Her Greek Romance aka Greek Encounter (14 page)

Her lips curled in a soft smile.
“I’ll be in your office at nine sharp.”

“I’ll have coffee and breakfast waiting for you.”

 “Thanks.” No need to tell him she’d need a lot of caffeine to keep a cool head around him, especially if they’d be locked together all day long in a conference room. God, she’d never let a man stir such a storm in her heart. Why here? Why now?

CHAPTER NINE

Why her? Why now? Stefano shook his head in dismay. His father’s advice, or order, rang in his ears for the thousandth time.
Marry only a Greek woman.

Oh well, Ashley was half Greek, his mind tried to argue. He shrugged. His passion for her had nothing to do with nationalities or cultures. He wanted this beautiful woman. Wanted her in his arms all the time. Forget rationality. Enjoy life. How often had his Yaya advised him to enjoy life?

God bless old Zanis for coming up with the good idea that Ashley should work with him and inspect his plans. Under different circumstances he’d have resented interference in his affairs. He didn’t need an auditor, but it turned to be Ashley, so he’d welcomed her grandfather’s suggestion.

He finished dressing and rode the elevator from the fifth floor housing his apartment to the fourth floor that was part of Kostapoulos Enterprises. In the huge conference room, he smiled, imagining Ashley’s surprised reaction to the professional place after she had scorned their last meeting.

“
Yassou
,” Ted said from behind him. “Hey, you look in an awfully good mood for someone who’d received a cold drink thrown at his crotch.”

“It wasn’t thrown on purpose. Just slipped out of her hand. My fault when I gripped her arm.”

“Aren’t you in an indulgent mood today? What happened? Did you have a serious talk with Father Kanakris? Did he preach to forgive your enemies’ sins?” A sarcastic smile stretched Ted’s lips.

“Stop the nonsense, Ted. Ashley is not the enemy anymore. I just want to work in a reasonably agreeable atmosphere so that we’ll be able to progress on the project dear to our heart.”

“Which project exactly? Until yesterday, the “project dear to our heart” as you say, was to destroy the Pink Villa, crush it to the floor, and build a luxurious resort. Enlighten me, please. What’s our new priority?”

Stefano rubbed his hands. His priority was to hold a certain American lawyer in his arms. The rest... He shrugged. “Our project is still to build a luxurious resort. Restoring the Pink Villa will be part of my promotion plans, a fantastic way to attract visitors. Where is your business sense, Ted?”

 “Mine hasn’t changed, my friend. But yours has been riding a roller coaster for the last two days. Now do you need me today?”

Stefano cast a speculative look at the bay window, then checked his watch.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“A favor? You’ve never hesitated to give orders before.”

“Can you make sure Ashley arrives here on time?”

“Ah.” Ted raised his eyebrow in an ironic way that grated on Stefano’s nerves. “You mean you want me to make sure she doesn’t trick you and go to the airport?”

Stefano frowned. “She wouldn’t.”

“Well, after the way she treated you yesterday, anything is possible.”

No, Ashley wouldn’t dump him, not after the way she’d kissed him two hours ago. But one could never be too sure with her. “Just go to her hotel and pick her up.”

After Ted left, Stefano’s thoughts flew to the morning swim and his palm glided on the polished cherry wood surface of the table where he’d just set his folders. A sideways smile curled his lips. He lowered his eyelids to better envision some private overtime with Counselor Sheppard—overtime that would encompass more than work. This conference table was big enough and smooth enough for the fantasy playing in his mind. But he wasn’t a man to indulge in daydreams when he could simply act accordingly.

****

Ashley examined herself in the mirror and saw a serious but vulnerable woman.
Careful girl. You can’t fall in love with him. Enjoy your time in Greece but guard your heart.
If she was going to work with him until the project was well on its way, she needed to keep cool nerves and continue the pretence—act as if attracting men was a meaningless diversion.

With a resolute hand, she hung back her strict navy blue skirt and white shirt. The black sleeveless dress with white prints, round neck, and a hem that stopped three inches above the knee suited her purpose better than her prim lawyer uniform. She slipped on her black high-heeled sandals and brushed her hair down her back. No tight bun today.

A touch of mascara completed her usual makeup. She scrutinized herself in the mirror again, and approved her reflection. Oh, she was about to forget her perfume. She dabbed a few drops of
Gardenia
behind her ears, in her cleavage, and on her wrists. Definitely a stronger competition to the women who worked in Kostapoulos offices, and maybe a stronger magnet to male attention.

Adrenaline rushed through her veins. She stuffed a bikini, towel, and change of clothes in her beach bag. If they finished their meeting early enough, she intended to relax on the beach or take a ferry to a nearby island.

By eight-thirty, she left her hotel and stopped at a café for coffee. She didn’t have time to settle at a round table. Ted Pastroudis strode toward her.

“Morning, Ashley,” he said with a big smile. “Please, don’t order. The big boss has a full breakfast ready in the office. Come, I’ll give you a ride.”

She nodded and let him usher her toward his Mercedes. As he sped through the tortuous streets of Mykonos, Ashley flattened her palms on the dashboard to avoid being bumped right and left. Ted’s fingers kept clicking on the horn to alert the morning throng of pedestrians who’d rather navigate between the cars than step on each others’ feet on the narrow sidewalks. 

“Will you be on the team today?” she asked as he drove to a safer and less crowded area.    “As a lawyer, I have nothing to do with blueprints until they are ready to be submitted to the court before construction. My role is finished for the moment.”

“Yes, and you played it like a master.” Unable to forget his part in bringing her on Stefano’s yacht, she looked at him without smiling.

“Ashley, I’m sorry. All I did was introducing you to Stefano. He was determined to meet you incognito. I don’t know what happened between you two, but when he came back to the office last night, he was in a rotten mood and dismissed everyone. This morning he’s acting quite strangely.”

“I’m not interested in your boss’ moods.” A blush covered her face and she averted her gaze.

Silence settled between them as Ted considered her with curiosity, arched his eyebrows, and then smiled. “Interesting.”

“What?”

He burst out laughing. “I have the feeling Stefano has found his match. Too bad I won’t be at the meeting today.”

“Ted!” She threw him a warning glance, but didn’t care to ask for explanations she wouldn’t like.

He dropped her in front of the Kostapoulos building. “I have a client to meet soon. Can you go upstairs on your own? Elevator on the left of the lobby. Go to the fourth floor.”

“Sure. Have a good day.”

A moment later, Stefano received her in a splendid conference room with a humongous oblong table. He came toward her and shook her hand, gorgeous and all professional, in beige pants and a beige linen shirt.

“I hope the conference room is suitable enough for you, Counselor Sheppard.” Stefano’s innocent tone made her laugh.

“Wow. Sixteen seats around it. Perfect for a meeting.” Her fingers skated over the shiny surface and lusty images crowded her mind. She couldn’t suppress a wicked smile. This table was long enough for—
Oh dear,
I’m losing my mind
.

“Yes, perfect.” Stefano whispered against her hair.

She spun toward him, and found herself trapped between his torso and the table.

“A moment ago, I imagined you...” His chin tilted toward the table. “I mean I wondered how you’d look...” His smile wavered a bit at the edges, but an intense flame burned in his eyes and scorched her insides.

She tried to swallow and only gulped out loud.

His hands closed against her sides and he lifted her up onto the table.

“Stefano.” Her protest turned into a whimper. Yet she kept enough sense to tug at the hem of her skirt, and watched it hike up to mid-thigh. His eyes captured hers as he wedged apart her knees and stepped between them.

Panic and delight warred in her mind. She flattened her palms against his chest, not sure if she wanted to push him away or pull him toward her. “Stef—”

His mouth covered her lips in the most searing kiss she’d ever received. His arms encircled her back. Of their own volition, her fingers laced behind his nape. Shouldn’t she try to resist? Act the professional lawyer?

Forget professional, forget work, forget everything, but the lips fastened to hers. Without another thought, she savored the moment and the tongue waltzing in her mouth, igniting a fire in every cell of her unprofessional body.

It was getting warmer by the second. She found it hard to breathe. A hand engulfed her knee and slid over her thigh. Ever so slowly. The inferno reached an unbearable temperature. She jerked her head back. They stared at each other, her lips quivering, his still eagerly inching forward.

“We have to stop.” She shook her head. “What kind of work are we going to produce if we fall into each other’s arms the moment we’re alone?”

His face might have been carved in stone, except for the tiny muscle rippling along his jaw.  

“Stefano,” she pleaded.

“I can’t stay away from you.” He scrubbed a hand over his forehead. Sadness simmered in his eyes.

“Stefano, that’s so sweet to say, but we can’t mix fun and work all the time.” Too frazzled to think, she cupped his cheeks. He covered her hands. “You made a deal with my grandfather. That’s the reason he insisted that I remain in Mykonos and check the blueprints. Once we’re done with these, we’ll be free to...to...” Her soothing tone should reassure him that they could revisit the conference room and its polished table at a later, more convenient time.

“You mean, as soon as you approve the plans, you won’t mind being with me, again?” He stepped back, freeing both her hands and her legs, his gaze never wavering from her face.

“We’ll see about that in a month.” Time to stiffen her backbone and focus her concentration on the project at hand. With a few determined brushes, she ironed her skirt down her thighs and scrambled from the table.

“The blueprints are ready. They were presented to the court for approval during the hearing.” Stefano crossed his arms over his chest and captured her gaze.

“But now you’re preserving the Pink Villa, so?”

“Regardless, we can still use them for the lot behind the existing building. We just need to tabulate the renovation items needed for the villa and draw the extra plans.”

“Would it take a whole month?”

“Hardly four days,” he said, rocking on his heels.

“You mean I can leave in four days?”

“I mean we can reconvene on this table in four days, sweetheart.” He flashed her a crooked smile, and she gasped.

“If we don’t have anything more—”

 “Oh, there will be plenty more. You’ll need to be present when we break ground.”

“But I don’t know the ABC of construction.”

“Who cares? Your grandfather insisted you inspect and approve. And I’m one who respects the wishes of elderly people. So you’ll stay in Mykonos, and I’ll keep you busy.” The roguish glint in his eyes belied his serious tone.

“Respect old people’s wishes? My foot. Only two days ago you cursed Yorgho Zanis to hell and back.”

“That was before I met his lovely granddaughter. Later, I learned to appreciate Mr. Zanis’ wise decisions.”

“We need to organize the Pink Villa’s renovation, the landscaping, painting, decoration, access to the house, and so many things.”

 “A lot of work, yes.” Leaning toward her, he murmured in her ear. “But I promise you’ll take short breaks here and there.”