LITMIR.BIZ

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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 do you mean?”

      “Don’t you agree the most important one is for us to get through the next six months honoring Nassos’s wishes?”

      Her pulse had started to race. “That goes without saying.”

      “An engagement will give us the perfect cover. While you run the hotel, I’ll spend real time with my family. When I whisk you away for a little personal time together, or spend time in your hotel room, no one will know I’m helping you behind the scenes.”

      Lys struggled to sit still. Nassos had told her Takis was a genius with vision, but this proposition went beyond the boundaries of her imagination. The thought of being engaged to him robbed her of breath.

      “The only way the manager will understand why you and I are spending time together and not become suspicious is if he thinks we’re romantically involved. I was simply setting the scene.”

      A thrill of alarm passed through her body. “There’s no doubt you accomplished your objective a few minutes ago,” she said in a tremulous voice.

      “It had to be convincing. Tell me something. When you flew to Italy, did the staff know you were leaving the country?”

      “Only Giorgos, but I didn’t tell him where and let him assume what he wanted.”

      “That’s perfect. Just now it didn’t hurt for him and other members of the staff to see us meet in the lobby and assume we have a history away from Crete. When we walked out of the hotel with my arm around you, it no doubt created a new wave of gossip.”

      “You know it did.” Being that close to him practically gave her a heart attack.

      “If we’re engaged, it’ll be about you and me for a change. I’m aware the old gossip came close to crucifying you. An engagement would put an end to it.”

      “I can’t imagine anything more wonderful than changing that particular conversation.” She took an extra breath. “I’ll admit it was awful for Danae too.”

      He studied her for a moment. “Neither of you deserved this. It pains me for both of you. The new gossip you and I create will cause people to see you in a new light. With a ring on your finger from me, the old news will be forgotten.”

      She closed her eyes tightly. He was making it sound possible and that increased her nervousness. If this proposal had come from his heart, she’d be in heaven. But it hadn’t, and she needed to remember that.

      “Lys?” he prodded.

      “Can you tell me what you’ve decided to do about your other businesses?”

      “I’m already in negotiations to sell my chain of hotels in New York and invest the money. After talking it over with my partners, I’m going to stay committed to them. The castello hotel-restaurant will be the only asset I own and I’ll fly to Milan when necessary.”

      “I’m sure they’ll be happy about that.” Her voice shook from emotions sweeping through her. “Do your parents know what you’ve done?”

      He nodded. “I’ve told them I’ve come home for good and want to help out at the family hotel. My father hasn’t said anything about that yet. Lukios has indicated I’m not needed. He explained they would have to let someone else go who must keep their job. I understood that and told him I’d be happy to do some advertising around Crete to bring in more clients.”

      “What did he say?”

      “He shook his head and left the living room with the excuse that he was needed at the front desk and we’d talk later.”

      “I’m sorry, but these are early days. Your mother must be ecstatic!”

      “I think she’s still in shock that I haven’t gone back to Italy yet.”

      “You’ll have to give your family time before everyone accepts the fact that you’re home permanently. But you have to know she’s thrilled, and she’s the one to work on. After all, your mother was the one who begged

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