Neighbors and More (High Rise Series) (26 page)

“It would have been lovely, but I really can’t. As of
tomorrow, I’ll be very busy.”

The waiter deposited a tray with their orders on the table.
Ashley reached for her glass of coke with ice cubes floating in it and sipped
with delight.

Stefano ate his pastry slowly. His gaze trailed over her
face and flicked to the transparent beach wrap. Energy and potent masculinity
zeroed in on her and clutched her inescapably. Heat whooshed to her throat
creating an intolerable frustration. After toying with the knot of her wrap,
she flattened her hand on her chest to create an extra layer of insulation. She
was used to intimidating lawyers and criminals with her acerbic attacks, but
now she suppressed a squirm as if she stood at the examination table herself.

Counselor Sheppard. Please. Get a grip
.

A flicker of amusement danced over his striking features.
“Well, how about this afternoon? Do you plan to go back to the beach?”

And face another awkward experience of topless inhibition?
No way. Imagining Stefano’s intense gaze skimming over her naked flesh brought
a burning flush to her cheeks. She fiddled with her sunglasses and set them on
her nose as a protective barrier to her feelings.

“Nothing beats the view of Mykonos from the sea.” Pride
underlined Stefano’s casual assessment.

“Stefano has a yacht anchored at the end of the island,
beyond the Pink Villa,” Ted added nonchalantly.

The Pink Villa? That got her attention. She could take a
panoramic picture of Grandpa’s house, a nice one with the ocean in the
forefront, and send it to him by e-mail. That would cheer her dear grandfather
and help him cope with the stress of the coming days. She bit her lip,
hesitating. “I wouldn’t want to keep you away from your usual business.”

“No business on Sunday,” Ted immediately replied. “Stefano
loves to brag about the island where he was born. No one knows it as well as he
does. Believe me, you’ll enjoy the ride.”

The fact that Ted would be part of the excursion reassured
her enough. “In that case, I accept. But first I’d like to stop at the hotel to
change.” And wear a more decent outfit. The transparent wrap presented no
protection against Stefano’s scorching gaze.

“Change? Why? You are wearing a bathing suit. We can swim to
the
Athena
or if you are too tired we can ride the dinghy.” He pointed
to a yellow inflatable raft parked on the sand.

“I don’t mind swimming.” The refreshing exercise would cool
her overheated body.

While Stefano paid for their orders, she gathered her bag
and checked she had a pair of shorts, a top and another bikini to use after her
swim. Framed by two handsome Greeks, she left the café and strolled to the
beach. Except for a superb yacht moored about five-hundred yards in the sea,
she didn’t see any boat.

“Where is your
Athena
?”

“Just in front of you. It’s the only boat close to the shore
right now.”

This
was his private boat? Ashley’s cheeks flushed
with pleasure. She’d often dreamed of sailing her grandfather’s forty-footer
from Miami to the Bahamas, but Grandpa had refused, claiming it was too
dangerous, what with an unexpected storm hitting. Her secret wish of cruising
in a dream yacht might come true, if she gathered enough guts to ask Stefano to
let her handle the steering wheel.

“It’s a beauty,” she whispered, still in awe.

“Are you familiar with boats?” Stefano eyed her with
interest.

“I’ve sailed my grandfather’s on the Florida Intracoastal
Canal. A small boat. Nothing like yours.” A sideways glance at her companion
convinced her that this cruise promised to be very different from the rides in
her grandpa’s sailboat. Stefano turned toward his prized possession as he
harbored a satisfied grin.

Ted pulled the inflatable dinghy to the water and jumped
into it. Stefano took off his shirt, cap, glasses and slippers, and shoved them
into a large bag in the rear of the dinghy. Ashley followed suit, removing the
clothes covering her bikini and stuffing her things in her own bag that she
handed to Ted.

“I am ready to—” The rest of her sentence remained clogged
in her throat as she caught Stefano’s gaze roaming over her chest, belly, and
all the way down her legs.

“Me too,” he answered with a smile that made her think of the
Big Bad Wolf about to eat Little Red Riding Hood.

No Little Red Riding Hood here waiting to be gulped. In one
swift motion she dove into the sea, grateful for the water's coolness, and swam
away from the dinghy.

A burst of laughter reached her, and a second later, Stefano
joined her and then slowed down his strokes to maintain an equal speed. “Don’t
swim too hard or you’ll exhaust yourself quickly.”

 “Good advice. Thank you.” She wasn’t in a rush to reach the
yacht now and enjoyed the feel of the water on her skin.

After what seemed an interminable stretch of time, she
raised her head assessing the distance to the yacht and sighed. They had
covered only half the distance.

“See that buoy.” His chin tilted, indicating a barrel-like
float. “We’ll hold on to it and rest for a moment.”

Out of breath, she nodded, and used her last burst of energy
to reach the buoy.

Not too far from them, Ted called from the dinghy, “Do you
want to climb aboard?”

“No thank you, I’m good.” In a moment she would recover her
strength and continue to the yacht, but there was no way on earth she’d just
sit in front of those two men in a clinging bikini.

“We’re doing great, Ted. We just need a moment to rest,”
Stefano said with so much understanding that she regretted judging him badly a
moment ago.

After a few minutes, she released the buoy she’d been
holding on for dear life and took a deep breath. “I can continue now.”

Gently bobbing upon the waves, the dinghy was waiting for
them when they reached the yacht. Ted extended a hand, helped her up and
offered her a green towel to wrap herself in.

“Thank you, Teddy.”

Nice guys. Why had she been so worried about sharing their
company? She and Ted sitting on opposite benches at court tomorrow didn’t mean
that Ted and Stefano couldn’t behave as gentlemen the day before. Besides,
Stefano had nothing to do with her mission and the lawsuit.

Stefano hoisted himself on the swim platform of the yacht.
“Not too tired?” he asked softly.

“Not at all.” She smiled to reassure him.

Ted maneuvered the dinghy close to the deck, and they both
helped her to board the yacht. “Here’s your bag, Ashley.” Ted handed her the
beach bag and tossed Stefano’s oversized bundle onto the deck. “See you later.
Have a fun tour.”

Before she recovered from her surprise, he’d swiveled the
dinghy around and raced away over the waves. “But—” she swallowed wrong and
spun toward Stefano. A tête-à-tête with him was not exactly the way she’d
anticipated the cruise.

He shot her his mind-boggling smile. “Welcome aboard the
Athena
.”