Her Greek Romance aka Greek Encounter Read Online Free Page A

chaperone.” His arms crossed, he returned her look. “If you want to go back to the shore because Ted is not here, I will take you right away. We have another dinghy on the yacht.”
    Her lips parted, as if she was about to say something.
    “But I wish you would stay,” he hastened to add with a soothing voice, while staring into her eyes.
    “Oh.”
    “Is that a yes?” He chuckled. “Good.” Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips, hoping she wouldn’t embarrass him by pulling away.
    Her scowl finally faded and she shrugged. “I was just surprised to see him leaving without even saying good-bye. Not that I care about the company of a boorish lawyer.”
    Careful to wipe any expression from his face, Stefano gazed at her innocently. “As you say, lawyers can be quite annoying.”
    God, she had such beautiful green eyes, luminous and expressive. If he kept studying them he’d be able to read her thoughts. This woman wouldn’t be able to lie, even if her life depended on it.
    Tough lawyer or not, she was no match for the hardened playboy he had become at thirty-two—a far cry from the green student leaving for America years ago. Before signing a big check to Harvard, his father had drilled into his head a stern advice. Study hard and enjoy your free time, but guard your heart until you marry a Greek woman.  
     “Not all lawyers are rude.” Her instant frown brought a grin to his lips that he immediately suppressed.
    “Of course, not.” Ready to agree with anything she said to see her relax, he vigorously nodded. “Let’s go inside and change.” He carried his bag and hers. “Careful on the aft deck stairs. They lead to the first floor deck and the main salon,” he added as he opened a sliding door.
    “Oh, you have quite a place here.” She entered the spacious parlor and paused, scanning the wide room furnished with two white leather couches, two matching recliners, glass and chrome cocktail tables and a huge television screen. “I like its style.”
    “ Efkharisto . Thank you,” he said, genuinely pleased with her admiration of his cherished yacht. They crossed the living room, passing the dining area at one end, and entered a side stairwell. “Down there, we have the bedrooms.” He pointed to three doors and opened the one in the middle. “You can use the master stateroom and the en-suite head. It’s the largest and most comfortable.”
    “I can’t deprive you of your own room,” she protested when he deposited her bag on the queen-sized bed.
    “You’re my guest. We, Greek, always offer the best we have to our guests. It’s part of our hospitality. I’ll use one of the other rooms.” Walking to the bathroom, he extracted a set of towels from a wall-cabinet, turned on the faucets to fill the tub, and poured aromatic salts in the warm water.
    A slow smile developed on her lips as she stared at the bubbles with longing. “Soaking in this bath is going to be heaven.”
    Soaking with her in his arms would be his heaven. Stefano lowered his eyes and turned to leave, lest she read his lascivious thoughts and noticed the improper flutter of his shorts.
     “Relax for as long as you want. I will be on the upper deck.”
    ****
    What a nice man, gallant and considerate. So different from Ted who seemed to have forgotten his manners. Unless…
    Ashley frowned, her professional suspicion on alert. Her gaze flew to the door from where her host had just exited the room. After studying hundreds of suspects and learning to sort truth from lies, she’d developed an acute attorney sense—her sixth sense as she called it. Had Ted been ordered to take a hike? If yes, why?
    The only logical explanation that came to mind was that Stefano wanted to spend an afternoon alone with her.
    Why? Was he attracted to her?
    She bit her lip then smiled. Heck, she was attracted to him and would enjoy his company without a chaperone as he said. Without Ted who constantly, although not on purpose, reminded her of