A Greek Affair (Seven Days to Fall in Love #4)

by E. M. Irons

“Okay, thank you.”

  I could swear she rolled her eyes and that made me want to giggle.

  “Let's go, shorty.”

  He practically dragged me away from the reception, me finally giving in to a laughing crisis while he was trying not to smile.

  “I… know… it’s not… funny.” I couldn’t breathe.

  “It's not. She’s doing her job.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

  “But… she rolled her… eyes! Just like… my mom!”

  “At least you are a happy drunk.”

  “I'm… all around happy.”

  I took a deep, fortifying breath, but the gigantic smile never left my face. Elliot kept guiding me around until I was right in front of my door.

  “Thank you again. For all the help.”

  “Anytime.”

  I was foolishly smiling at him, and I could see his lips twitching.

  “Aren’t you going to open that door?"

  “Yeah, on it.”

  I turned and scanned my card, opening the door wide and stepping inside. Looking back at him, I felt butterflies in my stomach.

  “Go to sleep, shorty. And take some Tylenol. See you around.”

  He reached and closed the door, leaving me alone in the room. Stripping, I crawled under the sheets and felt my head give one last spin before my eyes were closed.

  4

  I woke up early, thanks to passing out drunk before eight at night. Recalling everything that happened, I was both embarrassed and grateful. I knew how irresponsible it was to get that shit faced in a foreign country, alone and allow a complete stranger to help me out. I got lucky that Elliot was not some psycho or the kind of guy that would take advantage of my situation, and if I was honest, I was a little disappointed that I would not see him again for the next seven days.

  Showering, changing into a bathing suit and summer dress, I packed a small bag and went after breakfast. The cruise brochure said that we would dock in Mykonos super early and we would have a full day to explore the island, and I wanted to make the most of it.

  For breakfast I went to a new restaurant. This one had a full buffet filled with hot breakfast: pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, rashers, bagels and everything that you might think of. With a heaping plate I sat and fished out of my bag a small travel book, full with all the research I’d done on Greece and the islands. I found the part about Mykonos and dived into it, trying to organise my day so I could fit as many things as I could.

  I’m not ashamed to say that I snuck two apples into my bag so I could snack during the day. Double checking I had everything - sunscreen, towel, bottle of water, my phone and my notebook, the essentials for a beach day -, I left the restaurant and went to find the ferries that would take us to shore. Before docking, one of the cruise staff reminded us that the last ferry back was due at 8pm, and that tonight we had the captain’s dinner. That left me with almost 12 hours to explore the island.

  I began with Chora, the Mykonos town, with its white walls, blue windows and postcard views. I walked around the stores, bought some trinkets, a wonderful and tiny bikini (because I was feeling daring), and saw two museums quickly, the Archaeological Museum and the Folklore Museum. Yes, I know, I’m on a perfect island with beautiful beaches, but once a nerd, always a nerd, especially a history nerd. I finally left the area and got a taxi to the West Coast, to Kapari, where the quiet beaches were. I laid down my towel and soak in the sun as long as I could, dipping in the ocean to cool off once in a while. After devouring my two stolen apples and drinking all my water, my stomach began to growl. Gathering my things and wrapping myself in a light dress, I wandered back to the road to find a bus stop, and some time later I was inside one, heading to Castle of Oia, a Byzantine ruin. It was perfect. You could feel history surrounding you, really putting things in perspective.

  I ended up in a little tavern, eating delicious food and talking with locals. One of them suggested I visit Agiou Mina, and as luck had it, it was in the middle of my return route. It had a perfect white church and I watched the sunset on the horizon. Looking at my phone, I was surprised to see it was already 7pm. If I didn’t hurry, I wouldn’t make it to the last ferry back.

  Time flew by, and I was momentarily sad to remember that this whole adventure was supposed to be with James by my side. That cheating jerk. I shook the feeling and made a mental check to avoid thinking of him if I could.

  With fifteen minutes to spare, I sat and waited for my turn on the small boat, smiling from ear to ear. And that was only day one!

  Finally back on the cruise, I went straight to my cabin to shower away the sand and sea water, and get ready for the captain’s dinner. When I learned that this was actually a thing, I asked a girlfriend if I could borrow a dress, and she happily landed me a black, backless dress that was classic and sexy. Applying a little make up and tousling my hair so into natural beachy waves, I was ready to go. I had a little extra time so I sat down to write in my travel journal about what I had seen, felt, eaten, and experienced. I liked writing everything down for posterity. One day, I would read my adventures and remember it all. The good, the bad, the funny and the ugly.

  Looking at the time on my cell phone, I scrambled to get my things and to be on time for dinner. It was a fun and weird experience. We stayed in line to greet the captain, exchange a few words, and take a couple of pictures that would be up for sale in the cruise store. After that, I was surprised to learn that the seats were marked, as per request of the captain, so the passengers could meet different people.

  “Is Mr. James Shawn with you?” The hostess asked, looking at her charts.

  “God, no. I’m alone.” And it felt quite freeing right now.

  “Ok, let me rearrange your seating. All done! You are at table 3, and Alina will show you the way. Have a splendid dinner!”

  Alina smiled at me and led the way, softly speaking about the menu and the restaurant. When she finally stopped at the table and showed the only available seat, I found myself once again looking at the blue eyes of Elliot.

  “Olivia.” He rose, like a gentleman, making all other rise as well.

  “Oh. Hello.” I could feel my face getting red by the second.

  “Do you know each other?” A man in his sixties asked, extending his hand for a shake.

  “We met yesterday, at the Aphrodite's Lounge. Olivia Leigh, this is Phillip Chapman and his wife, Joanna Chapman.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I shook both their hands and smiled. “I really don’t want to intrude, I can ask for another table."

  “Nonsense, dear! We can use another woman at the table.” Mrs. Chapman raised her wine glass.

  Elliot was still standing and pulled my chair out so I could sit. “Thank you.”

  “Those two are Lars Mikaelsson and Carlos Rodríguez.”

  I waved at them, feeling out of place. They were in their forties, clearly business men.

  “Tell us, Miss Leigh, how did you meet Elliot?” Mrs. Chapman was staring at me.

  “Just call me Olivia, please.” I tried to ignore the question, but she kept watching me. “Hum… Elliot…"

  “I was sitting at the bar and we started talking about absinthe.” He gave me a private smile.

  My cheeks turned red instantly.

  “Surprisingly strong drink for such an innocent looking green beverage, am I right?" Mr. Chapman laughed.

  I choked out a laugh and nodded.

  “Can I get you some wine?” Elliot asked me quietly.

  “Yes, please.”

  I looked at him again and found myself mesmerised by his face. He looked serious, and those smiles were a rare appearance, if I was not mistaken.

  “Are you enjoying the cruise so far?” Mr. Rodríguez asked with a thick Spanish accent.

  “So much! I spent the entire day wandering around Mykonos and it was magical.” I was more than happy to share my day with them. “How about you?”

  “Stayed on the ship. We had work to do.” He shrugged sadly.
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  “That's too bad.”

  “Are you alone?” Mr. Mikaelsson was curious.

  “Uh-huh.” I smiled tightly and gulped my wine. “My boyfriend dumped me on the way to the airport and now I’m doing all our plans alone."

  There was a deafening silence, and everyone’s eyes were on me.

  “Shit.” I muttered, drinking more wine. “Too much information, am I right?”

  “That’s… interesting.” Mrs. Mikaelsson spoke. "Maybe we should research the demographics of people travelling alone. It’s a big point to study for our investment.”

  I was never happier to change a subject. And maybe I should quit the wine for the night.

  “Oh no, please no business talk during meal time!” Mrs. Chapmans sounded exasperated.

  “You can take the business out of the man, but…” Mr. Chapman was laughing.

  “So this is a working trip?” I asked curiously, trying to gather some information about Elliot.

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Kind of.”

  They all spoke at once, and we all laughed.

  “I may invest in a cruise line, but we wanted to have a feel of how things work and what’s the appeal.” Mr. Chapman explained.

  “That’s nice.” I guess.

  “Tell us what made you take the trip, Olivia.”

  “Well, I think it is a good way to see different places without having to pack and move constantly. It’s a floating hotel that takes you around.”

  “That’s a new point of view.” Mr. Mikaelsson muttered.

  This dinner was beginning to feel like an interview, in an odd way.

  “Ignore them, dear. Tell me about the wonderful day you had.” Mrs. Chapman was being nice.

  And so I recounted my entire day, from the Choros, to the Kapari, passing through the museums, the tavern, the bus and the locals. My eyes were shining with enthusiasm and my hands kept moving around, as they tended to do when I was exhilarated. By the end of my tirade, I sighed happily, leaning back in the chair. The table was quiet, and all eyes were on me.

  “Sorry, I talk too much.” I gave an awkward laugh.

  “No, no, that’s actually very valuable to us.” Mr. Chapman said, looking at me with interest. “You see, Olivia, we were thinking about our own experiences and how we would enjoy this cruise, or not. You raised some very interesting points.”

  I could feel Elliot's eyes on me, but I was too embarrassed to meet his eyes. First, he’d helped me when I was ridiculously drunk and now I was at his table, talking non-stop, with strange people, who were probably his superiors. The server arrived and took the focus off me, reciting the menu and taking our orders. More wine was served, and I sat quietly while everyone talked around me, and stole little glimpses of Elliot. When our food arrived, I leaned sideways toward him and whispered.

  “Thank you so much for everything yesterday. I’m not always like that."

  He stared at me for a few seconds. “It’s all right. Glad I could help.”

  “You did. A lot. And now I carry my cabin number on a piece of paper inside my wallet. Lesson learned.”

  He shook his head, smiling.

  “I think the big problem was the Death in the Afternoon.”

  “There was that as well.”

  I smiled big and could swear his eyes went to my lips before returning to my eyes.

  “Olivia.” Mr. Chapman called me. “Do you have plans for every stop?”

  “Pretty much. I made some notes of what I wanted to see in each place.”

  “And how’s your budget?”

  Elliot choked on his wine and looked horrified by the question, which made me laugh.

  “Almost non existing.”

  “Ah-hah! That’s what we need to learn! What low budget travellers do in the islands. We can map it out and come up with itineraries and suggestions, and we also get to understand what we can accomplish to make the trip more fun and affordable.”

  “How old are you?” Mr. Rodríguez asked out of the blue.

  “28.”

  “You look younger."

  “Thank you?"

  This was not the dinner I was expecting to have, that’s for sure, but I was happy to sit beside Elliot and talk with new people.

  “I think we should leave Olivia alone. She’s on holiday and wants to enjoy herself.” Elliot spoke with authority.

  “Quite right! Sorry, Olivia. We get a little enthusiastic about things.” Mr. Chapman raised his glass in a toast.

  “A little?” Mrs. Chapman mocked him, giving him a peck on the cheek.

  “Just a little.” He winked at her. “But, you’re here working, Elliot. And so, why don’t you go with Olivia to research.”

  “Excuse me?” He was baffled. “I will not impose…”

  “Oh, I don’t think he’ll enjoy it…” I cut him off.

  “Your company?”

  “My itinerary.” Hey, I am splendid company.

  “If you prefer to travel alone…”

  We were going in circles with this conversation, everyone was staring, and truth be told, after one day with me he’ll probably come up with some excuse to bail. So let’s take the high road here.

  “You are more than welcome to come, but be prepared for the hard life of a post-grad student trying to travel around.”

  There was a lull in the conversation, and everyone stared at both of us. He cleared his throat and looked me over.

  “Are you sure it won’t bother you?”

  “Of course not. Just so you know, I like to be on the first ferry out and today I was on the last to come back. Be prepared.” I laughed at his face, hinting at all the things he would not like.

  “It’s settled!” Mr. Chapman was quite happy with the decision.

  From the loudspeaker, it was announced that there would be a waltz in honor of the captain and everyone was welcome to join in the dance floor, and that dessert was going to be served afterwards. Mrs. Chapman rose quickly and pulled her husband from the table, waving at us and batting her lashes at him. Mr. Mikaelsson and Mr. Rodríguez just shook their heads, clearly entertained and used to her antics. A hand appeared in my line of vision, and I was surprised to see Elliot rising to his feet.

  “Would you do me the honour?”

  I just nodded my head and put my hand in his, suddenly shy. He guided me through the tables until we arrived at the dance floor, which was already filled with people, and turning, he gathered me close to him, laying his hand on the small of my back. I looked up at him, and he was staring straight at me. We were quiet, following the rhythm of the song, moving slowly.

  “I'm sorry for all that. I don’t suppose this was the dinner you had planned."

  “It wasn’t, but it was fun.” I grinned at him.

  “And you can tell me to fuck off if you rather be travelling alone, ok?”

  He was so serious that his eyebrows were almost touching again. This man was something else, I swear. My hand rose from its place on his shoulder and I smoothed out the line formed in his brow.

  “I’d like the company.” I was surprised to hear myself say.

  My hand was back on his shoulder and I could feel the pressure his hand had on my lo er back, pulling me a little closer. My belly was in knots and I caught my breath. The proximity was electrifying and I couldn’t remember ever having this sensation before.

  “If you’re really ok with it…” He sounded unsure.

  “Maybe you’ll regret coming along. I can be an annoying travel companion.” I tried to joke.

  “I don’t think so."

  His lips gave a tiny smile, and I could feel myself melting. I barely knew him, but somehow I was certain he didn’t give away his smiles just to anybody.

  The song ended, and we pulled apart, clapping. His hand returned to my back, but this time on the bare skin and I shivered, refusing to look at him. He guided me back to our table, and we sat, just in time to have our desserts placed in front of us. Mr. and Mr
s. Chapman were still on the dance floor, speaking with the captain.

  “So, what are we going to do tomorrow?” I was looking for something to talk about, and our plans sounded like a safe topic.

  “What time do you want to leave?"

  “Eight. Too early for you?”

  “Not at all.” He gave a tiny smile, like he thought it was funny of me to ask. "My cabin number is 17006, on the 17th deck. We can meet there.”

  “It’s a date.” I froze with my chocolate mousse halfway to my mouth. “I mean. It’s not a date, it’s… settled. Agreed upon.”

  I shoved the mousse in my mouth just to shut myself up. I don’t know what was wrong with me when I was near Elliot, I was always saying the wrong thing.

  “It’s… agreed, then.”

  I nearly choked on my mousse. Was he making fun of me? Well, well, how far we’ve come.

  “Hilarious, Mr. funny pants."

  “I thought I was Mr. Suit and Tie?”

  Now he was clearly mocking me.

  “True, but you’re being lowered to Mr. funny pants for now.”

  He shook his head and ate his tiramisu, which looked delicious. Was ordering an extra dessert rude? I looked at his plate once more and was considering it when he pushed what was left of the dessert my way.

  “Go for it. I know you’d like to try.”

  “Are you reading my mind?” I narrowed my eyes on him.

  “No, but I could feel you watching.”

  He winked, and my belly got warm.

  “Do you usually share your food?” I teased.

  “Not with everybody.”

  I bit my lips, trying not to smile. The next couple of days were beginning to sound better and better. I polished up both desserts and finally Mr. and Mrs. Chapman came back, talking about the captain, their plans and the few meetings they had ahead of them.

  “Olivia, I hope you join us for dinner the rest of the days. We would love to hear about your adventures.”

  “Thanks, that would be lovely.”

  After everyone was done, we rose and made our way out of the restaurant. The men decided to extend the night and smoke some cigars, but I bid my farewells and was heading for the elevators when I heard Elliot's voice.

  “Night, shorty.”