Her eyes flew to his in surprise. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I prevented you from leaving the taxi at the scene of the accident this morning. I made you too late to reach the port in time. It’s the least I can do.”
She shook her head. “I’m already in your debt for the fabulous lunch.”
“I promise I’ll get you there on time.”
The man couldn’t be dissuaded, and he’d been wonderful to her. You know you want to see him again, Zoe. After her divorce, she’d been leery about getting close to a man again, especially one so breathtaking.
“What about your work?”
“It’s always there waiting. I’ll meet you here in front at seven thirty in the morning. How does that sound?”
The accident must have done something to her psyche because a part of her wanted to say yes to this gorgeous man who was little more than a stranger to her. But another part of her feared it wouldn’t be wise. She clutched her purse. Once before in her life she’d made the mistake of being charmed by an attractive man with disastrous results.
“That’s a very generous offer. Thank you for everything, but I really don’t want to put you out.”
“You won’t. If you aren’t here when I come by in the morning, then I’ll accept that’s your answer and you’ll never see me again.”
He opened the door for her so she could get out of the car. Without looking back, she hurried toward her flat located around the side of the building hidden behind a big tree. Much as she wanted to tell him she’d love a ride with him, she didn’t dare.
* * *
Andreas watched the dark blond American beauty with the stunning figure run from him before he told the driver to head for the office. He couldn’t remember anything like this happening to him before.
When Andreas had looked inside the damaged taxi earlier, his gaze had fused with a pair of azure-blue eyes so alive and brilliant, he’d been mesmerized.
He’d assumed she was in her early twenties. It totally surprised him when he learned she was a professor of the early nineteenth-century romance writers at UCLA in California, which meant she was older than he’d supposed.
He’d been instantly attracted to her in a way he couldn’t explain. The woman’s concern over the taxi driver had touched him. As for her keen intellect and interest in Lord Byron, he was intrigued. She didn’t know it yet, but the two of them had a lot to talk about. He found himself planning a way to spend more time with her.
After the emotional turmoil he’d been in for so long he didn’t want to think about it, he was utterly shocked that he wanted to pursue this woman. But instinct told him that if she’d been put off by him, she wouldn’t have walked with him to the limo after the accident, or have gone to lunch with him. Still, something else had held her back from accepting a ride from him to the ferry tomorrow.
He thought about the situation until he went to bed. If he was wrong and she didn’t feel any sort of attraction to him, there was only one way to find out.
When morning came, he dressed in sport clothes and parked his car in front of her apartment at seven fifteen. For all he knew, she could have already left or changed her mind and done something else. If there was no sign of her, he’d told her he would let it go. But he knew he wouldn’t like it.
At twenty-five after, a taxi pulled up behind him, letting him know she had no intention of going with him. Instead of leaving before she came out, Andreas wanted her to know he’d kept his word. He got out of his car and lounged against the passenger door to wait.
A few minutes later she walked out dressed in white cargo pants and a blue-and-white-print blouse with three-quarter sleeves. The sun streaks in her neck-length hair shone in the morning light. He couldn’t look anywhere else before straightening. It diverted her attention.
The surprise in her blue eyes above those exquisite high cheekbones was 100 percent genuine. “You!” She hadn’t thought he’d come.
“Good morning, kyria. I told you I would be here. I meant what I said. I’d like to take you to the ferry to make up for yesterday, but the decision is yours.”
She smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “The thing is, my taxi is already here.”
That comment told him all he needed to know. “I’ll take care of it.”
He walked around to talk to the driver. “Thanks for coming,” he said in Greek and paid him triple what she would have had to pay him to go to the dock.
The driver was all smiles and pulled out into traffic.
Andreas headed for his car and opened the door for her. She came closer. “Now I feel terrible. My debts to you are adding up.”
It hit him that as long as she wanted to be with him, nothing else mattered. And she did, otherwise she would have said no thank you and climbed in that taxi.
“Let’s not talk about debts and enjoy the drive.” He helped her in the car and took off. “I’m aware that you know nothing about me, but I assure you I’m not in the habit of picking up women who’ve been in an accident or otherwise.”