Stephanous to invite you to my table and you declined, I had to know you better, if for no other reason than to meet the young lady who could say no to me.”
“That is very arrogant to say, Sakis!” Cassie could not help laughing.
“Really? I don’t think so.” He smiled in return.
“So what was it that Tony had said to you?” she asked curiously.
“He said that his happiness was not based on wealth but who held him at night. I was envious of his words. With all of my money, I have been lacking in that area.”
Cassandra couldn’t believe what he said. “For goodness’ sake, Sakis. You are not even going to tell me that you lack in the sex department. There is no way.”
A sly grin emerged as Sakis raised his eyebrows. “Really, Cassandra. What thoughts have you been having about my sex life?”
Cassandra could feel the heat on her cheeks and she had no response.
“No, don’t answer. Maybe it is better for me to let you show me.” He enjoyed the deepening color even more, before he became serious again. “Tony wasn’t talking about sex. He was talking about trust. For him, he has been lucky enough to find someone who he looks forward to going home to at night. When he lays his head on his pillow, no matter what kind of day he has had, the one laying hers down next to him is the one who he will whisper his hopes, dreams, and fears to. He believes that that person, the one who holds him and his heart, would remain steadfast no matter what she is told.”
“And you?” Cassie whispered.
“What Tony has found is rare indeed. Either I have not found that person, or I have not allowed myself to find her,” Sakis answered truthfully. As he stared into her brilliantly blue eyes, he lost another piece of himself in their depths.
“Trust certainly is the magic link to many successful friendships and relationships, isn’t it?” Cassie’s comment really hadn’t been directed towards Sakis; she remembered how many times she had thought that she could trust someone, only to have it shattered into a million pieces. She had made a promise so many years ago that she would not allow them to break her, but more importantly, they wouldn’t change her. That was the moment that she decided to be someone who would be known as trustworthy and someone who could hold secrets to her death.
“Cassie?”
“Tony is a smart man.”
“Yes he is. You like him?” Sakis asked.
“Tony is what I envision what I would have wanted a big brother to be if I had one. He is sweet and kind and now, after this conversation, I understand a bit more why his voice changes when he talks about his wife. He really loves her.”
“Yes, he would do just about anything for the right person.”
Leaning back, Cassie felt full from the delicious meal. “Yes. Even a stranger he barely knows.”
“He told me how he has taken you under his wing.”
“He has done more than that, Sakis. I was going to tell you sometime this weekend, but I guess now is as good as a time as any. I am moving out of the Hunters’ home soon, keeping my fingers crossed I get a job. Tony is going to loan me some money, if everything goes well.”
Sakis tried to push down the feeling of jealousy that washed over him, but he couldn’t quite do it. His voice was cool and clipped.
“You could take money from him, but not me?”
Confused, Cassie wasn’t sure what to say. “Sakis, it was business. I will be paying him back with interest.”
“Again, you could take money from him but not me.” This time it was not a question but a statement.
“Yes, actually, that is correct. I have known Tony for three months, Sakis, and in that time we have formed what I hope is a lasting friendship. Good grief, when you offered me money, it was the same night we met. It wouldn’t have been right. How was I to even know that we would even be seeing each other again?”
Sakis could understand her logic, but he still was not happy with the situation.
Cassie’s
“That is very arrogant to say, Sakis!” Cassie could not help laughing.
“Really? I don’t think so.” He smiled in return.
“So what was it that Tony had said to you?” she asked curiously.
“He said that his happiness was not based on wealth but who held him at night. I was envious of his words. With all of my money, I have been lacking in that area.”
Cassandra couldn’t believe what he said. “For goodness’ sake, Sakis. You are not even going to tell me that you lack in the sex department. There is no way.”
A sly grin emerged as Sakis raised his eyebrows. “Really, Cassandra. What thoughts have you been having about my sex life?”
Cassandra could feel the heat on her cheeks and she had no response.
“No, don’t answer. Maybe it is better for me to let you show me.” He enjoyed the deepening color even more, before he became serious again. “Tony wasn’t talking about sex. He was talking about trust. For him, he has been lucky enough to find someone who he looks forward to going home to at night. When he lays his head on his pillow, no matter what kind of day he has had, the one laying hers down next to him is the one who he will whisper his hopes, dreams, and fears to. He believes that that person, the one who holds him and his heart, would remain steadfast no matter what she is told.”
“And you?” Cassie whispered.
“What Tony has found is rare indeed. Either I have not found that person, or I have not allowed myself to find her,” Sakis answered truthfully. As he stared into her brilliantly blue eyes, he lost another piece of himself in their depths.
“Trust certainly is the magic link to many successful friendships and relationships, isn’t it?” Cassie’s comment really hadn’t been directed towards Sakis; she remembered how many times she had thought that she could trust someone, only to have it shattered into a million pieces. She had made a promise so many years ago that she would not allow them to break her, but more importantly, they wouldn’t change her. That was the moment that she decided to be someone who would be known as trustworthy and someone who could hold secrets to her death.
“Cassie?”
“Tony is a smart man.”
“Yes he is. You like him?” Sakis asked.
“Tony is what I envision what I would have wanted a big brother to be if I had one. He is sweet and kind and now, after this conversation, I understand a bit more why his voice changes when he talks about his wife. He really loves her.”
“Yes, he would do just about anything for the right person.”
Leaning back, Cassie felt full from the delicious meal. “Yes. Even a stranger he barely knows.”
“He told me how he has taken you under his wing.”
“He has done more than that, Sakis. I was going to tell you sometime this weekend, but I guess now is as good as a time as any. I am moving out of the Hunters’ home soon, keeping my fingers crossed I get a job. Tony is going to loan me some money, if everything goes well.”
Sakis tried to push down the feeling of jealousy that washed over him, but he couldn’t quite do it. His voice was cool and clipped.
“You could take money from him, but not me?”
Confused, Cassie wasn’t sure what to say. “Sakis, it was business. I will be paying him back with interest.”
“Again, you could take money from him but not me.” This time it was not a question but a statement.
“Yes, actually, that is correct. I have known Tony for three months, Sakis, and in that time we have formed what I hope is a lasting friendship. Good grief, when you offered me money, it was the same night we met. It wouldn’t have been right. How was I to even know that we would even be seeing each other again?”
Sakis could understand her logic, but he still was not happy with the situation.
Cassie’s
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