She heard him take a deep breath. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I brought you here and want you to be safe.” Zoe was surprised by the firm tone of his voice. But he was a caring, thoughtful man and would be like this in any situation.
They headed to her room in the east wing of the hotel. She knew his was in the other wing. He waited while she opened the door.
Zoe went inside and peeked around at him. “Maybe we can get breakfast en route back to Patras.”
One black brow lifted. “You’re through with your research here?”
“I’m sure.”
“What’s your next destination?”
“I don’t know yet. Ever since I came to Greece, I’ve constantly sent out emails to various places for information. The answers come back if there’s something I need to research. I’ll know tomorrow when I receive more responses. Good night, Andreas.”
“Good night,” he whispered.
As he turned away, she shut the door. Her explanation had been the right thing to say. If she’d told him what her destination would be tomorrow, she knew in her heart he’d tell her he’d drive her there.
While he was dealing with this huge change in his life—something Zoe knew all about after divorcing her husband for his infidelity—she realized this time with Andreas was a distraction that was helping him to cope with what he was going through. But she couldn’t afford to keep it up. It was far too risky to her own peace of mind.
* * *
They reached Patras at 11:30 a.m., when he pulled the car up in front of her apartment. He’d taken Zoe to see the monastery in Varlaam on the way back. Afterward they’d enjoyed breakfast at the quaint Taverna Gardenia in one of the narrow passageways.
“What a treat to have gone there! I suppose you’ve climbed those one hundred and ninety-five steps to the top before?” she teased.
“Guilty.”
“It would take someone a lot more courageous than me to do it.”
He smiled at the inexhaustible, breathtaking woman standing on the sidewalk while he retrieved her small suitcase from the car. Zoe didn’t fool him. She’d been in Greece on her own since January, digging up material in out-of-the-way places, talking to strangers, taking risks. She embraced adventure.
“I’ll call you later.”
Her eyes flashed blue fire. “From work, I hope. I’ve kept you from it too long.”
“It’s been the best medicine I could have asked for.”
“I’m glad. And just think? After today you only have to wait one more day before you sweep your little boy into your arms again.”
She understood him like no one else. “Speaking of Ari, I never did show you a picture of him.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled to his photo gallery. “I bought him a little pair of sunglasses.”
Zoe took the phone from him and broke into an infectious smile after studying it. “He’s absolutely adorable. I don’t know how you stand the separation.” She handed it back to him.
He put his cell in his shirt pocket. “We do what we have to do.”
“Isn’t that the truth. I won’t tell you to have a wonderful day, but hope it will be all right if I wish you a productive one? Then my guilt won’t be so bad.”
Andreas burst into laughter. He never knew what she was going to say next. But she was right. He’d played hooky from work for long enough. “I’ve enjoyed our time together.”
“So have I,” she came right back. “Now I need to get going.” She picked up her case and started toward her flat. Before she rounded the tree, she waved at him.
He got back in his car and headed for work. His personal assistant probably couldn’t wait to show him the mountain of decisions to make and contracts to look over, but he didn’t care. Being with Zoe Perkins had given him a new lease on life.
The next time he lifted his head was around five thirty when he reached for his phone to call Zoe. He was getting hungry and wanted to take her to dinner. To his satisfaction she answered on the second ring.