Either way, my professional recommendation is that you stay for at least a couple of days while you recover. As a doctor, I can’t in good faith let you go until I know that you’re okay.”
He gave me another grin at the end of that sentence, telling me that he was only partially serious—but that he was willing to argue the point, if I was going to push it.
Honestly, I didn’t really feel like arguing it. I was no doctor, and if I had a doctor at hand who said that I should probably lay low until he was sure I was feeling better, I was quite willing to believe him.
Still. That didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun with him. He was so serious that I almost felt required to poke fun at the situation. Like it was my womanly duty to make it a little difficult.
“Stay here?” I asked, looking around. “Are you sure it’ll be… safe? I mean, what if I’m really sick?”
He leaned in and dropped his voice. “I’m a doctor, remember? If you’re really sick, I’ll take care of you. Besides, it’s not like you could actually leave.”
Okay, this was all charming until he said that.
“Why not?” I asked indignantly.
He shrugged. “Because your boat is wrecked. It hit a reef soon after you fell overboard. You could try sailing it, but I doubt you’d get very far.”
I bit my lip, trying desperately to remember whether that was true. Because if it was, I was going to be in at least a little bit of trouble. That boat hadn’t been mine; it had been a rental. Had I taken insurance out on it? I couldn’t really remember. It seemed like the kind of question I would have automatically said no to, because it cost extra. Even if I had, would it cover something like me falling overboard and the boat crashing into a reef all by itself?
Again, I wasn’t sure.
“Well that’s inconvenient,” I muttered darkly.
He laughed a big, booming laugh at that, and reached out to take my hand. “I’m Nikos Charisteas. Welcome to my island. Please stay a few days, until I’m sure you’re well enough to travel again.”
I gave him a wry turn of the mouth, and then told myself to freaking relax. The guy had saved my life and then offered to let me stay until I felt better. And here I was being somewhat nasty to him about the whole thing. I needed to relax and stop being so defensive.
“Trish Fielding,” I said, giving him a grin and shaking his hand. “If I had to crash on anyone’s island, I guess I’m glad it was yours.”
He laughed again, the laugh even bigger this time, like it was some sort of creature that hadn’t been let out of its cage in years, and then, with a smooth, painless motion, he leaned closer to me and took the IV out.
“Come. Dinner is almost ready. Tell me who you are and how you came to be sailing by my island with your eyes closed.”
Chapter 5
Trish
At the table, I found a spread that could have fed at least ten people. But I was also, I realized suddenly, starving. And the food in front of us…
Just one quick glance showed me that we had shish kebabs that looked like they were both chicken and steak, with bell peppers and onions in between, as well as something that looked suspiciously like stuffed green olives; dishes full of what were definitely black and green olives with sun-dried tomatoes and halloumi; two plates piled with rice; an enormous bowl of salad; and several different types of bread. Plus, wine.
Three bottles of it.
At that moment, just as I was inhaling the tangy, fresh aroma of homemade Greek food, my stomach decided to chime in with its thoughts, and let out a loud grumble.
“Oh my God,” I moaned, totally embarrassed.
Nikos just grinned at me and gestured for me to sit. “Hungry?” he asked unnecessarily.
I put my embarrassment away, reminded myself that I was a guest here and that the guy couldn’t judge me for being hungry when I obviously hadn’t eaten since early that morning, and grinned back at him.
“Like you wouldn’t believe. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning, so it’s been almost a whole day since I had food. And I come from Texas. We’re not used to going hungry in that state.”
He motioned to the table in front of us and took a seat directly across from the chair