The Millionaire's True Worth(19)
She rested her head against the seat, soaking up the sun. “Women do the same thing when they see you.”
“I’m talking about you. Did you know the newspapers have printed photos of us leaving the Grand Bretagne? The headlines read, ‘Who was the beautiful mystery woman seen with one of the Giannopoulos brothers?’”
She turned in his direction. “Chloe’s wedding made the publicity inevitable. Knowing her like I do, I’m sure she didn’t want it. She’s the sweetest, kindest girl I’ve ever known.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Theo has a similar temperament. They’re a perfect match.”
“Isn’t that wonderful? Tell me more about him.”
“He’s a vice president of the bank now.”
“Good for him, but I want to know why you like him so much.”
The more he got to know Raina, the more he realized how extraordinary she was, not only as a woman, but as a human being. “You’re a lot like Theo. You look beyond the surface to the substance of a person.”
He could feel her eyes on him. “I’m so glad he saw inside of you and was willing to take a risk for you. That’s because you’re such a good man.”
“He’s saved my back more than once.”
“In what way?”
“We signed up for the military at the same time and served together.”
Raina sat up. “How did you manage that?”
“His father had connections. I couldn’t believe it when he was assigned to my unit.”
“I take it that’s where your friendship flourished.”
“In unexpected ways. We grew close as brothers.” He would have told her more, but talking about it would touch on a painful subject he didn’t want to bring up today. “When he introduced me to Chloe six months ago, I worried she might not be good enough for him. But nothing could have been further from the truth.”
Raina’s eyes closed for a moment. She was so crazy about Akis, the thought of his breaking her heart caused her to groan.
“I had the same fear when she phoned to tell me about Theo. I knew her heart from long ago and didn’t want any man breaking it. But getting to know you, I’m convinced he must be her equal, otherwise he wouldn’t have come to be like family to you. I’m anxious to meet him when they get back from their honeymoon.”
He had to clear his throat. “We’ll definitely make that happen, but we’ve got a lot of living to do before then.”
She sat back again. “I’m loving all this, but I’m afraid I’m keeping you from your work.”
“I’m entitled to a vacation and have covered for Vasso many times.”
“I haven’t had a real one in years. It sounds like we’re a pair of workaholics. But I have to admit work has saved my life since my grandfather passed away.”
Akis filled his lungs with the sea air. “What do you say we forget everything and concentrate on having fun. We’re coming to one of the most famous beaches in all of Greece.”
Raina got up and wandered over to the side. “Those tall green hills are spectacular.”
“You can’t access them unless you climb up the eighty steep steps descending along the cliff. Your ankle is doing better, but I wouldn’t suggest you try that activity for another few weeks.”
“It’s enough just to cruise around them. I can’t get over how crystal clear the water is. Against the golden sand, you think you’ve arrived in a magical kingdom. I don’t see any other people around.”
“Without a boat it’s difficult access. Most of the tourists come in July and August. For the moment we’ve got the beach to ourselves. I’ll take us in closer. We can swim to the shore, then come back and eat on board.”
“I can’t wait!”
Neither could he. Akis needed her in his arms. When he’d found the right spot, he dropped anchor. She’d already taken off her life jacket. Soon she’d shed her top and shorts to reveal a bikini-clad body she filled out to perfection. Raina turned a beaming face to him. “See you on shore!”
A second later she climbed over the side and dove in. Now that her ankle had healed, he discovered she swam like a fish and had amazing stamina.
That’s when a warning light came on in his mind, holding him back. His father’s words came back to him again.
When you find the one, you must treat her like a queen. Your mother was my queen. I cherished and respected her from the beginning. She deserved that because not only was she going to be my wife, she was going to be the mother of our children.
As if in slow motion, he removed his life belt, pulled off his T-shirt and plunged in after her. He could hear her squeals of delight. “The water is so warm! I’ve lived by the Pacific Ocean all my life, but you always have to get used to the colder temperature. I could stay in this all day! There’s no kelp or seaweed. What’s below us?”
“Rocks made of soft limestone.”
She did a somersault and swam beneath the water. He kept track of her until she emerged further away. “They are soft.” Her laughter was music to his ears before she started swimming parallel to the long shoreline.
He’d brought her here to spend time with her and love her, but his father’s words wouldn’t leave him alone.
CHAPTER SIX
RAINA TURNED AROUND and trod water while she watched Akis coming after her like a torpedo at high speed. While his strong arms cleaved the water, his powerful legs kicked up a fountain.
Her heart raced madly as he came to a stop in front of her and raised his dark head. She could never get enough of just looking at him. “I feel like a happy little girl who’s finally out of school for the summer and has all day to play.”
“Except that you don’t look like a little girl. Do you have any conception of what kind of a problem that presents for me?”
The tremor in his voice told her what he was holding back through sheer willpower. ‘It’s not exactly easy for me, either. I’ve come out to play with a man.”
Lines darkened his features. “How many men have been in your life?”
“You mean ones who were important?”
“Yes.”
She might as well get it all said now. “There were two. Before Byron, there was a graduate assistant teaching my math class during my freshman year. He held seminars for the most promising students and has since become a professor at a west coast college.”
“What drew you to him?”
They swam around in circles, always facing each other. “His smarts. He had a different way of looking at a problem to solve it. I envied him that gift. He fed my ego by telling me I’d inherited my father’s mathematical mind.”
“Why didn’t that relationship go anywhere?”
“I didn’t find out he was married until I’d been dating him for a month.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No. I was waiting for marriage.”
“Raina...” She heard a tortured sound in his voice.
“It was over a long time ago. He didn’t wear a wedding ring. At the end of the term I went to see if my grade had been posted. The head of the math department called me in and asked me if I knew Rod was married. I felt the blood rush to my feet. After I got my second wind, I thanked him for the information.”
“What did you do?”
“Rod had a cubicle down the hall. We’d planned to go out to dinner that evening. I dropped in on him. He assumed I wanted to check on the time. I told him to do his wife a favor and take her out to dinner instead. And I added one more thing. I wouldn’t be putting in a good word for him at the jet propulsion laboratory. Then I walked out and shut the door. That was the end of it.”
A grimace darkened Akis’s face.
“I made the same mistake with Byron by putting him on a pedestal. He was a published writer who’d traveled to Europe to do art research for more books. I admired someone so intelligent and well-read. He was older and had knowledge on so many subjects. The fact that he wanted to do my great-grandfather’s story was a huge plus.
“We could talk for hours about the art we loved. I thought we’d never run out of things to discuss. What I didn’t see was his empty bank account and his proclivity for women he could prey on. Have you heard the expression ‘once bitten, twice shy’?”
“No, but I don’t need a translation,” he stated.
“In my case I was twice bitten before I learned the lesson I’d been needing.”
“Enough of the past, Raina. Let’s swim back to the cruiser and have our picnic.”
Relieved to get off the subject of her pathetic naivety, she swam next to him. He paced himself so she could keep up with him. He did everything right. How she loved him!
She loved him.
She loved him for who he was, nothing else. Raina could finally say it and not be afraid. She wanted to shout it to the world.
I’m in love with him.
Loving him wasn’t a mistake.
When they reached the ladder, he got in the boat first, then helped her up and wrapped her in one of the beach towels. He kissed her on the side of her neck, on her chin and nose, her cheeks, eyelids, earlobes.
Before he reached her mouth she said, “I’m going to fix our lunch while you relax. After we’re full, I’ll give you a big kiss for dessert.” Raina was afraid that if she stayed on deck with him another instant, she’d forget everything else.