Read The Greek's Long-Lost Son for Free Online Page B

to search for you, you’d disappeared on me .”
    A strange cry escaped her throat.
    His hands slid up her arms where he could feel the warmth of her skin through the thin material of her blouse, seducing him. He gave her a gentle shake. “Do you honestly believe I wouldn’t have come to the church unless a life-and-death situation had prevented me? You and I talked marriage long before I found out I’d made you pregnant.”
    Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to talk about it. The boys might see us.”
    “They’re at least a kilometer away by now. We have to discuss this at some point.” He slowly relinquished his hold on her.
    She shook her head, backing away from him as if the contact had been too much for her. “I don’t know what to believe about anything. If you’ll please give me my purse, I’m going back to the car while you join the boys.”
    He took several deep breaths to calm down while he got it out for her. The fact that she needed to run away from him meant it was possible his logic was getting through to her. His heart leaped. “Will you be all right going back alone?”
    “That’s an odd question to ask when you haven’t been around in years. Please go and catch up to the boys. This is unfamiliar territory to them.”
    “I’ll bring them back safely.”
    She darted away like a gazelle, leaving him bereft. He watched until he couldn’t see her anymore, then he hurried up the mountain filled with new energy.
    The Stella he’d loved to distraction was still there beneath her defenses, breathing life back into his psyche. He’d forgotten he could feel like this. In time he would get answers to why she never tried to get in touch with him again. She wasn’t going anywhere now. Neither was he.
    Before long he discovered the boys at the outlook. Dax had the binoculars trained on something. When he saw Theo, he pointed to an area along the ridge, then handed them over. Theo raised them to his eyes.
    “You have a sharp eye, Dax. That’s an Elenora falcon having fun with a friend.”
    They weren’t thirty meters away. He handed the field glasses back. “Just like you and Ari.”
    Dax laughed, but there wasn’t a glimmer of a smile from Ari’s lips. Theo hadn’t expected much positive reaction from his son yet and he wasn’t getting it. Tomake progress he was going to have to practice infinite patience if he hoped Ari would let him into his life, let alone show him love.
    Stella had received his promise that he wouldn’t try to see Ari again until they were back in Athens. He had to honor it, but he didn’t have to like it.
    “I hate to break this up, but your mother is waiting for us.” He opened his pack. “Finish off whatever’s left and we’ll go.”
    The boys needed no urging to eat the snacks. Theo packed the binoculars and they took off down the mountain.
    Stella had already put the top back down. She looked as composed and untouched as before. Much to his satisfaction Theo could see the little nerve throbbing madly at the base of her throat, giving him irrefutable proof to the contrary.
    When they reached the car, he checked his watch. The outing had taken three hours. More time with his son than he’d expected. He studied Stella’s profile while he fastened the boys’ seat belts and shut the door. “You guys were great sports today. I had one of the best times I’ve ever had. Maybe we can do it again some time.”
    Dax high-fived him. “It was awesome.”
    Ari squinted at him. “Is that your helicopter over there?”
    His son didn’t miss much. “Yes.”
    “Who’s that man walking around?”
    “My bodyguard. His name is Boris.”
    A short silence ensued. “Stasi has one, too.” And his own hit men who included Nikos, but Ari wouldn’t know that. “Are you going back to Athens now?”
    Theo thought about his question. Ari probablycouldn’t wait to get rid of him. But fool that Theo was, he’d dared hope he detected a forlorn tone in his son’s