Читать книгу Wedding Party Collection: Here Comes The Groom - Rebecca Winters - Страница 11

ALEX felt tremendous guilt to hear the bedroom door close behind Leon and Ananke.

“Don’t worry, they’re going to be fine,” Dimitrios murmured. “There are things I know that you don’t. Tonight I’m not up to anything but a little peace and quiet. With you here to be my own guardian angel, I’ll be assured of the rest I crave.”

One glance at the lines of strain around his nose and mouth and she could tell his energy was spent. No doubt at this point he was starting to feel other aches and pains.

She slid out of the chair and turned off all the lights, hoping it would help. The sigh that escaped his throat told her she’d done the right thing. Taking advantage of the dark, she removed her glasses and put them on the table.

“This is almost as cozy as the plane. I don’t suppose you’d come over here and hold my head again.”

Alex was surprised by his banter, but she knew how awful it was to be dizzy. Combined with unrelieved pain, he had to be in a terrible state. She wished she could do what her mother did when her father suffered from a severe migraine.

If Alex had the temerity, she would sit next to him and use the tips of her fingers to tickle his face until he fell asleep. First his forehead, then across his brows and eyelids, down his straight nose to his mouth.

Though it was dark, it wasn’t pitch black by any means. Alex was able to use her eyes for fingers. She imagined tracing a line over every masculine feature and plane of a face that was so beautiful to her.

An hour must have passed before she saw the drawn look around his mouth relax. He was finally asleep. She found a light blanket and put it over him.

For the rest of the night she kept a constant vigil. Every so often she checked his pulse and felt to see if he was running a temperature.

Fearful he might go into too deep a sleep, she listened carefully for any change of sound in his breathing. At one point the urge to touch him was so strong, she smoothed the black curls off his forehead before sitting in the chair she’d pulled next to him. The joy of taking care of him was inexplicable.

At five to ten, the sun spread spokes of light across the bed through the shutters. As she leaned over once more to check his pulse, his eyelids opened.

He caught her hand with surprising strength before she could remove it. Though she hadn’t escaped in time for him to realize what she’d been doing, it proved he’d passed through the period of crisis without problem.

His black eyes glanced at the chair, then seemed to look straight into her soul. “You sat next to me all night?”

“Yes.” Fearful he’d get the wrong idea she said, “I told you before you went to sleep, you’re the most important person in Thessalonica. If anything had gone wrong during the night, I wanted to be prepared to handle it in case your doctor needed to be phoned. We couldn’t afford for the media to know anything.”

As an afterthought she blurted, “Fortunately this morning your pupils don’t look dilated, so I’m assuming you’re feeling better.”

“I’m still a little dizzy, but I only see one pair of green eyes this morning instead of three.”

Alex trembled that he’d even noticed her eyes, but she didn’t dare take it personally.

“That’s a very good sign you’re on your way to a full recovery.” Hard as it was to separate herself from him, she moved the chair to the table. “Your family’s going to be delighted with the news.”

“Unfortunately I’m not delighted to see how exhausted you are,” came the less than flattering remark, underlining her belief that his comment about her eyes held no significance whatsoever.

“I catnapped here and there. Do you feel ready for something to eat or drink?”

“Like you, I’m ravenous, and could swallow a gallon of that sage tea with honey.” He sounded like he meant it.

“Let me find your housekee—”

“You’re going to bed!” he interrupted her. “I’ll ring the kitchen and ask them to send us trays. They’ll deliver one to your room. Then I want you to sleep for as long as you need to. We’ll talk business later in the day when you’re up and feeling refreshed.”

She was his secretary and had been banished to the guest bedroom. It was the surest sign that he was once more in command.

Without further words passing between them, she left his room and shut the door. At the click, she felt a death knell in her heart because those precious moments of intimacy while he’d been at his most vulnerable would never come her way again.

A few minutes later she stood beneath a hot shower, attempting to shut out her mother’s warning. But it was too late.

I’m afraid for you to go to Greece. It can only put you on a more intimate footing with him without getting anything back in return.

Dimitrios moved slowly to reach for the phone. His housekeeper sounded relieved he was well enough to eat. He told her to send one breakfast tray to the guest room and another to his bedroom.

After he hung up, he realized Ms. Hamilton must have covered him with a blanket during the night.

She’d done more than that. He’d felt her fingers like little angel wings brushing his forehead. Though it was hours since the experience, he could still feel her touch. So soft…yet it had electrified him. He’d actually wanted to pull her down on the bed next to him and…

Lord. The accident on the plane must have done something more serious to him than he’d thought. Never in all these years had he been tempted to break his vow and take a woman to bed.

Frustrated and shocked by feelings of desire for his secretary, of all women, he made another vow that he wouldn’t allow her to disturb him again.

Carefully pushing the blanket aside, he got off the bed. The action reminded him he’d hurt his shoulder. He winced while he clung to the nightstand, waiting for his equilibrium to return.

Every muscle in his body ached, but at least he was standing on his own. It didn’t surprise him to hear a knock on the door. Everyone else would have been up for several hours.

“Uncle? Serilda said you called for breakfast. Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

His nephew rushed over the threshold. He looked worried to see Dimitrios standing by the bed. “Should you be up yet?”

“I’m all right.”

“That’s a great relief. Let me help you into the shower.”

“Tell you what. Stay close by while I try to make it on my own.”

It was a struggle, but he managed without having to rely on his nephew for support.

“Be careful, Uncle. The doctor said not to get your head wet for another day.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

The hot spray felt good on his sore shoulder. Deciding to forgo a shave, he dressed in a clean robe. By the time he’d joined his nephew for breakfast, he was feeling reasonably normal except for certain memory flashes. He could still remember being held in her arms on the plane, of being touched when she’d thought him asleep.

“I hope Ms. Hamilton didn’t allow you to stay up too late.”

Dimitrios finished off his orange juice in one swallow. When he put the empty glass down he said, “You don’t have to worry. She’s that rare secretary who anticipates my every need.” It would be too much to hope she would repeat last night’s experience tonight.

Once again it dawned on Dimitrios he was entertaining thoughts that had no place being there. He groaned at his lack of mental discipline. Damn if the room didn’t spin when he moved his head too fast.

“I’m glad you’re so much better, Uncle.”

That was debatable. But a few minutes later, after he’d consumed a cheese omelette and butter biscuits, he felt ready to take care of a little personal business.

“I might have an errand for you to run. Afterward, we’ll go out on the terrace with your mother and talk. Would you mind handing me my cell phone? It’s in my suit jacket hanging on the chair. I’ll also need the phone directory.”

“Don’t move. I’ll get everything.”

Once his nephew gave him both items, he looked up the number of the hotel and called reception.

“Mediterranean Palace. Kalimera.”

“Kalimera. This is Dimitrios Pandakis. Put me through to Ms. Hamilton’s suite, please. It’s booked in my name.”

“Mr. Pandakis! We heard you’d had an accident.”

“A small one, but I’m fine.”

“I’m pleased to hear it. Just a moment and I’ll put you through.”

“Thank you.”

On the third ring, a man speaking English answered the phone. “Better late than never, Alexandra, darling. What happened? I was beginning to wonder if Zeus had whisked you off to parts unknown in that private jet of his, never to be seen again.”

Dimitrios felt a negative rush of adrenaline. “This is Dimitrios Pandakis. Sorry to disappoint you. Ms. Hamilton is staying at my villa for the moment. This is Michael, I presume.”

“That’s right.”

“My secretary’s asleep, but I’m sure she’ll be in touch with you as soon as she wakens. She mentioned a costume. Do you have it with you?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be sending my nephew for it within the half hour. His name is Leon Pandakis.”

“If you’ll tell your nephew to meet me at the front desk, I’ll wait there for him.”

“How will he know you?”

“I’ll be carrying a golden scepter in one hand.”

He clutched his phone tighter. She’d really had a costume of Saint Dimitrios made for him?

“Thank you, Michael.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Pandakis.”

After the line went dead he felt the childish urge to knock the man’s block off. What the heck was wrong with him?

“Uncle? Are you all right? Are you nauseous?”

He eyed Leon, unable to explain to himself, let alone his nephew, the unsettling mixture of emotions running through him.

“No. Do me a favor and run by the Mediterranean Palace. There’ll be a man who’s a friend of Ms. Hamilton’s waiting in the lobby. He’ll be carrying a costume. You’ll recognize him because he’ll be holding a gold scepter.”

“That sounds interesting. I’ll go right away.”

“Thank you, Leon. On your way out will you ask one of the maids to bring me the morning paper?”

He nodded. “Promise me you won’t move while I’m gone.”

“You have my word.”

As soon as his nephew left, he phoned Stavros, who sounded touchingly emotional to hear that Dimitrios was on the mend after his accident. Apparently the whole family had heard about the plane mishap over the morning news and were worried about him.

Dimitrios rushed to assure him he was fine. During the course of their conversation, Serilda brought him the newspaper, then slipped out of the bedroom with his empty tray.

It was just as his secretary had predicted. The pilot’s call to the hospital had made front-page headlines. Damn the media.

He tossed the paper aside in disgust. In a foul mood, he told Stavros he’d call him later. After they hung up, he knew he ought to ring Vaso, at least, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

The way the man named Michael had answered the phone—“Alexandra, darling”—not even waiting to find out if she was the person calling had set his teeth on edge.

Dimitrios couldn’t help but wonder how soon Yanni would show up in Thessalonica. Where and when was Ms. Hamilton planning to meet him?

His secretary was going to be stretched pretty thin to accommodate both men and do her job at the same time.

Though she’d never done anything to disappoint him or make him angry, it pleased him to know she was in the guest bedroom sleeping alone for a change. He wagered neither man would be happy to learn she’d spent last night with him.

Would she tell either of them the exact nature of her ministrations, and why? Or was she a tease? He supposed it was possible his perfect secretary was as deceitful as the next woman when it came to a man. It would be well to keep that in mind.

“I’m back!”

His nephew entered the room for the second time that morning carrying a garment bag over one arm and a golden scepter in the other. He laid everything on the unmade bed.

“I see you found Michael.”

“He was impossible to miss. I think he was a little worried because this was supposed to be a surprise for you.”

“My secretary already told me about it.”

“I don’t think he realized that. He was nice. So American, you know? But really funny.”

Dimitrios could have done without Leon’s favorable observations. On the other hand, he had no right to criticize anything. After all, he’d sent his nephew on that errand for the specific purpose of learning more about the man Ms. Hamilton would be sharing a room with while she was in Greece.

If his curiosity over his secretary didn’t stop, Dimitrios was going to be in deep trouble.

“Do you know what it is, Uncle?”

The question brought him back from plaguing thoughts. “I have a fairly good idea.”

“Shall I unzip the bag for you?”

“Under the circumstances, I think I’ll let my secretary do the honors when she wakes up.”

“Is it for you?”

“I’m afraid so.”

His nephew grinned. “She certainly doesn’t know you very well if she thinks she can get you to wear a costume to the fair.”

You’d be shocked if you knew how well she reads my mind, Leon. That’s the problem. That’s why she’s managed to get under my skin without my realizing it.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Dimitrios muttered. “I presume your mother is up.”

“Hours ago.”

“Then let’s find her. On our way out, would you mind hanging the costume in my closet?”

“I’ll do it right now.”

It couldn’t be six in the evening! But it was.

Anxious to find out how her host was feeling, Alex sprang from the bed, incredulous that she’d slept so long again. Her body clock was completely off kilter.

Luckily she’d had a shower before going to bed. Once she was dressed in one of her matronly suits, it was her hair that took time to fix. While she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, she remembered leaving her glasses in his bedroom.

Alarmed because anyone looking through the lenses would know they were clear glass, she realized how vital it was to get them back as soon as possible. It would provide her with a good excuse to check up on Dimitrios at the same time. But before she did anything else, she needed to make a couple of important phone calls.

To her chagrin, Michael and his friends weren’t in the hotel room. She left a message welcoming them to Thessalonica. After explaining that she’d have to stay at the villa another night because her boss had met with a minor accident, she assured Michael she’d be in touch tomorrow morning.

With that done, she phoned her parents, who were greatly relieved to know she was all right. Word of the plane mishap that had injured Mr. Pandakis had even made the news in Paterson.

She didn’t let on that she hadn’t spent the first night at her hotel. Though she knew her mom would understand if told about the unusual circumstances, it would still worry her. It was better to say nothing until she could leave the villa.

She hung up with the promise that she’d phone them sometime tomorrow. She hoped by then she’d be at the hotel.

With the calls out of the way, she left the guest room and went down the hall to his suite. She knocked, wondering if he was inside.

“The door’s open.”

Hearing his deep voice made her heart leap. She pushed on it and entered.

He was sitting on top of his bed with his back against the headboard, listening to the news coming from the television. Her gaze traveled from his sandaled feet to the white sailor pants and royal blue knit shirt. The kind with the short sleeves and ribbing that looked good only on a man with some muscle.

She swallowed hard because Dimitrios’s arms were darkly tanned and as powerful looking as his legs. If she could paint him like this she’d entitle it, Zeus Reflecting.

Embarrassed to be caught staring, she reached for her glasses, which were still sitting on the coffee table.

He’d improved a great deal since morning. His color had returned. She was pleased to see that the bruised look beneath his eyes had almost disappeared. It made her wonder at her temerity in touching him as she’d done last night.

With a flick of the remote, he turned off the television and studied her. “You look rested, Ms. Hamilton. Come all the way in. Dinner will be here before long. In the meantime, we have work to do.”

She reached for her briefcase and walked over to the coffee table. “You must be feeling better.”

“I’m getting there. You said you’d made a copy for me of the countdown of events.”

“Yes. But should you use your eyes yet? Reading might be bad for your headache.”

“I’ve read the morning and evening papers from cover to cover and feel none the worse for it.”

He sounded out of sorts. Some people didn’t have as hard a time as others staying down while they were convalescing. Dimitrios was one of those others. Her boss was about as happy as a restless panther trapped inside a cage, going around and around the bars looking for a way to escape.

She dove into her briefcase and found the wanted item. “Here you are.” After putting it on the bed next to him, she pulled out her laptop.

Once she’d set the computer on her thighs and turned it on, she brought up the file in question. “If you want to start, I’m ready to make any changes.”

“Bring your chair closer so we don’t have to shout at each other.”

Alex wasn’t aware they’d been shouting. In fact he’d just spoken to her in a low voice, and she’d been able to hear him perfectly. But she did as he suggested.

Lifting her head in anticipation of what he would ask to be added or deleted, her attention was caught by the sight of a gold scepter lying across the quilt next to the footboard of the bed. She hadn’t noticed it when she’d entered his bedroom.

Her questioning gaze darted to her boss. He, in turn, eyed her with a complacent expression that didn’t fool her.

“I found I wanted to see it,” he confessed, “so I sent Leon to the hotel this morning. Michael met him in the lobby with it.”

Uh, oh.

Had Dimitrios learned there were two actors staying there, as well? Not that he would have cared. It was just that she hadn’t mentioned the others, and she didn’t want any unnecessary talk to go on.

“Your doctor wasn’t kidding when he said you made a terrible patient. If I’d known you were going to be so bored today, I would have asked Stavros to come over and keep you company.”

Still worked, up she added, “Something tells me you were the kind of little boy who sneaked a look at your Christmas presents long before it was time to open them.”

“Guilty on all counts.”

Alex took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. “What do you think of it?”

“I haven’t seen it yet. Leon hung the garment bag in my closet. I thought I’d wait until you unveiled it before my eyes.”

“Considering you went to such lengths to get it, I’m puzzled you would show that much forbearance.”

“Some surprises are worth savoring.”

She was stunned that he would have bothered with any of it.

“To be honest, I haven’t seen it myself. I gave the seamstress a sketch months ago. It wasn’t ready until the last second, so Michael picked it up for me.”

“Why don’t we have a sneak preview before dinner.”

“I thought you wanted to work.”

“Indirectly, I would say a costume to promote publicity for the fair falls under that particular umbrella.”

Her hands tightened on her laptop before she got up and put it on the coffee table.

Certain things in life were private. If she were his fiancée or his wife, she couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful than having the right to be in his bedroom, rummaging around in his walk-in closet, handling his clothes.

This was the danger her mother had talked about. To share all this with him—except the most important thing.

“What color is the bag?” she called to him.

“Dark blue.”

He had a good size wardrobe, and she saw several bags matching that description. Before looking inside each one, she decided to open the floor-length cupboard. Maybe Leon had hung it in there so it would be easier to find again.

What she discovered caused her to forget why she was in there. Both sections contained boxes full of trophies, plaques and cups lying in haphazard fashion, some large, some small. Dozens of them.

One thing was clear from some of the trophies depicting a man in climbing gear with a pickax. He was an expert mountaineer.

Most of the engravings were in foreign languages, including Greek, but a few were in English. He’d climbed all over the world. There were dates going back fifteen years, yet there was one as recent as this year.

She remembered a trip he’d taken in June. He said he’d be out of the office a week and she wouldn’t be able to reach him unless he phoned her. If there was a problem, she should consult Stavros.

He’d returned with a deep tan. Alex had assumed he’d gone sailing on the Aegean or some such thing. She had no idea the mountains were his great love.

“You haven’t lost your way in there, have you, Ms. Hamilton?”

She shut the cupboard abruptly. “I’ll be right out.”

Without wasting any more time, she felt the bags until she found one that she could tell didn’t contain a man’s suit jacket.

Emerging from the closet, she walked over to her chair and unzipped it. A soft gasp escaped her throat when she held it up and saw what a fabulous job the seamstress had done.

Faithful to the colored sketch Alex had made from the well-known Greek icon depicting Saint Dimitrios on his horse, the short-sleeved, hip-length vest was authentic in every detail.

She found a pair of dark gold braided boot covers in the bottom of the bag. They were meant to hide his shoes and hug the trousers to his legs at a point above the calves.

Along with the boots, Cossack-style rust trousers and a great flowing ruby cape completed the outfit.

“Bring everything closer.”

She did his bidding. “You have to visualize yourself on horseback wearing all this and carrying your scepter, of course.” He would look magnificent.

One black eyebrow lifted. “Did you arrange for a mount, too? Am I to be interviewed on the back of it?”

No amount of self-control could hide the blush that swept up her neck and face.

On cue a knock sounded at the door causing Alex’s head to swerve around.

“Uncle? I’ve brought your dinner.” The next thing she knew Leon came into the room wheeling a tea cart laden with food. “I hope you’re hungry because the cook outdid—”

He paused mid-sentence when he saw her standing next to the bed holding up the costume.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It’s all right, Leon. My secretary was just showing me what she had made for me to wear for the initial television interview to open the trade fair. What do you think?”

Leaving the cart, his nephew stepped closer to examine everything. His brown eyes moved in fascination from one item to the other, then he looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

“This is fabulous,” he whispered. “You picked his namesake.”

“I told you she was clever, Leon.”

“But Uncle, this is really fantastic!” He kept looking at it, then at her.

“Do me another favor and try it on so I can see what I’ll look like in it.”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Alex encouraged him. “You’re almost the same height as your uncle. If something’s wrong, I’ll be able to get the alterations done in time.”

He took the costume from her. “How did you know about Saint Dimitrios?”

“I love European art history.”

“So do I! It’s too bad you can’t see some of the icons and stained glass windows in the monasteries on Mount Athos.”

“That’s the holy mountain where women aren’t allowed.”

“You know that, too?”

She smiled. “I would suppose every woman who has studied Greece has heard of it. I think it’s sad only men get to see its beauties. If it weren’t for women, those monks would never have been given life in the first place.

“In fact I think it’s sad they can’t marry and worship at the same time. They miss out on so much. Can you imagine never watching the birth of your own baby?”

She’d said the last without thinking. Between the way Dimitrios’s face darkened, combined with the hostile glance Leon suddenly flashed his uncle, she knew her words had been offensive to both men.

Leon’s eyes slid away from hers. “If you’ll both excuse me, I’ve just remembered something I have to do.” He handed the things back to her and strode out of the room.

Alex felt sick.

Leon was always so polite and deferential in front of his uncle. For him to leave like that meant she’d really affronted him.

“I’m so sorry.”

“For what, Ms. Hamilton? Speaking your mind?”

She shook her head. “I’m the one who drove him away with my remarks. I meant no irreverence, but I’m sure that’s how they sounded to him.” And you.

“If you must know, he’s at a crossroads in his life and feeling it. His hasty departure from the room had nothing to do with you. Personally I find your opinions refreshing. Now I think we’d better eat dinner before it grows cold. Perhaps by the time we’ve finished, Leon will come back to say good-night and we can prevail on him to model that fabulous costume for us.”

Dimitrios was doing his best to shield her because that was his nature, but it was clear her comments had upset both him and his nephew. What Alex would give if there’d been no accident. She’d be at the hotel right now where she belonged.

After laying the things on the end of the bed, she pushed the cart next to Dimitrios. All he had to do was put his feet on the floor. But her heart was heavy because she knew Leon wouldn’t make another appearance tonight, at least not in front of her.

Even if it meant defying her boss, she would leave tomorrow morning to inspect the silk exhibits in Soufli. Being so close to Dimitrios had caused her to lose all perspective.

With the opening of the trade fair only two days away, she needed to focus on that and make sure everything was ready. Afterward, she would return to Thessalonica and check into the hotel.

She needed other people. Michael and his friends would provide laughter and camaraderie. As soon as Yanni arrived, he could join in. With their help she’d make it through this bittersweet experience. She had no choice.