The Renegade Billionaire

“Kalinychta, despinis.”

His silky voice permeated her body, as if it had found a home. The sensation shocked her before oblivion took over.

* * *

The alarm awakened Stavros at six thirty. He hadn’t wanted the night to end and was surprised he’d slept. Probably knowing he’d be with her first thing in the morning was the reason he’d fallen off fast. For the first time since he could remember, a woman had come into his life who excited him in inexplicable ways.

Andrea was still asleep, her shiny blond hair splayed around her. He could still feel her wrapped in his arms in the cave. Between that memory and the intensity of those blue eyes fastened on him last night, it was all he could do not to move closer and draw her into his body. But until the boy was found, he needed to focus on matters that could have an adverse impact on everyone involved.

He packed up and started putting everything in the Jeep. When he went back for the hamper, he discovered Andrea had awakened and was rolling up the bedroll.

“Good morning, Stavros.” Her smile filled his body with warmth. “How long have you been up?”

“A few minutes.”

“Don’t tell me if I snore. Some things are better not to know.”

She looked so beautiful with her hair in attractive disarray it took all his self-control not to kiss her voluptuous mouth. “You were quiet as a mouse.”

“So were you. I think.” Despite the seriousness of their situation, she didn’t take herself seriously, a trait that appealed to him. They both chuckled.

He took the bedroll from her and put it in the back of the Jeep. She joined him a few minutes later. He noticed she’d brushed her hair and put on a frosted pink lipstick he’d love to taste before he started on her.

Stavros was thunderstruck by his strong physical attraction to her. But right now he needed to concentrate. “Let’s go find Darren.”

Once they got in the Jeep, he drove back out to the road that led into Panagia. He stopped in front of a cafeteria, where they went in for rolls and coffee. The proprietress recognized him and hurried over to their table.

He questioned her about Darren and showed her his picture from the cell phone. She said she hadn’t seen the American teenager in her café, but she’d call the police if he came in.

For the next half hour, they made the rounds of the bike shops. No one had seen the missing teen. When they went back to the Jeep, Andrea turned to him. “I think we should drive to Thassos and watch for him at the marina. He may have stolen someone’s bike in order to get there.”

“Or maybe he hitched a ride with some local.”

“Let’s check out all the bars and tavernas at the docks. He could be hanging out near the ferry landing stage.”

“The police will be searching everywhere, but we’ll add our eyes.”

For the next two hours, they covered the waterfront, but didn’t see anyone who resembled Darren. “Stavros? Let’s go on board the ferry that’s loading and take a look inside the vehicles. I know the police will have already done that, but maybe they missed something. What do you think?”

He saw the pleading in her eyes. It tugged at him. Neither of them wanted to give up the search, even if the police had already looked here.

“You’re reading my mind again.”

This was the first ferry of the day leaving for Keramoti. If Darren wanted to get off the island as fast as possible, this would be the one to take.

After parking the Jeep, he paid the fee and they walked on board, following the line of passengers. Since it was a Saturday of full-on summer, crowds of tourists slowed the lines down. He saw two police officers working the

line.

Those people with cars had parked them end to end along the sides of the open air hold.

While everyone else went up on the deck to watch their departure, Stavros and Andrea inspected the interiors of each vehicle. All were empty. There were several small trucks. They eyed each other before he looked in the back of the first one. It was filled with lawn mower equipment.

Andrea moved forward to look inside the back of the next truck parked farther down. Stavros knew she’d found something when she came running toward him. “Quick,” she whispered. “There’s a tarp covering something. I thought I saw movement and I don’t dare lift it off without you.”

He grasped her upper arms. Their mouths were only centimeters apart. It was a miracle he restrained himself from kissing her senseless. “You stay here.”

Her breathing sounded shallow. “I won’t let you do this alone.”