not having a clue what the menu offered, since it was in Greek.
âThis is old-fashioned Greek cooking with a very modern twist,â Adonis said when their food arrived, âbut it is very good, I think.â
He asked them questions about the trip they were going to be taking, and they talked about Greek food while they ate. Crissy thought it was one of the best meals sheâd ever had. An artfully arranged Greek salad of feta, Santorini tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and peppers was followed by a delicious grilled sole. It was accompanied by a tatziki-topped bread that melted in her mouth. For dessert, they each had a thin slice of honeyed chocolate-walnut cake with homemade pistachio ice cream. They washed it down with an excellent Santorini wine.
âNow,â Adonis said as he signed the credit card slip for the waitress, âwould you like to go to a dance club?â
âWe have to get up early to get to the ship,â Crissy said, âand Iââ
âOh, come on,â Jenny broke in, âwhatâs a few hours of missed sleep? Weâve got nearly a month to relax on the ship.â
Adonis looked at Crissy to see her response.
âIâd love to,â she said, âbut Iâm really exhausted.â She was suddenly aware of her bodyâs demand for recuperating sleep, and while she enjoyed Adonisâ company and appreciated his interest in her, she didnât feel that there was a special chemistry between them, not the kind that would carry her through a night of dancing with a big day on the horizon.
âCrissy!â Jenny cried. âThink about it. This is the only night we have in Athens, and you may never come back again.â
âOh, I donât think thatâs remotely possible,â Adonis said. âI definitely think sheâll be back.â
âWell . . . I donât know. . . .â Crissy hesitated.
âWe certainly donât want to go unless you do,â Adonis said, âbut I think you would enjoy it. Most visitors never get to see a place like this.â
She saw that he was serious, and she hated to disappoint either Adonis or Jenny. Finally she nodded. âOkay,â she said, âbut letâs not stay too late.â
After a nerve-racking race through city streets, they arrived at a dance club overlooking the Saronic Gulf. It was a multilevel, expensively decorated place with a crowd of twenty-to fifty-somethings that looked exceedingly attractive and well-heeled, danced wildly, and drank a lot. Adonis was greeted by many of the crowd, and he introduced Crissy and Jenny to everyone. Crissy was surprised to discover that nearly everyone spoke excellent English. They drank champagne and danced for a long time. Crissy, however, enjoyed breaks on the balconies that overlooked the sea. Although it was dark, the lights of tankers, ships, andvariousâsize yachts winked at her from the distance, and the salty tang in the air was refreshing after the smoke and noise of the club.
âAre you enjoying yourself?â Adonis asked.
âOh, yes,â she said. âIt was awfully nice of you to ask us out. I really appreciate it.â
âItâs been my pleasure,â he replied, âand Iâm glad youâve liked it.â He edged closer to her and put an arm across her shoulders. âI wish you werenât leaving tomorrow.â
Crissy was slightly unnerved by his proximity, and she didnât know how to respond. âI . . . well . . . we have to,â she finally said. âWeâve been planning this for a long time.â
He gently hugged her with his arm. âI know,â he said, âbut itâs too bad. I think we could have a very good time together.â
Crissy could swear that her heart was beating faster. She wasnât prepared for his attraction to her, and wasnât sure what to make of it. âIâve recently had a
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