“What about your work?”
“It’s always there waiting. I’ll meet you here in front at seven thirty in the morning. How does that sound?”
The accident must have done something to her psyche because a part of her wanted to say yes to this gorgeous man who was little more than a stranger to her. But another part of her feared it wouldn’t be wise. She clutched her purse. Once before in her life she’d made the mistake of being charmed by an attractive man with disastrous results.
“That’s a very generous offer. Thank you for everything, but I really don’t want to put you out.”
“You won’t. If you aren’t here when I come by in the morning, then I’ll accept that’s your answer and you’ll never see me again.”
He opened the door for her so she could get out of the car. Without looking back, she hurried toward her flat located around the side of the building hidden behind a big tree. Much as she wanted to tell him she’d love a ride with him, she didn’t dare.
* * *
Andreas watched the dark blond American beauty with the stunning figure run from him before he told the driver to head for the office. He couldn’t remember anything like this happening to him before.
When Andreas had looked inside the damaged taxi earlier, his gaze had fused with a pair of azure-blue eyes so alive and brilliant, he’d been mesmerized.
He’d assumed she was in her early twenties. It totally surprised him when he learned she was a professor of the early nineteenth-century romance writers at UCLA in California, which meant she was older than he’d supposed.
He’d been instantly attracted to her in a way he couldn’t explain. The woman’s concern over the taxi driver had touched him. As for her keen intellect and interest in Lord Byron, he was intrigued. She didn’t know it yet, but the two of them had a lot to talk about. He found himself planning a way to spend more time with her.
After the emotional turmoil he’d been in for so long he didn’t want to think about it, he was utterly shocked that he wanted to pursue this woman. But instinct told him that if she’d been put off by him, she wouldn’t have walked with him to the limo after the accident, or have gone to lunch with him. Still, something else had held her back from accepting a ride from him to the ferry tomorrow.
He thought about the situation until he went to bed. If he was wrong and she didn’t feel any sort of attraction to him, there was only one way to find out.
When morning came, he dressed in sport clothes and parked his car in front of her apartment at seven fifteen. For all he knew, she could have already left or changed her mind and done something else. If there was no sign of her, he’d told her he would let it go. But he knew he wouldn’t like it.
At twenty-five after, a taxi pulled up behind him, letting him know she had no intention of going with him. Instead of leaving before she came out, Andreas wanted her to know he’d kept his word. He got out of his car and lounged against the passenger door to wait.
A few minutes later she walked out dressed in white cargo pants and a blue-and-white-print blouse with three-quarter sleeves. The sun streaks in her neck-length hair shone in the morning light. He couldn’t look anywhere else before straightening. It diverted her attention.
The surprise in her blue eyes above those exquisite high cheekbones was 100 percent genuine. “You!” She hadn’t thought he’d come.
“Good morning, kyria. I told you I would be here. I meant what I said. I’d like to take you to the ferry to make up for yesterday, but the decision is yours.”
She smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “The thing is, my taxi is already here.”
That comment told him all he needed to know. “I’ll take care of it.”
He walked around to talk to the driver. “Thanks for coming,” he said in Greek and paid him triple what she would have had to pay him to go to the dock.
The driver was all smiles and pulled out into traffic.
Andreas headed for his car and opened the door for her. She came closer. “Now I feel terrible. My debts to you are adding up.”
It hit him that as long as she wanted to be with him, nothing else mattered. And she did, otherwise she would have said no thank you and climbed in that taxi.
“Let’s not talk about debts and enjoy the drive.” He helped her in the car and took off. “I’m aware that you know nothing about me, but I assure you I’m not in the habit of picking up women who’ve been in an accident or otherwise.”
That brought a smile to her lips. “I’m not in the habit of being picked up by a man on his way to a board meeting.”
“Touché. Now that we have that out of the way, I’d like you to know the truth about me. Two days ago I filed for divorce and have a son, Ari, who’s fifteen months old. He’s my life.” Even if he isn’t my birth son. “But he’s with his mother right now in Athens. They’re living with her parents for the time being.”
She turned to look at him. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been through a divorce and know how painful it is, but there were no children involved. The emptiness has to be unbearable.”
He darted her a glance. She’d already been married...
“Life has a way of throwing us curves we never expected, like your accident yesterday. Right now I’m trying to make sense of everything. Believe it or not, doing something for you is helping.”
She stirred in the seat. “What you’ve told me explains why you didn’t care if you missed your board meeting.”
“You’re right about that. I’m trying to keep it together, but I couldn’t go to work today, or stay at the villa. Thank you for helping me keep my sanity, kyria. You’re just the company I need.”
“I’ve been where you’ve been,” she said compassionately. “If you’d like a job, why don’t you come to Ithaca with me for the day? I could use an interpreter of your caliber.”
“What caliber is that?”
“I asked my landlord about you. He said you’re a very important man.”
“Don’t believe him.”
She chuckled softly. “I knew it when the police officer recognized you and immediately acceded to your wishes.”
The fact that she’d asked him to go to Ithaca with her had lifted his mood. They reached the dock and got in line to board the ferry. The four-hour trip across and back meant they wouldn’t be home until eight or later.
Once they could leave the car, they went to the dining room to eat, then walked out on deck. “It’s hard to believe this view is real,” she murmured. “The green of the Ionian islands bathed by crystal blue waters is out of this world.”
He’d never been around anyone as appreciative of everything as she was. As he’d told her earlier, she was easy to be with. “I couldn’t agree more. Tell me why Ithaca is so important.”
“When Lord Byron left Genoa in July of 1823, he traveled on a ship called the Hercules with Pietro Gamba and William Fletcher among others. They arrived at Cephalonia in August and made an expedition to Ithaca. He was filled with inspiration and did a lot of writing during that period. I want to visit the two museums in Vathy and see what memorabilia is there.”
Being with Zoe made the time pass quickly. Soon they were able to drive onto the island and tour some of the archaeological sites before stopping at the museums.
“Tell me what those words say, Andreas.” It was the first time she’d used his name. He enjoyed translating some of the lines from the marble commemorative stele of Byron for her.
“If this island belonged to me, I would bury all my books here and never go away,” he told her.
“That’s an interesting thing to say. He really was taken with the history of this place.” She recorded Andreas’s words in the notebook she carried in her purse. They worked well together and he regretted it when they had to leave to drive back to the ferry.
Again they ate aboard ship and discussed Ulysses
, who was said to have been born on Ithaca or Cephalonia. She was so knowledgeable about literature in general, it was fascinating to be with her.
When they got back to the apartment, he turned to her and told her his plans. “Tomorrow I’m leaving for Athens to be with my son. Temporary visitation has been worked out with the judge. I’m with him for two days, usually over the weekend. Then his mother has him for five and we go back and forth. It’s unequal, but works for now because of my business schedule.”
“You can’t bring him here?”
“I could, but it’s a lot of flying. Do you mind if I call you after I’m back?”
“Not at all, but just so you know, I’m leaving tomorrow to join my friends on holiday in Switzerland.”
The news stunned him. He’d just met her and already she was going away? “How long will you be gone?”
“I’m not sure.” She reached for the door handle. “But I can’t thank you enough for taking me to Ithaca today. It was a real treat, and I know you can’t wait until tomorrow when you see your son. Have a safe trip, Andreas.”
“Wait—let’s exchange phone numbers so we can stay in touch.”
“All right.”
By then she’d already gotten out of the car. It was still light out. “Don’t get in any accidents on your way home,” she teased before disappearing around the big tree.
Andreas sat there for a few minutes, upset that he might not see her again. Before he pulled away, he phoned her.
She sounded breathless when she answered. “Andreas?”
“Hi. Just wanted to make sure I could reach you.”
“You must have driven your mother crazy.”
“Probably,” he quipped. “Enjoy your trip.”
“You, too.”
He hung up and headed for the villa. Though he was counting the hours until he could be with Ari, there was someone else he’d be thinking about this weekend. Since he’d told her he was divorced with a son, she’d relaxed around him, like she might around a friend.
But he would never be able to think of her in the friend sense. She’d grown on him like mad today and belonged in an entirely different category. The thought of not seeing her again disturbed him a great deal.
CHAPTER TWO
WHEN ZOE’S PLANS with the girls didn’t turn out, she flew back to Patras four days later and returned to her apartment in time to go to bed. Their long-awaited vacation in Switzerland had gone up in smoke.
Abby had fallen for a Burgundian vintner and had gone to France with him. Ginger had wanted to stay in Venice. Zoe had the idea she’d met a man because something was definitely keeping her there.
As for Zoe, she was excited to return to Greece. All the way back on the plane she debated whether to phone Andreas when she got there and let him know her plans had changed. But by the time she got ready for bed, she’d talked herself out of calling him.
Zoe had been a fool to ask him to go to Ithaca with her and should forget him. What she needed to do was finish her Greek research and go home to California.
Once she got in bed and turned out the light, her phone rang. Was it Abby or Ginger? She shot up in bed and reached for her cell on the bedside table.
It was Andreas.
“Hello?” Her voice had a pathetic tremor.
“Zoe—I’m back from Athens and couldn’t go to bed until I’d spoken with you. Are you enjoying your trip with your friends? Where are you?”
Hearing his deep familiar voice, she pressed a hand to her heart. “We had a lovely time, but circumstances changed and I’m actually back in Patras.”
“You’re here?” She could hear the excitement in his voice. It matched hers.
“Yes. How’s your son?”
“I loved being with him, but tell me, what are your plans now?”
“Tomorrow I’m going to Ioannina.”
“In that case I have an idea. I’ll come by in the morning and drive us both there. Then we can talk.”
“I can’t let you do that. You have a company to run.”
“Before you say no, hear me out. I’ll take my laptop and work while you do your thing. There are several charming places to stay the night. I can call ahead for reservations.”
“Andreas—stop. It isn’t fair to you.”
“Why not? I thought you understood you’re helping me. I’m not ready to be imprisoned in my office yet. Do you know what I mean?”
“I’m afraid I do,” she answered quietly. “Of course I’d love to drive with you, but if you change your mind and something unexpected comes up, please don’t worry about me.”
“Thank you for saying yes. Now I can sleep. See you tomorrow morning at eight thirty. Good night, kyria.”
Zoe lay back against the pillow, excited for morning to come. At seven she awakened and hurried to wash her hair and get ready in a new skirt and top she’d bought recently.
When she walked outside, Andreas was there dressed in sport clothes, looking like her idea of a Greek god. His black eyes traveled over her.
“It’s good to see you again,” he told her.
“I’m happy to see you, too. I wasn’t sure I’d be back again and will have to tell you what happened. But first I want to hear about Ari.”
He helped her in his car and they left the city, traveling northwest. Zoe found herself enchanted by the city of Ioannina, spread out around Lake Pamvotida. The wealthy, aristocratic city, two hours northwest of Patras, included the cultures of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The variety of its shops and food depicted the traditions.
After spending part of the day in the library where she did research, Andreas took her to a traditional coffeehouse where they were served sugar pie and an alcohol-free liqueur. He explained it was a mixture of organic vinegar, nectar, fruit syrups and herbs, drunk with crushed ice.
“It tastes like it must have alcohol in it. I love this drink. I wonder if Lord Byron drank it, but so far I haven’t come across it in my research.”
Andreas chuckled. “You have no idea how much fun you are to be with. Why is Ioannina so important to your research?”
“Byron wrote part of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage here.”
“I’ve read some of it. His wish for man to be free touches me most.”
She took a deep breath. “He said the most profound things. When I read his writings, I feel like I’m in touch with the divine. This is the essence of what Magda hopes will be conveyed by her film.”
“How can she fail with someone like you supplying the inspiration?”
The tone in his voice found its way into her heart. “You’re nice to listen to me. What can I do for you?”
“Let’s talk a walk along the lake back to our hotel. Later we’ll get dinner.”
He’d found them a small, adorable hideaway at the water’s edge she’d loved on sight. Zoe had never experienced a day like this before. Since meeting him in such an unorthodox way, she was discovering Greece all over again through the eyes of a native son.
Zoe couldn’t help but be sorry for the breakup of his marriage. He hadn’t offered an explanation and she didn’t want one. All she knew was that he was an exceptional man and she felt lucky to know him. But even as she thought it, the memory of her bad marriage crept into her mind. She’d fallen for Nate too fast, too. She shook off the thought.
“Tell me about Ari. Was he thrilled to see you?”
A sweet smile broke out on his handsome features when he thought of his son. “He loves to play so hard, he wore me out.”
“I’m sure it’s painful to leave him.”
“You can’t imagine.”
“But you only have to wait two more days until you see him again. We’ve already gotten you through today.” He chuckled. “Why don’t we buy some souvlaki at a kiosk along here and eat it on the terrace of the hotel. I don’t want
to go inside until we have to. The temperature here is heavenly.”
His gaze played over her. “You’re reading my mind.”
After he bought their food, they reached the hotel and sat down at a table to watch the sun go down. Another couple had come out on the patio involved in each other. The lovers couldn’t have found a more romantic place.
Glancing at them, an ache started up in Zoe’s heart. What would it be like to come here with the man you loved? One who loved you? A man like Andreas...
The second the thought came into her mind, she realized she’d made a mistake to let him drive her here. Of course there was no question of their getting involved romantically. They were simply acquaintances who’d met under unusual circumstances, but she’d be crazy to spend any more time with him.
He’d barely separated from his wife and clearly longed for his son. It was already June. She’d be going back to California soon. The old adage about ships passing in the night couldn’t have been more apropos.
All these months she’d been in Greece doing her job, not needing anyone, least of all a man. The taxi accident had brought them together, but for this to go on was ridiculous.
Already he was coloring her world in ways she didn’t want. She needed to stop this foolishness before she got too used to his being with her. Thank goodness he couldn’t afford to stay away from his work any longer.
“Andreas? That tasted good, but now I need to go in and write up some notes before I get too tired. I hope you don’t mind if I turn in.”
She heard him take a deep breath. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I brought you here and want you to be safe.” Zoe was surprised by the firm tone of his voice. But he was a caring, thoughtful man and would be like this in any situation.
They headed to her room in the east wing of the hotel. She knew his was in the other wing. He waited while she opened the door.
Zoe went inside and peeked around at him. “Maybe we can get breakfast en route back to Patras.”
One black brow lifted. “You’re through with your research here?”
Wedding The Greek Billionaire (Holiday With A Billionaire Book 3) Page 2
