Read The Sheikh's Purchased Bride Online
Authors: Holly Rayner
The Sheikh's Purchased Bride (16 page)
“Shit,” Stelios exclaimed, just a loud whirring noise filled the air.
It was the familiar sound that Zoey knew indicated a power drain. The room was suddenly plunged into darkness. Every device in the kitchen went dead, except the gas burners. Stelios turned a few more of them on.
“Well, the joys of living in New York huh?” Zoey said, fishing her phone out of her pocket and turning on the flashlight app.
“It seems so, Zoey. There’s a little supply closet in the corner over there. Could you grab a few candles?”
“Sure. No problem.” Zoey moved to the right-hand corner of the kitchen and fished a handful of candles out of a small cupboard.
Taking several candleholders and a box of matches, she went into the main restaurant and began creating pools of light. In moments, the entire area had a cozy glow, and Zoey placed a candlestick in the center of the table nearest to the kitchen, ready for them to sit down.
A few minutes later, Stelios came out of the kitchen with a tray that bore two decently-plated helpings of kreatopita, a bright, green salad, a chilled bottle of wine, and two glasses. Setting everything on the table, he made a place setting for Zoey and filled her glass. Once he had done the same for himself, he took a seat beside her, and for a moment, he watched the reflected candlelight flicker in her eyes.
“Not quite what you were expecting, huh?” Stelios remarked, handing Zoey a cloth napkin.”
“Not at all,” she admitted, “but when you think about it, it really isn’t that bad. In a way, it’s kind of romantic.”
“Great. Then my master plan has succeeded,” he joked. “I hope you enjoy the food,” he added.
“I’m sure I will,” Zoey replied, cutting herself a piece of the meat pie. She put it in her mouth and her face lit up. Savory spices combined pleasantly with a flaky, buttery crust, and the rich flavor of the ground beef brought the whole thing together. True, she thought the crust was a little harder than it probably should have been, but it was a good effort and a very tasty one.
“This is excellent, Stelios. You did a great job.”
“
We
did a great job, remember?” he reminded her, sipping some of his wine.
Zoey gave a little laugh and nodded in agreement before taking another bite. “This really is good, though,” she said as Stelios followed her lead. “I think I taste oregano and…I can’t make out the other spice. What else did you put in?”
“Dill. I’ve been told it helps to balance the flavors. This turned out well but it doesn’t hold a candle to my mother’s cooking. No pun intended.”
Zoey giggled, even as she rolled her eyes.
“Whenever my mother made anything, it felt like an event. People were always telling her she should open a restaurant. I believe she wanted to, but she never found the time. That’s part of why this place means so much to me. In a way, it feels like I helped her accomplish one of her dreams.”
Zoey put her fork down for a moment. She was looking at Stelios’ face, and though he was valiantly trying to hide it, she saw that his features had drawn tight, the corners of his lips had turned down, and his eyes looked suddenly heavy with the weight of tears he refused to shed. A profound sadness had covered his face like a fog, and it sprang into Zoey’s heart and took root.
“What happened to your mother,” she asked quietly, though she was almost certain what the answer would be.
“She and my father left the world eight years ago. They were coming back from visiting our family in Greece. The authorities still aren’t entirely sure how it happened, but the plane…” He paused. “It crashed on its way back here.”
“That’s awful,” Zoey replied soberly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Stelios replied with a brave smile, doing his best to lighten the mood a little. “I miss them every day, but I try to remember that they led rich lives. I wanted to go to Greece with them, but I felt like someone had to stay here and look after the business. It’s older than I am, and I wouldn’t have trusted anyone outside of the family to run it. Ever since they died, I’ve just been working as hard as I can to make it better. It’s really all I have left of them.”
“Well, I’m sure they would be extremely proud of you,” said Zoey. “You’ve been a fantastic success in real estate, and you’re a wonderful person. You’re even a half decent cook,” she added with a bit of a smirk, patting him affectionately on the shoulder.
The Greek felt the muscles in his face relax. “That’s nice of you to say, Zoey. Thank you,” he returned. “Originally, I’d planned to keep up the pace permanently, but then a couple of weeks ago, I turned thirty-two.”
“Happy belated.”
“Thanks. My father was the same age when I was born, and that starting me thinking seriously about a lot of things that hadn’t crossed my mind before. What I realized was that I was all alone, with no one to share everything I’ve been building with. It suddenly occurred to me that it was time to find a good person to settle down with. I saw that the best way to remember my parents was with a family of my own. And that’s why I decided to pay a visit to your mother.”
What a nice thought,
Zoey thought to herself, feeling moved and a little intimidated at the same time. The fact that he had put so much effort into their date was a clear indication that he was considering her as someone to share his life with. Zoey thought his intentions were sweet, but she also wondered what Stelios wanted with her. She was a normal woman, with an overbearing mother, and a desk job. What was a handsome, famous billionaire going to do with her?
“I sensed you were a good person when you sent me away from the appointment the other day,” Stelios continued, seemingly reading her thoughts with the skill of a telepath. “Really, I was sure there was something special about you the second I entered your office.”
“It’s true!” he answered Zoey’s surprised look. “Even if you hadn’t called me back that morning, I was planning to ask you out.”
Most people find it feels good to be told that they are special and Zoey was no exception. Especially since the person that was saying so was a very nice guy who looked amazing and happened to be a billionaire.
“Well for the record, I’m glad I agreed to do it.”
“Even if you’re sitting in the dark right now?”
“Yes, even though I’m sitting in the dark right now.”
“I’m very happy to hear that. While we are on the subject of dating, is there any competition I should be aware of?” Stelios queried in light tones.
Zoey chuckled and shook her head. “Nothing’s been going on in that department for some time now. I really haven’t had time to find something meaningful. On top of that, I have way more than enough romance to deal with at work.”
“Well I hope I can change your mind about that,” Stelios replied, gently taking her hand in his.
The contact sent a current up her spine and a warmth flowing within her heart. The pair moved closer together and saw each other for the first time, by the flickering light of the nearby candles.
“You truly are beautiful, Zoey,” Stelios said, almost whispering. With an air almost of awe, he ran his fingers through her raven-tinted hair.
Without a word, she drew him into a deep, passionate kiss that sent every one of her senses on fire. She sensed the need in his lips, smelled his intoxicating aftershave, and felt his heart beating rapidly against her own. Everything ceased to exist beyond the spark of flame between them. Everything else in the world was plunged into darkness.
***
An hour later, sitting in her own room, Zoey still felt like a woman in a dream. She didn’t know how it was possible to feel so incredibly and completely different from the way she had just two days ago. She was elated, excited, and full of hope. She felt desired and loved by someone for a change, and the thought of it danced through her body like electricity. The date had succeeded beyond anything she would have believed, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she was happy.
Pulling off her sweater and slacks, Zoey duly changed into her nightclothes, but she knew sleep wasn’t going to come to her for several hours. Her heart just wouldn’t stop beating faster than usual, and her thoughts had no intention of quieting down. It was lucky, she thought, that she had nowhere to be the next morning.
Eventually, after about three hours of trying, Zoey fell into a blissful sleep. Even though she wouldn’t remember it the next day, she was smiling; her dreams filled with the adventures that awaited her and Stelios in the future.
The Greek Billionaire’s Marriage Matchmaker can be found here.
Other books by Holly Rayner
Holly Rayner’s Sheikhs Series:
Sold To The Sheikh
The Sheikh’s First Christmas
Stealing From The Sheikh
The Sheikh’s Captive Woman
The Sheikh’s Make-Believe Fiancée
The Sheikh’s Irresistible Proposal
Holly Rayner’s Greek Billionaire Series:
An Heir For Alexandros
A Baby For Kristos
Holly Rayner’s Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/hollyraynerbooks