by Aleka Nakis
“It was very unfortunate we were not able to get to know each other better in Naples,” Alexandros said in a low voice.
She sealed her gaze to his and lifted her determined chin high in the air. “Yes it was. However, it was unavoidable. You know—business.” It was a lame attempt to avoid further conversation on the eventful evening.
“Athena, you’re very good at what you do. Your business doesn’t control you. You command it. Even if that wasn’t the case, there is a lot more to life than work.” His words were rich with challenge.
“Thank you for the kind words,” she said, refusing to give his undertone any credence. “I’m sure this vacation will revitalize me. I’m looking forward to relaxing and refreshing this week.”
His lips curved into a knowing grin. “You’ve successfully managed to avoid my question. I think your actions clearly answer it instead.”
She searched for the correct words. Her tongue found the roof of her mouth, and traversed the curve inside her teeth. She swallowed to moisten her scratchy throat.
The air crackled and a cool breeze wrapped around her ankles, grounding her feet, making her feel balanced. Her stomach settled, and she unexpectedly breathed with ease. She was surprised to find comfort that words didn’t need to express her emotions. It wasn’t necessary for her to implicate herself.
For the first time in her life, she didn’t mind loosening her grip on control and letting someone else take the lead. It was out of character, but she allowed herself simply to be in the moment of time, not to act or react.
His thumb stroked the line of her jaw, and he spoke softly. “I’m looking forward to having coffee together in the morning. Thankfully, there are no early flights. Kalinihta.”
His lips lightly brushed hers, before moving to settle on her cheek. He let her go, and walked inside to the desk. Retrieving his laptop and two files from the second drawer, he strode out of the room.
She watched him close the door and realized there was no chance for rest here. This was his room, his desk, and worst of all, his bed.
Why had he given her his bedroom? The villa had six other bedrooms she could have used.
Heat filled her cheeks at the thought that this was his bachelor pad. The place he seduced his women away from the family. Is that why his favorite part was the side door to the terrace?
There was no reason for her to be jealous, but she was. After all, Alexandros was simply flirting, and here she was becoming possessive. She needed to rest; jet lag was obviously clouding her common sense.
Turning on the water for a bath, she began to empty her suitcase into the wardrobe as the tub filled. When she was done, she submerged herself into the fragrant water and let her stress melt away. The warm bath accentuated how tired her body was, and she longed for the tempting bed that called to her. Athena stepped out and quickly toweled off. After laying a dry towel on the pillow, she climbed between the sheets.
Sleep consumed her immediately.
Athena was here, sitting in his house, on his island. She was not going to get away this time. He had to play his cards very carefully. He had one week to learn what she was hiding from him and to make her trust him.
She would not go back to work closely with his influential friend on a different continent. Luca may be married, but Alexandros knew he was not faithful. Besides, what man could resist the desire to claim a woman like Athena? Luca had the advantage of her trust and loyalty, but nothing past that at the moment. Alexandros would be damned if he allowed the opportunity for anything further to develop.
Most importantly, Alexandros had fate on his side.
Athena had come to him now, regardless of the reasons. She would be more comfortable, more accepting, if she thought she was here on her own terms. She could not, would not, leave as she came.
His brother had said she was very committed to her work and did not have a love interest at the time. Alexandros would see to it that she did not have time for one at all. If only he was able to convince her to work with him, he could control his feelings and his libido. Then he would have time to learn what made Athena tick.
He smiled as he closed the door behind him, but couldn’t help thinking in primitive terms. Perhaps this woman was too much to keep at arms length. He might need to rethink his course of action and help speed the timetable up. His head fell back against the door and he relished the thought.
“You will not sleep alone in my bed for much longer, koukla mou.”
Chapter Six
Athena awoke, rested and recharged. The sun was going to rise soon, and she loved to watch the first light of day color the sky.
Pulling back the sheets, she got out of the warm bed and strolled into the bathroom to wash the sleep out of her eyes. She grabbed the pink linen robe hanging on the door, needing protection from the crisp morning air, and tied it around her waist as she walked onto the veranda.
Taking a few steps out, she stopped, seeing Alexandros sitting at a little round, blue table under one of her windows. It was stacked high with newspapers and his coffee sat on the edge.
He looked up from the newspaper he was reading and gave her a lazy smile. “Kalimera, you’re an early riser.”
“Good morning to you.”
Playing with his komboloi, he motioned for her to join him. “Hope you slept well.”
She would not admit to sleeping well, with him visiting her dreams all night long. She had enjoyed the dreams and had hesitated to put an end to them. But he did not need to know that.
“I haven't slept a full eight hours in years. It was nice for a change.”
“Good.” His eyes shone with approval of her tousled morning look. “This is the best reading spot in the house. Have a seat, and I’ll get you some coffee.”
“I was hoping to see the sunrise,” she replied, remaining in the doorway and not taking a single step toward him.
“Not at this angle, this is where it sets.” He neatly folded the paper and placed the blue and silver-chained beads on it. “Come,” he said, rising from his chair.
He led her around the house to the east. “The sun rose a few minutes ago, but it will be coming over that mountain momentarily.”
They stood waiting quietly, and the sun made its appearance over the mountain Alexandros had pointed out. The warm, colorful rays spread across the gray sky, shedding light on the valley between the two mountains.
Donkeys called loudly to each other, a rooster sang his song, and birds left the trees to spread their wings in acrobatic feats. The island was coming awake, and the animals were playing their part. The trees took on their green moist hues and the bougainvilleas radiated a rich red color.
Enjoying the smell of morning, she inhaled deeply. A sense of renewal filled her soul and she smiled at the sensation. The air was crisp, refreshing and contained the mystery of things to come. “What newspapers do you have?”
“Greek, English, French, and American. Take your pick.” They talked softly as they walked around the house.
“Would you like coffee?” he offered.
Athena nodded.
They walked into the kitchen. She found the briki, while he took out the smooth brown powder and the sugar. She poured water into the stainless steel coffee pot, which looked like a tiny pitcher with a long black handle, and then turned to take the spoon and coffee from him. She placed two heaping teaspoons of coffee into the warm water.
“Sweet?”
She nodded, and he dropped the sugar in. She slowly stirred the mixture to a gentle boil and as it began to rise, then turned to pour it into the demitasse cups he held on the tray of breakfast cookies.
She went to the sink, rinsed the briki before grabbing some napkins and following him back outside. She noted how naturally they moved around each other in the kitchen, and grinned.
At the table, they each sat in one of the two chairs, and picked their respective papers. Alexandros decided she needed her space, and made a very conscious effort not to touch her.
It was working. She twirled a long finger in her curls as she read. Occasionally, she would stop playing with her hair, pick up her coffee and sip. Placing the small coffee cup down, she’d go back to twirling those long strands, a different one each time, and then more reading.
The situation tormented him, tested his self-control. He wanted to run his whole hand through those enticing curls, but for now, he’d simply watch her, allow her time to assimilate him into her space.
Alexandros had considered setting up a business transaction to see her after Naples, but quickly decided that would have been futile. She did not mix business with pleasure.
An obstacle he could easily overcome. Too bad the other hurdle would not be so easy. His brother had shared a bit of knowledge about Athena. He’d told Alexandros that she was adamantly opposed to becoming involved with a Greek.
The thought outraged him. He was a Greek!
Moreover, why was a Greek not good enough for her? Was he not proud? Was he not loyal? Greeks had history. A fierce and passionate line of ancestry ran through his veins, and hers.
Yet she refused a personal attachment to a Greek.
“Did you see this?” Taking a deep breath, he pointed to an article about Giardetti International’s most recent actions toward purchasing the resort in Crete. “It says you’re giving us a ‘run for the money’.”
“Yes, I know.” Her gaze narrowed and she shuttered her eyes. “I don’t think we should ruin the week by discussing business.”
“I don’t see it as a problem, but if you do—”
“I do.” She dropped the paper on the table, crossed her arms, and turned her back to him.
Interesting. Maybe the problem between us is business and not personal. That is easy to fix.
Picking up his coffee cup, he took a long, noisy sip, eyeing the tension on her shoulders.
Definitely, work related. What a shame.
He resumed reading.
After they had traded all the papers, he stretched out his legs and casually reached over to tap her hand. “What are your plans for today?”
“Since I’m the maid of honor, I need to see what Heather wants to do. I know she and Costa have a few wedding errands, so I will probably do some work by the pool while they are gone. You?”
“I have some meetings to attend. The last one around three o’ clock with an associate from the States. Would you like to go the beach or to a café afterwards?” He asked politely, keeping with his initial plan to win her trust.
“It sounds nice, let’s see how the day goes,” she offered, failing to commit.
“Good,” he said, looking at his watch. “I have a meeting soon. See you later then.” He stood and walked away.
Athena cringed at the awkward end to their breakfast together.
Why had he left so suddenly like that? Did he really have a meeting or had she insulted him? He had been a perfect gentleman all morning. Nothing like her vision of a spoiled playboy.
“What is wrong with me?” Athena whispered under her breath.
She had enjoyed reading the paper with him, taking the time to be herself. Not needing to entertain him, she’d found it easy to relax.
Hoping for an afternoon on the beach, she went to her room to dress.
After considering her options, Athena chose to spend the remainder of the morning walking the estate and pruning roses she found on the south side of the house.
Taking into consideration the time difference with New York, she returned to the little blue table with her laptop and logged onto her email for the latest update on the resort. She had made her final bid just before boarding the Strintzaris jet. If Alexandros surpassed it, she’d be out. Her dream of building the first Athena Resort would not begin in Crete.
Maneuvering the computer so the sun wouldn’t hit the screen, Athena clicked for her mail and held her breath. Tony had emailed her twenty minutes ago, Demo ten. She opened Demo’s since it was the most recent.
Yia sou, koukla! I’m in Zurich, so call my cell. D.
That was it? She was going to strangle him. Athena opened Tony’s email because it would be faster that getting her phone from inside the room.
Morning, koukla. Call Demo on his cell. He has news. T.
“I’m going to kill you both!” She hurried inside and dumped the contents of her bag on the bed. Grabbing her cell phone, she cursed under her breath when there was no signal. She didn’t want to use the house phone. Not when it was DDGC’s phone. She’d go and pick up a local SIM card.
Shoving the phone into her shorts pocket, she walked out to the veranda and was about to hustle down the stairs when the phone rang. She stepped back up.
“Ne?” Yes, she answered.
“Hi, koukla. Did you get my email?”
“Demo! Yes. And I’m going to kill you for keeping me waiting.” Feeling her legs grow weak, she returned to the table and sat. “Tell me, please tell me.”
“You did it, baby sis! The resort is yours, debt and all. Congratulations!”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” She leapt from the chair and did a happy jig, jumping up on each syllable.
Demo laughed into the phone. “Hey, is that anyway for the owner and CEO of the latest player in the luxury hotel industry to behave?”
One more jump. “Yes!”
She joined her brother in laughter and dropped back into the chair. “Wow, Demo.”
He chuckled and teased her, “Athena, you’ll have to be a bit more articulate in your new position.”
“Thank you, Demo. Thanks for all your work on this.” She blew a kiss into the phone. “I know you think I’m doing this all wrong, but I really wanted to do it on my own.”
“I’m proud of you.” Demo paused, and she caught her breath. “I would have done it the same way. I just wanted it to be easier for you and I wanted to help. Just promise me that you’ll come to Tony and me if you need us.”
“I promise.” She raised a fist in triumph and kicked her feet. Smiling she asked for the rest of the details.
“Sammy has delivered the personal contract between you and Luca to his office. She’ll be faxing it to me later tonight. Giardetti should be transferring the remainder of the money into escrow as we speak, and the resort is preparing an executive bungalow for your arrival.”
“Yes!”
“Athena,” he warned jokingly. “More articulate!”
“Yes!” she repeated and laughed. Taking a deep breath, she listened to the rest.
“They’ll operate until the end of the month. Then the Giardetti flag will assume control. So take your well-earned vacation and enjoy the wedding.”
She sobered fast. “Why did Alexandros stop?”
“We don’t know, and we don’t care. Things like this happen every day.”
She dropped her head to her hand and whispered into the phone. “What am I supposed to tell him?”
“Nothing. Athena, you need to separate business and pleasure. That is why you pay us the big bucks. We run interference and you don’t need to come face to face with the adversary. Alexandros is your best friend’s brother-in-law. That’s it.”
She hesitated. How did she explain how wonderful the family was?
Demo let out a heavy breath. “Listen, Alexandros makes and breaks deals like this on a daily basis. He’s a professional, and I hate to sound flip, but he doesn’t see it the way you do.”
“I know,” she conceded. She’d been working with Luca for five years and had seen him do the same. To her, this was not just a good investment. It was the cornerstone of her future.
“Stay with the story that we’ve come up with for the press. That way you don’t lie to friends—and you’ll achieve your goals. The resort’s reputation has to be rebuilt under the Giardetti name to have a chance to compete in today’s cutthroat market. It’s a win-win situation for everybody.”
“You’re right.” Her mind and her stomach dueled for her attention. Logic eventually gained the upper hand. “I guess
I’ll enjoy everything here and let business wait. After all, that’s what you guys do every day.”
“Exactly. Don’t confuse the two.”
Chapter Seven
Athena worked for two hours on the Cretan hotel’s marketing file before Alexandros came into view, speaking into his headset.
“No… fair market value,” she heard as he made a gesture to ask if she was hungry. She smiled back and mouthed a silent “no” as he walked by.
Still talking, he sauntered over to the pool and slowly sat on the edge. His hands moved, expressing the urgency of the point he made to who ever was on the other end of the phone. His broad shoulders relaxed as he placed his bare feet into the pool and leaned over to draw on the water with his finger. She regretted saying no to him. If she had said yes, she could go sit with him. Magnetically drawn to him, her feet moved without consulting her mind.
He was nodding his head and concluding the call when he looked back at her. She continued, slowly walking to where he sat. He smiled, and took off the headphone and patted the spot next to him.
“Come and have a seat.”
“This is a nice setting to conduct business.” She searched for something else to say as she took off her sandals.
“It sure is, but life isn’t just about working. It is time for a break.” Looking up at the mid-day sun, he stretched his arms and pulled off his simple white t-shirt, then dove into the pool.
She felt a hot trickle running down her back as he surfaced, exposing his muscular chest and defined abdomen.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“Your parents went to see your grandmother. Heather and Costa went to lunch with Gianni Poulos and his wife, and I stayed behind to do some work.”
He simply nodded and did a few laps in the pool. She watched as his powerful arms cut into the water, his long legs only needing a few kicks to get him from one side to the other.
When he turned on his back, her gaze followed the line from the soft, dark hair on his chest, down his sculpted abdomen, into the wet red cloth clinging to his manliness.