checked the caller ID before clicking on. “Yes, Giorgos?”
“I don’t mean to intrude on your day off, but there was a man at the front desk asking for you a few minutes ago. He didn’t leave his name. I told him I’d schedule an appointment, but I needed information first. All he said was that you would know who he was and he’d be back later.”
Lys shot to her feet out of breath. Takis? But surely he would have phoned her if he’d flown to Crete! He’d been gone a week, but it had felt like a month. Seven days away from him had proven to her how much he had come to mean to her, feelings that went soul deep.
“Did you hear what I said? Do you want security when you return?”
She’d forgotten Giorgos was on the phone. “Was this man threatening in some way?”
“No. But he had an attitude that sounded too familiar and possessive for my liking.”
If anyone sounded possessive it was Giorgos, whose observation surprised her. “Thank you for the warning, but I’m not worried. I’ll be back at the hotel later.”
After hanging up she told Danae what happened. The older woman cocked her head. “Who else could it be but Takis? Aside from Nassos, he’s the most exciting man I’ve almost ever bumped into.”
Lys chuckled.
“The man’s charm is lethal. I have no doubt it rattled Giorgos, who, according to Nassos, was interested in you from the moment he came to work.”
“You’re kidding—”
This time it was Danae who laughed. “When Nassos realized Giorgos was invisible to you, he stopped worrying that he’d hired him.”
“I had no idea I was that transparent.”
“There were two or three men you dated that gave us concern because you seemed so swayed by them. We felt you were too young and we ran interference for your sake. But it was when you started seeing Kasmos Loukos, whose father owns the Loukos Shipping lines in Macedonia, we grew very nervous.
“That spoiled young man had already been seen with too many wealthy celebrities. Nassos knew Kasmos was shopping around for the best female prospect to build on his father’s fortune. When we saw the way he went about seducing you, we were fearful you might really be in love with him. The problem was, you were an adult. We couldn’t do anything about it, and only hoped you could see through him before it was too late.”
“Which I did. One night he started talking to me about Nassos, asking questions that were none of his business. That’s when a light went on and I remembered all the lessons you’d tried to teach me. I was no longer blinded and told him I didn’t want to see him anymore. You should have seen his face—”
“Thank goodness that relationship didn’t last! I’m afraid neither Nassos nor I ever thought you’d met your match. Speaking of which, I think you’d better take the helicopter back to the hotel so you can meet up with this mystery man before you die of curiosity.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. “I’m not dying,” Lys muttered.
“You could have fooled me.” She reached for her phone. “I’ll alert the pilot.”
Lys checked her watch. Ten after one. She’d been here a long time. The two of them were closer than ever. They were family and needed each other while they mourned their loss. No longer did Lys want to go to New York except for a visit to the Farrells’. Her life was here. Takis was here and not going anywhere. Joy.
She walked over to hug her. “Have a lovely evening with Stella. Don’t get up. I’ll see myself out.”
“Let me know how this ends.”
“You know I will. Love you.”
After leaving the villa, she walked out to the pad and climbed on board the helicopter. Within fifteen minutes the pilot landed on top of the Rodino Hotel. She took the elevator to the third floor and freshened up in her suite. With the blood pounding in her ears, she went down to the lobby.
If Takis was here and waiting in the lounge, he’d see her. But since he still hadn’t phoned her, she began to think it must have been some other man. Lys couldn’t think who that would be unless it was a high-tech salesperson not wanting to go through Giorgos to reach her.
Magda, one of the personnel on duty at the desk, waved her over. “Giorgos told me to watch for you. I’ll get him.” The woman hurried off before Lys could tell her not to bother.
A second later he came out of his office and walked toward the counter where she was standing. At the same time, she felt two hands slide around her waist from behind.
“Forgive me,” Takis whispered. “I have my reason for doing this.”
The intimacy brought a small gasp to her lips. She whirled around, meeting those intense hazel eyes that were devouring her.
“Don’t look now, but Giorgos is having a meltdown,” he murmured. She wouldn’t have understood what he meant if she hadn’t just had a certain conversation with Danae about the manager. Their mouths were mere centimeters apart. His warm breath on her lips excited her so much, she forgot that she was clinging to his arms. “I’ll answer your questions later. Come with me first. We’re going for a ride.”
Her heart nearly ran away with her as he kept an arm around her shoulders and they left the hotel. Instead of walking her to a taxi, he helped her into a black, middle-of-the-line Acura parked in the registration check-in line. Leon, one of the staff members outside, stared at the two of them in surprise.
Takis started up the engine and darted into the heavy main street traffic in front of the resort. When she could find her voice she said, “This smells brand new.”
He flashed her a smile. “I just drove it off the lot. I’m here for the next six months and need transportation.” His choice of car made total sense considering the modest income of his family.
“My driving must have frightened you more than I realized.”
“Are you saying you would have agreed to be my chauffeur day and night? If so, we’ll drive back to the car dealership and turn it in.”
Lys laughed gently while he drove them along the harbor road to the Venetian Fortress of Koules. He pulled into a parking space where they could watch the boats.
After shutting off the engine, he turned to her, stretching his arm along the back of the seat. “I owe you an explanation. Thank you for going along with me back there.”
“I take it you wanted to make a statement. So why did you do it?”
“In order for us to be together so no one knows the underpinnings of our relationship, I’m proposing we do something shocking. How would you feel about getting engaged to me?”
Engaged?
Lys looked away, literally stunned by what he’d just said.
“Hear me out before you tell me how outrageous I’m being. It could be the one thing that will make it easier to help us achieve our main goal.”
“What
