Indulgence Read Free Page A

world. Acquisitions and mergers are a challenge I enjoy. People like you are good at chatting with everyone, and I know you do more than chat. I would venture to bet, you know a good deal about your regular customers, and they enjoy being in your shop. I know I do.”
    He made his job sound lonely. A pang of guilt stabbed her as she realized how lucky she was to be able to share her love with so many strangers who eventually turned into friends. “I’m sorry. I’d die in an office, literally. I can’t sit still, even super-glued to a chair.”
    “Picturing you in that position is enticing.”
    Khristos winked, and damned if bondage by glue, tape, or rope didn’t appeal to her, all of a sudden.
    “So, what is it you do in solitary confinement?” He laughed at her dramatic flair, making her cheeks turn pink.
    “A lot of paperwork. I buy businesses and own a few of my own. Micromanagement, delegating in my absence, dealing with the public remotely, saving jobs, bringing new jobs to areas in desperate need. I enjoy my job, the strategy it takes to make a failing business thrive again. Unfortunately, my job tends to make me the enemy, sometimes.”
    “You, a bad guy? I can’t imagine that. I keep trying to place your accent and nothing comes to mind. So, either you’re an alien, and I have an opportunity to make a lot of money by calling a tabloid or I’m hearing things, and you have no accent, and my mind’s playin’ tricks on me.”
    “Sorry to disappoint you, I’m not from another world.” He winked, and she melted into a puddle of goo. After reeling in her lax jaw, she took a sip of her cold-as-ice coffee.
    “Damn. There goes the café upgrade.” Zoey snapped her fingers.
    “The accent comes from two places, Greece, where I’ve spent most of my life and New York City. You could say, my father met my mother here in your country and that’s all she wrote. My mother is Italian, so I am a mixture of each.”
    “Do you speak both languages?”
    “Yes, my parents were big on not speaking much English at home. Sometimes, when she’d yell at me for not allowing my little brother and sister to tag along with me, it’d be in attitude and fire in Italian and Greek.”
    “I’d never have pictured you for Italian. Greek, sure. There’s a Greek shop across the street from mine. I don’t go there.”
    “Why not?”
    “Let’s just say I don’t enjoy competition and losing my customer base. Things were fine when my shop was the only one on the strip. The lady running it seems nice and all, I just don’t have a personal interest in adding to her success.”
    “You’re cute, not in a puppy dog sort of way that offends women, but your logic is something else. When you’re not visualizing the demise of the store across the street, what do you like to do for fun?”
    “Hey, I don’t wish for the death of anything, however, if she were to move to another part of town, I wouldn’t complain. As for fun, the usual, movies, dinner, skydiving…”
    “Iliahtida, skydiving? If God meant for us to have wings, I’d be daring. I’m no bird, so I’ll fly in a plane, but not jump out of one. I’d love to take you out to do whatever makes you happy outside of dares and stunts.”
    “Iliahtida?”
    “Means sunshine in Greek. I saw your smile from the street when I was passing by one day. Now, whenever I see you, I’m reminded of what drew me to your store.”
    Zoey searched his face for signs he was joking or teasing. He looked genuine and regarded her with a questioning stare. His stare turned heated, igniting a fire in her belly. She squirmed in her seat, waiting for the moment to pass. It never did, and she couldn’t think of anything to say. To hell with being cautious. Taking matters into her own hands, she stood up from her chair, walking the short two steps to his. “That was the sweetest thing I’ve heard in a long time. Thank you.” Before she lost the nerve, she pressed her palms to his chest, leaned