talk about your character, Andrea. No one would expect you to have joined in the search. Iâm touched that you would tell me about your harrowing experience waiting to hear news of your fiancé.â
She stirred restlessly. âI couldnât just stand by this time. Youâd be surprised how many searches Iâve gone on in the past.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âLiving in some of the third-world areas meant helping out in a crisis at a momentâs notice. In some ways, it was easier to find someoneâs lost son or daughter from a remote village than to track down a teen like Darren who wants to be lost in a country as modern and sophisticated as Greece. With money he could be anywhere doing anything. His poor parents must be frantic.â
Stavros turned on his side. âHas this happened before on one of the tours?â
âThereâve been a few serious health issues, but no one ever left in the middle of a tour before. Georgios has been with PanHellenic fifteen years and said heâs never had someone disappear on him.â
âItâs a bizarre situation, one we canât solve tonight.â
âYouâre right. Good night, Stavros.â She rolled onto her side away from him.
âKalinychta, despinis.â
His silky voice permeated her body, as if it had found a home. The sensation shocked her before oblivion took over.
* * *
The alarm awakened Stavros at six thirty. He hadnât wanted the night to end and was surprised heâd slept. Probably knowing heâd be with her first thing in the morning was the reason heâd fallen off fast. For the first time since he could remember, a woman had come into his life who excited him in inexplicable ways.
Andrea was still asleep, her shiny blond hair splayed around her. He could still feel her wrapped in his arms in the cave. Between that memory and the intensity of those blue eyes fastened on him last night, it was all he could do not to move closer and draw her into his body. But until the boy was found, he needed to focus on matters that could have an adverse impact on everyone involved.
He packed up and started putting everything in the Jeep. When he went back for the hamper, he discovered Andrea had awakened and was rolling up the bedroll.
âGood morning, Stavros.â Her smile filled his body with warmth. âHow long have you been up?â
âA few minutes.â
âDonât tell me if I snore. Some things are better not to know.â
She looked so beautiful with her hair in attractive disarray it took all his self-control not to kiss her voluptuous mouth. âYou were quiet as a mouse.â
âSo were you. I think.â Despite the seriousness of their situation, she didnât take herself seriously, a trait that appealed to him. They both chuckled.
He took the bedroll from her and put it in the back of the Jeep. She joined him a few minutes later. He noticed sheâd brushed her hair and put on a frosted pink lipstick heâd love to taste before he started on her.
Stavros was thunderstruck by his strong physical attraction to her. But right now he needed to concentrate. âLetâs go find Darren.â
Once they got in the Jeep, he drove back out to the road that led into Panagia. He stopped in front of a cafeteria, where they went in for rolls and coffee. The proprietress recognized him and hurried over to their table.
He questioned her about Darren and showed her his picture from the cell phone. She said she hadnât seen the American teenager in her café, but sheâd call the police if he came in.
For the next half hour, they made the rounds of the bike shops. No one had seen the missing teen. When they went back to the Jeep, Andrea turned to him. âI think we should drive to Thassos and watch for him at the marina. He may have stolen someoneâs bike in order to get there.â
âOr maybe he hitched a ride with some