LITMIR.BIZ

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days away from work.

      “Good, plan to stay awhile. We have not seen you in a long time.”

      “I will stay a few days. Give my regards to Eleani.”

      He hung up, his mind already returning to the situation at hand. Why shouldn’t his grandfather and his wife enjoy a small boat? They might be older, but they were both perfectly capable of running their own lives. His own grandmother had died when Nikos had been a boy. When Spiros had remarried, to a widow, Eleani, Nikos and his family had accepted her as Spiros’s wife. She’d had no one. That had been almost ten years ago. She had easily become a vital part of their family and had been the best thing for his grandfather. Nikos liked her warmth and devotion to Spiros. And she’d shared that warmth with the rest of the family when they’d let her.

      Nikos hoped he was as active when he was in his eighties. Hard to imagine now reaching that age. He could not picture himself married, much less very much in love with a wife in fifty years.

      It was stupid to cast all women in the same light as Ariana, but he had a tendency to do just that. She’d professed undying love when they’d been engaged. But once he’d caught her with another man in bed, he’d had trouble believing it. The truth had been that she’d wanted the lifestyle Nikos could offer. She didn’t love him; she loved being with men—rich, poor, young, old. Ariana hadn’t been too particular.

      To a young man who had been in love, it had been a double blow. First, that she hadn’t loved him and second, that he hadn’t been wise enough to realize that before finding proof. He’d learned the lesson well, however. Unless a woman had a fortune to match his, he would never consider her in the matrimony stakes.

      Gina would make a perfect businessman’s wife. She was polished, aware of the demands of work and brought a wealth of contacts with the wine industry in Italy.

      Yet still he hesitated. If left to him, he probably would not marry. Families were overrated. He knew from his own experiences and shattered expectations that it was an institution best handled carefully. Currently he set his own goals and had no one to blame except himself if things didn’t go as he wanted. A wife would be an additional responsibility. Still, he did want children, some boy or girl to leave the resort to. To teach the ways his forefathers had lived for generations. Would Gina be that wife?

      He didn’t have to decide on this cruise, but he wasn’t getting any younger.

      He quickly scanned his messages, replying to two that were urgent. Shutting off his laptop, he rose, ready to face his guests and offer some of the hospitality of the small island they were heading for.

      The ruins were spectacular. He’d taken other guests on a tour of them in the past and everyone had raved about the antiquity of the stones and the view of the sea that seemed endless.

      He hoped the Fregulias and Onetas would like it, as well.

      Four hours later Nikos knew this particular outing hadn’t met with the same success as the visit to the market had the day before. The three couples had walked around the cobblestone streets of the old town, stopping in several shops but purchasing nothing. The morning was winding down. There was time for a quick visit to the ruins before a late lunch, but his guests seemed disinclined to continue.

      Senor Fregulia wanted to visit a taverna. His wife wanted out of the sun. Nikos knew what Gina wanted but the more she seemed interested in him, the less he felt interested in her. Was it just the normal reluctance of a man to commit to one woman?

      “It is so hot,” she complained for the tenth time.

      “Perhaps we should return to the boat and continue the sail,” he suggested.

      “No, I wish to visit the taverna. A drink of fine wine while sitting in the shade and watching people would suit me better than the boat. I seem to be prone to a touch of seasickness,” Senor Fregulia said, heading in the direction of an outdoor café.

      “I wish to see into some more of the shops,” Senora Fregulia said, looking at her friend. An instant later Senora Oneta agreed.

      Gina was pouting. Nikos wanted to shake the lot of them, but his duties as host prevented that. How had the outing turned out to be so annoying?

      “Gina?” A young man dashed over and began talking with her in rapid Italian. His speech was too fast for Nikos to follow with the limited Italian he spoke, but the gist seemed to be they had been friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

      “Excuse my manners,” Gina said at one point, linking arms with the young man. “Pietro, this is our host, Nikos Konstantinos. Nikos, my friend Pietro from Rome.”

      Once introductions had been completed, Gina flirted with Pietro, keeping a careful eye on her father and on Nikos.

      “Come, we will all enjoy some wine and watch the boats in the harbor,” she suggested, drawing Pietro toward the taverna. “Nikos can tell us all about this quaint little island and the people who live here.”

      It was obvious to him what she was doing and he had no intention of playing her game of pitting one man against another. If she thought that would spark his interest, she would be very surprised to know his thoughts, which of course he would never voice.

      Senor Fregulia waved Nikos over.

      “I know you are a busy man. We can entertain ourselves this afternoon. Go, do what you need to do. What time shall we return to the yacht?”

      “By six.” Would it be this easy? To have the rest of the day to himself?

      “We will return by then.” The older man turned to his wife and urged her down the sidewalk with an admonition that she could shop after they’d had some refreshments.

      For a moment Nikos watched the group walk away. Duty required he be a good host; good business sense dictated he not alienate a man whose business he wanted. Prudent planning for the future indicated he should get to know Gina better. The truth was he wanted to be on his own—just for the rest of the day.

      Turning, he walked back to the harbor. He could call his assistant, get up to speed on the various projects in the works and maybe even respond to some mail if anything crucial was pending.

      Just as he reached the wide dock, Nikos saw Sara walking toward him. She was wearing a floppy hat to keep the sun from her face. Her arms were bare and lightly tanned. She was looking around as she walked. He noted the instant she recognized him. For a moment her smile lit up the harbor, then was replaced with a frown and a wary look.

      “Hi. Did you forget something?” she asked as she walked closer.

      “No. Where are you going?”

      “Sightseeing. The captain said we were all free until six. Was that right?”

      “Yes. We will not sail until after that. Dinner at eight.”

      “Then I’ll be back by six, no problem.”

      She stepped by him.

      Before she’d gone three feet, he said impulsively, “Would you like to see the ruins on the mountaintop?”

      Nikos wasn’t sure who was more surprised—Sara or himself. Vanished was the idea of working. Gone was the concern for his guests. He had enjoyed swimming with her; now he wanted to show her some of the island. See how she related to the history that was so much a part of their culture. Spend some time with someone who didn’t expect him to propose in the next minute.

      “I would love to see the ruins. Can you spare the time?” she asked. The wariness had not left her eyes.

      “The afternoon is free, it turns out. I would like to see them again myself.” With a sweep of his hand indicating she should precede him, they walked down the dock to the street. Two cabs were parked nearby, their drivers leaning against the side of one, talking.

      Nikos summoned one and in seconds he and Sara were on their way through the town and beyond. The mountain was not very high, sloping gently up from the sea. The lush

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