The Renegade Billionaire

“We got out of the way in time. Thank God you spotted it and are an excellent swimmer, or you’d be on your way to the hospital. I haven’t seen a stingray in these parts for at least four years. Their sting isn’t fatal, but it can make you sick.”

“I know. My dad got stung in the foot by one—years ago at Kourou beach in French Guiana. He was in bed for several days. I was so worried about him, I stayed home from school so I could take care of him.”

He traced the shape of her mouth with his finger. “I’m sure that helped him get well in a hurry. Now that you’ve brought his name up, I’m curious to know something. Why did you and Ferrante plan to live with your father once you were married?”

“Because he’s alone and doesn’t have anyone else. Ferrante came from a big family and understood why I felt the way I did. Dad and I had never been separated. Stavros, I’ll never be able to repay him for everything he’s done for me throughout my entire life. But let’s not talk about me.

“You put yourself in danger by shielding me just now.” Her heart was in her throat. “How am I ever going to thank you?” She sat up and kissed his strong jaw. But what started out to be an outpouring of her gratitude turned into something else as he lowered her to the sand. Once he’d found her mouth, he began kissing her in earnest.

Those powerful legs of his entwined with hers. She clung to his hard, muscled body, craving the contact of skin against skin. One long kiss grew into another. His lips roved over her face and throat, filling her with rapture she’d never known before.

“Do you have any idea how much I want you?” He kissed her again with almost primitive force. It unleashed passion in her she didn’t know herself capable of. Andrea felt on fire and kissed him back just as hungrily. He was fast becoming her addiction.

Before she lost complete control, she buried her face in his neck. “We need to slow down, Stavros. It frightens me because I’ve never felt this way before, not even with Ferrante.”

He was a beautiful specimen of manhood, but there was so much more to him than the physical. For Stavros to find her attractive enough to want a relationship with her constituted something of a miracle. She was no femme fatale, yet he’d kissed her as if she was the most important thing in his life.

But the truth had to be faced. There was no good time for them. He’d launched a new multimillion-dollar business here on the island. She’d be leaving Greece shortly. The situation with Tina wasn’t going to go away. Besides a ton of work at the office in Thessaloniki, she had packing to do and still needed to talk to her landlord and Sakis.

To go on trying to work things out with Stavros when they could find the time to fit it in made absolutely no sense. All it would do was prolong the agony. After losing Ferrante, she couldn’t go through that kind of pain again. Better to cut things off now before they became any more involved. Soon they’d be on opposite sides of the world.

It was a long time before Stavros spoke. “Fear is the last emotion I want you to feel.” She felt energy shoot through him before he rolled away from her and got to his feet. “What we need is to enjoy the lunch Raisa packed for us.”

The moment wa

s bittersweet because she didn’t want him to stop kissing her. At the same time, she marveled over his self-control because she didn’t have any. Slowly, she sat up, but it was difficult because the desire she felt for him had dazed her. “We look like we’ve been bathing in sand.”

“We’ll wash off next to the boat. Come on.” He reached for her hand and helped her all the way up. Together, they walked across the sand into the shallows. The next thing she knew, he’d swung her up in his arms as if she were a bride.

“No—Stavros!” Her protest came out on a nervous laugh as he waded deeper. “What are you going to do?”

“Give us a proper bath.”

“No—” she squealed again, but by then they were both immersed.

“There.” He smiled broadly after bringing them back up. “That wasn’t so bad. Now our sandwiches won’t taste of grit. Let’s see if we’ve gotten all of it off your lips.” Once again, Stavros started kissing her as if his life depended on it and carried her to the boat. She moaned when he finally relinquished her mouth and lowered her onto a banquette.

“I don’t know about you, but that swim for our lives gave me an appetite. Kissing you has made me even more ravenous.” In one deft masculine move, he levered himself inside the boat. “We’re safe here, Andrea. The only thing that’s going to take a bite out of you now is me.”

After kissing her thoroughly once more, she felt exposed with his all-seeing eyes roving over her figure. Better put on her T-shirt. It wouldn’t hurt to fix her hair either. She reached in her purse for a comb while he opened the hamper. Soon, they dug in to tasty finger food and fruit.

When Andrea had eaten all she could, she sat back and lifted her face to the sun. “This is one of those moments I’ll treasure forever. Out of all the islands I’ve visited in the Aegean, Thassos is my favorite. Think of all the conquerors and invaders who have left their mark here. I can see why you wanted to make your home here. You have it all. Mountains, beaches, the sun, the perfect climate. It’s like your own fairyland nestled in the greenery.” After a pause, she said, “I have a confession to make.”

He darted her a curious glance. “What’s that?”

“One of the commandments says, ‘Thou shalt not covet.’ As I was standing on your patio, looking out over this glorious spot of earth, I understood its meaning for the first time. When you climbed the mountain, no wonder you claimed this place for your own. To live where you live really is paradise on earth. Your mythical Greek gods must be jealous of you.”

Stavros stared out at the water. “I haven’t needed the gods to cause me trouble. The family I was born into has made enough mischief.”

“At one time or other I think most people have said that about their families.”

“But there are degrees of mischief.”

“Stavros? Was it always hard for you?”

He nodded. “Pretty much from day one. I didn’t want to do things the way my father did. He wanted me in private school. I wanted to go to public school. He didn’t like my close friends who weren’t good enough for him. He didn’t like me dating a lot of girls. I went through them like water.”

“Was there one you fell hard for?”