.

she left the bathroom with her suitcase.

      “I’m sorry if I took too—”

      But she didn’t finish what she was going to say because everything had changed since she’d been in the shower.

      Her gaze shot to the square table, which had been set with candles and flowers. Dimitrios stood next to it filling two tall stemmed glasses with wine. She could smell something delicious. Greek music played in the background.

      When he’d ordered dinner, she hadn’t expected all this! Her heart couldn’t take anymore.

      Dimitrios turned toward her. In the flickering candlelight, his eyes gleamed like polished jet. He looked amazingly refreshed. “Leave your bag there and join me.”

      Once she’d done his bidding, she crossed the expanse on legs that had turned to jelly. He held the chair while she sat down. What was going on?

      He took his place across the table from her and lifted his wineglass. “Shall we drink a toast to the fair?”

      Trying not to look at him for fear he’d see the love in her eyes, she raised her glass. “May it be the success you envisioned.”

      “Amen.”

      They clinked glasses before he drank from his.

      Alex rarely touched alcohol, but she needed something to steady her nerves, and the wine was very sweet to the taste. Unfortunately she swallowed too much, too fast. Grabbing the napkin, she coughed into it. “I’m sorry,” came her muffled apology.

      As he removed the covers off their dinner plates, a faint smile curved the corners of his mouth. “Perhaps this wedding fare will go down more easily.”

      She took a bite of the roast lamb and found it as delicious as everything else. But her awareness of the man seated opposite her had taken away her appetite.

      Something was different. He was different. By his behavior, she could almost believe he was attracted to her, too. Dear God. Was it possible? Or had her desire for him grown to such a degree she saw only what she wanted to see?

      “If the food isn’t to your taste, I can go to the village for fruit and a sandwich.” By now he’d practically devoured everything on his plate.

      “Oh, no— I mean, that isn’t the problem, but thank you anyway.”

      His gaze scrutinized her. “If you’d shed your jacket during the climb, you wouldn’t have overheated.”

      “I’m fine. It’s simply a case of my being more sleepy than hungry.”

      “Alexandra, you needn’t pretend with me.”

      Her head reared back. “What do you mean?”

      “I realize you were planning to spend your free evenings with Michael. So far I’ve claimed all your time.”

      She blinked. It hadn’t occurred to her he would think she was romantically involved with Michael. Yet what else would he assume considering she’d offered to let Michael stay in her hotel room.

      That put a different complexion on things. She hated the idea of deceiving Dimitrios any more than she already had.

      “Michael knows my work for you comes first.”

      He finished off the rest of his wine. “Is that what you’re going to tell him? That it was all work?”

      “If he should ask, naturally I’ll be honest with him.”

      “And he won’t be jealous?”

      “Heavens, no! You’re my boss.”

      He sat back in his chair eyeing her narrowly. “If you were my girlfriend, I wouldn’t allow you to spend a whole day with your employer in the woods.”

      Alex couldn’t help smiling despite the pain she was feeling inside.

      “My remark amused you?” He sounded anything but pleased.

      “Today’s woman doesn’t consider herself a man’s property. But the truth is, if I were Michael’s girlfriend, I wouldn’t have chosen to spend my free time with you, even if you do pay my salary.”

      There! She’d told him the truth.

      “Does Michael know you’re not his girlfriend?” He persisted in the same vein.

      “Did he say something to Leon when he went for the costume that led him to believe we’re more than good friends?”

      “Not that I’m aware of,” came the silky response.

      Dimitrios was after a certain answer. She wished she knew was it was. Unless—

      “It was probably one of Michael’s friends playing a joke.”

      Her host’s dark brows furrowed. “I don’t follow.”

      “Michael’s an old friend of mine who brought two of his buddies to Greece with him. One of them is divorced. Michael and the other one are between girlfriends at the moment.

      “They work in the day and act in the theater at night. When they heard about the fair and the idea of wearing costumes, they were so excited to come, I told them they could stay in my suite. There weren’t any more rooms to be had, and I knew I wouldn’t be using it except to sleep.”

      She hoped that was the end of the questions. Alex reached for her wine and drank most of the contents.

      “What about Yanni?”

      She almost choked again. “I don’t understand.”

      “Is he planning to stay in your suite, too?”

      Alex put the glass on the table, wondering when the interrogation was going to stop.

      “Yes. He went to Athens first to be with his family. From what I understand, he’s bringing a girl along I’ve never met. As far as I know, they haven’t arrived in Thessalonica yet.”

      “It all sounds very cozy,” he murmured. “I wonder what would be your response if I asked to sleep over, too.”

      It was a teasing comment, but at the mere thought, her heart leaped. “Everyone would love it.”

      “Even you?”

      Dimitrios. He sounded very much like a man who cared. If by some miracle that were true…

      “Naturally it would be worth it to see the look on their faces. They wouldn’t believe the legendary Kyrie Pandakis came down from Olympus to—”

      Oh, no!

      “Go on.”

      “I—I don’t remember what I was going to say,” she dissembled. The wine had made her careless.

      “Maybe it will come to you while I’m in the shower.”

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      AFTER Dimitrios had left the room, she decided the best thing she could do to get rid of the light-headed feeling was eat her dinner. Without him torturing her with questions, she found her appetite had returned.

      Now that everything was out in the open concerning the friends staying at the hotel with her, she felt a lot better.

      Once she’d finished her meal, she put the covers on the plates. As she blew out the candles, Dimitrios emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of gray sweats and another T-shirt in pale blue. He brought the tang of soap into the room with him.

      She noticed that his black hair was still damp from the shower, but he hadn’t taken the time to shave. The shadow of a beard made him look so dark and handsome, she could only stare at him.

      His gaze swept over her, igniting her senses all over again. “I don’t know about you, but watching that bridal