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Without letting go of her, he helped her into the seat next to the window behind the pilot. That way he could keep an eye on her from the copilot’s seat. “Are you all right?” Their mouths were only inches apart.
“Y-yes,” came her unsteady voice before she looked away. A nerve jumped madly at the base of her creamy throat. The touch of skin against skin had affected her, too.
“Have you ever flown in a helicopter before?”
She nodded.
After laying the crutches on the floor, he put her purse in the storage unit, and then looked down at her.
“Are you all strapped in?”
“Yes. I’m fine. I just want to know where we’re going.”
“Are you afraid I’m planning to carry you off, never to be seen again?”
A secret smile appeared. “After the fierce look on your face as you headed toward my table at the hotel, the thought did occur to me.”
Charmed despite his questions about what she was still hiding from him he said, “I’ll give you a clue. We’re headed for the Ionian Sea. Once we reach the water, I’ll give you a blow-by-blow account using the microphone. But there’s one more thing I have to do before takeoff.”
Akis pulled out several pillows from a locker and hunkered down to elevate her leg. She wore sandals. His hands slid beneath her calf and heel to adjust the fit. He ran a finger over her ankle, pleased to notice she trembled. “There’s no trace of swelling I can see,” he said, eyeing her. “We’ll make sure things stay that way today.”
The urge to kiss her was overwhelming, but he restrained himself. Her thank-you followed him to his seat. He gave the pilot a nod, put on his sunglasses and strapped himself in. Before long Athens receded and they were arcing their way in a northwesterly direction. Over the mic he gave her a geography lesson and responded to her questions.
When they reached the island of Corfu surrounded by brilliant blue water, he had the pilot swing lower so she could take in the fascinating sight of whitewashed houses. Here and there he pointed out a Byzantine church and the remains of several Venetian fortresses.
He shot Raina a speaking glance. “I brought you here first. This is where Poseidon fell in love with Korkyra, the Naiad nymph.”
“Ah. Poseidon...” Her lips curved upward. “Did Korkyra reciprocate his feelings?”
“According to legend she adored him and they had a baby named Phaiax. Today the islanders have the nickname Phaeacians. Another island in this group is fourteen miles south of here. We’ll head there now.”
“What is it called?”
“Paxos. When you see it, you’ll understand why it’s constantly photographed.”
In a few minutes he heard a cry. “What a darling island!” That wasn’t the word he would have chosen, but he was pleased by her response. “What kind of vegetation is that?”
“Olive groves. Some of the gnarled trees are ancient. The pilot will fly us over the western side and you’ll see steep, chalky white cliffs. If you look closely, you’ll spot its many caves along the coast line. When you go into them on a launch, they glow blue.”
“How beautiful!”
“We have Poseidon to thank for its creation. He wanted to get away from stress on the big island of Corfu, so he used his trident to create this hideaway for him and his wife.”
“Or maybe to hide his wife from Korkyra? What are you saying? That the stress of having a mistress and keeping his wife happy at the same time was too much, even for a god?” Like a discordant note, he heard brittle laughter come out of her. “That’s hilarious!”
There was a story behind her hollow reaction, but now was not the time to explore it. “The Greek myths are meant to be entertaining. If you’ll notice, there’s another tinier island just beyond this one called Anti Paxos. When Poseidon wanted to be strictly alone, he came here to swim in the clear green water you can see below.”
“I imagine that leading a double life would have worn him out.”
Laughter burst from Akis.
“Wasn’t he lucky to be a god and pick the most divine area in his immortal world to plan his next conquest.” The pilot circled Anti Paxos for a closer look. “What a heavenly spot.”
It was. Akis’s favorite place on earth. He wanted to hide Raina away here, away from the world where the two of them could be together and make love for the rest of time.
Unfortunately they’d come to the end of the tour. He checked his watch. “We’re going to head back to Athens via a little different route. We’ll be crossing over a portion of Albania you should find fascinating. If you’re thirsty or hungry, there’s bottled water and snacks in the seat pouch in front of you.”
“Um. Don’t mind if I do. Would you or the pilot like something?”
That was thoughtful of her. “We’re fine.”
In a minute she said, “These almonds are the best I’ve ever tasted!”
“They’re grown on these islands.” Akis was addicted to them.
“How would it be to live right down there in paradise! If I did, I’m sure I’d become an addict.”
Everything she said and did entrenched her deeper in his heart. She had a sweetness and vulnerability that made him want to protect her. Raina had become his addiction and already he couldn’t imagine life without her. That’s when he realized he was in serious trouble, but for once in his life he didn’t care.
“If you’ll extend your time in Greece, I can arrange for you to stay on Anti Paxos. Think about it and let me know after we get back to Chloe’s house.”
“Even if I could take time off from work, what about yours? Can you afford to be gone any longer?”
His heart leaped. So she was interested...
“My brother will cover for me.”
“You’re lucky to have him.” She sounded sincere. “Is there more family?”
“No. Just Vasso.”
“Is he younger? Older?”
The questions were coming at last. “Older by eleven months.”
“You were almost twins!”
“Almost.”
“Do you resemble each other?”
He turned to his pilot. “What do you think?” he asked in Greek. “Do Vasso and I look alike?”
The other man grinned before giving him an answer.
Akis translated. “He said, superficially.”
“Is Vasso married?”
Why did she want to know that? “Not yet.”
“Then maybe you should arrange for him to meet Chloe’s bridesmaid.”
His black brows furrowed. “I’m afraid my brother prefers to be the one in pursuit. What makes you so concerned for Althea?”
“Even Nora noticed how crestfallen she looked when you stopped dancing with her.”
“According to Theo, she has lots of boyfriends.”
“But she wanted you,” Raina came back.
“Why do you say that?”
“I may have been farther away, but I could see her disappointment. Think how much she would have enjoyed a day like this with you.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel guilty, it isn’t working.”
She flashed him a quick smile. “Not at all. I was just thinking how fortunate I’ve been to be given a fantastic personal tour narrated by you. It’s a real thrill.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. But it’s not over yet. We’ll be flying over a portion of the Pindus National Park covered in black pines. The view from this altitude is extraordinary.” While she studied the landscape, he’d feast his eyes on her.
For the next hour she appeared captivated by the unfolding scenery. Every now and again he heard a little gasp of awe as they dipped lower to view a new sight. Whatever his suspicions might have been in the beginning, her barrage of questions made him think her reactions to the beauty below them couldn’t be faked.
Once they’d landed on the pad of the Milonis estate, he helped Raina down. Their bodies brushed, causing a tiny gasp to escape her lips. He knew exactly how she felt and didn’t know how long he could stand it before he kissed her again.
Akis watched her disappear before he used the guest bathroom and phoned his driver to come to the house. He had plans for him and Raina later. After washing his hands, he walked out to the patio to phone his brother. No doubt he was still at the office. Akis needed to give him a heads-up that he wouldn’t be coming in to work for a few days. He was taking a brief vacation in order to spend time with Raina.
To his frustration, his call went to Vasso’s voice mail. Once again he had to ask him to call him back ASAP. Then he spoke to his private secretary to know if there were any situations he needed to hear about. But he was assured everything was fine. Vasso had been there until two o’clock, then he’d left.
After hanging up, he walked to the cabana and changed into a swimming suit. Akis needed a workout after sitting so long. Much as he wanted Raina to join him in the pool, he knew she couldn’t. But on that score he was wrong. When he’d finished his laps and started to get out, he saw her at the shallow end, floating on her back. The crutches had been left at the side of the pool.
By rotating her arms, she was able to move around without hurting her ankle. He swam over to her, noticing her blond hair looked darker now that it was wet and swept back. The classic features of her oval face revealed her pure beauty. Those eyes shimmered like amethysts. Incredible.
“I’m glad you came out here.”
“After today’s tour, I thought I’d like to see what it was like to swim with Poseidon, god of the sea.”
He sucked in his breath. “You’re not afraid I might make you my next conquest?”
She kept on moving. “Do you think you can?”
He kept up with her. “After our kiss the other night, I think you know the answer to that.”
“What will your wife say?”
“She doesn’t rule my life.”
“That would be the worst fate for you, wouldn’t it? To be ruled by your passion for one woman? To be her slave forever?”
“Not if she’s the right woman.”
“How will you know when you’ve found her?” The pulse throbbing violently in the vulnerable spot of her throat betrayed her.
“I think I have. Stay in Greece until I can unveil all of the real you.”
“The real me?”
“Yes. There’s more to you than you want to let on.”
A beguiling smile broke the corners of her mouth. “And what about you, swimming into my life? Who are you, really?”
He swam closer. “Who would you like me to be?” The blood pounded in his ears.
“Just yourself.”
Raina...
She’d reached for the side of the pool and clung to it. “Akis,” she said softly. “I’m frightened because my feelings for you are already too strong.”
“Strong enough to meet me halfway and kiss me again?”
“I want to.” Her voice throbbed. “But I’m worried I’ll be enslaved by you.”
Akis took a deep breath and moved through the water next to her. “Don’t you know you’re the one who has enslaved me? I need you, Raina.”
Her eyes looked glazed. “You’re not the only one,” she confessed.
He clasped her to him and covered her trembling mouth with his own. This time he’d jumped right into the fire, heedless of the flames licking through his body.
Her curves melted against him as if she were made for him. He kissed her with growing abandon until he felt her hungry response. It wasn’t like anything he’d ever known and he was afraid he’d never get enough.
“Raina,” he whispered in a thick tone. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? How much I want you?”
She moaned her answer, too swallowed up in their need for each other to talk. This was what Akis had been waiting for all his life, this feeling of oneness and ecstasy.
“Anyone for dinner?” came the sudden godlike voice of thunder.
Raina made a sound in her throat and tore her lips from his. “Socus has seen us.”
“He has to know what’s going on,” Akis whispered against the side of her neck. “You’re a grown woman.”
“Yes, but I’m also a guest in their home. What must he think when we only met a few days ago?”
“That we’re incredibly lucky and are enjoying ourselves.”
She lifted anxious eyes to him. “Way too much.” To his regret she eased away from him in her orange bikini to reach the steps of the pool. After grabbing her towel and crutches, she disappeared inside the house.
Akis threw his dark head back and drank in gulps of air. No doubt Chloe’s father had seen the two of them locked together while the water sizzled around them.
