Page 45 of Love on the Rocks
His jaw clenched. “So you said. Still, I am your doctor, and I have a professional obligation to my patient.”
“I told you, you are notmyanything. I’m fine.” I nodded toward the boys. “Any of those yours?”
“What? No.” He chuckled again, another genuine laugh. “Don’t change the subject. You’re not going foraging for salad on that ankle.”
Dammit, Maria. “It’s none of your business what I do.”
“It will be when you end up back on my examining table.” God, why did that idea send a tremor up my spine? He mumbled something at Maria who squeezed my arm and excused herself. “What did you just tell her?”
“I said there’s a storm coming and that she’ll need to put her tables inside before the waves pull them into the port .”
I looked up at the clear sky with nary a cloud in sight. “Do you ever stop lying?”
“It’s true. The storm will be here this evening, maybe even earlier. Close your shutters,” he said as he walked off, turning around to wink at me. “And stay off that ankle. Your doctor’s orders.”
“Notmydoctor,” I shouted after him, trying in vain to tear my eyes from him as he sauntered back toward the court.
I started back to my place determined to concentrate on my cooking, but I was also going a little stir crazy and, dammit, I really wanted to pick some fresh herbs. That’s when I saw Giorgos and Sokratis hanging out by the church and was struck with a brilliant idea.
* * *
Or maybe it wasn’t such a great idea. A mass of black clouds hovered in the distance. The wind whirled around me, making a wild mess of my hair and tangling my skirt around my legs.
“Come on, Sokratis.” I tugged at his reins in another failed attempt to lead him away from the dried scrub he was munching on. It had been two hours since I’d convinced Giorgos to loan me his donkey for the afternoon. He’d agreed after giving mea cursory lesson in handling the beast. Memories of riding Shetland ponies as a kid had led me to believe I could control a Greek donkey. Boy, was I wrong.
Whoever invented the expression “stubborn as an ass” must have had Sokratis in mind, because he was the most determined animal I’d ever met. Determined to do the opposite of what I wanted, that is. His stubborn streak hadn’t bothered me on the way up the hill because I’d taken my time, stopping every few feet to pick fresh arugula, dandelion greens, and wild garlic. I’d even done a happy dance when I’d discovered a patch of fresh dill and wild fennel. By the time we’d reached the top of the hill, my cloth bag was full to the brim with miraculous nature.
Then I’d noticed the ominous clouds in the distance. “Ugh! Does he always have to be right?”
Now, I’d spent the better part of half an hour trying to coax Sokratis back down the hill. “Look, babe, I will give you a big fat carrot—two big fat carrots!—if you stop eating those weeds and take me down the mountain.” I pushed his bottom, and he brayed in outrage, still munching on his scrub.
I settled my hands on my hips and considered my options. Walking down the hill defeated the purpose of renting the donkey. He’d resist me the entire way and my ankle was already protesting. I silently cursed Giorgos. Why had he let me convince him that I could handle his donkey? I clearly had no authority where Sokratis was concerned. It reminded me of my first days aschef de partiein the kitchen, trying to rein in insolent kitchen staff.
“Hey! Head up, look alive!” I yelled in my best chef’s voice. “When I count to five you move your sorry ass!”
He flicked his tail in response.
The unmistakable rumble of thunder made the fine hair on my arms stand up. Well, desperate times called for desperate measures; I pulled out my phone and called Yiannis.
“Miss Calista?” His voice was already breaking up. Great, of course, I would run out of phone service when I needed it.
“Yiannis, I need help. I’m stuck on the mountain.”
“What?”
“Help! I need help!” I yelled and then my phone went dead.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, nature! I thought we were communing today. Can’t you give me a break?” I screamed at the darkening heavens just as another clap of thunder echoed in the distance. It was at that exact moment that Sokratis decided he’d had enough to eat, and took off running down the hill, my bag of foraged greens dangling from his saddle.
“No! Wait!” But my voice was drowned out by the enormous rush of rain and hail that tumbled from the sky.
Chapter 18
“Touch you? That’s the last thing I want to do!” Mia protested and he laughed at her, a dark rumbling laugh that revealed her for the liar she was, for even now her traitorous fingers were itching with the need to feel his muscles flex under his golden skin.
- One Week with the Greek
NIKOS
