LITMIR.BIZ

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      “So if it takes you hours to get there, I bet shopping is a two-day affair.”

      “There are islands nearby which offer shopping and other amenities. My grandfather wants a new runabout to get to the nearest one. Takes about forty minutes in a smaller boat.”

      “Your grandparents are there now?” she asked. She couldn’t be this close and bear to learn her grandmother was elsewhere.

      “Of course, they’re who I’m going to see.”

      She nodded and looked back out of the window.

      Sara enjoyed watching the men on the dock cast off the lines. She marveled at how the captain could maneuver such a large ship away without a scrape anywhere. The rain had not abated. The large wipers on the front windows kept the glass clear. She smiled as she felt the power of the engine when they went to cruising speed sometime later.

      Turning, she met Nikos’s eyes. He was standing on the far side of the bridge, leaning against the glass watching her. He raised an eyebrow in silent question.

      “This is fantastic. Do you ever drive the yacht?” she asked.

      “Sometimes.”

      “He is as proficient as I am,” the captain commented. “Perhaps with not as much practice, though.”

      “Who has time to command a yacht when a resort needs a firm hand?” Nikos asked.

      “So who is running the resort while you are away?” Sara asked.

      “I am. The marvels of modern electronics. I have a laptop here that connects to the main computer at the resort. My assistant can manage the day-to-day activities. I am always available if he needs me.”

      “Will I meet your grandparents?” Sara asked. She might as well find out from the get-go.

      “Do you wish to?” he asked.

      She shrugged, trying to show a casual demeanor. What would another crew member do? She didn’t even try to guess—none of them had been invited to the bridge since she’d been on board.

      “Just wondered.”

      “My grandfather knows all the crew—except you. He’ll want to meet you. In the meantime, you can swim in the sea, enjoy the island. We have some beautiful flowering gardens. A nice gazebo near the beach. I’ll take you to one of the coves to dive—there are some amazing sponges and fish there.”

      “Sounds like a vacation, not work,” she said. He still hadn’t answered her question. It looked as if it would be up to her to find a way to meet Eleani Konstantinos.

      Once the ship was under way, Sara grew bored with watching the rain on the windows and the gray sea that stretched out to the horizon. It would have been lovely had the weather been good. She gathered up the mugs and the coffeepot and thanked the captain for the time on the bridge.

      Nikos opened the door for her and followed her into the narrow passageway.

      “Thanks for the chance on the bridge. I’ll get these back to the galley and see about what to prepare for lunch.”

      “We’ll be at the island by lunch,” he said. “And the crew eats with the island staff. You’re done for the day.”

      “Oh.”

      “Dump the cups and come to the aft deck. We can sit in the lee of the wind and stay dry.”

      “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she said slowly. Her first inclination was to say yes. Yet, after his explosive kiss last night, the last thing she should do is place herself in the path of temptation.

      He stopped her and swung her partway around. “Come for a little while,” he coaxed softly, his eyes warm and dark.

      Her heart skipped a beat. This was so not a good idea.

      “Okay. Unless it gets too wet.”

      “It won’t.”

      She went first to the galley, then stopped in her cabin for a sweatshirt. It was part of the uniform, with the logo of the resort clearly embroidered over her heart. She stared at herself in the mirror. “Do not forget this is only a means to an end. You are not going to get any more attached to the man!”

      Sara had a feeling she was lying to herself. The attraction she felt for Nikos was not something she controlled. Maybe her tactics were wrong. Maybe she should be around him as much as possible—to see if once she saw the flaws he was bound to have, it would lessen the pull.

      Nikos was already on the aft deck when she stepped out. The overhang had kept the three feet of deck closest to the main structure dry. The wind hadn’t touched it. The air was cooler than she expected. The wake was white against the steely gray of the water.

      She shut the door and walked to stand beside him. Nikos had pulled two chairs over and dried them. The towel was on the floor.

      Sitting, she looked at him.

      “So, what shall we talk about?”

      He groaned softly. “If we have to talk about what to talk about, we have nothing to say.”

      “Do we?”

      “You mean after last night?”

      “Of course.”

      “You mean a chance to kiss a beautiful woman after a pleasant evening together?”

      “Good line. I think I’ve heard it before.”

      He shrugged. “So I need to polish my technique.”

      “I don’t think you need to change a thing. It’s clear you like your lifestyle and I live a very different one. I told you.”

      He tilted his chair back, resting against the wall. “And if I don’t see them as that different?”

      “Trust me, there’s a world of difference between us. You are rich, I’m not. You evidently were neglected as a child. I was not.”

      “Not neglect. My parents gave me the best that money could buy.”

      “Neglected by them, however. The greatest gift parents can give their children is their attention. My mother and I did so much together. Even when I was a rebellious teenager. She loved me. There was never any question.”

      “Some people are not meant for marriage. My parents aren’t the only reason.”

      “So what else? Burned at love?”

      “You might say so. Now I wonder if I really loved Ariana at all. It was an advantageous match.”

      “What are you talking about?”

      “My engagement—surely you’ve heard the tale.”

      She shook her head. “I thought you didn’t ask Gina Fregulia. So there was another engagement that ended. Were you heartbroken?” she asked sympathetically.

      He gave a harsh laugh. “Hardly. Mad as hell. Ariana was beautiful and pleasing and professed to love me. Our relationship was meant to be, she said a hundred times.”

      “Uh-oh, I think I’ve heard this tale before,” she murmured.

      “Do you want to hear it or not?” he asked.

      “Yes.” She closed her mouth tightly and looked at him.

      He looked away. “Damn, I don’t want to explain. Sufficient to say my loving, meant-to-be fiancée found our own relationship wasn’t quite enough, so she found other meaningful relationships with as many men as she could.”

      “Ouch,” Sara said. “Tacky.”

      He looked at her in surprise. “Tacky? Is that all you have to say?”

      “Well, you said your heart wasn’t broken. So then it was probably embarrassing to end the engagement

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