hearing?”
“Ashley, stop it. I didn’t ask for an interrogation. I want to clarify some facts. You promised to listen.”
“Go ahead.” He could talk until dawn without convincing her. The sharp look she cast him challenged more than words.
“Yes, I knew your identity. And yes, I had my own agenda when I invited you to my yacht, but all that fell apart when I saw you on the deck taking pictures, so lovely and determined to help your grandfather. I forgot the villa and the project. All I wanted was to get to know you as a woman. Not as the enemy. When I held you in my arms, I hated the Pink Villa that stood like the Peloponnese between us.” He paused, obviously waiting for an answer or a reaction to his heart-felt declaration.
Ashley kept her lips tight and navigated her way through the crowd bustling away from the downtown square toward the beaches. Of all the places to share an intense conversation on such a touching subject, the busiest street in the heart of Mykonos was the worst, but she wouldn’t allow him to trap her in a secluded place. The throng elbowing them every step of the way offered her the best protection against her unreliable emotions.
“I didn’t plan to attend the hearing. Ted was more than capable of representing me. Knowing that you’d be there made me change my mind.”
Her stomach lurched with sadness. She spun to face him. “Why? To watch my humiliation?”
“No, to tell you the truth, to protect you from hurt.”
A snort escaped her.
“I came for you, Ashley. I couldn’t stand the idea of you learning my identity from someone else.”
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were on your yacht?”
“Before we made love, you’d have run away and insisted I brought you back to shore. There was chemistry between us, a chemistry I didn’t want to destroy. I promised myself I would tell you the truth in the morning.”
Tears stung at his words, and she averted her head. He’d just soiled her most beautiful memories.
“After I held you in my arms all night, I just couldn’t spoil our beautiful time together. Please understand.”
Understand? That he’d ruined everything, anyway. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
“I understand perfectly.” Swallowing her frustration and inappropriate tears, she blinked several times.
“Later, I tried to fix things for your grandfather. Not for him. But for you.”
“Thank you. I’m flattered.” They’d almost reached her hotel. She’d rather not hear anymore of his sweet words.
“Honestly, Ashley, I was attracted to you from the minute I saw you on the beach. Before I even knew who you were.”
She stopped in her tracks and spun to face him. “When did you see me on the beach? You weren’t even there.”
He chuckled. “I was on my boat playing with my binoculars when I saw a beautiful redhead come out of the Pink Villa and settle under an umbrella. Then I asked Ted to find out about you.”
“Oh my God, you spied on me through your binoculars when I was…” Good God, he saw her remove her bra. She fisted her hand ready to punch him. “You dirty Peeping Tom. You thought I was an easy…”
Of all the humiliations of the day, this was the worst. “Go to hell, Mr. Kostapoulos.” Good thing the hotel entrance was only a hundred feet away. She took off at a run, her heart echoing the clanking of her heels on the sidewalk.
As she reached the revolving door, an arm coiled around her waist, dragged her back against a strong chest, and propelled her to the sidewall of the hotel building.
She flinched and gasped. “Stefano. Stop it. I don’t want to hear more explanations.” She squirmed against him to free herself. To no avail. His hold tightened. The feel of his body heat penetrated the fabric of her shirt and scorched her skin.
“Sweetheart, I’m a man of action. We’re done with explanations and words.” He muttered against her ear, and then
“Ashley, stop it. I didn’t ask for an interrogation. I want to clarify some facts. You promised to listen.”
“Go ahead.” He could talk until dawn without convincing her. The sharp look she cast him challenged more than words.
“Yes, I knew your identity. And yes, I had my own agenda when I invited you to my yacht, but all that fell apart when I saw you on the deck taking pictures, so lovely and determined to help your grandfather. I forgot the villa and the project. All I wanted was to get to know you as a woman. Not as the enemy. When I held you in my arms, I hated the Pink Villa that stood like the Peloponnese between us.” He paused, obviously waiting for an answer or a reaction to his heart-felt declaration.
Ashley kept her lips tight and navigated her way through the crowd bustling away from the downtown square toward the beaches. Of all the places to share an intense conversation on such a touching subject, the busiest street in the heart of Mykonos was the worst, but she wouldn’t allow him to trap her in a secluded place. The throng elbowing them every step of the way offered her the best protection against her unreliable emotions.
“I didn’t plan to attend the hearing. Ted was more than capable of representing me. Knowing that you’d be there made me change my mind.”
Her stomach lurched with sadness. She spun to face him. “Why? To watch my humiliation?”
“No, to tell you the truth, to protect you from hurt.”
A snort escaped her.
“I came for you, Ashley. I couldn’t stand the idea of you learning my identity from someone else.”
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were on your yacht?”
“Before we made love, you’d have run away and insisted I brought you back to shore. There was chemistry between us, a chemistry I didn’t want to destroy. I promised myself I would tell you the truth in the morning.”
Tears stung at his words, and she averted her head. He’d just soiled her most beautiful memories.
“After I held you in my arms all night, I just couldn’t spoil our beautiful time together. Please understand.”
Understand? That he’d ruined everything, anyway. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
“I understand perfectly.” Swallowing her frustration and inappropriate tears, she blinked several times.
“Later, I tried to fix things for your grandfather. Not for him. But for you.”
“Thank you. I’m flattered.” They’d almost reached her hotel. She’d rather not hear anymore of his sweet words.
“Honestly, Ashley, I was attracted to you from the minute I saw you on the beach. Before I even knew who you were.”
She stopped in her tracks and spun to face him. “When did you see me on the beach? You weren’t even there.”
He chuckled. “I was on my boat playing with my binoculars when I saw a beautiful redhead come out of the Pink Villa and settle under an umbrella. Then I asked Ted to find out about you.”
“Oh my God, you spied on me through your binoculars when I was…” Good God, he saw her remove her bra. She fisted her hand ready to punch him. “You dirty Peeping Tom. You thought I was an easy…”
Of all the humiliations of the day, this was the worst. “Go to hell, Mr. Kostapoulos.” Good thing the hotel entrance was only a hundred feet away. She took off at a run, her heart echoing the clanking of her heels on the sidewalk.
As she reached the revolving door, an arm coiled around her waist, dragged her back against a strong chest, and propelled her to the sidewall of the hotel building.
She flinched and gasped. “Stefano. Stop it. I don’t want to hear more explanations.” She squirmed against him to free herself. To no avail. His hold tightened. The feel of his body heat penetrated the fabric of her shirt and scorched her skin.
“Sweetheart, I’m a man of action. We’re done with explanations and words.” He muttered against her ear, and then
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