley nodded without comment and placed her drink on the table.

  Under the circumstances, it was the best Stefano could expect at the moment. He would give her time to accept the situation before taking the next step.

  Patience. Respect her feelings, his mind coaxed, while his body ached with need and his heart knotted at the sight of her effort to remain calm.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  How could she possibly spend a whole month in Greece, locked in an office with Stefano, when she wanted to run away after only a few minutes in his company? If her grandfather’s health hadn’t been so precarious, Ashley would have rejected his demand without hesitation, and sent Stefano and his project to hell.

  “You’re not drinking?” Ted said while his boss continued to look at her as if he’d decided to learn her face by heart.

  Hadn’t he learned that staring was not polite? Especially when his eyes sent fiery messages she refused to receive.

  Her gaze focused on the glass clutched between her nervous fingers. A tighter grasp would easily break the crystal. She forced herself to ease her grip. An irresistible urge to fling the icy drink in Stephano’s face or splash it over his crotch seized her. The thought of ice cubes cooling the cause of her grief gave her an inner giggle, followed by a sigh. Pouting over her disappointment would not diminish the pain gnawing at her heart.

  “To a good working relationship.” Erasing all emotion from her face, she raised her glass and sipped her ouzo. She needed to calm down and devise her next course of action with a lawyer’s mind.

  Wear a blank mask and confuse them. After setting aside the glass on the table, she tasted a spoon of yogurt salad and licked her lips slowly. “Delicious,” she added with a pleasant voice and a demure glance at her host.

  The stunned look Stefano and his lawyer exchanged soothed her heart. I scored a point. She’d get over that jerk if it killed her. And she’d never let him see the extent of her pain. And she’d get her revenge. Soon.

  “I’m glad you like the yogurt salad,” Stefano said with a smile that faded when the door burst open after a brief knock.

  “Stefano, congratulations.” A gorgeous brunette molded in a tight white skirt and low cut printed blouse flew into the office and threw her arms around his neck. “I heard you won the hearing and smashed that old snake Zanis.”

  Her honeyed voice grated on Ashley’s ears. Next to her, Ted mumbled something under his breath, while Stefano tried to extricate himself from the arms coiling around him.

  A secretary? Or a girlfriend? The woman wasn’t shy about displaying her affection.

  “Sophia, what brings you here when I’m holding a meeting with the lawyers?” The frost in his voice spoke volumes about his displeasure with the untimely arrival of the lovely woman.

  “The lawyers? Maria told me that you had a celebration in your office.”

  Ashley suppressed her frustration and plastered an amiable smile on her lips. “Of course, we’re celebrating. Please, join the fun.” Completely at ease now, she stood and held a hand to the Greek beauty. “I’m Ashley Sheppard. Mr. Zanis’ granddaughter and lawyer. And you are?”

  “Oh.” Sophia’s eyes rounded, like a juvenile caught red-handed.

  “Sophia, Ms. Sheppard will work with us on the new resort’s project.” Stefano’s curt tone betrayed his annoyance. “And I expect you—”

  “Stefano, I am sooo happy for you,” another newcomer chimed in from the door. “For our company—”

  “Ireny, meet Ms. Sheppard who is Mr. Zanis’ granddaughter.” The fast explanation torpedoed out of Stefano’s mouth.

  The lovely blonde twirled toward Ashley and frowned. “Ah.”

  Amazing how the sight of her rendered all female employees speechless. Gorgeous employees to be sure. She had to give it to Stefano, he had impeccable taste. One day she’d ask him if he chose them in a beauty pageant. Right now, she rotated her glass between her palms, the temptation to toss her drink at him stronger by the minute. How many beauties had he been sleeping with, before her?

  The tension in the room was palpable. Stefano’s glances darted from one woman to the other and back to Ashley. Somehow, his discomfort soothed her nerves. She crossed her arms and speared him with a sharp look.

  “Pleased to meet you, Ireny. Are you also working on the project?”

  “Yes, I am the decorator, and Sophia is one of the architects.”

  “Wonderful, we’ll make a great team, and we’ll be together all the time. With Stefano too, of course. Please, have a seat, and share a drink.” Ashley sat on the sofa and patted the spot next to her. “Ted makes fantastic drinks, right?”

  The lawyer glanced at her and shrugged. “Ouzo for you, Sophia?” he asked.

  “Ne separakalo, yes please.” Sophia dropped next to Ashley and crossed long legs ending in high-heeled white sandals.

  “Me too, Ted.” Ireny plopped on the other side of Ashley, her skirt hiking to reveal a set of perfectly tanned thighs. Hmm, was Stefano a benefactor of a Gorgeous Legs club?

  Leaning a hip on the corner of his massive cherry wood desk, a scowl knitting his forehead, Stefano studied the view of the sea through the open glass doors leading to the balcony. Was he trying to ignore them or plotting his next move?

  Ashley extended her arms behind both women’s shoulders, and basked in their floral perfumes. “See, Stefano, you’ll have a lovely team working with you, if I may say so myself.”

  He faced her, arching an eyebrow. His stare riveted her to the back of the sofa. “I see you have taken full control of that team.”

  Yes, and she’d taken full control of her senses too, but the effort threatened to overwhelm her. Time to take off while she still projected an aura of self-assurance. “Gentlemen, thank you for the drink and appetizers.” Ashley stood, her glass of ouzo still in her hand.

  “It’s too early to leave,” Ted said.

  “I will drive you.” Anton straightened.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow when we start working.” Her gaze encompassed the display of glasses and feminine legs. “Preferably without ouzo and with a more professional atmosphere.”

  “Whatever you say.” Stefano shrugged. “If you want to leave, I’ll be the one driving you,” he added in a voice that brooked no arguments and stirred a wild rage inside her.

  “Is that so, Mister Kostapoulos?”

  In two steps, he was beside her, his firm—and way too warm—fingers enveloping her wrist.

  “No,” she protested, snatching her arm away. With the brusque movement, the glass flew from her fingers. “Oh dear.”

  “Ash...ley.” Stefano caught the glass as it struck his stomach and jerked back. Cold white liquid drizzled over his shirt and pants.

  “Oh God.” Her shaking hand flattened on her mouth. Eyes wide, she stared at his pristine white shirt now plastered to his chest. “I...I’m—” She swallowed her apology. Damn it, he deserved it.

  Her gaze lowered to his crotch highlighted by a wet halo. A giggle started low in her throat and threatened to burst
out in the horrified silence of the room. She stuffed a nervous fist between her teeth to stifle an inappropriate hilarity. To think she’d been wanting to do just that a moment ago. “It’s your fault,” she muttered through quivering lips. “You grabbed my arm.” Lifting her chin, she returned scowl for scowl.

  “Aw,” the guests mumbled.

  Armed with napkins, Ireny and Sophia rushed to dab the wetness on Stefano’s pants with eager pats, while Ted and Anton hardly suppressed amused grins.

  “Enough.” His voice menacing, Stefano snatched the napkins and flapped them in the air.

  “We are just helping you,” Ireny explained with a nervous laugh.

  In spite of herself, Ashley chuckled, and then controlled her expression. “Maybe you should use a hair dryer. It’ll work better and faster.”

  “Ashley.” Stefano narrowed his eyes.

  Not ready to be intimidated, she shrugged and walked to the door. “Anyway, I have to leave now.”

  “Don’t you dare,” Stefano called after her.

  Ignoring the exclamations of protest, she slammed the door behind her, and strode toward the elevator. The office door opened again.

  “Ashley, I said I’m going to drive you.” Stefano’s authoritative tone brought back the morning scene.

  “Go to hell, Mr. Kostapoulos.” She stepped inside the elevator.

  “What? Ashley—” The closing doors cut off the rest of his sentence. When the elevator stopped in the lobby, she found Stefano waiting for her. His arms crossed over his chest, his legs apart, he blocked her way. “We have to talk. Now.”

  She raised her palm to stall him and shook her head. “You’re wet. Don’t you want to change?”

  “Wet or not, I will say my piece.” He cupped her elbow. “Come.”

  “Let me go.” She jerked her arm to free herself. To no avail. “Let me go or else—”

  “You don’t have a drink in hand to throw at me.”

  “That was your fault.”

  “Fine, but now you can scream all you want. You can try to hit me, or scratch, or bite, but you will listen to what I have to say.”

  She released a long sigh and hissed. “Don’t think I’ll forgive you after you sweet talk me.”

  He smiled. “I won’t sweet talk you. All I ask is the chance to present my case, Counselor Sheppard.”

  She didn’t smile but glanced at her elbow still incased in his firm grip. “Are you going to walk in the street with those wet clothes?” With a tilt of her head, she pointed at his crotch. “People may think—”

  “The hell with what people think. We’re going to talk now.”

  “You won’t let go.”

  “Ashley, you have the right to be upset, but all I ask is a few minutes of your time. Is that too much to ask?” The dark glimmer in his eyes sent a tingle of awareness right down to her toes.

  Obviously, there was no easy way to get rid of Stefano Kostapoulos when he wanted something. She’d rather talk than spend another minute trapped by his gaze.

  “Fine, walk me to my hotel and say what you have to say. Quickly.” She tugged at his arm. He let her go and followed her out of the building.

  “Ashley—” He started, but she shrugged.

  “Do you expect me to believe more lies?”

  “Would you like to put me under oath, Counselor?” Frustration oozed from the tight set of his jaws. “Here, I swear to tell the truth.”

  “All the truth and nothing but the truth?” Slung by its straps over her shoulder, her purse bounced at the same rate as her crisp steps.

  “Yes, satisfied?” With a groan of exasperation, Stefano nodded.

  “You’re the one who asked for this.” Chin high, eyes staring straight ahead, she strode the sidewalk. “Did you or did you not already know I was your enemy’s granddaughter when you invited me to your yacht?”

  “But—”

  “Remember, you’re under oath.” Energy surged through her. She’d give him a demonstration of her cross examination technique he wouldn’t forget easily.

  “Yes, I knew who you were but—”

  “Did you or did you not want to delay me and prevent me from attending the hearing?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Did you or did you not abstain from giving me your phone number for fear I would recognize your name?”

  “Yes, yes, but—”

  “Did you or did you not already know you’d be in the courtroom when you said you’d wait for me outside after the hearing?”

  “Ashley, stop it. I didn’t ask for an interrogation. I want to clarify some facts. You promised to listen.”

  “Go ahead.” He could talk until dawn without convincing her. The sharp look she cast him challenged more than words.

  “Yes, I knew your identity. And yes, I had my own agenda when I invited you to my yacht, but all that fell apart when I saw you on the deck taking pictures, so lovely and determined to help your grandfather. I forgot the villa and the project. All I wanted was to get to know you as a woman. Not as the enemy. When I held you in my arms, I hated the Pink Villa that stood like the Peloponnese between us.” He paused, obviously waiting for an answer or a reaction to his heart-felt declaration.

  Ashley kept her lips tight and navigated her way through the crowd bustling away from the downtown square toward the beaches. Of all the places to share an intense conversation on such a touching subject, the busiest street in the heart of Mykonos was the worst, but she wouldn’t allow him to trap her in a secluded place. The throng elbowing them every step of the way offered her the best protection against her unreliable emotions.

  “I didn’t plan to attend the hearing. Ted was more than capable of representing me. Knowing that you’d be there made me change my mind.”

  Her stomach lurched with sadness. She spun to face him. “Why? To watch my humiliation?”

  “No, to tell you the truth, to protect you from hurt.”

  A snort escaped her.

  “I came for you, Ashley. I couldn’t stand the idea of you learning my identity from someone else.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me who you were on your yacht?”

  “Before we made love, you’d have run away and insisted I brought you back to shore. There was chemistry between us, a chemistry I didn’t want to destroy. I promised myself I would tell you the truth in the morning.”

  Tears stung at his words, and she averted her head. He’d just soiled her most beautiful memories.

  “After I held you in my arms all night, I just couldn’t spoil our beautiful time together. Please understand.”

  Understand? That he’d ruined everything, anyway. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

  “I understand perfectly.” Swallowing her frustration and inappropriate tears, she blinked several times.

  “Later, I tried to fix things for your grandfather. Not for him. But for you.”

  “Thank you. I’m flattered.” They’d almost reached her hotel. She’d rather not hear anymore of his sweet words.

  “Honestly, Ashley, I was attracted to you from the minute I saw you on the beach. Before I even knew who you were.”

  She stopped in her tracks and spun to face him. “When did you see me on the beach? You weren’t even there.”

  He chuckled. “I was on my boat playing with my binoculars when I saw a beautiful redhead come out of the Pink Villa and settle under an umbrella. Then I asked Ted to find out about you.”

  “Oh my God, you spied on me through your binoculars when I was…” Good God, he saw her remove her bra. She fisted her hand ready to punch him. “You dirty Peeping Tom. You thought I was an easy…”

  Of all the humiliations of the day, this was the worst. “Go to hell, Mr. Kostapoulos.” Good thing the hotel entrance was only a hundred feet away. She took off at a run, her heart echoing the clanking of her heels on the sidewalk.

  As she reached the revolving door, an arm coiled around her waist, dragged her back against a strong chest, and
propelled her to the sidewall of the hotel building.

  She flinched and gasped. “Stefano. Stop it. I don’t want to hear more explanations.” She squirmed against him to free herself. To no avail. His hold tightened. The feel of his body heat penetrated the fabric of her shirt and scorched her skin.

  “Sweetheart, I’m a man of action. We’re done with explanations and words.” He muttered against her ear, and then turned her to face him.

  “Let go of me this instant.” She shoved at his chest with both hands, wanting to slap the smug smile off his face.

  Pinning her against the wall, he didn’t budge. “Not on your life, kookla mou.” His blue eyes bore into hers, dark, intense, and unnerving.

  Before she had time to utter another word, warm lips covered hers and his tongue slid past her teeth, tangled with her own, and robbed her will-power.

  The world reeled around her. She stopped pushing, clutched fistfuls of his shirt between her trembling fingers, and concentrated on the intoxicating taste of him.

  One more kiss. One last time.

  His palm cradled her nape, tilted her head, and deepened his kiss. Their mouths welded and their tongues waltzed a happy dance. Out of breath, she moaned. His lips slipped to her cheek and trailed warm kisses along her jaw and down her throat.

  “Ashley,” he groaned. “I won’t let you go.”

  But I have to let you go. The thought doused her passion like a bucket of icy water. Too many women gravitated to him. She wouldn’t be one of the many he tempted with his kisses and discarded when the next beauty came along.

  Recalling her tattered poise, she drew in her breath and met his gaze. “Stefano, what exactly do you want?” Her frigid tone should convince him she’d recovered her wits. “We can flirt together, or we can work together, but not do both at the same time. It’s against my work ethics.” She offered him a thin-lipped smile. Lord, give me the strength to continue this act.

  His eyes narrowed. He released her. “You wouldn’t mind flirting?” Anger laced his tone.

  Still plastered against the wall, she tried not to flinch under his unyielding gaze. “For a few days, no. But then, I will leave. I’d hate to waste more time on pleasant but pointless games when so much work awaits me in Boston.”