Back and forth they returned each other’s kisses, setting off waves of desire. He smelled wonderfully male, intoxicating her. As her hands slid up his chest, she came in contact with a smattering of black hair.
The feel of his skin electrified her, bringing back memories she couldn’t afford to entertain with Ari just outside the door. This was crazy. Insane. She wrenched her lips from his. “We can’t do this.”
His deep chuckle thrilled her. “It appears we are.” He kissed her again, long and deep until she was a throbbing mass of needs. He undid one of the ties to kiss her shoulder. Rapture exploded inside her, but she knew where this was leading and finally backed out of the closet, gasping for air.
“Did you forget these?” He dangled Ari’s pants in front of her while she retied her blouse on top of her shoulder. His wolfish grin was the last straw. She took the pants and threw them at him. Ari roared with laughter.
Theo ducked, then swiped them from the floor. “You better watch out, little girl. You’re playing with a big boy now.”
She screamed and ran away from him. Ari was jumping on top of the bed with a huge smile while he watched them. Stella backed up against the wall. Theo came closer, twirling the pants in the air. He looked dark and dangerous and capable of doing anything.
“Wh-what are you going to do?” She stumbled over the words.
His eyes narrowed. “What you’d like me to do.”
“Get her and tickle her, Papa. She hates to be tickled.”
“Traitor!”
“Thanks for the tip, son.” Except that Theo already knew about her ticklish side.
“No, Theo…Please.”
He came at her anyway with a frightening growl. While she tried to dodge him, Iola came to the door with an anxious look. “Is everything all right?”
“No.” Stella grinned. “I’m getting tickled to death.”
The housekeeper’s frown actually turned into a smile. Stella couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen one of those from her.
“Good night, but keep the noise down so people around here can sleep!”
“Sorry, Iola,” Theo called out. Ari echoed him.
Stella turned to the men. “I’ll say good night, too.”
“Don’t go yet,” Theo whispered, but she didn’t dare linger. Quick as lightning she grabbed the pants before closing the door. Tomorrow she’d press them.
After giving Iola a hug, she went to her room but couldn’t imagine how she would get to sleep after being thoroughly kissed in Theo’s arms. The knowledge that they’d be spending tomorrow together caused her body to ache with longing. And trepidation, too.
They were going to church tomorrow to meet Theo’s family, and the only reason she was going to be introduced to them after all these years was because of Ari. His parents had never approved of his association with Stella. Knowing that, Theo had never taken her home to meet them. It was all very sad.
She could only hope they would learn to tolerate her for Ari’s sake. No matter what Theo might have told them, Stella was the reason Theo had left Greece in the first place. That wouldn’t exactly have endeared her to them, but Ari would win them over.
When Theo had returned to Greece, he’d received a blessing from his oldest brother, who was one of the priests at the church in the Plaka near the cathedral. To Theos mind, Hektor had never looked more impressive than in his vestments.
Their reunion had been a heartwarming one. They had spent part of the day together catching up on each other’s lives. There was laughter and weeping followed by a serious talk about Stella and Ari. Theo promised his brother that when and if he could, he would bring them both to the church to meet him.
That day had come.
Following the mass, his brother had invited Theo’s family into his private study in the old house next to the church. He shared it with two other priests who had apartments there.
“Come in here.”
Theo was the last to enter the room with Stella and Ari. He was proud to be able to introduce them. Like his son, he’d dressed in a navy suit that went with the sobriety of the occasion. Stella looked a vision in a summery two-piece hyacinth suit, elegantly tailored. Her coloring added to the picture of classy femininity.
He ushered them over to the couch where the family had congregated. Theo’s parents couldn’t take their eyes off Stella and Ari. His brothers and their families were equally dazzled.
“As you can all see, I brought a surprise today,” Theo began. “Stella? Ari? I’d like you to meet my family starting with my mother, Ariadne, and my father, Gregory.”
His mother beamed at both of them. “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”
“I have, too,” Stella responded quietly.
Her gaze rested on her grandson. “You and I have the same name.”
“I know.” Ari smiled as he moved around the room with Stella to shake everyone’s hand.
Theo’s father studied him. “You look so much like my Theo, I think I’m seeing things.”
“We have the same peak,” Ari said, pointing to his hair. Everyone laughed.
“This is my brother Dymas, his wife Lina and their children, Calli, Dori and Spiro.”
Ari eyed his older cousins. “Hi.”
“Hi,” they all said in turn.
“This is my brother Spiro, his wife, Minta, and their children Phyllis, Roxane and Leandros.”
Ari looked at Theo before he said, “He’s the one my age, huh.”
“Right. You’re both six going on a hundred.”
Everyone laughed again.
“Last but not least, my oldest brother Hektor, Father Matthias.”
Ari walked up to him and shook his hand. “Papa said he misses you a lot.”
Hektor seemed moved. “I’m not supposed to admit it, but I miss all of my family, too.”
“Do you like being a priest?”
He smiled. “Very much. I’m so happy you and your father have been united. He didn’t know he had a son. What a wonderful present to come home to. He loves you very much.”
“I love him, too!”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to give you a blessing. Is that all right with you?”
Ari nodded.
It was a short blessing, sweet and it brought a lump to Theo’s throat. He eyed Stella out of the corner of his eye. Her head was bowed. He could tell the words had touched her, too.
After a few more minutes they all said goodbye and climbed into two limos Theo had provided for the family. He and Stella rode with his parents and Ari. They headed to Salamis. During the drive everyone got a little better acquainted. His father laughed more than he’d heard him in a long time.
By the time they ate dinner at the taverna, spirits were high. Theo could tell Stella and Ari were enjoying themselves. His son went off with Leandros for a little while, breaking the ice even more.
Stella chatted with his sisters-in-law about their children. The subject was something they could all relate to. As far as he could tell, there were no uncomfortable moments.
“It was a good beginning, don’t you think?” Theo asked Stella during their trip back to Athens via the linking road from Perama to the mainland. She was seated across from him next to Ari.
“We had a wonderful time.” With Ari along, she couldn’t ask Theo how his parents really felt.
“Yeah, but I wish I didn’t have to wear this suit all day long.”
Theo threw his head back and laughed. “You’re so much like me it hurts. I promise you won’t have to wear one until we go to church again.”
He eyed Theo soberly. “Do you like church?”
Stella glanced at him, waiting to hear his answer.
“Honestly?”
Ari nodded.
“I don’t exactly like it, but I always feel better after I’ve gone.”
“Is that how you feel, too, Mom?”
Now the shoe was on the other foot. He grinned while she decided what to say.
/> “Yes.”
“But how did you feel when you were my age?”
She chuckled. “I didn’t like it all that much.”
“You see why I loved your mother so much, Ari? We think alike.”
“I bet you wouldn’t tell Hektor that.”
“He knew how I felt when I was little because I squirmed all the time. I didn’t have to say anything.”
“He was nice. So are my grandparents.”
“I’m glad you feel that way because they’re crazy about you.”
“They want me to come and see them next week. Grandma said I could help them in the kitchen.”
“Would you like that?”
“I’d love it!”
“Then we’ll definitely go over. While your mom and I have dinner, you can serve us before we have to leave for our class.”
“That would be awesome. Leandros wishes he could come with us.”
“Maybe sometime we can arrange it. We’ll have to check with the staff at the college. Does he like UFO stuff?”
“Yeah. He’s pretty cool.”
High praise. Theo’s cup was running over tonight.
“Can you sleep at our house again tonight, Papa?” They’d just driven up in front of the villa.
Without looking at Stella he said, “I have a much better idea. Since your mother still has ten days of vacation left, why don’t the three of us take our own vacation on St. Thomas? I haven’t been on a real one in years. I can promise you we’ll never run out of things to do.”
Ari looked like he was going to burst with joy. “Could we, Mom?”
Theo could tell he’d surprised Stella with his suggestion, but knowing she would have to think about it, he would give her the time because it had been a perfect day and he refused to ruin it.
“Tell you what, Ari. I have some business to do and will probably work at my office until I pick you up for our class tomorrow. Afterward, we’ll fly to St. Thomas, that is if your mother approves.”
“Can we, Mom? Please?”
“I…I think that sounds exciting,” her voice faltered.
Until she’d said the words, Theo hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath. “While you guys pack, I’ll get my work out of the way so I can concentrate on you for the next ten days.”
“I can’t wait, but I wish I could come to your office and see what you do.”
“Another time and you can. We’ve got the rest of our lives, Ari.”
“Your father’s right,” Stella interjected. “He’s a busy man and you have to respect that.”
“What are you going to do tomorrow, Mom?”
“Lots of errands to get ready for our trip.”
“I’d rather go with you in our new car.”
As she laughed, her eyes happened to meet Theo’s. For the first time he felt they were communicating like they once did, sharing the same joy. It was a moment he wanted to freeze.
If he weren’t afraid of losing the ground he’d gained, he would take her and Ari to St. Thomas in the morning, but he didn’t want to push Stella. Though his work could wait, he pretended otherwise and kept silent, endeavoring to avoid Ari’s pleading look. Nothing would please him more than to keep Ari at his office with him, but again, Stella needed time to get used to Theo being in her life again.
Once he’d undone his seat belt, he got out to help them to the front door. “Good night, son.” He gave Ari a bear hug.
“Sleep well, Stella.” He darted her a penetrating glance before getting back in the limo. After the day they’d spent together, he didn’t dare touch her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WHILE Stella got ready for bed, her mind was on Theo. Today had been a great highlight for her meeting his family, going to church with them. But when he’d brought her and Ari home, she’d sensed a certain reticence on his part to linger. It was impossible to know what was going on inside him. She was afraid, but didn’t know of what exactly.
Yes she did. Deep down she knew he didn’t want to tell her about her father. Theo was afraid that when he shared that with her, it would devastate her. Maybe it would when confronted with the irrefutable proof, but her austere father had passed on. What was important was Ari’s relationship with Theo. No one could hurt that now.
Before she slipped under the covers, she reached for her phone to check any messages. Afraid it would ring while they were in church, she’d turned it off and had forgotten about it. When she looked now, she noticed three from Rachel. Each one begged her to call immediately, no matter how late.
Fearing this had to do with her pregnancy, Stella phoned. Rachel answered right away. “Thank you for calling!” she cried anxiously.
She clutched the phone tighter. “Is there something wrong with the baby?”
“No. Stella—why didn’t you tell us about Theo while you were here? When Nikos flew back from St. Thomas the other night, it was all he could talk about.”
A band constricted her lungs. “It’s exactly for that reason I didn’t want anyone to know anything.”
“Know what?”
Rachel was Stella’s oldest, closest friend. She trusted her with her life. Without preamble she told her everything. When she’d finished, the silence on the other end was deafening.
“Rachel? Are you still there?”
“Yes. Oh, Stella—”
“I know what you’re thinking, but…I trust him. He was beaten up. You can see the damage. I think my father had something to do with it.”
“You’re kidding—”
“No. I’ve had time to think it all out. At the right moment, I’ll get the truth from Theo. In the meantime, don’t tell Stasio my suspicions. He revered father so much, it could really hurt him.” In fact, the truth would hurt him a lot more than it was hurting Stella right now.
“You honestly believe Theo, don’t you.”
“Yes, Rachel. You’d have to see him with Ari to understand.”
“Well if it’s good enough for you, then it is for me, too.”
Tears welled up. “Thank you, dear friend. You couldn’t possibly know what that means to me.”
“Your happiness is everything. Stasio feels the same way. Unfortunately, Nikos keeps talking about your parents and how upset they would be if they knew you’d been seeing him again. He blames your father’s heart attack on your association with Theo. Maybe Nikos was in your father’s confidence.”
“I’m thinking the same thing,” she whispered. “The point is, it happened a long time ago. With father gone, this is no longer any of Nikos’s business. Not that it ever was, but if father told Nikos how he felt about Theo, then it makes a sick kind of sense.”
“I agree. Is it true Theo owns that new resort on St. Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“You might as well hear the rest, then. Nikos told Stasio he believes Theo is tied to underworld crime, otherwise he couldn’t possibly have made that kind of money, not when he didn’t have a drachma to his name.”
Outraged, Stella cried, “Where did he come up with such a ludicrous accusation?”
“I don’t know.”
Stella rubbed her temple where she felt an ache. “Theo has been out of the country for six years working his head off to build a successful career. Nikos is only making wild accusations because his own business plans didn’t turn out to be successful.”
“I’m sure jealousy enters into it. Stasio’s been trying to reason with him, but Nikos insists he’s going to have Theo investigated.”
“What? That’s crazy.”
“You’re right. Poor Renate has no influence over him right now. She wants to go back to Switzerland, but he won’t hear of it. He won’t even talk to me, but then he never did like me so that’s no news.”
Nikos had never approved of Rachel, though he’d had to pretend to get along with her because she was Stasio’s wife. At this point Stella feared the worst. “Nikos isn’t behaving rationally right now. You should have seen him. He didn’t care that Ari and
Dax were watching.”
“How awful. Listen…when Stasio comes up to bed, I’ll tell him you’re waiting for his call. He’ll be relieved you’re available to talk.”
“Okay. Love you, Rachel. Take care of yourself.”
“Ditto.”
They hung up before she realized she hadn’t even asked her sister-in-law about her nausea. She eased herself down under the covers and waited for Stasio’s call, but he didn’t phone for another half hour. It was after midnight when she finally said hello to him.
“I’m so sorry you had to find out about Theo through Nikos. I wanted to handle this myself before I told you.”
“I understand. My whole concern is for you.”
“I know that. The point is, Theo is back in Greece and he wants to be a father to Ari. He’s not asking for anything else. I have to tell you he’s done nothing but be wonderful to Ari and me. As I told Rachel, he said he’d been accosted before he could meet me at the church that night, and then he could never find me again.
“He sent me a letter that was sent back to him saying addressee unknown. I saw it with my own eyes. According to him someone tried to destroy our love. I…I believe him, Stasio, even though he hasn’t told me everything.”
“Did you read what the letter said?”
She shivered. “No. I was too angry at the time, but while I’m on St. Thomas, I’ll ask him to let me see it.”
“When are you going there again?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll stay in touch with you while we’re gone. As for Nikos, please don’t tell him where I am.” Stella had made a decision. “After our vacation I’m going to find a new place to live. As long as Nikos continues to stay at the villa when he comes to Athens, it’s not a place I want to be.”
After they got back from their vacation, if her brother ever came near her or Ari or Theo again with threats of any kind, then she’d call Costas, their family attorney, and have a restraining order put on him.
“Stella…you have every right to be upset. Before things go any further, let’s meet in the morning on Andros to talk.”
“You mean with Nikos?”
“Yes. It can’t hurt anything. If you include him, he’ll see you’ve forgiven him for his outburst on St. Thomas. When he learns that Theo wants to be a father to his son, he’ll settle down enough to be more reasonable.”
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