The next ten days passed in a blur for Alexandra. Dareios took his time sailing back to the mainland of Greece, and back to Athens. They stopped at every small island he could think of, they’d anchor and swim, and dine and make love.

At one of the smaller islands—empty except for goats and olive trees—Dareios took her in the launch to the shore. They swam naked in the water, and he pulled her to him, wrapping her legs around him. He slipped into her and he allowed the swell of the surf to push them together and move them apart. The sun warmed her shoulders and the warm water lapped at them.

She came in soft waves that matched the water, and then watched Dareios’ face go limp with his bliss. Afterward they ate a lunch of gyros—lamb and tzatziki wrapped in pita bread—on the beach. Alexandra started to dread the day they would have to go back, but eventually the shore came into sight, and she knew her time with Dareios was ending.

He would end this.

She had asked for a fling—for time with him. She hadn’t realized how tangled her heart would become in this. She had thought their passion would burn out—it hadn’t.

Every morning, she woke hungry for his body and reaching for him. Every night she fell asleep in his arms, utterly satisfied. He did everything possible, she thought, to try and frighten her off.

He made love to her roughly, he had her kneel on the bed as he took her from behind, every thrust hard and violent, he even spanked her ass one night after they’d toured one of the islands and she’d flirted with a local.

She’d loved it all—even the spanking, which had left her ass red and burning. She’d admired the hand prints he’d left on her the next morning and had wondered if she could provoke him to do more.

She’d never known that she could be a bad girl—but she was. At least with him. She loved it when he held her down. She almost came just from him sucking hard on her nipples and biting them. She had to give up wearing her bikini he left so many love bites on her, but she usually swam naked with him, so that didn’t matter. But she was out of time now.

After the Kairos anchored, Dareios came to her on the deck. She turned to him. The wind pulled at her hair. “Are you coming with me?” she asked.

“Back to the Rosso estate?” He shook his head. “My father is waiting for me in the city. Business.”

“Oh,” she pushed her hair from her face. She wanted to touch him—to kiss him. He stood with his hands in his pockets. During the trip, he’d worn shorts and loose shirts. Now he looked buttoned up—literally. He just needed a suit jacket to head into the city.

She brushed a strand of hair from his face and then turned to stare at the water. “I don’t know why I still live on the estate. I should get an apartment in town again.”

“You hated living alone.”

She nodded. She’d hoped he would take the hint, would say that was a great idea and that he would visit her there. But now she knew this was over.

She didn’t want that.

But she wasn’t sure now how to convince Dareios that this fling didn’t have to end. He didn’t want to marry—didn’t think he could settle. She knew he was wrong about that. But how could she change his mind?

With a smile, she glanced at him. “Guess I’ll see you around.” She headed for the launch. She didn’t look back, but she could feel Dareios’ stare on her.

The trip into Athens and then out to the Rosso estate, with its gates and gardens on the outskirts of the city, seemed to take forever. Alexandra chewed on her thumbnail and tried to figure out what came next. This hadn’t gone how she’d thought it would. She’d figured they’d have an affair, and then they’d settle back into being friends. But she could see now that she wanted more.

She’d given Dareios not just her body—she’d handed over her heart. How could she convince Dareios that he should keep both close?

As the limo pulled up before the mansion, Claire—Antonio’s new wife—came out to meet her. Alexandra caught Claire in a hug. She’d come to love this New York girl with her long, honey-blonde hair and her straight forward manners. Claire was the only person that Antonio listened to—and Alexandra thought he was even a little intimidated by his petite wife. He’d also build her a killer sound studio here at the house, just to keep Claire happy.

Wrapping an arm around Alexandra’s waist, Claire let the way into the house. “Antonio’s home early. We’re having lunch on the patio. How was Milan? Did you buy shoes? And did you have fun sailing? Tonio keeps promising me a trip around the islands, but I’ve got back-to-back jobs for the next three months.” She wrinkled her nose.

Alexandra gave a laugh. “Oh, like you hate your work. What are you doing?”

Claire started to explain her new jobs. She did voiceover work, and recently she’d started doing documentary narration. But the new work was for a series of commercials. They headed out to the patio through the kitchen, and found Gaia singing off-key while she pounded a pile of dough in front of her. Letting go of Claire, Alexandra called out, “Kalimera, Gaia.”

“Miss Alexandra, you’re home!” Gaia wiped her hands on her apron and gave Alexandra a hug and a kiss upon each cheek. She looked her up and down and then clucked her tongue. “You are not eating enough!”

Alexandra laughed. “You think every Greek woman should be pleasantly plump, rather than fit. And I’ve had plenty to eat. Ask Dareios. He hired an excellent chef for his yacht.”

Gaia shook her head. Technically, she was the housekeeper, but she’d become much more after Alexandra’s mother had died. Gaia narrowed her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but she had her lips pressed tight and there was a warning in her gaze.

Face warm, Alexandra looked away. “We’re going to wait for Antonio on the patio. Is there any lemonade?”

Gaia nodded and waved them from her kitchen. “Go. Make yourselves comfortable and I’ll bring it out.”

Outside, Claire leaned close and said, “Gaia knows something is up. And so do I. Just what happened on that yacht with Dareios?”