Chapter Six

Dimitri muttered something unkind in Greek as his cousin walked off. He wanted to beat him until he was in no shape to go anywhere near Landi. His vacation had just taken a turn for the worse.

Landi is mine, AJ. Mine!

Shoving a hand through his hair, he glared at Spyros, another cousin, who had been watching the entire exchange but wisely kept his mouth shut. Spinning around, he left the kitchens and headed back outside, sitting down on a crate.

Why did she have to be here? What was her power that made him lose all sense of self around her? Why did he want to go to her room and hold her? Make love to her?

Putting his head in his hands, he closed his eyes against the onslaught of his memories. It felt like it was just yesterday they’d taken that small trip to the beach.

“Are you okay, Dimitri?” a soft voice questioned in Greek.

Looking up, he smiled as he looked upon his Aunt Luz. “Yes, ma’am.”

She raised a dark brow in disbelief and waited him out. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

Dimitri met his aunt’s kind eyes. He knew better than to lie to her. “It’s my fault she hates me, I left her.”

“And this is the young woman my son seems content to torment you about his upcoming date?”

Dimitri bit back a growl of anger. “She doesn’t need to be going on a date with him.”

“The young woman in all the pink? The American?”

He nodded silently. The image of Landi was so fresh before him, he felt like could reach out and touch her.

“She is the other half of your soul. And she knows it. I would have to have been blind not to see the passion in her eyes as she looked at you. Don’t give up on her, Dima.”

He smiled wanly. Only here in Greece was he called Dima. “I hurt her. I haven’t spoken to her in over a year, until today.”

His aunt knelt beside him, her hand rested on his leg. “You must give her time. She will see what is meant to be.”

Touching one wrinkle-free cheek, Dimitri kissed the other one. “If only you weren’t married or family. You are a woman like no other.”

She blushed. “You Melonakos men, always with the smooth tongues.”

“Love you, Auntie Luz.”

“And I you, Dima. Don’t worry about AJ; he will soon realize she is not the one for him.”

Dimitri nodded. He planned on being there to make sure it didn’t happen. “I should get back to helping out.” Standing, he reached out a hand to assist her up as well.

“Such a wonderful boy, Dima. You are such a wonderful boy.”

With another kiss, he held the door open for his aunt to precede him back into the busy kitchen. He watched her head for the office and disappear inside of it before he joined in the organized chaos that reigned.

AJ didn’t say another word as they continued to work through the rest of the afternoon. At least not about Landi. And Dimitri did his best not to picture the date they would be sharing.

He cried off early and went to his hotel. Dimitri knew he always had a room at AJ’s or his Aunt and Uncle’s, but he felt like having his own space. He was antsy and had been so for a long time now.

Closing the door behind him, he headed to his bed. Flopping down with a grunt, Dimitri pulled out his wallet and took out a photo strip. It was snapshots of him and Landi. They had taken it one afternoon while walking along the boardwalk.

Most were of them laughing and smiling for the camera, but in the final one she was watching him. Her big brown eyes were full of tenderness as they stared at him. One finger touched her image gently before he roughly shoved it back in his wallet and lay there while looking up at the ceiling.

His skin still burned from where he’d touched her earlier. His lips wanted hers pressed against them.

“Damn it, Landi!” he swore. “Why’d you come to Greece?”

He knew the answer. Landi was a fashion designer and traveled all over the world. But what he didn’t know was the relationship of the man to her. At least if she had agreed to go on a date with AJ, then she was most likely not in a romantic one with that Mr. Erickson.

Dimitri had one more night in Greece before he flew back to the States. He was going to California to see his parents and then it was back to work. And yet, all of that was second to the need to be near Landi.

Pushing up from the bed, Dimitri took a shower. Perhaps a cold dousing would cure him of his ails.

***

Landi stepped out of the elevator and headed for the front desk where her dinner date waited for her. As she walked around the corner, her breath caught in her throat. AJ stood leaning against a pillar, a bouquet of vibrantly colored flowers in one tanned hand. He wore a dark gray suit that accented the green of his eyes.

“Good evening, Landi Nycks,” he said in a low tone. “These are for you.”

“They are absolutely beautiful,” she breathed, accepting the bunch and inhaling the fragrant smell they gave. “Thank you.”

“They pale beside your beauty,” he told her. His eyes moved over her and she waited for him to be done with his perusal. “You look incredible.”

Landi wore a crinkled, pale-gray chiffon cocktail dress. It was strapless with a pink Empire waist tie that wrapped around her back before ending in a soft front bow. Her wavy hair was gathered in a sophisticated upstyle, showing off her elegant neck, and some extra curls cascaded down in the back. A few wisps framed her face, softening her appearance even more. Three-inch heels finished off her look.

“Thank you, AJ.”

He offered his arm, smiling down at her when she took it without hesitation. She tucked the flowers in her other arm and looked up at him as they walked into the warm night. A breeze had picked up and gently caressed her skin. “Where are we going?”

“My restaurant. I’m a bit partial to the food there.”

Her heart began beating hard in her chest. Would Dimitri be there? With a mental reprimand, she reminded herself of the hurt he had caused her by disappearing without a word. The tears she had cried over him. She refused to focus on what it had been like to be in his arms.

Determined not to let Dimitri’s memory ruin her evening, she said, “Sounds wonderful.”

AJ held open the door of a black car for her and closed it gently after she was inside it. She watched him as he slid in behind the wheel and started the engine.

The man had many similarities to his cousin, Dimitri, but there were also differences. The main one was that although extremely handsome, he didn’t seem to set her heart to a breakneck pace. He wasn’t quite as powerful looking as Dimitri and there was definitely a softer look to him, as opposed to the hard-ness she had seen in Dimitri.

Whoever snagged this one was going to be one lucky woman. She knew she would have gone after him herself if not for the untimely arrival of Dimitri Melonakos. That man had ruined her for all others and all it had taken was just to see him again for her to have no desire for anyone else. Even the taste of him still lingered on her mouth after that explosive kiss he’d planted on her this afternoon. She bit back a whimper as longing shot through her.

“You okay, Landi?” AJ asked.

“Fine. So you own this restaurant we’re going to?”

“It is the family business, yes.” AJ pulled off the street and parked the car before walking around to her side and opening her door. “Ready to eat?”

Putting her hand in his, she smiled. He really was devilishly charming. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

He flashed a grin she was sure melted the hearts of many women. “Wonderful.” His deep voice caressed her skin, heating it up even despite the cool breeze.

They walked into the establishment arm in arm. This time the place was much more packed, the lights were lower, and gentle music played throughout. Landi noticed that although she was again under scrutiny of the patrons, this time it was friendlier and it more curious as opposed to distrustful. The streets had quieted down much since the earlier ruckus.

AJ spoke to people as he led her to a table in a secluded corner. He held her chair for her and whispered in her ear as he slid her in, “They are all envious of me because of the lovely woman with me.”

Landi chuckled as she set her flowers on the table beside her. “Is that so?”

“Oh, yes.” He sat opposite her. “You think I’m jesting?”

“I think you are a smooth talker. I haven’t forgotten what you said this afternoon.”

He flashed a brilliant smile. “Good. I was hoping you hadn’t.”

Landi wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. He was so charming and flirtatious. “Trust me; I don’t get offers like that a lot. It stuck out.”

“Men must be blind then.”

Landi took a drink of water and listened in silence as he ordered for them. “So,” she said once they were alone again, “am I going to like what you ordered for me?”

His eyes darkened. “Most definitely.” He gestured to the wine bottle. “Would you care for some?”

“No, thank you. I don’t drink.”

“Then I shall not as well.” With a wave of his hand the bottle was removed. He handed her the bas-ket of bread and she took a roll.

AJ scooted closer to the table, reached across it and took Landi’s hand. His thumb skimmed across the back of it. “Tell me about you.”