by Elle James
“If not for the havoc, I wouldn’t know the joy. I think fate brought me to that alley and that set of steps where those men had you. I was supposed to be there to find you.”
“Yeah?” She leaned closer and kissed him. “Well, maybe next time you date a girl you can meet her in a more conventional location.” Not that she wanted to think of him dating anyone else. The thought took some of the happiness out of the euphoric haze she floated in from their lovemaking.
Kinsey had a little over a week and a half left with Sam. She would make it the best ten days ever. And when they parted, she wouldn’t cry or make him feel bad about leaving her. She’d be happy about what little time she had with him and get on with her life.
That was her plan, and she was sticking to it. As she lay beside him, wrapped in the warmth and security of his arms, a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye and dropped onto the pillow.
So, she’d let one tear slip. She would never let him see them. He couldn’t know how much he was beginning to mean to her.
11
Sam woke the next morning and rolled over to gather Kinsey in his arms, only to find the pillow beside him empty. His pulse leaped, and he went from groggy to instantly alert and sitting up. “Kinsey?” How could he not have heard her rising from the bed and moving around the room?
The bathroom door opened, and Kinsey came out, dressed in her bikini top and shorts. “Hey, sleepyhead. Did I wake you making too much noise?” She sat on the edge of the bed and ran her hand through his hair. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head, willing his heart to slow its rapid beating. “Nothing’s wrong.” Now that he knew she hadn’t been kidnapped and carried away by some bastard. “Come here.” He slipped his hand around her waist and drew her down on the bed. “I missed you.” But he didn’t kiss her. Instead, he waited.
She laughed and smiled at him. “How about I put in a standing request for you to kiss me whenever you feel like it?”
“That suits me fine.” Then he kissed her, his cock swelled and he remembered where they’d left off the night before.
“And that goes for making love, too,” she whispered against his lips.
He had her out of her shorts, the bikini beneath and the top before she finished the sentence. Thankfully, he’d brought enough condoms for the night before and the morning after. He’d have to remember to pick up some more that day, especially since she’d just given him permission to make love anytime he liked.
And he liked making love to her in the morning light, taking his time to make sure she was satisfied before he came inside her. Then he carried her into the shower where he made love to her again, hitting all of her favorite spots and using the last of the condoms. By the time they turned off the water, they were pushing too close to Mrs. D’s last call for breakfast. They dressed and ran down the hall in the nick of time.
Mrs. D was clearing the tables, carrying cutlery and plates to the kitchen when they entered the dining room, cheeks flushed and laughing.
She smiled. “I had about given up on you.”
Sam hadn’t felt this invigorated or full of life in such a long time. He’d gone the entire night without thinking or dreaming about flying, his unit or the war. All because of Kinsey, and her sunny outlook on a life that had been anything but kind in the past few days.
Mrs. D emerged through the swinging door of the kitchen, carrying a tray with scrambled eggs, beans, tomatoes and various deli meats.
A big man with dark hair and bushy eyebrows followed her. He wore the uniform of the Santorini police.
Kinsey stiffened beside Sam.
Mrs. D tipped her head toward the man as she set the tray on the sideboard. “This is my cousin, Athan. He came when he heard we had a visitor last night.”
Sam shook hands with the officer. “Sir.”
“Please, don’t let me keep you from your breakfast,” Athan said, his English laced with a British accent.
Kinsey shook the man’s hand, as well. “We’ll sit, if you’ll join us.”
Athan grinned. “Esma is a brilliant cook. I cannot pass on the opportunity, as long as we discuss business.”
Kinsey glanced at Sam and then smiled. “Agreed. And it would be nice if Mrs. Demopolis would join us, as well.”
Mrs. D waved her hands. “I have eaten, but I haven’t had my espresso.” She set the dishes on the table and left to return a few minutes later with coffee for Sam, tea for Kinsey and espresso for herself and Athan.
As Sam, Kinsey and Mrs. D’s cousin feasted on the breakfast provided, Athan questioned them on what had happened and what the assailant looked like.
“Why would someone break into my house?” Mrs. D asked.
Kinsey inhaled and let it out slowly.
Sam placed a hand on her leg beneath the table and gave a slight shake of his head. He didn’t want her to tell the landlady anything that she wasn’t ready to share. The choice was hers.
“I’m sorry, but I think it’s because I’m here.” And she spilled the whole story of her coming to Greece, having her money and identification stolen, then meeting with the Martins and coming to Santorini as their au pair.
Mrs. D’s eyes grew rounder and Athan’s lips thinned as Kinsey told what sounded like an incredible story, all the way through to what had happened at the hotel.
Sam filled in what he had encountered and Mrs. D gave her account of the night before. When they were done, silence fell on the small gathering.
Athan shook his head. “I am sorry to say we are aware of a human trafficking issue happening right here on our island. But we have not been able to pinpoint the source or capture those in charge. We have had a number of female tourists and women with temporary work visas disappear from our shores, and we have not solved a single case.” Frowning, he sighed. “This news disturbs me greatly, but thank you for the lead on the hotel. As the detective on this case, I will question the staff myself.”
“Find Giorgio. I think they might have let him go when the plan to nab me was thwarted,” Kinsey tapped a finger on the table. “They might be erasing any evidence of my stay at the hotel to cover their asses.”
Athan nodded. “I will do that. And I will look through port documents and see if I can locate when exactly the Martins left Santorini and where they were headed. I’ll have my contacts in Athens be on the lookout for them. If they are luring women into service as an au pair only to have the females disappear later, they are part of the ring.”
“Before I left Athens, I applied at the embassy for a replacement for my passport. I told the management at the Porto Takisi hotel to forward it to this address. It should be here any day.”
Mrs. D clapped a hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. A package arrived for you in this morning’s post.” She jumped up from the table and bolted out of the dining room, returning with an envelope.
When Kinsey tore it open, she smiled and clutched her new passport to her chest. “Oh, thank God. I felt like I was without an identity when I lost my passport.” Her smile spread wider. “I’m somebody now.”
“You always were an amazing someone, with or without the passport.” Sam squeezed her leg, sad that she’d felt so lost without the document, but glad she’d received it.
“Yeah, but having my passport makes me feel like I belong somewhere.” She turned to Athan. “I lost my temporary passport when the kidnappers took me. I was afraid to report these happenings to the authorities until I received my passport. I thought the police might throw me in jail for being without identification.”
Athan’s lips twisted. “We would not have detained you. We are not barbarians.”
“I know, but I didn’t feel comfortable, being in a foreign country where I don’t have a full grasp of the Greek language.”
“Most of our police speak fluent English. We would have helped.” He reached across the table and touched her hand.
Sam’s lips thinned and his fist clenched. He wasn’t happy about another man touchi
ng Kinsey.
“Please, do not hesitate if something else happens, or you remember any more details about the men who attacked you.” Athan rose from the table and thanked Mrs. D with a big hug and a promise to visit more often.
Sam and Kinsey followed Athan and Mrs. D to the exit.
Athan turned to Kinsey. “Please be safe, Miss Phillips. If these people are still after you, they might not stop until they succeed.”
Kinsey nodded. “I’ll be careful.”
The meeting with the detective did not make Sam feel any better about what was happening to Kinsey. He slipped an arm around her waist and drew her close. “I’ll be with her at all times.”
“Should we move to another location, now that they know where I’m staying?” Kinsey asked. “I don’t want Mrs. Demopolis to be in danger because of me.”
Mrs. D threw back her shoulders. “You will stay here. Those men will not make it back into my house. I have my cousin coming to change the locks and fix the broken door. You will be safe here in the house of Demopolis.” She lifted her chin and stood as tall as her five-foot-nothing frame could be.
“Thank you, Mrs. Demopolis.” Kinsey hugged the older woman.
Mrs. D patted Kinsey’s back. “Please, you must call me Esma.”
“Thank you, Esma. You’ve been very kind and welcoming,”
“You two remind me of my sons and daughter. You are like family. And family takes care of each other.” She touched Athan’s arm. “Am I right?”
“Yes, you are, cousin.” He kissed both of her cheeks and stepped through the door. “Take care.”
Mrs. D watched as the man walked away and then turned to Kinsey and Sam. “I have work to do, but if you need anything, just ask.”
“We’re going out today to do some sailing.”
Mrs. D’s brows descended. “Is it safe?”
“We can’t hide inside all day,” Kinsey said. “We’ll be fine. So far, the attacks have been primarily at night, except for the near hit-and-run. I think we’ll be okay in broad daylight if we remain vigilant. Besides, Sam’s here to vacation. I won’t let my little issue interfere with his time off.”
Mrs. D looked from Kinsey to Sam. “Please, be careful. I will be here all day if you need me.” She left them in the hallway and hurried back to the dining room.
Sam took Kinsey’s hand in his. “I wouldn’t mind staying inside all day,” he said, giving her a wicked smile.
She lifted his hand to cup her face and pressed a kiss to his palm. “We can, later today, but I’ve arranged for us to go sailing. That is, if you don’t mind spending the money.”
“We can spend the money,” he assured her. “What kind of sailing did you have in mind?”
“Have you ever been sailing?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
“Never. I grew up around San Antonio, Texas. We visited the beach at South Padre and Port Aransas, went boating, fishing and snorkeling and some scuba, but we never went sailing.”
“Well, you’re in for some fun today.” She grinned. “I rented a small sailboat. I’m teaching you how to sail.”
His brow knit. “Do you know how?”
“I do. We spent enough time on Virginia Beach during the summers that I learned how. Now you’ll learn, as well.” She took his hand and led him back to the room where she packed the beach bag with towels and sunscreen.
Armed with hats and sunglasses, they left the B&B and headed to the coast.
Sam made certain to guide her on a different route from the one they’d taken yesterday and remained on high alert for any movement from shadows as they passed through the alleys and up the steps to the main road. There, they caught a taxi to the beach side of the island.
As Kinsey promised, she’d reserved a small sailboat, barely big enough for both of them to sit on, but she taught him the basics in the few hours they spent in the sunshine.
Sam couldn’t remember when he’d laughed so hard or had as much fun. She took pictures of him with his cellphone, and they texted them to Colonel Cooley, showing him how much he was missing.
The colonel responded with a curt, “Bastard.” He followed with, “Glad you’re relaxing and having a good time. At this rate, you’ll be fit to fly at the end of your two weeks.”
His commander’s response made Sam even happier as Kinsey splashed him with warm Mediterranean salt water and dared him to man the craft on his own. His only regret was that when the two weeks were over, he wouldn’t see Kinsey again.
By the time they returned to shore, Sam was hungry. They found a small café overlooking the water, ate freshly grilled seafood and vegetables and drank wine. Then they ducked into a small store where they found snacks and, thankfully, a box of condoms. Kinsey teased him about buying an entire box, but he had a feeling they’d go through all of them and more before their time together was over. His chest pinched. He’d miss her when he left.
A taxi dropped them off in Imerovigli, and they made their way back to the B&B. Sam’s cellphone rang. He glanced at the call ID, smiled and answered, “Hey, Mack.”
“Deirdre and I are on the ferry, crossing over to Santorini. We should be there this afternoon. Wyatt and Fiona are flying in about the same time. And I got word Ronin has a girlfriend.”
“What?” Sam was surprised. Ronin hadn’t mentioned a woman in his life. “When did that happen?”
“Apparently, he met her two years ago in Venice.”
“So that’s why he went to Venice from Dublin.”
“You bet. He found her. He wanted to introduce you to her, so he’s bringing her to Santorini for our little mini-family reunion.”
“That’s great. I’m happy for him, and you and Wyatt.”
“Now we just have to find you a woman.”
“Don’t go there,” he said, glancing across at Kinsey and smiling. “I’m perfectly capable of handling that task on my own.”
“Good, then we’ll all have dates at dinner tonight.”
Sam didn’t confirm or deny his brother’s speculation.
“How’s the R&R going?” Mack asked.
“Good. I took lessons in sailing today.”
“No kidding?” Mack laughed. “How many times did you end up in the water?”
“None, thank you. I had an excellent instructor.” He winked at Kinsey as she walked alongside him, smiling.
“You did, did you? Was she as pretty as she was patient with a land-lubbing Texan?”
“I’ll let you be the judge. You’ll meet her at dinner tonight.”
Mack hooted into the phone so loud, Sam had to hold the device away from his head to keep from losing his hearing.
“Now I wish Dierdre and I had flown in instead of taking this darned slow ferry.” He snorted. “It’s romantic, she said. It’s a big bus on the water and takes forever. Anyway, I’ll see you when we get there.”
“Roger.” Sam ended the call. “We need to make dinner reservations for eight this evening.”
“Eight?” Kinsey stopped in her tracks.
“You, me and my three brothers and their women.” Sam hooked her arm and kept them moving. “They’ll be here this afternoon. I’m sure with them around, we will have no problems tonight.”
“Are you sure you want me to go with you? I mean, they are your brothers, and I’m…well, I’m your employee.”
He stopped and pulled her into his arms. “You’re more than an employee. In fact, I’m doing this all wrong. Let me start over.” He held out his hand to shake. “Hi, I’m Sam Magnus. Would you go out with me tonight? As my date?”
She laughed and took his hand. “I’d love to.”
“Good. Then I’ll make the dinner reservations, and you can take all the time you need to primp and do what women do to get ready for a date.”
“So generous of you,” she said, sarcasm dripping from her words. Then she smiled. “I think I might be overwhelmed with Magnuses. Are they all as big as you?”
“Bigger.” He winked. She’d b
e more bowled over by their rowdiness than their size. “I’m the short one in the bunch at six feet one inch.”
Kinsey’s eyes widened. “You’re not short. Who are their women? What should I wear?”
“One of them is an event planner in San Antonio, and the other is her Irish cousin, a fashion model. I don’t know anything about Ronin’s lady, so your guess is as good as mine. And you can wear what you have on.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her lips. “You look great.”
“You have got to be kidding. I can’t show up in a bikini and shorts.” She shook her head and bit down on her lip. “At the risk of being cliché, I don’t have a thing to wear. Well, I do have a dress, but sheesh. A fashion model?”
“If it makes you feel better, let’s go find you a kick-ass dress.”
“No. You can’t keep buying my clothes.” She raised her hand when he started to say something else. “And don’t tell me it’s part of my pay as your companion. Tonight, I’m off the clock as your date. I’ll wear the dress you found me in. It’s the nicest one I have.”
“Didn’t it get ripped?”
“I’ll borrow a needle and thread from Mrs. D. But you’re not buying any more clothes for me.”
He held up his hands. “Okay, okay. You’ll make do.” Sam laughed. “They’re just my brothers.”
That admission didn’t help erase the frown from her brow, and Sam missed her smile. But he had to admit, he liked that she wanted to make a good impression on his brothers. Not that she could make a bad one. Kinsey had a way of making everyone feel good just with her smile.
As soon as they got back to the B&B, Kinsey disappeared with Mrs. D, not to be seen until an hour later.
During that time, Sam paced the room, the hallway, and even climbed to the roof to stare out over the amazing view. He didn’t stay on the roof more than ten minutes. He was afraid to leave Kinsey in case someone tried to make another attempt to capture her. Besides the view wasn’t nearly as impressive without Kinsey’s wealth of enthusiasm for… well, just about everything.
In the short amount of time he’d known her, she’d made a huge impression. So much so, that he counted the minutes until he saw her again. He looked at his watch and climbed down the ladder to the main level of the structure and paced the hallway, wondering what could be taking her so long to patch up a little tear in a dress. He found himself jealous of the time she was spending with the landlady. Sam retreated to the room, showered and changed into his dark slacks and white polo shirt.
