She didn’t care about appearances.
She cared about how things worked.
And that was more dangerous than beauty.
Because he’d met dozens—hundreds—of beautiful women. But none who made him want to know why they were the way they were. None who made him feel like one wrong move might scare them away… and leave him chasing the ghost of what could have been.
He dropped into the seat beside her, letting the roar of the water mask the chaos in his chest.
He knew he was in trouble last night, but tonight—tonight, he knew deep down that this woman was an extraordinary find, one that there was no way he was going to let slip through his fingers.
He vaguely wondered what it might feel like—to be seen, not as a Kallistratos, but as a man. Just a man. It was a novel feeling that Dani didn’t see him for his money, power, and status.
Unless she is one hell of an actress,he mused before dismissing the idea.
No, there was no pretense with Dani.
What unsettled him the most was that for once, he didn’t care about his meticulously laid plans for the future. He had known he would marry one day, have the prerequisite one or two children that were expected, and if he was lucky, tolerate the prison he imagined marriage to be. But with Dani, something told him every day would be an adventure that he would wake up and look forward to—and every night a thrill he’d never grow tired of exploring.
Six
The yacht grew larger with every second, sleek and regal as it waited on the water like a crown jewel of the Aegean.
Dani sat in the stern of the Axopar, her head tilted back, the wind teasing the ends of her scarf and the hem of her skirt. Alexandros sat next to her, one arm lazily draped around her waist, his hand warm and solid against her hip. He hadn’t asked—he’d just pulled her back against him as the boat cut across the bay—and to her own surprise; she hadn’t resisted.
In fact, she hadn’t wanted to. Which is what really surprised her. His touch felt different from when Carlos touched her—or at least the way she reacted to him wasn’t the same. She felt nothing but friendship with the naughty Spaniard who loved to tease and flirt with any woman close by. With Alexandros, something primal stirred in her. His scent, his touch, his smile—everything about him pulled her in, made her want to melt into him.
He's like the sun and water,she thought with a sigh of contentment.
Her nervousness wasn’t because of him. Not exactly. It was the way her feelings kept expanding in directions she hadn’t expected—and definitely didn’t feel ready for. There was something terrifying inthe ease of it all. The way she leaned back against his chest without hesitation. The way she felt… safe.
The sun dipped low on the horizon, streaking the sky with honey-gold and dusky rose—like a Byzantine fresco kissed by the gods. Its reflection shimmered across the waves like scattered diamonds. Onshore, whitewashed buildings hugged the curves of the hills, their terracotta roofs glowing in the last light. The scent of sea spray, sun-warmed salt, and Alexandros’s cologne wrapped around her like a dream she wasn’t ready to wake from.
She sighed, letting herself relax a little more, her muscles loosening as the wind threaded through the gauzy scarf tied around her hair.
Alexandros leaned in slightly. “What are you thinking?”
“This,” she murmured, her voice soft with wonder. She lifted one hand and gestured toward the sky, the water, the world around them. “Just… how lucky I am. To be here. To be alive. To be living like this. In this time and place.”
She could feel his curious smile against her shoulder.
“Not just lucky to be on a boat with a ridiculously handsome billionaire who finds you fascinating?” he teased, his voice low and warm in her ear.
She chuckled, but didn’t turn around. “That’s just a bonus, or a liability—depending on how you look at it.”
“Oh? I think I would prefer it to be a bonus.”
“I’m sure,” she said, grinning now, “I’m not denying you’re easy on the eyes. But I meant what I said. I’m lucky to be a woman—right now, in this time. I don’t take that for granted.”
There was a pause. “What do you mean?”
She shifted slightly so she could glance up at him over her shoulder. “If I’d been born even twenty years earlier, I don’t think I could’ve done half of what I’ve done. Marine engine repair? That was a boys’ club for a long time—and still kind of is.”
His brow furrowed. “I never thought about that. That what you do might be difficult… from a female point of view.”
She chuckled. “Exactly. Most guys don’t think about it—and Iprefer it that way. I don’t want special treatment—I just want to be allowed to do what I love without having to prove I belong every damn day.”
“Is it still difficult?” he asked.
