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whisper, but, to Zoe's
    overwrought imagination, it seemed like a rumble of thunder in the stillness
    of the morning. She waited for a shout from below. The sound of an alarm
    being given, but there was nothing, and, biting her lip, she closed the
    shutters, too. So far, so good, she thought with a tiny sigh of relief.
    His work seemed to be taking him to the far end of the terrace, away from
    the main door, so if she was quick she could be out of the vil a and back into
    the shelter of the olive grove before she ran any real risk of discovery.
    And she would content herself with just this one visit, she promised herself
    silently as she let herself out of the bedroom and closed the door quietly
    behind her. After all, she had seen everything she needed to see.
    From now on she would stick firmly to the town beach, and let her lawyer
    investigate whether or not the Vil a Danaë was her inheritance.
    Wel , she thought, smiling. I can dream, I suppose.
    She had taken three steps down the stairs before she realised she was not
    alone. And just who was standing at the bottom of the flight, leaning casual y
    on the polished rail, watching her—waiting for her, a faint grim smile playing
    round his mouth:
    She checked with a gasp, turned to stone at the sight of him. Her instinct
    was to turn and run back the way she'd come, but common sense prevented
    her. This staircase was the only way out, and the last thing she wanted was
    to find herself trapped in a bedroom with this half-naked stranger in pursuit.
    She was frightened, but at the same time—incredibly— her senses were
    registering other things. Tel ing her that the man confronting her with such
    cool arrogance was as seriously attractive as her instinct had suggested.
    Not conventional y handsome, maybe. His high-bridged nose was too thin,
    and his mouth and chin too hard for that: And his eyes were darkness.
    Meeting his gaze was like staring into impenetrable night, she thought,
    tension tautening her throat.
    But, at the same time, she knew instinctively that there wasn't a woman in
    the world who would take one glance and not want to look again—and
    again. Because he was totally and compel ingly male.
    He said quietly, ' Kalimera .'
    Maybe, she thought breathlessly. Maybe there was a way she could bluff her
    way out of this.
    She spread her hands. Tried an apologetic laugh. 'I'm sorry—I don't
    understand. I don't speak Greek.'
    He shrugged. 'Then we will speak in English. It's not a problem,' he added
    drily as her face fel . 'Tel me what you are doing here.'
    She said swiftly, 'I'm not a thief.'
    'No,' he agreed thoughtfully. 'Because there is nothing here that you could
    conveniently steal.' The dark glance swept her, assessing the flimsy blue
    dress, the canvas beach bag. 'Or hide,' he added.
    He looked her over again, more searchingly. 'So, I ask again—what is your
    reason for being here?'
    'Someone mentioned there was a house for sale round here,' Zoe
    improvised swiftly. 'I thought it might be this one, as it's obviously empty.'
    'No,' he said. 'It is not this house.' He paused, his gaze steady and ironic.
    'And no one would have told you that it was.' His voice was low-pitched but
    crisp.
    'You don't think the owner might have put it on the market and not told you?'
    she parried.
    'No,' he said. 'That would not happen either.'
    'Wel , it's still a fabulous house.' Zoe lifted her chin. 'Maybe the owner would
    be prepared to rent it out.'
    His brows rose. 'You have nowhere to stay?'
    'Yes,' she said. 'Of course I have. But this is such a lovely island. Perhaps I
    could come back—stay longer.'
    'You arrived—when?' His mouth twisted. 'Yesterday?'
    'It doesn't take long,' she said 'To find something— beautiful. And decide
    you want more.'
    The dark eyes looked her up and down again with mockery in their
    depths—and something infinitely more disturbing. 'Wel , we agree on
    something at least,' he drawled, and laughed as the sudden colour drenched
    her