Greek Boss, Dream Proposal

Nikos crossed to stand beside her. The colorful market was spread out before them, the canopies still fluttering in the breeze.

“I do not know them well,” he said. “They seemed content enough with the suggestion.”

Sara looked at him. “You did not go with them.”

“I was needed here. There was a power outage at the resort.” He briefly told her the situation. He turned back to the plate she’d prepared. There was plenty of food.

“Did you eat?” he asked.

“I nibbled as I was preparing lunch. May I go out to the upper deck? I’ll wait there until you eat—for the tour.”

“I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

Sara let herself out of the stateroom and hurried to the upper forward deck. Being around Nikos Konstantinos was unnerving. She couldn’t forget she was hoping he’d get her access to her grandmother. But he disturbed her equilibrium. She vacillated between wanting to stay away, lest she let something slip, and getting to know him better. On the surface he was just the kind of man her mother had run away from—wealthy, self-assured and maybe a touch arrogant. And in the midst of arranging a marriage to a woman who matched his fortune. Did Gina Fregulia really want a marriage like that?

Stepping out onto the deck, Sara immediately felt the warm breeze blowing from the sea. The sun was almost directly overhead, the sky a cloudless blue. She went to the railing and looked down. It was quite a distance to the sea’s surface. Gazing around, she looked behind her at the wide windows of the bridge.

If her mother had married the man her father had picked out for her, would she have enjoyed luxurious yachts and visits to Aegean Islands? The reality had turned out far differently from what her mother had once envisioned when she’d run away with Sara’s father. But her pride had kept her from admitting a mistake and returning home to seek forgiveness.

Sara still hadn’t come to any conclusion when Nikos joined her a short time later.

“Come, the captain is not on the bridge. We can see everything and he’ll never know,” he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

She laughed, intrigued by the hint of mischief in her boss. “You’re not afraid of your captain, are you?” she asked as she followed him to the side door and stepped inside.

“He does not consider the bridge a sightseeing stop for guests. I do what I can to keep him happy,” Nikos replied.

She couldn’t imagine the man afraid of anything. He carried himself with such an air of competence and assurance, she knew he could do anything he wanted. Interesting that he humored the captain.

The bridge had a 360-degree view. The wide windows had been tinted slightly to keep off the glare from the sea. The wheel was more like an automobile’s than the wooden spoke-handled ones of old. With all the gadgets, dials and computer equipment, she marveled at how the captain managed all with only one mate to back him up. Or maybe that was why—everything that could be automated had been.

“Wow, this is fantastic,” she said, enjoying the view. “Surely the captain wouldn’t mind showing this to guests.”

“He is an excellent man and I don’t want to jeopardize his staying.”

“Like he’s about to quit,” she murmured. From what she’d learned from the rest of the crew at meals, this was a cushy assignment, and every one of them was grateful for their position.

“If he does, it won’t be because I ruffled any feathers,” Nikos said, coming to stand closer to Sara and pointing to the west.

“Thessalonika is that way.” He swung his arm a bit more. “Thessaly is almost due west of us.” Another swing. “And Athens is that way.”

“But not close,” she said, feeling the heat from his body as he stood so casually near. She could smell his aftershave, a woodsy scent that had her senses fluttering. She wanted to step closer. See if there was some special chemistry between them.

Appalled at her thoughts, she moved away. She would be the most foolish woman on the planet if she thought anything would ever come between her and the fabulously wealthy heir to the Konstantinos shipping fortune. Not to mention Nikos’s own fortune from the resort.

“Tell me more about this little island,” she said, looking over the rugged terrain. The only flat ground seemed to be where the town had been built. White homes with red tiled roofs filled the small valley. A few had been built at the lower levels of the hills. Several weathered fishing boats bobbed nearby. Probably the majority were out working.

“It only recently became a place for ships to stop. Ten years ago their docks couldn’t service a ship with a deep draft. It was suitable only for the smaller fishing boats, but nothing like the Cassandra. Now I bring friends here from time to time. I thought my guests would enjoy it.”

“Did you get the crisis resolved?” she asked.

“For the time being. We await repair of the main cable, but the generators will suffice until then.”

“So now you can join your guests onshore. I shouldn’t hold you up,” she said, turning a little. He’d stepped closer, and she almost bumped into him. Her senses went on high alert. Her awareness gauge shot up. He was too close; she felt as if he were taking the air and leaving her breathless again.

“Come and I’ll also show you the main square of the town. Time enough to find my guests. We’re not leaving until seven this evening.”

Sara blinked at that. Was he serious? The host of the yacht going off for an afternoon with the hired help? What was wrong with this picture?

“Do you think that wise?” she asked in a husky voice. Her heart was tripping so fast she thought he must hear it, or at least see it pounding in her chest.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Maybe because I’m your chef?” she asked. Hadn’t Stefano said he expected to hear of an engagement between Nikos and Gina? What kind of man would spend the afternoon with another woman if his almost-fiancée was nearby? Her instincts rose. He was the kind of man she wanted to stay away from.

“It is only an afternoon in a market square. Come if you like. Or say no.”

She nodded, looking away. She was not responsible for how Nikos Konstantinos behaved. She needed more information if she wanted to get on the family island. Maybe this was the chance to find out more about his family—and satisfy some of the curiosity she had about him.

“I’d love to see the square. I’ll need to be back around five to have dinner ready by eight. But until then I’m game.”

If the crew on the yacht thought it odd the owner was escorting the new chef when he had guests visiting from Italy, no one said a word. Ari had drawn guard duty, and he was at the gangway to make sure no unauthorized person came aboard. He gave a two-finger salute to Nikos and grinned at Sara.

In only moments they were in the midst of the crowd that clogged the streets where the market was set up. Old women all in black carried string sacks in which they put the produce they bought. A small boy walked beside his mother carefully carrying a fresh loaf of bread wrapped in paper. Children’s laughter rang out, mingled with the rise and fall of bargaining debates and the spiel of those with less popular items trying to entice buyers.

It was more fun than she’d had in a while, Sara thought. Her mother would have loved it. She felt a pang when she remembered how her mother had spoken so fondly of her childhood memories. Sara nodded to the vendors, sampled one of the sweets—walnuts and honey—and danced out of the way of several children running through the marketplace.

Nikos caught her arm to steady her. She felt the touch all the way to her toes. Catching her breath, she looked at him. “Thanks.”

Oh, goodness, those dark eyes looked fathomless. His face was angular and masculine. His hair was tousled just a bit from the breeze. She wished they could have met under other circumstances.

But what other circumstances? If not for her needing access to his family island, they would never have met in a thousand years. Their life-styles were too distant.

“Why, Nikos, you took care of the emergency already?” A tall dark-haired woman seem to spring up from the ground beside Sara. As she looked at the woman, Nikos released his hold.

“Gina.” For a moment he said nothing. Sara wondered if that was resignation in his eyes, but it couldn’t be. Wasn’t this the next Mrs. Nikos Konstantinos? Or was she a friend from Thessalonika?

The woman slipped her arm between his and his chest and leaned against him slightly. “I lost Mama and Papa. I knew the yacht was the best place to go if I got lost. But now I have you to show me the sights. I saw the cutest church on the town square. I would love to see inside.”

Sara watched her for a moment, wishing Stacy could be here. She’d make some snide comment, which would have both of them laughing at the obvious ploys of this Gina. Yet the woman had to know she was special to Nikos. Sara mentally sighed. She had known spending the afternoon with a fabulously wealthy man was beyond her reality.

“Sara, may I introduce Gina Fregulia, one of my guests for the cruise. Sara is responsible for the wonderful meals we are enjoying.”

“Oh, the quiche this morning was just delicious. I couldn’t eat it all, of course, I do have to watch my figure. But what I sampled was simply divine. You’re so clever. I can’t cook.” She glanced up at Nikos with a simpering smile. “But I don’t need to. We have a cook for that. I do have other talents.”

“I’m sure you do,” Sara said softly in English, just imagining what talents the voluptuous Italian woman had.

Nikos caught her eye, amusement evident in his. She must have misread the earlier emotion.