Giving up the feeling of unconfined safety, she agreed. “Let me help you then.”
Manos smiled his approval and graciously accepted her assistance. “Good, we’ll do it together. You can mix the salad.”
When she stood to walk inside, he caught her off guard at the door and turned to take her in his arms. Not able to maneuver easily because of the doorway, she let him hug her but kept her mouth away from his searching lips. Instead, she teasingly suggested they needed to eat before their favorite food became overdone.
And thank God for small mercies, he pawed her back, nuzzled her neck, then freed her. “You’re right. This is the time to eat.”
They spent quite a while conversing and enjoying the delicious food. The cook had outdone herself with stuffed grape leaves called Dolmades, and she’d also madeTomatokeftedesa kind ofTomato Frittersseen in Santorini. Then she’d finished off her menu with a dessert calledFeta Me Meli,a feta cheese wrapped with pastry and coated with a honey sauce.
“This is some of the best food I’ve ever tasted in Rhodes, Manos. Everything was delicious.”
“I like my food, I admit it. And when I went to a restaurant along the beach near the Palace Hotel and tasted such heavenly dishes, I offered the woman a job instantly. Only she couldn’t leave her business with her husband, so she suggested the daughter she trained to come work for me instead. Nan lives near and comes four days a week.”
“She’s worth every penny you pay her. I’m afraid I stuffed myself.” Knowing it was time for her to reach out to Sam and let him know things were progressing as planned, Sophia slid her chair back just as Manos leaned toward her. Pretending she didn’t notice, she asked him to point her to the bathroom and taking her purse, she followed his directions. “Come to the family room when you’re ready, darling. I’ll just leave this mess for the morning.”
Heading to where he pointed, she passed an open door and spied young Alex propped on his bed, a book of horses in his hands. When he saw her, a guilty look appeared before he replaced it with a smirk. “Did you enjoy your dinner?”
“Yes, I did. What about you? Do you like Greek food?”
“What food? My father is mad at me. There will be no food for me tonight.”
Instant fury flooded. “That’s not going to happen.” She reversed direction and headed back to the dining room in time to see Manos in angry conversationwith another man. “Manos, Alex—” They turned, and everyone froze. She couldn’t back up in time to unsee the person even if she tried. Unfortunately, it was the same guy who’d attacked her at the beach the night she’d saved Stasia. The very asshole who’d shot out the combination onher Yaya’scloset door the evening before.
No one moved. Not knowing how the hell she could play this scene – every protective instinct ramping to high – her mind searched for an answer to the dilemma; a way to escape the sudden danger.