It's All Greek to Me (16 page)
Read It's All Greek to Me Online
Authors: Katie MacAlister
“So it’s just you and me tonight, is it?”
she asked, tracing a vein running down one of his long, sensitive hands.
she asked, tracing a vein running down one of his long, sensitive hands.
“It is.
Do you want to return home, or are you up to this?”
he asked, nodding at the people who had gathered as music started up from a three-piece band.
“They play every Monday night.
I thought you might like to hear them, since they do some traditional music.”
Do you want to return home, or are you up to this?”
he asked, nodding at the people who had gathered as music started up from a three-piece band.
“They play every Monday night.
I thought you might like to hear them, since they do some traditional music.”
“This looks fun,” she said, wanting to be alone with him but intrigued at the same time to see this new side of him.
It was an eye-opening evening.
Iakovos might have had no ear for music, but he obviously enjoyed it nonetheless, his feet tapping to the lively tunes, his fingers warm on her back and neck as he sat, relaxed, laughing and joking with the folks of the town, periodically giving her steamy looks that promised much for later activities.
Iakovos might have had no ear for music, but he obviously enjoyed it nonetheless, his feet tapping to the lively tunes, his fingers warm on her back and neck as he sat, relaxed, laughing and joking with the folks of the town, periodically giving her steamy looks that promised much for later activities.
She didn’t know the words to any of the songs—most of them were in Greek anyway—but she hummed along as the entire taverna sang some of the numbers.
A few people danced as well, but Iakovos was evidently content to just sit there with her.
A few people danced as well, but Iakovos was evidently content to just sit there with her.
It warmed her heart to know that this man who bought and sold expensive pieces of property without a second thought, had so much in common with people who worked for their daily meals.
She didn’t miss the byplay of a couple of older women who were clearly chaffing him, giving him little nods toward her.
He laughed and answered them, his eyes amused when he turned back to her.
She didn’t miss the byplay of a couple of older women who were clearly chaffing him, giving him little nods toward her.
He laughed and answered them, his eyes amused when he turned back to her.
“Don’t tell me—the ladies of the town are trying to hook you up with their unmarried daughters?”
Harry asked, wanting badly to kiss him but lacking the nerve to do so in front of everyone.
Harry asked, wanting badly to kiss him but lacking the nerve to do so in front of everyone.
“Only one of them, and she’s been trying that for the last ten years.
Seraphina was telling me the best way to keep you from getting sunstroke was to make sure you never left my bed.”
Seraphina was telling me the best way to keep you from getting sunstroke was to make sure you never left my bed.”
“I
do
like Seraphina,” she answered, scanning the crowd.
“Which one is she?”
do
like Seraphina,” she answered, scanning the crowd.
“Which one is she?”
“To the left, in the yellow flower dress.”
Harry waved at the old woman, who smiled and nodded back.
“So what do you think of the typical Greek now?”
Iakovos asked, his mouth close to her ear as the music started up again.
Iakovos asked, his mouth close to her ear as the music started up again.
She turned her head, her mouth almost brushing his.
“I think they’re all wonderful.
But not as wonderful as you.”
“I think they’re all wonderful.
But not as wonderful as you.”
“Harry,” he said on a breath, his hand in her hair, angling her head back so he could kiss her.
His lips were hot on hers, his tongue hotter still as it slipped between her lips.
She moaned as it twined around her tongue, the taste of him making her body feel far too hot and confined in her dress.
His lips were hot on hers, his tongue hotter still as it slipped between her lips.
She moaned as it twined around her tongue, the taste of him making her body feel far too hot and confined in her dress.
He was still kissing her when the music ended, the applause rippling into laughter when someone caught sight of them.
“Time to go home before I demand a room right here,” Iakovos said, pulling her to her feet, making a bow when some wag called out something that she was willing to bet was risqué.
She waved good-bye to them all, and was a little surprised when many of the crowd came out with them to see them into the jeep.
She waved good-bye to them all, and was a little surprised when many of the crowd came out with them to see them into the jeep.
She glanced back as he drove off, waving to her new friends, wondering if she would ever see them again.
She would if she had anything to say about the matter.
Chapter 13
“Y
acky.”
acky.”
“Eglantine.”
Harry peeled herself off his chest and looked down at him.
“We have to get out of bed.”
“We have to get out of bed.”
“I don’t think we do, no.”
“We do.
We’re becoming sloths.
For three days all we’ve done is make love, drag ourselves out to the patio to eat, take short breaks to swim, and then we’re back in bed again.”
We’re becoming sloths.
For three days all we’ve done is make love, drag ourselves out to the patio to eat, take short breaks to swim, and then we’re back in bed again.”
His gorgeous dark eyes glittered at her with a light that never failed to make her shiver with delight.
“You could be right.
We should eat in bed.
That would eliminate all that patio time.”
“You could be right.
We should eat in bed.
That would eliminate all that patio time.”
She laughed.
She couldn’t help it—he filled her with so much joy, she felt as if it were bursting from her.
She wanted badly to say it, positively ached to mention the word, but she wasn’t sure if he was quite ready to hear it yet.
He seemed happy, yes.
He certainly had done everything possible to make the last few days filled with nothing but happy memories.
He’d told Dmitri that he wasn’t to be disturbed for anything short of complete economic breakdown, sent Elena off to Switzerland for her birthday trip, and rearranged his business schedule for a few days so they could stay together, alone, just the two of them and the twenty or so people he employed to maintain his island paradise.
She couldn’t help it—he filled her with so much joy, she felt as if it were bursting from her.
She wanted badly to say it, positively ached to mention the word, but she wasn’t sure if he was quite ready to hear it yet.
He seemed happy, yes.
He certainly had done everything possible to make the last few days filled with nothing but happy memories.
He’d told Dmitri that he wasn’t to be disturbed for anything short of complete economic breakdown, sent Elena off to Switzerland for her birthday trip, and rearranged his business schedule for a few days so they could stay together, alone, just the two of them and the twenty or so people he employed to maintain his island paradise.
She examined his face, his beautiful face with its long nose, straight black brows, and definitely aggressive whisker growth.
She knew without looking that she sported any number of little patches of whisker burn on her neck, breasts, belly, and, she suspected, between her thighs.
Iakovos offered to shave more frequently, but she had told him she didn’t really mind.
But it was his eyes that held her attention, those eyes that could glow with such warmth that it left her breathless.
She knew without looking that she sported any number of little patches of whisker burn on her neck, breasts, belly, and, she suspected, between her thighs.
Iakovos offered to shave more frequently, but she had told him she didn’t really mind.
But it was his eyes that held her attention, those eyes that could glow with such warmth that it left her breathless.
“I love you,” she said, unable to keep from saying the words.
He froze beneath her, his eyes suddenly wary.
“I’m serious.
I really love you.
All of you, not just your body, in case you’re worried about losing the number five spot.
I love your mind, and I love your mouth, and your upper lip, and your lower lip, and everything else about you, even the fact that you actually like mint toothpaste, which frankly is just beyond my understanding, but even despite that gigantic personality flaw, I love you with every little atom of my being.”
I really love you.
All of you, not just your body, in case you’re worried about losing the number five spot.
I love your mind, and I love your mouth, and your upper lip, and your lower lip, and everything else about you, even the fact that you actually like mint toothpaste, which frankly is just beyond my understanding, but even despite that gigantic personality flaw, I love you with every little atom of my being.”
He blinked at her, then smiled a slow—very slow—smile, one filled with a whole lot of male satisfaction.
“Now,” she said, tapping her fingers on his breastbone, “would be a perfectly appropriate time for you to tell me that you love me as well.”
“Would it?”
he asked, cocking one glossy black eyebrow.
he asked, cocking one glossy black eyebrow.
“Yes.”
She waited.
She waited.
He just hummed softly to himself, his hands drawing lazy patterns on her naked behind.
“Yacky.”
“Eglantine?”
“You’re not going to say it, are you?
You’re going to make me beg you to say it, just because I call you Yacky, and make your life a hell, and turn things upside down, although I’m not quite sure what I’m turning upside down, but evidently I am, and for some perverse reason, you feel the need to punish me for it by not telling me you love me, when I know perfectly well that you do.”
You’re going to make me beg you to say it, just because I call you Yacky, and make your life a hell, and turn things upside down, although I’m not quite sure what I’m turning upside down, but evidently I am, and for some perverse reason, you feel the need to punish me for it by not telling me you love me, when I know perfectly well that you do.”
“If you know I do, then you don’t need me to say it, do you?”
he asked with maddening reason, giving her butt a swat as he gently pushed her off him in order to pad naked into the bathroom.
he asked with maddening reason, giving her butt a swat as he gently pushed her off him in order to pad naked into the bathroom.
“I’m going to make you pay for that—you are aware of that, aren’t you?”
she called after him, unable to keep from admiring his truly spectacular butt as he strolled into the bathroom.
she called after him, unable to keep from admiring his truly spectacular butt as he strolled into the bathroom.
“I know you’ll try.
Can you pack your things and be ready to leave tomorrow?”
he asked, pausing at the door.
Can you pack your things and be ready to leave tomorrow?”
he asked, pausing at the door.
She sat up, clutching his pillow because it smelled like him.
“Yes.
Am I going somewhere?”
“Yes.
Am I going somewhere?”
“Athens, if you wish to join me.”
“Your office?”
she asked.
she asked.
He nodded.
“I’ve put off work as long as I could, but there are several deals that are coming to a head, and I’m needed.”
“I’ve put off work as long as I could, but there are several deals that are coming to a head, and I’m needed.”
“All right, but at some point I’m going to have to go home and cope with my apartment.”
“I have to go to New York in two months—you can come with me when I return to the States, take care of your business in Seattle and meet me in New York, if you like.”
“Do you love me?”
she asked.
she asked.
He grinned and went into the bathroom.
“When are you going to ask me to marry you, you annoying man?”
she yelled after him.
she yelled after him.
He burst into a song.
In Greek.
Off-key, of course.
In Greek.
Off-key, of course.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to throw things at him.
She wanted to spend the rest of her life kissing him.
She wanted to throw things at him.
She wanted to spend the rest of her life kissing him.
Dear god, she was in way over her head with him.
Harry in Athens for the first time was an eye-opening experience for Iakovos.
He knew she had been looking forward to seeing the city, since she hadn’t been to Greece before, and he had anticipated with mild pleasure showing her around the various sites.
But he hadn’t expected her to be so enthusiastic, or so delighted with everything historical.
He had lived in Athens on and off for most of his adult life, but he felt as if he’d never really seen it until she dragged him around to every sight she could find.
The time spent together as he showed her the city he loved filled him with a quiet contentment.
He knew she had been looking forward to seeing the city, since she hadn’t been to Greece before, and he had anticipated with mild pleasure showing her around the various sites.
But he hadn’t expected her to be so enthusiastic, or so delighted with everything historical.
He had lived in Athens on and off for most of his adult life, but he felt as if he’d never really seen it until she dragged him around to every sight she could find.
The time spent together as he showed her the city he loved filled him with a quiet contentment.
“You really are a lucky man to have grown up with this,” she said one night at the Acropolis as she stood leaning back against him, his arms around her, her hands over his.
In front of them, the Parthenon sat on its hilltop like a stately jewel, lit with soft amber lights.
Above their heads, the moon was full.
In front of them, the Parthenon sat on its hilltop like a stately jewel, lit with soft amber lights.
Above their heads, the moon was full.
He nuzzled the side of her neck.
“I’m
very
lucky.”
“I’m
very
lucky.”
She turned in his arms, oblivious of the other tourists who had gathered with them.
“This is, hands down, the most romantic night of my life.”
“This is, hands down, the most romantic night of my life.”
“Is it?”
He kissed her temple, smiling to himself.
He kissed her temple, smiling to himself.
“Yes.
Notice that full moon.”
Notice that full moon.”
He obligingly looked at the moon.
“It’s very full.”
“It’s very full.”
“Full moons are romantic, Yacky,” she told him with slightly flared nostrils.
“So I’ve heard, Eglantine.”
“The Parthenon, lit at night, in the company of the one you love, is also romantic.”
“I’m hungry,” he told her.
“Shall we have dessert somewhere?”
“Shall we have dessert somewhere?”
Her teeth ground for a few seconds.
“I’ve changed my mind.
I don’t want to marry you.
I could never marry a man who lacks the slightest iota of romance in his soul.”
She slid out of his arms and started marching across the rocky ground to where his car waited.
“I’ve changed my mind.
I don’t want to marry you.
I could never marry a man who lacks the slightest iota of romance in his soul.”
She slid out of his arms and started marching across the rocky ground to where his car waited.
He grinned at the back of her head, taking her hand in his as he said, “It’s good, then, that I never got around to asking you to marry me, isn’t it?”
She growled at him.
She positively growled.
She positively growled.
He didn’t think he could possibly love her more than he did at that moment.
Unfortunately, business concerns drove him away from her side.
He worried that she would be bored on her own, but he had reckoned without her ingenuity.
He worried that she would be bored on her own, but he had reckoned without her ingenuity.
“I need to get this book done anyway,” she told him one morning about two weeks after they arrived in Athens.
“I’m behind schedule as is, and I do need quiet time to write, so stop worrying.”
“I’m behind schedule as is, and I do need quiet time to write, so stop worrying.”
“Mikos will drive you anywhere you wish to go,” he said, pulling out a card and jotting down a number.
“I thought he was your driver.”
“He is, but I have so much work to do, I won’t be going anywhere soon.
Do you have a fancy dress?”
Do you have a fancy dress?”
“Like the belly-dancing costume?”
Her cheeks flushed as she remembered two nights past when he had convinced her to don the outfit and dance for him.
He’d been right—he lasted about two seconds before he removed the outfit and made love to her all night long.
Her cheeks flushed as she remembered two nights past when he had convinced her to don the outfit and dance for him.
He’d been right—he lasted about two seconds before he removed the outfit and made love to her all night long.
“Something suitable to wear to a reception at the archaeology museum.
They’re having an annual fund-raising event tonight, and I should make an appearance.”
They’re having an annual fund-raising event tonight, and I should make an appearance.”
“Oh.
Something social?”
She frowned and tapped a pen against her lips as she thought.
He felt himself getting hard despite having lost himself in her just a few hours earlier.
“Not really.
I didn’t think I’d be staying in Greece, and I didn’t pack anything appropriate.”
Something social?”
She frowned and tapped a pen against her lips as she thought.
He felt himself getting hard despite having lost himself in her just a few hours earlier.
“Not really.
I didn’t think I’d be staying in Greece, and I didn’t pack anything appropriate.”
He pulled out his wallet and tossed a few bills onto the desk.
“Go buy yourself something pretty.”
“Go buy yourself something pretty.”
Instantly, the tempest was upon him.
“Go buy
yourself
something pretty,” she said, shoving the money back at him, her eyes flashing with ire.
“I don’t need your money.”
yourself
something pretty,” she said, shoving the money back at him, her eyes flashing with ire.
“I don’t need your money.”
“I know you don’t need it, but there’s no reason for you to spend your own money when you’re doing something at my request.”
He shoved the money back toward her.
He shoved the money back toward her.
She flicked it back to him.
“There’s the matter of my pride.
I don’t want your money.
I have my own.
I can buy my own dress.”
“There’s the matter of my pride.
I don’t want your money.
I have my own.
I can buy my own dress.”
“Harry,” he said, pulling her hand out and slapping the money down onto her palm.
“Just take the damned money and stop being so unreasonable.”
“Just take the damned money and stop being so unreasonable.”
She took a deep breath, jerked open his desk drawer, and dug around in it until she extracted a lighter.
She held the money up, her angry gaze clashing with his as she lit the money on fire, waiting until it was two-thirds burned before dropping it into a metal wastebasket.
She held the money up, her angry gaze clashing with his as she lit the money on fire, waiting until it was two-thirds burned before dropping it into a metal wastebasket.
“That was uncalled for,” he said, angry and amused at the same time.
Only his storm could have that effect on him.
Only his storm could have that effect on him.
“I will buy a dress today.
I will even go to the hairdressers and have them do something with my hair.
But I will not take money from you.
It’s not, after all, as if you are my fiancé.”
She lifted her chin.
“Unless you’d like to propose right now?”
I will even go to the hairdressers and have them do something with my hair.
But I will not take money from you.
It’s not, after all, as if you are my fiancé.”
She lifted her chin.
“Unless you’d like to propose right now?”
He reached across the desk, tangled his hand in her hair, and pulled her forward to give her a kiss that should make it clear to her that he was not going to allow her to dictate to him.
“I prefer the color green, Eglantine.
Something short to show off your legs.”
“I prefer the color green, Eglantine.
Something short to show off your legs.”
“Dream on, Yacky!”
she yelled after him as he left the room, smiling to himself.
she yelled after him as he left the room, smiling to himself.
“Are you sure you want to get that one?”
Harry looked at her reflection and gave Elena a curt nod.
“I’m not crazy wild about it, but it’ll do.
It has the benefit of being gold, not green as his royal highness bachelor number five commanded.”
“I’m not crazy wild about it, but it’ll do.
It has the benefit of being gold, not green as his royal highness bachelor number five commanded.”
Elena giggled, her head on the side as she eyed Harry.
“It’s very pretty.
But I don’t understand why you would get a dress that Iakovos wouldn’t like.”
“It’s very pretty.
But I don’t understand why you would get a dress that Iakovos wouldn’t like.”
Harry turned and looked over her shoulder at the long expanse of back that the floor-length, bias bead-encrusted gown with halter neckline showed.
“I didn’t say he wouldn’t like it.
I just said that he commanded me to get something green.
And I hate to have to say this about your brother, Elena, but despite what he may have told you, he’s not God’s gift to the world.”
“I didn’t say he wouldn’t like it.
I just said that he commanded me to get something green.
And I hate to have to say this about your brother, Elena, but despite what he may have told you, he’s not God’s gift to the world.”
Elena laughed outright.
“I know he’s not, but he’s a love anyway.”
“I know he’s not, but he’s a love anyway.”
“Yes, he is that.
I’ll take this one,” she told the an-orexically thin clerk who hovered in the background.
“Do you have a bag that would match it?”
I’ll take this one,” she told the an-orexically thin clerk who hovered in the background.
“Do you have a bag that would match it?”
The clerk did, and after a few minutes spent in stunned silence at the price of a gown, low heels, and purse, she managed to drag Elena out of the store.
“I just don’t understand how you can’t like shopping,” the younger woman said, reluctantly following Harry as they strolled down the sidewalk of a street filled with expensive shops.
“I love it!”
“I love it!”
Harry shrugged.
“I’ve never really liked clothes shopping.
Books, now, I can spend hours in a bookstore.
But clothes?
Eh.
You’re sure this hairdresser can get me in?”
“I’ve never really liked clothes shopping.
Books, now, I can spend hours in a bookstore.
But clothes?
Eh.
You’re sure this hairdresser can get me in?”
“I told him that you’re my brother’s girlfriend.”
“Does he know Iakovos?”
Harry asked, surprised.
Harry asked, surprised.
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