Her Greek Doctor's Proposal

by Robin Gianna

  “Mister? Surely you wish to buy the beautiful miss something as beautiful as she is. At the best prices, you understand.”

  “We’re still deciding if it’s worth the risk. Thanks anyway,” Andros said, his lips quirking as he looked at her, but that barely contained blaze that still smoldered in his eyes had her quivering all over again.

  The man looked perplexed at Andros’s answer, and kept peppering them with questions and various offers as they made their way out of the store, shouting after them to be sure to return for ‘the better price’ than the original ones he’d been offering.

  Andros’s arm was around her back, her waist again cupped in his hand as they walked to the darkest end of the street. It curved around in a U-turn to the adjacent street full of more tavernas and shops, but Andros stopped next to a stone retaining wall, beneath tall, arching shrubs that grew from behind it.

  He pulled her into his arms, flashing a smile that practically lit up the dark corner he’d finagled them to. “It’s not helping, you know.”

  She had a pretty good idea what he was talking about, but said instead, “What’s not helping?”

  She could feel his hands splay open on her back, pressing her close, as his warm mouth touched her cheek, moved over to her ear, giving it a tiny lick. “Not having the moonstone. Don’t need that to feel a powerful desire for you. To want to share some passion with you. I’ve been fighting it since the second I met you, but it’s been a losing battle.”

  The low rumble of his voice, along with the little kisses he kept placing against her ear, her neck, her cheek, managed to narrow her entire universe down to those singular sensations. She let her hands slip up his wide chest, outlining his hard pectorals as she went, gratified to feel his muscles twitch and bunch beneath her touch.

  She turned her face to give him access to her other cheek, because she liked the breathless feeling it gave her and wanted more of it. Apparently amused at that, he chuckled as he softly kissed every inch of sensitive skin on that side as well.

  “I don’t have time to…to get involved with you.” Proud of herself that she’d managed to remember that, she tipped her head back as his tongue explored the hollow of her throat.

  “I know. And I can’t risk getting involved with you.”

  “Risk?” Risk? What did that mean?

  “Never mind.” His mouth moved in a shivery path up her throat until it was soft against her lips. “This isn’t involvement, right? Just friendship.”

  That startled a little laugh out of her, and she felt his lips smile against hers. “Yes. Friendship with benefits.”

  And then he kissed her for real. Softly at first, then harder and deeper. Dizzy from the pleasure, she moved her hands up from his chest to cling to his shoulders. There were some firm, taut muscles right there, perfectly placed for her to hold on to so she could stay on her feet and not melt into a small hot puddle on the still-steamy blacktop.

  One wide hand slid farther up her back to gently cup her nape, his warm fingers slipping into the hair against her scalp that had loosened a bit from her ponytail. She thought her heart might pound right out of her chest at the thrilling barrage of every sensation he’d managed to make her feel in a matter of minutes—hot, weak, strong and slightly delirious.

  A sound of need came from one of them, a little moan from one moist mouth to the other, with an answering gasp in return. The kiss got a little wilder as he pressed her so close, she felt her body mold completely with his. In the foggy recesses of her brain, a bizarrely wild sound filled her ears, and for a moment she feared it had come from her. Then realized with relief that it hadn’t, that, somehow, they were surrounded by a cacophony of cat meows.

  Andros seemed unaffected, kissing her with a single-minded focus that weakened her knees all over again, until the crescendo of sound was so distracting, she was finally able to break the kiss to look around.

  “What in the world is that?”

  His eyes, glittering through the darkness, met hers with heat and humor. When he answered, the sound was breathless and amused. “Feral cats. They’re everywhere in Greece. Haven’t you noticed?”

  “They’ve stared at us and walked around while we ate dinner on the outdoor patios here, but I guess I didn’t realize. Thought they were pets of the owners.” Still caught close in his arms, she turned to the tangle of shrubs next to them, astonished to see a nearly uncountable number of eyes staring at them luminously through the darkness. Big, small, up close and hiding deeper in the greenery; she couldn’t imagine how many there must be.

  “Greeks have a love of animals. And also can turn a blind eye to their needs sometimes as well, unfortunately. But many do feed the strays, when they can.” He loosened his hold on her to dig something from his pocket, tossing it to the cats, then tossing more of it deeper into the thicket. The mad scramble that ensued made Laurel’s heart hurt for the poor hungry creatures.

  “Are they never neutered?”

  “Just by a few of us. Our secret, though.”

  She looked up at him, so impressed at his caring. At his warmth, which he’d now shown her extended to all creatures, great and small. “Our secret. Though I didn’t know you had surgical skills, too.”

  “I have many mad skills you don’t know about.” Their eyes met and held, and it was all there, swirling between them. The intimate smiles, the banked-down heat, the connection that made her feel as if she knew the man so much better than she possibly could after only days.

  Had she ever felt such a strange, sensual connection with any other man? As soon as the question came, she knew the answer.

  Never.

  “It’s good that you help little creatures. Back at home, we—”

  The harsh ring of his phone made them both jump. The instant he looked at its screen, a deep frown replaced every bit of the heat and humor that had been there before.

  “Ah, hell.” His gaze lasered in on hers for a moment before he took a few strides away to answer. “Di. What’s the matter?”

  The second she heard who it was, her gut clenched. The man wouldn’t be calling on a Sunday night to catch up on the weather.

  Her breath seemed to completely stop, and her hands went cold as she watched his expression get grimmer with each passing second. Finally he turned to her, and she found herself praying.

  “Andros. Please don’t tell me…Mel and Tom…” She gulped, not able to finish the sentence.

  He reached for her hands and held them tight. “It’s John. They’re doing everything they can, but Di felt we should know. He’s taken a turn for the worse.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “JOHN IS SICKER?”

  The blue eyes staring up at him were wide and worried. Her hands had tightened on his so hard, her short nails dug into his skin. “The breathing machine is having trouble compensating for the pneumonia in his lungs, getting him enough oxygen. But they’re giving him the best care they can.” He’d known John’s condition was becoming more precarious but hadn’t seen any reason to alarm her more than necessary.

  “What about Mel and Tom?”

  “They’re getting better every day.” He stroked her back, hoping to soothe. “They’re going to be fine, and hopefully John will come around too.”

  “Thank God.” Her stiff posture seemed to relax just a little and she dropped her head to his chest, wrapping her arms loosely around his back. “I have to tell everyone he’s worse. I have to give them a choice about whether they want to work at the site anymore. I still can’t imagine they got sick from the dig, for all the reasons we’ve talked about. But who knows?”

  “Wouldn’t it end your stress to just shut it down, like I said before? Let your people go on home? You wouldn’t have to worry about someone else getting ill or the media badgering you.”

  “I can’t this second. Have to think. I don’t expect you to understand.”

  No, he didn’t understand, but now wasn’t the time to get on at her about it. Not when she was feeling
so upset and anxious. “I’ll come talk to your crew with you. Explain his condition and answer any more questions they might have.”

  “Thank you. I’d…I’d appreciate that.”

  She slipped from his hold in what seemed like slow motion, as though it was a supreme effort. He was glad she didn’t feel she had to shoulder the entire burden of talking to everyone about John’s health.

  They walked back to the hotel, silent but for the sounds of their feet on the pavement, the breeze rustling leaves in the trees, the mewls from hidden cats. The hotel seemed equally silent, and Laurel led him through a few cavernous rooms toward a door that led to a deck. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, it was obvious even in the low light that the deck was empty.

  “When I left awhile ago, they were all back here.” She nudged open the door, and he followed her outside. The deck spanned the distance along the entire back of the hotel, but the only visible people were a couple in an embrace at the far end.

  “Maybe they went to a bar. Or to bed, since I told them we’d be getting an early start.”

  “You want me to come back in the morning to talk with them then?”

  “That’s sweet of you, but no.” She shook her head. “It’s part of my job, though if he’s any better in the morning, I’d really appreciate it if you tell me early.”

  “I admire that you’re serious about your job and your responsibilities. Taking care of your sisters.” He reached for her, stroked his hands up and down her soft arms. Soft, yet strong, just like her. “You step up to any task forced on you, no matter how difficult.”

  “Doesn’t everybody?”

  “No.” Quite a few had doubted he could step up when he’d found out about Cassie. “You have a lot to be proud of, Laurel.”

  The eyes that lifted to his were somber. “Not enough. Not yet.”

  He wondered what she meant, but when he opened his mouth to ask, got sidetracked completely when she suddenly twined her arms around his neck, pressed her soft curves against him. Pressed her sweet mouth to his.

  Her lips plied his, gentle yet insistent. A controlled kiss, but with a slight desperation to it he knew came from her fears for the Wagners, the stress of the dig, the worry of John’s worsening illness. Of her parents’ deaths just a mile from where they stood. He could sense all of it, feel all of it, as though their hearts and minds had melded together along with their lips, and he hurt for her. Wanted to erase some of that hurt as best he could.

  He let his hands roam down her back, to the curve of her waist, found them sliding farther south to grasp the round, firm globes of her rear, pressing her against his hardness. He’d wanted to touch her like this, hold her like this, every time they’d been near to one another, every time they’d kissed. The feel of her was everything he’d known it would be, and it was all he could do to not let his hands explore more of her. Tug the straps of her dress down her arms to cup the small mounds beneath, learn their sweet shape. Help her forget anything but this moment.

  Her fingers slid to the sides of his neck, into his hair, making him shiver, sending his pulse ratcheting even higher. He knew he had to get control of himself before he lowered her into one of the deck chairs and made love to her right there under the stars.

  It took Herculean effort to pull his mouth from hers and suck in a deep breath. “Don’t think either of us wants to be caught out here by your dig crew or, God forbid, somebody working at this hotel who lives in Kastorini. Or, best of all, media types back for another interview and photo op.” And wasn’t that a hell of an understatement?

  “Then let’s go to my room.”

  His heart jolted hard at her words at the same time every muscle in his body tightened, ready to grab her hand and head there at a dead run. “Laurel. I want you. Which I’m sure you know. But not when you’re hurting. Not when you might regret it tomorrow.”

  “I won’t regret it. Just tonight. Just this once.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I can’t let myself be distracted from what has to get done at the dig. But right this minute I don’t want to think, I just want to feel. Not feel alone, but feel good. With you. Which, if I’m honest, I’ve wanted to do since we first met.”

  “Laurel.” His hands tightened on her behind, which pressed her pelvis tighter against him. He nearly groaned. All he wanted was to make her feel good. But would he be taking advantage of a weak moment? The same way he’d often thoughtlessly done, not all that long ago?

  “Andros.” There was a flicker of slightly amused impatience in her eyes when she said his name in return. Her hands slipped to his chest as she took a half step back. “I’m not a wilting violet you need to look out for or worry about, if that’s the problem. I’m strong, and I’ve been on my own a long time now. You have about five seconds to say, ‘yes, that sounds great’ or ‘no, thanks.’ So which is it?”

  A surprised chuckle escaped him. The woman standing in front of him definitely wasn’t a needy, weepy, sad soul. She was fire and light, toughness and softness, and he was the luckiest man alive that she wanted to be with him tonight.

  “Yes, that sounds great.”

  Her response was to grasp his hand and tug him along behind her through the foyer, up three flights of stairs and into a tiny room. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, wanting to give her one more chance to change her mind. One more moment to decide if this was really what she wanted tonight.

  When she turned to him, the desire that shone in her eyes reflected his own. He took a deliberate step toward her, keeping it slow and easy, giving her just a little more time. A little more space.

  “Something about the way you’re moving toward me reminds me of a lion on the hunt,” she said, taking an equally slow step as the gap between them closed from four feet to three.

  “And something about the way you’re moving makes me think of a siren. Sending me out of my mind. Making me crazy. Which has occurred to me more than once, by the way.”

  “Has it?” Another step brought her close enough to touch. Her fingers reached for his shirt buttons, began flicking them open one by one, and his heart thudded thickly in his chest in response. “I never thought of being a siren, until I met you. What if I confessed that, the moment I saw you on the mountain, you made me think of a warrior god? Maybe even Apollo himself.”

  His laugh morphed into a low moan as her hands slid across his skin to spread open his shirt, her fingertips caressing his nipples. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I don’t think I have much in common with Apollo.”

  “Are you sure? I can think of several things.”

  If his self-discipline hadn’t already disintegrated, it would have at the way she was looking at him, smiling at him, touching him. “Such as? I’m not musical, never shot an arrow in my life and can’t claim to be a prophet.”

  His stomach muscles hardened, along with notable other parts of his body, when her hands tracked down his skin to unbutton his pants. “You’re a healer, right? Not to mention you seem to create heat and light whenever I’m around you. And as for physical beauty, you—”

  “Okay, enough of this torture.” He swept her hands aside, lifting his fingers to the thin straps of her dress. “Part of me wants to let you keep going, so I won’t have to wonder if I’m taking advantage of you. But that concern is dwarfed by wanting to give you what you asked for.” He slipped the straps down her arms. “Which is to just feel.”

  “Believe me, touching your skin is a good way for me to just feel.”

  “I have a better way. And can’t wait another second to see your physical beauty, which I’ve fantasized about for days.” He reached behind her, unzipped her dress. Slid it down the length of her body until it pooled at her feet, and he could see her luminous skin. He smiled at the paleness of her belly compared to her tanned arms and legs. Swept his fingertips across her stomach and over her white bra, lingering at her hardened nipples. “I like your archaeologist’s version of a farmer’s tan.”r />
  She gave a breathless laugh. “No time to sunbathe at the pool. Sorry.”

  “I love it. It’s just like you. A woman of contrasts, all light and dark.” He kissed her throat, moved his tongue down her delicate collarbone. “Soft.” He slowly moved down over her bra to take that tempting nipple into his mouth through the fabric. “And hard.”

  Her hands grasped his head again, holding him against her. He reveled in the little gasping sounds she made as he moved from one breast to the other, dropping to his knees to softly suck on her belly. The scent of her arousal surrounded him, so delicious he groaned as he pressed his mouth over the silky fabric covering her mound, moistening it even more.

  “Come back…up here.” Her voice was a little hoarse as she grasped his arms, tugging.

  He wanted to stay exactly where he was for a while longer, but he was here to make her feel good. Do what pleased her, what made her happy. He stood and flicked off her bra, thumbed her panties down her legs at the same time she shoved his pants to his ankles. Kicking them off along with his shoes, he took her into his arms and kissed her, backing her toward the bed.

  He broke the kiss to flick back the covers. When he looked at her, standing there gloriously naked, he realized there was one more thing he needed to see. He reached around to her ponytail, gently tugging at the elastic band there. “I want to see your hair down. I want to see it spread over you, feel it touching my skin.”

  A sensuous smile curved her lips and she reached behind to pull off the band, dragging her fingers through her hair as she brought it over her shoulders to cover her breasts, her pink nipples peeking out of the silken strands.

  He touched its softness, stroking from her ears down over her breasts, and could barely speak at how beautiful she was. “I’ve wondered how you’d look. It’s better than any of my fantasies. Just like etchings of beautiful sirens rendering men helpless with one glance.”

  “I hope you’re not helpless.” She reached for him, and he picked her up to lay her on the bed. Touched her and kissed her, wanting to give her the pleasure she deserved.