He was bowing? She stifled a giggle and wondered what the gorgeous Scotsman would do next.
He regarded her expectantly. Green, she noted with great satisfaction. His eyes were green just like she had hoped. And even though his hair was a rich, dark red, his eyebrows and whiskers looked more brownish.
"And you?" he asked.
"Yes?"
His mouth quirked with a half smile. "Forgive the bold assumption, but I thought ye might be in possession of a name I could call you?"
She laughed. Several suggestions flitted through her mind. Sweetheart, love of my life, center of my universe. She'd been so busy admiring him, she'd forgotten to introduce herself. "I'm Olivia. Olivia Sotiris."
"Ah. Then I was wrong about you."
"How?"
"I thought you were a Greek goddess."
She snorted. What a smooth talker. And what a shame that she couldn't tell if he was lying. She lifted the rose. "Did you leave this?"
"Aye."
"Where?"
His eyebrows lifted. "I left it on the steps, pinned down with a rock. Why do ye ask?"
Because she needed to know if he was an honest man. She loved the way he pronounced down like dune, but she'd be a fool to fall for a man just because his voice was like music and his face and body were like a beautiful sculpture. She sniffed the rose. "It's lovely. Thank you."
"Would ye care to walk with me a wee bit?"
Her heart rate sped up. "I¨CI'd rather stay here. You can join me if you like."
His gaze flitted over the rocky bluff separating them, then his mouth twitched. "I'll take the stairs."
"Be careful. The stairs are steep. And dark." Her heart raced as he disappeared in the narrow stairwell. He was coming up!
She glanced toward the back door. Her grandmother was alone and asleep. What if she'd invited an axe murderer up here? She left the rose on the table and grabbed the cricket bat. It wasn't just her work at the FBI that made her suspicious. She'd learned as a young child to be wary when she'd discovered how often people lied.
He reached the top of the stairs and stopped, motioning to the cricket bat in her hands. "Are ye planning to whack me now?"
He was taller than she'd realized. And his shoulders broader. She flexed her hands around the bat. "I don't usually talk to strangers. I should warn you, I'm a black belt in tae kwon do."
His jaw shifted. "I willna harm you, lass."
"I know. I won't let you."
He studied her a moment, then his mouth relaxed with a hint of a smile. "Ye're as brave as ye are beautiful. That's a rare combination."
Her heart stilled for a moment. Brave and beautiful. That's what her grandfather had said to Yia Yia the day they met. "I don't mean to be rude, Mr. MacKay. A woman has to be careful these days."
"Aye, ye're correct." His gaze moved slowly down her body to her feet. His mouth lifted in a half smile as his gaze roamed back to her face.
Damn. She didn't know whether to whack him or melt into a puddle. Part of her was flustered and flattered. Her skin tingled when he examined her with those gorgeous green eyes. But another part of her was nervous. She tightened her grip on the bat in case he made a lunge at her. It was so hard, not being able to read his emotions. For a second she thought his eyes were darkening, but he turned toward the telescope and peered through the eyepiece.
"So, Olivia, what brings you to Patmos?"
She liked the way her name sounded with his accent. "I'm visiting my...relatives. Four uncles. They're...big. Professional wrestlers." When his mouth twitched, she figured he wasn't buying her story. "What about you?"
"Vacation. And recuperation. I was...injured, so I've been trying to get back in shape."