The Summer Deal

by Aleka Nakis

  Feeling the need to defend his actions, Demo reminded his brother of the night when Samantha wasn’t able to leave the office because her ex was parked outside. “The stubborn woman wouldn’t call the police.”

  “Sure, Demo. Whatever you say.”

  “Okay, maybe I’m a bit protective of her,” he admitted. “But that’s because she has no sense of self-preservation. She thinks her ex’s threats are meaningless. You know better.”

  Tony sighed into the phone. “I’m not saying you’re wrong about that—”

  “I had to practically lock her in the penthouse to make sure she was safe. She kept saying it wasn’t appropriate to stay at my place. She was about to go out and take her chances, and she would have if I hadn’t lied and said I had overseas conference calls all night. Let me tell you, the office couch sucks.”

  “Yeah, and since then, you’ve had a car waiting to drive her home or to class every night,” Tony pointed out.

  Bastardo had disappeared overnight, but Demo had personally taken her home the next morning, and then took it upon himself to assure her ex would not have access to her. Damn, he’d definitely overstepped the employer/employee line that time.

  And I did it again today.

  “Tony, these are things that needed to be done. I can’t imagine any proper person turning his back on a situation like that.”

  “Fine, rationalize it anyway you like. But the writing is on the wall, big brother. You’re sunk.”

  Ending the call on that note, Demo went on digging the hole a little deeper and verified more of his interference was on track. The team was in place, and he was confident he could leave on his trip without worrying about her safety.

  He’d deal with the rest when he returned.

  *****

  The intercom buzzed. “Mr. Lakis? The Giardetti file just came through. Would you like me to forward it to you?”

  “Please print it and bring to me, Samantha. Plus, why don’t you order us some lunch from Chris’s. We could review a few things as we eat.”

  She entered his office within five minutes and handed him the file.

  “Thank you.”

  Samantha pulled back her hand and sighed. Making contact with her boss’s fingers shouldn’t send sparks up her arms, but it did. Each time he was within five feet, her legs turned to jelly and her heart beat in a staccato rhythm.

  “Chris’s will be delivering your lunch in about an hour, Mr. Lakis. I tried to get it here sooner, but they said the kitchen was very busy.”

  “That’ll be fine. It gives us time to go over the schedule before we eat.”

  We? If he only knew what he was doing to her. They’d had lunch together three times in the past week, and each night, she hadn’t been able to sleep. She’d tossed and turned thinking about him, and when she’d finally fallen asleep, dreams of Demo Lakis haunted her through the night. Her skin would soon look like a lizard’s and her water bill would be greater than her rent if she didn’t stop the midnight showers. No, she couldn’t keep setting herself up like this.

  “Thanks, Mr. Lakis. We can go over any pertinent instructions you have, but I brought a yogurt in for today. I’ll eat in the lunch room.”

  “Yogurt? That’s not lunch. A yogurt is for a snack, at most a little breakfast when it’s almost time for lunch.”

  The horrified look on his face made her laugh. From the sight of him, no one would ever guess the amount of food he managed to eat. There wasn’t a pinch of flab anywhere on his muscular torso. His crisp white shirt hugged his sculpted chest and stretched across a set of broad shoulders meant to lean on. There was nothing wasteful about Demosthenis Lakis. Everything was in perfect proportion. And, he ate more than anyone she’d ever met.

  “Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I ordered only your steak and salad—”

  “We’ll share.” He walked around the desk and pulled up a chair beside her. “Now, let’s go over the next two weeks. Because of the time difference, I’ll need you in the office earlier than normally required. However, you will be able to leave by noon if you are done.”

  “That’s no problem. I usually get here early anyway, so I’ll just move it up a little.”

  “I know you do. And your usual time is fine with me. I just wanted to verify that it would be definite.”

  The fresh scent of his cologne swept over her and she tried not to inhale. Placing her hands on her knees, she attempted to keep them from shaking. It was difficult to appear in control with him leaning toward her and looking into her eyes.

  Were all Greek men so intense? If so, maybe she ought to forget about studying, book a flight on Olympic Airlines, and spend the summer in Greece. She could suffer through a few months of being in a place surrounded by men like him. Hearing herself sigh, her hand flew to her mouth.

  “What is wrong? If you have difficulties preparing the documents for the East End deal from here, you can come along.” He stood and reached for the phone. “Don’t worry about not having a passport. We have three hours to have it expedited.”

  “No, Mr. Lakis. That’s not it. I was just thinking about how difficult it will be for you to acclimate to the time change and deal with—”

  He held up an index finger and asked the person on the other end of the line to pull Samantha’s file from personnel and bring the necessary documentation needed to apply for a passport to his office immediately.

  “Samantha, don’t worry about me. I barely have a normal schedule when I’m here.” His lips spread into a handsome grin and his dark gaze caused her cheeks to burn. “Thanks for caring, though.”

  She twisted her hands in her lap and broke the intimate eye contact. “I won’t need that passport.”

  “You might. Better to have it on hand.”

  Chapter Three

  Samantha reached across the big, empty bed and picked up her cell phone. Looking at the caller ID, she felt like a cat raiding the milk box. He was constantly on her mind and she missed him.

  “Hello, Mr. Lakis. Is everything okay?”

  Her boss’s deep voice came across the receiver. “Good morning, Samantha. Did I wake you?”

  “Mm, actually I need to get up soon,” she said, attempting to stifle a yawn.

  “Usually you’re on your way into the office at this time, and I didn’t want to miss you. I guess I caught you in the middle of an interesting dream.”

  “Something like that.” She smiled, remembering the last image of him. His dark hair tousled from their time in bed, his ebony eyes laced with satiated passion, his sensual smile urging her on, and his strong hands comforting her restless body. She’d reveled in his masculine scent all night, if only in her dream. “It’s just after six here, what time is it for you?”

  “Early afternoon. We’re several hours ahead. I need to ask you a favor.” He sounded serious.

  She sat at attention. “Okay, I’m awake. What can I do for you?”

  “I’ve decided to extend my stay in Europe—specifically in Greece. I’m setting up an office at the new Giardetti property in Crete and will work out of there for a while.”

  Her head hit the plump pillow again. A sigh escaped her lips and traveled along the cross-Atlantic phone line. A whole summer without seeing him was going to be torture. With her luck, he’d probably come back engaged or married to a beautiful, rich Greek woman.

  I may as well register for a new summer course. Commercial Paper here I come.

  “Samantha, are you still there?”

  “Yes, yes.” Not really, he had lost her at work out of there for a while. He was going to be thousands of miles away. “That’ll be good. You can meet clients in Greece without much traveling.”

  “Bravo. Make the arrangements. Fly direct to Athens, and then connect on the noon flight to Chania. You should have no problem getting a first-class ticket. I’ll meet you at the airport on Wednesday,” he said.

  “Excuse me, sir?” What did she miss?

  “A working vacation will be good for you. Y
ou spend too many hours in the office, and I can use your help here.”

  Heat stirred in her belly, and she wriggled in the sheets tangled around her legs. He needed her.

  Time in Greece with her charming and attractive boss was very tempting, but she trembled at the thought of being in the romantic setting, so close to him, and not being able to touch him. If she were a logical woman, she would never even consider it. However, nothing about the way she felt over Demosthenis Lakis was logical. She searched for a reason not to go.

  “My review course starts next week, and I’ll lose my tuition fees if I drop it now.”

  “We’ll compensate you, and it won’t affect your GPA.” Silence settled between them for a few moments. “Samantha, I need your help, and you need a break from the office and New York.”

  It was true, but she simply couldn’t think of taking a vacation at this time. She had the course to finish and the bar exam to pass in February.

  “Thanks so much, but the course is my bar prep class. I can’t afford to miss it.” That was a weak attempt. She could prepare anywhere, and she knew it.

  “I promise I’ll help you study. I tutored for two years before my practice could pay for itself.” His laughter filled the line, and she smiled, picturing him waggling his eyebrows as he spoke. “And if I say so myself, I was good. My students had an amazing success rate. What could be better than a private tutor?”

  “I could never impose on you, Mr. Lakis,” she said, twirling the end of the sheet in her fingers.

  “It’s no imposition. It will be my pleasure. In addition, just to show my appreciation, Lakis Consulting will pay for the AmeriBar course. We can even have it shipped here.”

  Butterflies waltzed in her stomach and she pushed her palms against it to calm them. “Okay, but can you repeat the details? I think I may have zoned out while you were talking.”

  “The efficiency queen zoning out?” His continued laughter stroked her soul and her flesh tingled at the sound. “That’s a first. It must’ve been a great dream.”

  “You could say that. Now please repeat the details, and I’ll jot them down.” She stretched and curled her toes. Anticipating his instructions, she didn’t bother with the notepad on her nightstand.

  “I’ll send the information in a few hours. Check your e-mail after lunch,” he said.

  “No problem. I’ll have backups done, and compare them with your list by then.” She knew what legal files he was working on, and had them on flash drives at all times.

  “Sammy, it gets very warm in the daytime. And at night, a light jacket is usually good. Comfortable shoes are necessary, no stilettos. You’ll only need a suit for when we have meetings in Athens.”

  Great, she was going to spend her summer straining to look into his gorgeous face, or find herself staring at his tempting muscular chest the whole time.

  “Thanks, Mr. Lakis. I’ll see you next week.”

  A summer on a Greek island with the man of her dreams. What could be more perfect?

  Him dreaming about you would be a good start.

  Trying to convince herself she didn’t really care, she shook her head.

  You can’t offer a man like Demosthenis Lakis the future he’d want. Just accept it. You’re not wife material anymore. You’re damaged goods.

  Shrugging, she resigned herself to a loveless existence. She’d be fine. There was more to life than a family. People led full lives without having children and a house with a white picket fence around it. She’d fill her years with success in every part— other than her home life. There was work and school, amongst other distractions she could conjure.

  Lying back, she pulled the covers up, and then started talking to herself like a mad woman.

  “If he needs me to run his office, I will. And the worst part is I’ll enjoy doing it. Whom am I trying to fool? I’ll take him any way I can get him except for the one way that will make me happiest. Ugh!”

  Kicking her feet against the sheets, she turned on her side and punched her favorite down pillow. Why did she waste her time thinking about a relationship with him?

  She was nothing like the tall, stick-figured, raven-haired beauties Demo usually dated. On a good day, he had ten inches on her five-foot-two-inch, definitely not stick-figured, frame. A natural redhead, with the professional spunk to match, she just didn’t blend in.

  An only child of a divorced mother, she had learned to count on her own abilities to survive. She was definitely not the Lakis definition of a trophy wife for the self-made Greek-American billionaire who valued family above everything. He wanted one of those typical Greek-American women who would care for his every desire and make their home her roost. Sponsoring events for the local Greek community, he was surrounded by them. They swarmed around him like bees to their hive. Samantha had even overheard his sister teasing him about the parade of appropriate could-be-wives his mother had lined up for a weekend on the island.

  He spoke Greek, read Greek, listened to Greek music, and went to Greece as often as possible. Even though he was an American, he was a Greek who wanted little Greek babies and a proper Greek mother for them.

  Greek, Greek, Greek!

  Carrot top Samantha Mallone did not fit the bill.

  Sighing, she hugged her pillow, and despite her emotional turmoil and excitement, curled her body against the bed’s softness. There was no reason to rush into the office today. He wasn’t there.

  “Stay with me,” he said.

  How she craved to do just that. If only Samantha could will the ringing to stop and remain in his arms, then life would be perfect. But it wasn’t. Reluctantly, she scooted out from beneath him, trying to reach her side of the bed.

  “I want that more than anything, but I can’t. I have to go to work soon.”

  Demo curled his arms around her waist, pulled her close, and then leaned against her, tickling her back with the hair of his chest. He spoke in a husky voice against her ear. “If you really must go, I’ll be waiting for you.”

  Demo always was.

  During the last month, she had practically jumped into bed to rendezvous with the man each night. Now he ran his palm over her belly, bringing it to rest between her breasts. His touch warmed her heart, making her glad she was already horizontal. She doubted her legs would’ve supported her weight.

  Turning in his embrace, she ran her fingers over the shadows on his handsome face. “If only I had met you first. Before he had the chance to take everything from me. Before one fateful night changed my life. Before the doctor said my chances were next to nothing to give you what you deserve. Then, I’d stay forever.”

  Saying something she couldn’t really hear, he kissed her gently.

  Samantha inhaled deep, opening her eyes to the early morning sunlight streaming in through her bedroom curtains.

  She slapped the annoying alarm clock and got out of bed. The past was just that: the past. It was time for her to move on and find herself again. But this time she’d guard her heart and have a good time in the process.

  Walking toward the shower, she swayed her hips and playfully tossed her head. “This summer is your chance to let your hair down. You’re going to have fun, be free, and stop calculating each move. You’re going to Greece, and you’re going to enjoy yourself.”

  How nice would it be to enjoy herself with her gorgeous and very masculine boss?

  But Mr. Lakis was not a solution; he could steal her heart. He was completely out of her league. She couldn’t handle him on a purely physical and temporary level. It would hurt too much to have what she most desired and then lose it. A simple fling was the answer, a man—maybe a stranger—she could walk away from after a very tantalizing couple of weeks.

  Samantha needed to get ‘it’ out of her system and continue with her plans. She’d be the best family lawyer in the city. After working to put herself through law school, she deserved to accomplish that goal.

  Anthony Lakis had nicknamed her Little Red because of her red hair and
the determination she showed in her work environment. She never let a project die, and she attacked every problem head on.

  “If only I could bring Little Red home with me and feel as comfortable here as I do at work,” she muttered to the empty room. “If only you guys knew how hard it is to believe I could be that good out of the office.”

  The brothers had offered Samantha a post-graduation position if she chose to follow corporate law. Nevertheless, her heart wanted to chase down deadbeats for abandoning their children. A product of such a home, she wanted to make a difference for other kids. It had never been about the money.

  But, hey, the time would come to make these decisions. For now, she was going to have a fabulous adventure in Greece. She envisioned the hot sun, the sparkling beach, and a Greek god of her own.

  She dressed for work, leaving her long red hair down as a symbol of her newly decided upon freedom, and did not bother with her typical braid or bun. She was not an attorney yet. She would have plenty of time to pull her hair back after Christmas.

  She was going to have fun for a change.

  *****

  Friday passed in a whirlwind. Coming into the office early and working through lunch, Samantha cleared her desk, prepared her office replacement, and planned the weekend to shop and visit with her mom.

  Answering the phone as she was getting ready to leave the office, she was surprised to hear from her boss’s brother. “Yes, Mr. Lakis. Everything is set and I was just about to head home.”

  “Great, Little Red. Have the driver meet you in the morning for any last minute errands you need to run.”

  “No need. I can get around the typical ways.”

  There was a brief silence on the other end. Then as if he was annoyed, the younger partner added, “Sammy, don’t make things difficult. The car is available for your use.”

  “Okay, Mr. Lakis. I’ll call the driver if I need him.” She shifted the briefcase on her shoulder and waited for further instructions.