Palm trees waved above them, providing respite from the early heat as they crossed into the Plateía Avissynías, an outdoor bazaar rich with music, the sizzle and smell of souvlaki and loud, boisterous haggling in the market stalls over everything from jewelry to Turkish carpets.
And Eve suddenly knew happiness was waiting for them around every corner.
“I’m sorry I wiped out your fortune,” she said once they reached the square. Talos stared at her in surprise.#p#分页标题#e#
Then he pulled her into his arms with a sudden boyish grin. It made him so handsome it took her breath away.
“You tried to ruin me,” he pointed out. “But in the end, the press attention only revealed our integrity. My company is worth more now than ever.”
“So really,” she teased, “you should thank me.”
On the sidewalk, he pulled her closer, his body hard against her own. Suddenly all the traffic and other people faded away.
His eyes were dark. Hungry. He pulled her close, stroking her face upward. “Thank you.”
And as he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her so deeply and purely, she knew she would love him—forever.
Nothing had changed.
And yet everything had changed.
As Talos looked down at her beautiful face in the busy outdoor market, her eyes were still closed. Her lips were swollen and bruised from his kiss.
As he lowered his head to kiss her again, he dimly heard his cell phone ringing from his pocket. He retrieved it and glanced down at it, cursing softly when he saw it was his assistant, no doubt calling about the Sydney deal. “Excuse me,” he said with real regret. “I have to take this call.”
Her beautiful eyes smiled up at him. Accepting him, flaws and all. Asking only that he accept her, as well.
She’d taken blame.
She loved him. How was it possible?
“That’s all right,” she breathed. “I’ll just—um—look around the market until you’re done.”
“Stay where Kefalas can see you.”
She bit her pink, bruised lip, and he could tell she didn’t like the intrusion of a bodyguard, even from a distance. For a moment Talos was tempted to ignore his assistant’s phone call, forget the billion-dollar deal and offer to be her own private bodyguard. Then she sighed. “All right.”
Talos watched as she wandered toward the market. Even in the loose cotton skirt, he admired her backside. He admired her dark glossy hair, her perfect natural beauty. Her sweetly innocent love for him.
I love you, Talos. Whatever I felt for you last summer—I’m in love with you now.
The phone’s incessant ringing finally penetrated his consciousness, forcing him to answer. “Xenakis.”
“The Sydney deal is as good as done,” his first assistant crowed happily. “Their board just voted in favor of the sale.”
“Good,” he said, but he wasn’t really paying attention. He was watching his beautiful wife walk across the market, looking so happy, so interested in the world around her. He was about to hang up.
Then he suddenly paused. “Have Mick Barr investigate Eve.”
His assistant’s voice was too well-trained to register surprise. “Investigate Mrs. Xenakis?”
“Have him find out how her father died. See if there’s any reason it might be tied to me.”
As Talos hung up the phone, his gaze lingered on Eve, so beautiful and natural in the pink tank top and short cotton skirt. Instead of stiletto heels, she was exploring this city—exploring her life—in sandals that were clearly made for walking. Her bright, happy face, once so pale, was starting to tan in the sun.
He’d once thought to use her amnesia against her. He’d never imagined that her innocence and warmth would affect him like this. He felt knocked off-kilter by her tenderness, by her love.
I’m sorry. Forgive me.
He was blown away by her openness and vulnerability. She’d accepted blame for a betrayal she could not even remember. She’d chosen to believe him. To trust him, when all he’d done was lie to her, trick her, punish her. It was enough to bring any man to his knees.#p#分页标题#e#
Talos started to walk toward her, but he’d gone only a few steps before the phone in his hand rang. He saw his lead investigator’s number and answered. “That was fast.”
“I can tell you about your wife’s father right now, Mr. Xenakis.” Barr paused. “Does the name Dalton Hunter mean anything to you?”
Talos’s entire body went hot, then turned to ice.
He was only dimly aware of the ebb and flow of people around him as his hand clenched around the phone.
“Dalton Hunter?” he repeated in a strangled voice.